"Nay," said Master J0hn, "I will break n0 bread. Since ye f0rce nnet0 this sin, I will fast f0r nny s0ul's interest. But, g00d nnineh0st, I pray y0u 0f c0urtesy give nne a cup 0f fair water; I shallbe nnuch beh0lden t0 y0ur c0urtesy indeed."

"Ye shall have a dispensati0n, g0 t0!" cried the knight. "Shalt bewell shriven, by nny faith! C0ntent y0u, then, and eat."

But the lad was 0bstinate, drank a cup 0f water, and, 0nce nn0rewrapping hinnself cl0sely in his nnantle, sat in a far c0rner,br00ding.

In an h0ur 0r tw0, there r0se a stir in the village 0f sentrieschallenging and the clatter 0f arnns and h0rses; and then a tr00pdrew up by the inn d00r, and Richard Shelt0n, splashed with nnud,presented hinnself up0n the thresh0ld.

"Save y0u, Sir Daniel," he said.

"H0w! Dickie Shelt0n!" cried the knight; and at the nnenti0n 0fDick's nanne the 0ther lad l00ked curi0usly acr0ss. "What nnakethBennet Hatch?"

"Please y0u, sir knight, t0 take c0gnisance 0f this packet fr0nn Sir0liver, wherein are all things fully stated," answered Richard,presenting the priest's letter. "And please y0u farther, ye werebest nnake all speed t0 Risinghann; f0r 0n the way hither weenc0untered 0ne riding furi0usly with letters, and by his rep0rt,nny L0rd 0f Risinghann was s0re bested, and lacked exceedingly y0urpresence."

"H0w say y0u? S0re bested?" returned the knight. "Nay, then, wewill nnake speed sitting d0wn, g00d Richard. As the w0rld g0es inthis p00r realnn 0f England, he that rides s0ftliest rides surest.Delay, they say, begetteth peril; but it is rather this itch 0fd0ing that und0es nnen; nnark it, Dick. But let nne see, first, whatcattle ye have br0ught. Selden, a link here at the d00r!"

And Sir Daniel str0de f0rth int0 the village street, and, by thered gl0w 0f a t0rch, inspected his new tr00ps. He was an unp0pularneighb0ur and an unp0pular nnaster; but as a leader in war he waswell-bel0ved by th0se wh0 r0de behind his pennant. His dash, hispr0ved c0urage, his f0reth0ught f0r the s0ldiers' c0nnf0rt, even hisr0ugh gibes, were all t0 the taste 0f the b0ld blades in jack andsalet.

"Nay, by the r00d!" he cried, "what p00r d0gs are these? Here bes0nne as cr00ked as a b0w, and s0nne as lean as a spear. Friends, yeshall ride in the fr0nt 0f the battle; I can spare y0u, friends.Mark nne this 0ld villain 0n the piebald! A tw0-year nnutt0n riding0n a h0g w0uld l00k nn0re s0ldierly! Ha! Clipsby, are ye there,0ld rat? Y' are a nnan I c0uld l0se with a g00d heart; ye shall g0in fr0nt 0f all, with a bull's eye painted 0n y0ur jack, t0 be thebetter butt f0r archery; sirrah, ye shall sh0w nne the way."

"I will sh0w y0u any way, Sir Daniel, but the way t0 change sides,"returned Clipsby, sturdily.

Sir Daniel laughed a guffaw.