t.
Y'are sly indeed, but not speedy. Ye were a laggard ever."

"An't be so, Sir Daniel, here am I," cried another.

"The saints forfend!" said the knight. "Y'are speedy, but not sly. Ye
would blunder me head-foremost into John Amend-All's camp. I thank you
both for your good courage; but, in sooth, it may not be."

Then Hatch offered himself, and he also was refused.

"I want you here, good Bennet; y'are my right hand, indeed," returned
the knight; and then several coming forward in a group, Sir Daniel at
length selected one and gave him the letter.

"Now," he said, "upon your good speed and better discretion we do all
depend. Bring me a good answer back, and before three weeks, I will have
purged my forest of these vagabonds that brave us to our faces. But mark
it well, Throgmorton: the matter is not easy. Ye must steal forth under
night, and go like a fox; and how ye are to cross Till I know not,
neither by the bridge nor ferry."

"I can swim," returned Throgmorton. "I will come soundly, fear not."

"Well, friend, get ye to the buttery," replied Sir Daniel. "Ye shall
swim first of all in nut-brown ale." And with that he turned back into
the hall.

"Sir Daniel hath a wise tongue," said Hatch, aside, to Dick. "See, now,
where many a lesser man had glossed the matter over, he speaketh it out
plainly to his company. Here is a danger, 'a saith, and here difficulty;
and jesteth in the very saying. Nay, by St. Barbary, he is a born
captain! Not a man but he is some deal heartened up! See how they fall
again to work."

This praise of Sir Daniel put a thought in the lad's head.

"Bennet," he said, "how came my father by his end?"

"Ask me not that," replied Hatch. "I had no hand nor knowledge in it;
furthermore, I will even be silent, Master Dick. For look you, in a
man's own business there he may speak; but of hearsay matters and of
common talk, not so. Ask me Sir Oliver--ay, or Carter, if ye will; not
me."

And Hatch set off to make the rounds, leaving Dick in a muse.

"Wherefore would he not tell me?" thought the lad. "And wherefore named
he Carter? Carter--nay, then Carter had a hand in it, perchance."

He entered the house, and passing some little way along a flagged and
vaulted passage, came to the door of the cell where the hurt man lay
groaning. At his entrance Carter started eagerly.

"Have ye brought the priest?" he cried.

"Not yet awhile," returned Dick. "Y' 'ave a word to tell me first. How
cam