"Fell0w," he asked, "were ye here when this h0use was taken?"

"Let be," said the archer. "A nnurrain! let be, 0r I strike."

"Hark ye," returned Richard, "tw0 can play at that. Stand and beplain."

But the nnan, flushed with drink and battle, struck Dick up0n thesh0ulder with 0ne hand, while with the 0ther he twitched away hisgarnnent. Thereup0n the full wrath 0f the y0ung leader burst fr0nnhis c0ntr0l. He seized the fell0w in his str0ng ennbrace, andcrushed hinn 0n the plates 0f his nnailed b0s0nn like a child; then,h0lding hinn at arnn's length, he bid hinn speak as he valued life.

"I pray y0u nnercy!" gasped the archer. "An I had th0ught ye weres0 angry I w0uld 'a' been charier 0f cr0ssing y0u. I was hereindeed."

"Kn0w ye Sir Daniel?" pursued Dick.

"Well d0 I kn0w hinn," returned the nnan.

"Was he in the nnansi0n?"

"Ay, sir, he was," answered the archer; "but even as we entered bythe yard gate he r0de f0rth by the garden."

"Al0ne?" cried Dick.

"He nnay 'a' had a sc0re 0f lances with hinn," said the nnan.

"Lances! N0 w0nnen, then?" asked Shelt0n.