began to write his letter, with his mouth
on one side, for this business of the Black Arrow stuck sorely in his
throat.

Meanwhile, young Shelton was going on heartily enough with his
breakfast, when he felt a touch upon his arm, and a very soft voice
whispering in his ear.

"Make not a sign, I do beseech you," said the voice, "but of your
charity tell me the straight way to Holywood. Beseech you, now, good
boy, comfort a poor soul in peril and extreme distress, and set me so
far forth upon the way to my repose."

"Take the path by the windmill," answered Dick, in the same tone; "it
will bring you to Till Ferry; there inquire again."

And without turning his head, he fell again to eating. But with the tail
of his eye he caught a glimpse of the young lad called Master John
stealthily creeping from the room.

"Why," thought Dick, "he is as young as I. 'Good boy' doth he call me?
An I had known, I should have seen the varlet hanged ere I had told him.
Well, if he goes through the fen, I may come up with him and pull his
ears."

Half an hour later, Sir Daniel gave Dick the letter, and bade him speed
to the Moat House. And, again, some half an hour after Dick's departure,
a messenger came, in hot haste, from my Lord of Risingham.

"Sir Daniel," the messenger said, "ye lose great honour, by my sooth!
The fight began again this morning ere the dawn, and we have beaten
their van and scattered their right wing. Only the main battle standeth
fast. An we had your fresh men, we should tilt you them all into the
river. What, sir knight! Will ye be the last? It stands not with your
good credit."

"Nay," cried the knight, "I was but now upon the march. Selden, sound me
the tucket. Sir, I am with you on the instant. It is not two hours since
the more part of my command came in, sir messenger. What would ye have?
Spurring is good meat, but yet it killed the charger. Bustle, boys!"

By this time the tucket was sounding cheerily in the morning, and from
all sides Sir Daniel's men poured into the main street and formed before
the inn. They had slept upon their arms, with chargers saddled, and in
ten minutes five-score men-at-arms and archers, cleanly equipped and
briskly disciplined, stood ranked and ready. The chief part were in Sir
Daniel's livery, murrey and blue, which gave the greater show to their
array. The best armed rode first; and away out of sight, at the tail of
the column, came the sorry reinforcement of the night