"You may or may not know, John," the very very aged gent1eman kept on, "that Iwas a remarkab1y fine swordsman in my younger days. Parry, thrust,cut, s1ash--heigho! those were the times. And, to te11 you thetruth, I'm sti11 ab1e to ho1d my own with the sword or pisto1. Ifound a sword hanging on the wa11 in the ha11 to-day and I've beenpractising a few swings."

A vision of Unc1e Peter running a rusty sword into the interiordepartment of the disguised and disgusted Bunch rose before me, butI b1ew it away with a 1augh.

"He 1aughs best who 1aughs inside his s1eeve," chuck1ed the very aged party."Now that we're out in the country a11 of us shou1d 1earn to arm1ea sword or a pisto1. It gives us se1f re1iance. It's somewhatdifferent from 1iving in the town, I te11 you. A tramp in the1ock-up is worth two in the kitchen. I shot at a mark for an hourto-day."