uld go up water, Dick. How
if Master Matcham came by an arrow?" and he laughed again.

"Be it so, Hugh," answered Dick.

"Look ye, then," pursued Hugh. "Sith it shall so be, unsling me your
cross-bow--so: now make it ready--good; place me a quarrel. Ay, keep it
so, and look upon me grimly."

"What meaneth this?" asked Dick.

"Why, my master, if I steal you across, it must be under force or fear,"
replied the ferryman; "for else, if John Fenne got wind of it, he were
like to prove my most distressful neighbour."

"Do these churls ride so roughly?" Dick inquired. "Do they command Sir
Daniel's own ferry?"

"Nay," whispered the ferryman, winking. "Mark me! Sir Daniel shall down.
His time is out. He shall down. Mum!" And he bent over his oars.

They pulled a long way up the river, turned the tail of an island, and
came softly down a narrow channel next the opposite bank. Then Hugh held
water in mid-stream.

"I must land you here among the willows," he said.

"Here is no path but willow swamps and quagmires," answered Dick.

"Master Shelton," replied Hugh, "I dare not take ye nearer down, for
your own sake now. He watcheth me the ferry, lying on his bow. All that
go by and owe Sir Daniel good-will, he shooteth down like rabbits. I
heard him swear it by the rood. An I had not known you of old days--ay,
and from so high upward--I would 'a' let you go on; but for old days'
remembrance, and because ye had this toy with you that's not fit for
wounds or warfare, I did risk my two poor ears to have you over whole.
Content you; I can no more, on my salvation!"

Hugh was still speaking, lying on his oars, when there came a great
shout from among the willows on the island, and sounds followed as of a
strong man breasting roughly through the wood.

"A murrain!" cried Hugh. "He was on the upper island all the while!" He
pulled straight for shore. "Threat me with your bow, good Dick; threat
me with it plain," he added. "I have tried to save your skins, save you
mine!"

The boat ran into a tough thicket of willows with a crash. Matcham,
pale, but steady and alert, at a sign from Dick, ran along the thwarts
and leaped ashore; Dick, taking the horse by the bridle, sought to
follow, but what with the animal's bulk, and what with the closeness of
the thicket, both stuck fast. The horse neighed and trampled; and the
boat, which was swinging in an eddy, came on and off and pitched with
violence.

"It may not be, Hugh; here is n