t?"

"Not from Adam. Hath your worship no knowledge of him?"

"No certain knowledge, Master Morgan; but I can give a shrewd guess or
two concerning him. Thou hast heard of the plot of King Philip to
destroy the forest?"

"Ay, the rumour was abroad strong enough in the springtime, but since
Admiral Drake came down I have heard nothing. I thought the rascal
plotters had fled, for 'tis well known the health of a Spaniard suffers
grievously if he do but breathe the same air as our gallant sailor."

"That is so; but some are of tougher constitutions than others, and
they do not sicken in a day. The fellow who hath left his mark upon
thee is an emissary of Spain. I did not know my life was threatened,
but the admiral may find a foe in any thicket. I am heartily sorry the
villain escaped us."

"I am downright ashamed on 't!" cried Johnnie. He drew himself up to
his full height and stretched out a brawny arm. "I ought to have
crushed him 'twixt finger and thumb as I would a wasp. A lean,
shrivelled, hole-and-corner coward!"

"But as strong and supple as a wild cat," commented Raleigh.

"Ay, and he left the mark of his claws behind him," added Morgan. "He
was no weakling."

"And he is not the only one lying in wait; nor is he the master hand in
this business. You verderers must bestir yourselves, or that which is
entrusted to you will go up to the heavens in smoke. I will wend with
thee to Newnham. The admiral goes thither on the tide this afternoon
on the Queen's business, and 'twill be as well that he, and those that
come to meet him, should see evidence of the activity of our secret
foes."

So the knight and Master Morgan mended their pace along the woodland
way.

[1] A warden of the forest and an administrator of "forest law."

Chapter V.

MASTER WINDYBANK.

"Then thou dost refuse to listen to my suit, Mistress Dorothy?"

"Refuse! Alack, good Master Windybank, what a word to utter. Look at
yonder sundial and thou wilt see that I have hearkened most patiently
for more than an hour." Mistress Dorothy opened her blue eyes very
widely, and her tone was a trifle indignant.

"Ay, but there is listening and listening, mistress," was the testy
response.

"And surely my listening deserves commendation, seeing that I made no
interruption, scarcely speaking a word."

"But I wanted thee to speak, to interrupt, to contradict, to argue.
Thy silence betokened indifference. I had rather that