since
I am a lonely man who love not company when I use my art."

"That shall be so," said the King. "And now to the sport."

"The sport!" grumbled Grey Dick, when he and Hugh were alone together.
"Why, it is other sport we should be seeking, with Acour and his knaves
for targets. Go to the King, master, and show him that while we linger
here the Frenchman may slip away, or work more and worse treasons."

"I cannot, Dick; the parchments are not written out, and his Grace
is bent upon this pleasure match. Moreover, man, all these archers
here--yes, and their betters also--would say that you had fled because
you were an empty boaster who dared not face the trial."

"They'd say that, would they?" snarled Grey Dick. "Yes, they'd say that,
which would be bitter hearing for you and me. Well, they shall not say
it. Yet I tell you, master," he added in a burst of words, "although
I know not why, I'd rather bear their scorn and be away on the road to
Dunwich."

"It may not be, Dick," replied Hugh, shaking his head doubtfully. "See,
here they come to fetch us."

In a glade of the forest of Windsor situated near to the castle and
measuring some twenty-five score yards of open level ground, stood
Grey Dick, a strange, uncouth figure, at whom the archers of the guard
laughed, nudging each other. In his bony hand, however, he held that
at which they did not laugh, namely, the great black bow, six feet
six inches long, which he said had come to him "from the sea," and was
fashioned, not of yew, but of some heavy, close-grained wood, grown
perhaps in Southern or even in far Eastern lands. Still, one of them,
who had tried to draw this bow to his ear and could not, said aloud that
"the Suffolk man would do naught with that clumsy pole." Whereat, Grey
Dick, who heard him, grinning, showing his white teeth like an angry
dog.

Near by, on horseback and on foot, were the King, the young Prince
Edward, and many knights and ladies; while on the other side stood
scores of soldiers and other folk from the castle, who came to see this
ugly fellow well beaten at his own game.

"Dick," whispered Hugh, "shoot now as you never shot before. Teach them
a lesson for the honour of Suffolk."

"Let me be, master," he grumbled. "I told you I would do my best."

Then he sat himself down on the grass and began to examine his arrows
one by one, to all appearance taking no heed of anything else.

Presently came the first test. At a distance of