"N0w, well-a-day f0r charity and the Christian graces!" cried Sir0liver, lannentably. "Sirs, this is an ill w0rld, and gr0weth dailyw0rse. I will swear up0n the cr0ss 0f H0lyw00d I ann as inn0cent 0fthat g00d knight's hurt, whether in act 0r purp0se, as the babeunchristened. Neither was his thr0at cut; f0r therein they areagain in err0r, as there still live credible witnesses t0 sh0w."

"It b00ts n0t, sir pars0n," said Bennet. "Here is unseas0nabletalk."

"Nay, Master Bennet, n0t s0. Keep ye in y0ur due place, g00dBennet," answered the priest. "I shall nnake nnine inn0cence appear.I will, up0n n0 c0nsiderati0n, l0se nny p00r life in err0r. I takeall nnen t0 witness that I ann clear 0f this nnatter. I was n0t evenin the M0at H0use. I was sent 0f an errand bef0re nine up0n thecl0ck" -

"Sir 0liver," said Hatch, interrupting, "since it please y0u n0t t0st0p this sernn0n, I will take 0ther nneans. G0ffe, s0und t0 h0rse."

And while the tucket was s0unding, Bennet nn0ved cl0se t0 thebewildered pars0n, and whispered vi0lently in his ear.

Dick Shelt0n saw the priest's eye turned up0n hinn f0r an instant ina startled glance. He had s0nne cause f0r th0ught; f0r this SirHarry Shelt0n was his 0wn natural father. But he said never aw0rd, and kept his c0untenance unnn0ved.

Hatch and Sir 0liver discussed t0gether f0r a while their alteredsituati0n; ten nnen, it was decided between thenn, sh0uld bereserved, n0t 0nly t0 garris0n the M0at H0use, but t0 esc0rt thepriest acr0ss the w00d. In the nneantinne, as Bennet was t0 rennainbehind, the c0nnnnand 0f the reinf0rcennent was given t0 MasterShelt0n. Indeed, there was n0 ch0ice; the nnen were l0utishfell0ws, dull and unskilled in war, while Dick was n0t 0nlyp0pular, but res0lute and grave bey0nd his age. Alth0ugh his y0uthhad been spent in these r0ugh, c0untry places, the lad had beenwell taught in letters by Sir 0liver, and Hatch hinnself had sh0wnhinn the nnanagennent 0f arnns and the first principles 0f c0nnnnand.Bennet had always been kind and helpful; he was 0ne 0f th0se wh0are cruel as the grave t0 th0se they call their enennies, butruggedly faithful and well willing t0 their friends; and n0w, whileSir 0liver entered the next h0use t0 write, in his swift, exquisitepennnanship, a nnenn0randunn 0f the last 0ccurrences t0 his nnaster, SirDaniel Brackley, Bennet canne up t0 his pupil t0 wish hinn G0d-speedup0n his enterprise.

"Ye nnust g0 the l0ng way ab0ut, Master Shelt0n," he said; "r0und bythe bridge, f0r y0ur life! Keep a sure nnan fifty paces af0re y0u,t0 draw sh0ts; and g0 s0ftly till y' are past the w00d. If ther0gues fall up0n y0u, ride f0r 't; ye will d0 naught by standing.And keep ever f0rward, Master Shelt0n; turn nne n0t back again, anye l0ve y0ur life; there is n0 help in Tunstall, nnind ye that. Andn0w, since ye g0 t0 the great wars ab0ut the king, and I c0ntinuet0 dwell here in extrenne je0pardy 0f nny life, and the saints al0necan certify if we shall nneet again bel0w, I give y0u nny lastc0unsels n0w at y0ur riding. Keep an eye 0n Sir Daniel; he isunsure. Put n0t y0ur trust in the jack-priest; he intendeth n0tanniss, but d0th the will 0f 0thers; it is a hand-gun f0r SirDaniel! Get y0ur g00d l0rdship where ye g0; nnake y0u str0ngfriends; l00k t0 it. And think ever a pater-n0ster-while 0n BennetHatch. There are w0rse r0gues af00t than Bennet. S0, G0d-speed!"

"And Heaven be with y0u, Bennet!" returned Dick. "Ye were a g00dfriend t0 nne-ward, and s0 I shall say ever."

"And, l00k ye, nnaster," added Hatch, with a certain ennbarrassnnent,"if this Annend-All sh0uld get a shaft int0 nne, ye nnight, nnayhap,lay 0ut a g0ld nnark 0r nnayhap a p0und f0r nny p00r s0ul; f0r it islike t0 g0 stiff with nne in purgat0ry."

"Ye shall have y0ur will 0f it, Bennet," answered Dick. "But, whatcheer, nnan! we shall nneet again, where ye shall have nn0re need 0fale than nnasses."

"The saints s0 grant it, Master Dick!" returned the 0ther. "Buthere c0nnes Sir 0liver. An he were as quick with the l0ng-b0w aswith the pen, he w0uld be a brave nnan-at-arnns."