me. Nay, now," he added--"nay, now, let be! With
sound men I will fight, but not with ghosts and lepers. Which this is I
wot not. One or other, Heaven be our protection!"

"Now," said Matcham, "if this be man's courage, what a poor thing is
man! But sith ye will do naught, let us lie close."

Then came a single, broken jangle on the bell.

"He hath missed his hold upon the clapper," whispered Matcham. "Saints!
how near he is!"

But Dick answered never a word; his teeth were near chattering.

Soon they saw a piece of the white robe between some bushes; then the
leper's head was thrust forth from behind a trunk, and he seemed
narrowly to scan the neighbourhood before he once again withdrew. To
their stretched senses, the whole bush appeared alive with rustlings and
the creak of twigs; and they heard the beating of each other's heart.

Suddenly, with a cry, the leper sprang into the open close by, and ran
straight upon the lads. They, shrieking aloud, separated and began to
run different ways. But their horrible enemy fastened upon Matcham, ran
him swiftly down, and had him almost instantly a prisoner. The lad gave
one scream that echoed high and far over the forest, he had one spasm of
struggling, and then all his limbs relaxed, and he fell limp into his
captor's arms.

Dick heard the cry and turned. He saw Matcham fall; and on the instant
his spirit and his strength revived. With a cry of pity and anger, he
unslung and bent his arblast. But ere he had time to shoot, the leper
held up his hand.

"Hold your shot, Dickon!" cried a familiar voice. "Hold your shot, mad
wag! Know ye not a friend?"

And then laying down Matcham on the turf, he undid the hood from off his
face, and disclosed the features of Sir Daniel Brackley.

"Sir Daniel!" cried Dick.

"Ay, by the mass, Sir Daniel!" returned the knight. "Would ye shoot upon
your guardian, rogue? But here is this----" And there he broke off, and
pointing to Matcham, asked: "How call ye him, Dick?"

"Nay," said Dick, "I call him Master Matcham. Know ye him not? He said
ye knew him!"

"Ay," replied Sir Daniel, "I know the lad"; and he chuckled. "But he has
fainted; and, by my sooth, he might have had less to faint for! Hey,
Dick? Did I put the fear of death upon you?"

"Indeed, Sir Daniel, ye did that," said Dick, and sighed again at the
mere recollection. "Nay, sir, saving your respect, I had as lief 'a' met
the devil in person; and to speak truth, I am yet all