for he turned his head sharply and then back
again, and looked keenly into the crowd as though seeking to catch some
one's eye. There was a very tall man standing by the prisoner on the
horse near the outskirts of the crowd, and holding his bridle. This
man, who was well-armed, I saw look up and say something to the
prisoner, who stooped down and seemed to whisper him in turn. The tall
man nodded his head and the prisoner got off his horse, which was a
cleaner-limbed, better-built beast than the others belonging to the
band, and the tall man quietly led him a little way from the crowd,
mounted him, and rode off northward at a smart pace.

Will Green looked on sharply at all this, and when the man rode off,
smiled as one who is content, and deems that all is going well, and
settled himself down again to listen to the priest.

But now when John Ball had ceased speaking, and after another shout,
and a hum of excited pleasure and hope that followed it, there was
silence again, and as the priest addressed himself to speaking once
more, he paused and turned his head towards the wind, as if he heard
something, which certainly I heard, and belike every one in the throng,
though it was not over-loud, far as sounds carry in clear quiet
evenings. It was the thump-a-thump of a horse drawing near at a
hand-gallop along the grassy upland road; and I knew well it was the
tall man coming back with tidings, the purport of which I could well
guess.

I looked up at Will Green's face. He was smiling as one pleased, and
said softly as he nodded to me, "Yea, shall we see the grey-goose fly
this eve?"

But John Ball said in a great voice from the cross, "Hear ye the
tidings on the way, fellows! Hold ye together and look to your gear;
yet hurry not, for no great matter shall this be. I wot well there is
little force between Canterbury and Kingston, for the lords are looking
north of Thames toward Wat Tyler and his men. Yet well it is, well it
is!"

The crowd opened and spread out a little, and the men moved about in
it, some tightening a girdle, some getting their side arms more within
reach of their right hands, and those who had bows stringing them.

Will Green set hand and foot to the great shapely piece of polished red
yew, with its shining horn tips, which he carried, and bent it with no
seeming effort; then he reached out his hand over his shoulder and drew
out a long arrow, smooth, white, beautifully balanced, with a barbe