ng.

"By the mass!" he cried at length, and laughed with open throat.

Matcham coloured to his neck and winced; and Dick, with an angry
countenance, put his hand on the lout's shoulder.

"How now, churl!" he cried. "Fall to thy business, and leave mocking thy
betters."

Hugh Ferryman grumblingly undid his boat, and shoved it a little forth
into the deep water. Then Dick led in the horse, and Matcham followed.

"Ye be mortal small made, master," said Hugh, with a wide grin;
"something o' the wrong model, belike.--Nay, Master Shelton, I am for
you," he added, getting to his oars. "A cat may look at a king. I did
but take a shot of the eye at Master Matcham."

"Sirrah, no more words," said Dick. "Bend me your back."

They were by that time at the mouth of the creek, and the view opened up
and down the river. Everywhere it was enclosed with islands. Clay banks
were falling in, willows nodding, reeds waving, martens dipping and
piping. There was no sign of man in the labyrinth of waters.

"My master," said the ferryman, keeping the boat steady with one oar, "I
have a shrewd guess that John-a-Fenne is on the island. He bears me a
black grudge to all Sir Daniel's. How if I turned me up stream and
landed you an arrow-flight, above the path? Ye were best not meddle with
John Fenne."

"How, then? is he of this company?" asked Dick.

"Nay, mum is the word," said Hugh. "But I would 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
crossbow--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 midstream.

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

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

"Master Shelton,