ull of wonderment at the humble bearing of so renowned
a captain, and John loud with snorts and sneers, which spoke his
disappointment and contempt.

"What ails the man?" asked Aylward in surprise.

"I have been cozened and bejaped," quoth he gruffly.

"By whom, Sir Samson the strong?"

"By thee, Sir Balaam the false prophet."

"By my hilt!" cried the archer, "I though I be not Balaam, yet I hold
converse with the very creature that spake to him. What is amiss, then,
and how have I played you false?"

"Why, marry, did you not say, and Alleyne here will be my witness, that,
if I would hie to the wars with you, you would place me under a leader
who was second to none in all England for valor? Yet here you bring me
to a shred of a man, peaky and ill-nourished, with eyes like a moulting
owl, who must needs, forsooth, take counsel with his mother ere he
buckle sword to girdle."

"Is that where the shoe galls?" cried the bowman, and laughed aloud.
"I will ask you what you think of him three months hence, if we be all
alive; for sure I am that----"

Aylward's words were interrupted by an extraordinary hubbub which broke
out that instant some little way down the street in the direction of the
Priory. There was deep-mouthed shouting of men, frightened shrieks of
women, howling and barking of curs, and over all a sullen, thunderous
rumble, indescribably menacing and terrible. Round the corner of the
narrow street there came rushing a brace of whining dogs with tails
tucked under their legs, and after them a white-faced burgher, with
outstretched hands and wide-spread fingers, his hair all abristle and
his eyes glinting back from one shoulder to the other, as though some
great terror were at his very heels. "Fly, my lady, fly!" he screeched,
and whizzed past them like bolt from bow; while close behind came
lumbering a huge black bear, with red tongue lolling from his mouth, and
a broken chain jangling behind him. To right and left the folk flew for
arch and doorway. Hordle John caught up the Lady Loring as though
she had been a feather, and sprang with her into an open porch; while
Aylward, with a whirl of French oaths, plucked at his quiver and tried
to unsling his bow. Alleyne, all unnerved at so strange and unwonted a
sight, shrunk up against the wall with his eyes fixed upon the frenzied
creature, which came bounding along with ungainly speed, looking the
larger in the uncertain light, its huge jaws agape, with blood