cost him many a good ounce of blood."

"And here," added Greensheve, "is a hole in his shoulder that must have
pricked him well. Who hath done this, think ye? If it be one of ours, he
may all to prayer; Ellis will give him a short shrift and a long rope."

"Up with the cub," said Lawless. "Clap him on my back."

And then, when Dick had been hoisted to his shoulders, and he had taken
the lad's arms about his neck, and got a firm hold of him, the ex-Grey
Friar added:

"Keep ye the post, brother Greensheve. I will on with him by myself."

So Greensheve returned to his ambush on the wayside, and Lawless trudged
down the hill, whistling as he went, with Dick, still in a dead faint,
comfortably settled on his shoulders.

The sun rose as he came out of the skirts of the wood and saw Tunstall
hamlet straggling up the opposite hill. All seemed quiet, but a strong
post of some half a score of archers lay close by the bridge on either
side of the road, and, as soon as they perceived Lawless with his
burthen, began to bestir themselves and set arrow to string like
vigilant sentries.

"Who goes?" cried the man in command.

"Will Lawless, by the rood--ye know me as well as your own hand,"
returned the outlaw, contemptuously.

"Give the word, Lawless," returned the other.

"Now, Heaven lighten thee, thou great fool," replied Lawless. "Did I not
tell it thee myself? But ye are all mad for this playing at soldiers.
When I am in the greenwood, give me greenwood ways; and my word for this
tide is: 'A fig for all mock soldiery!'"

"Lawless, ye but show an ill example; give us the word, fool jester,"
said the commander of the post.

"And if I had forgotten it?" asked the other.

"An ye had forgotten it--as I know y' 'ave not--by the mass, I would
clap an arrow into your big body," returned the first.

"Nay, an y'are so ill a jester," said Lawless, "ye shall have your word
for me. 'Duckworth and Shelton' is the word; and here, to the
illustration, is Shelton on my shoulders, and to Duckworth do I carry
him."

"Pass, Lawless," said the sentry.

"And where is John?" asked the Grey Friar.

"He holdeth a court, by the mass, and taketh rents as to the manner
born!" cried another of the company.

So it proved. When Lawless got as far up the village as the little inn,
he found Ellis Duckworth surrounded by Sir Daniel's tenants, and, by the
right of his good company of archers, coolly taking rents, and giving
written receipts