He comes from Hordle, and this is his mother who
hath come forth to welcome him."

"You rammucky lurden," she was howling, with a blow between each catch
of her breath, "you shammocking, yaping, over-long good-for-nought. I
will teach thee! I will baste thee! Aye, by my faith!"

"Whist, mother," said John, looking back at her from the tail of his
eye, "I go to France as an archer to give blows and to take them."

"To France, quotha?" cried the old dame. "Bide here with me, and I shall
warrant you more blows than you are like to get in France. If blows be
what you seek, you need not go further than Hordle."

"By my hilt! the good dame speaks truth," said Aylward. "It seems to be
the very home of them."

"What have you to say, you clean-shaved galley-beggar?" cried the fiery
dame, turning upon the archer. "Can I not speak with my own son but you
must let your tongue clack? A soldier, quotha, and never a hair on
his face. I have seen a better soldier with pap for food and swaddling
clothes for harness."

"Stand to it, Aylward," cried the archers, amid a fresh burst of
laughter.

"Do not thwart her, comrade," said big John. "She hath a proper spirit
for her years and cannot abide to be thwarted. It is kindly and homely
to me to hear her voice and to feel that she is behind me. But I must
leave you now, mother, for the way is over-rough for your feet; but I
will bring you back a silken gown, if there be one in France or Spain,
and I will bring Jinny a silver penny; so good-bye to you, and God have
you in His keeping!" Whipping up the little woman, he lifted her lightly
to his lips, and then, taking his place in the ranks again, marched on
with the laughing Company.

"That was ever his way," she cried, appealing to Sir Nigel, who reined
up his horse and listened with the greatest courtesy. "He would jog on
his own road for all that I could do to change him. First he must be a
monk forsooth, and all because a wench was wise enough to turn her back
on him. Then he joins a rascally crew and must needs trapse off to the
wars, and me with no one to bait the fire if I be out, or tend the cow
if I be home. Yet I have been a good mother to him. Three hazel switches
a day have I broke across his shoulders, and he takes no more notice
than you have seen him to-day."

"Doubt not that he will come back to you both safe and prosperous, my
fair dame," quoth Sir Nigel. "Meanwhile it grieves me that as I have
already given my purs