his little speech had cost the blunt bowman much pains and planning;
but he might have spared his breath, for the lady was quite as much
absorbed as her lord in the letter, which they held between them, a
hand on either corner, spelling it out very slowly, with drawn brows and
muttering lips. As they read it, Alleyne, who stood with Hordle John a
few paces back from their comrade, saw the lady catch her breath, while
the knight laughed softly to himself.

"You see, dear heart," said he, "that they will not leave the old dog
in his kennel when the game is afoot. And what of this White Company,
archer?"

"Ah, sir, you speak of dogs," cried Aylward; "but there are a pack
of lusty hounds who are ready for any quarry, if they have but a good
huntsman to halloo them on. Sir, we have been in the wars together, and
I have seen many a brave following but never such a set of woodland boys
as this. They do but want you at their head, and who will bar the way to
them!"

"Pardieu!" said Sir Nigel, "if they are all like their messenger, they
are indeed men of whom a leader may be proud. Your name, good archer?"

"Sam Aylward, sir, of the Hundred of Easebourne and the Rape of
Chichester."

"And this giant behind you?"

"He is big John, of Hordle, a forest man, who hath now taken service in
the Company."

"A proper figure of a man at-arms," said the little knight. "Why, man,
you are no chicken, yet I warrant him the stronger man. See to that
great stone from the coping which hath fallen upon the bridge. Four of
my lazy varlets strove this day to carry it hence. I would that you two
could put them to shame by budging it, though I fear that I overtask
you, for it is of a grievous weight."

He pointed as he spoke to a huge rough-hewn block which lay by the
roadside, deep sunken from its own weight in the reddish earth. The
archer approached it, rolling back the sleeves of his jerkin, but with
no very hopeful countenance, for indeed it was a mighty rock. John,
however, put him aside with his left hand, and, stooping over the stone,
he plucked it single-handed from its soft bed and swung it far into the
stream. There it fell with mighty splash, one jagged end peaking out
above the surface, while the waters bubbled and foamed with far-circling
eddy.

"Good lack!" cried Sir Nigel, and "Good lack!" cried his lady, while
John stood laughing and wiping the caked dirt from his fingers.

"I have felt his arms round my ribs," said the