A Boy's Ride

joins the Ouse eight miles south, and the second eighteen miles southeast of York, they had already crossed. They w

not to fall in with these galloping king's men. Let them ride up and down till they think us securely hid away

g-man, Humphrey knew more of Yorkshire woods than his master. He therefore made no objection when Humphrey announced his decision, much to the serving-man's surprise,

the serving-man's return with the promise that, as soon as the dog came i

On the other side of the valley sloping coppices abound, and therei

answere

see a badger hunt. Three men and two dogs did I see, and they five did at length dig out one badger. The old badger was inside the hole taking h

his uncle's priory he had occasionally

m, was it?" in

respond

ngly. "A priest," he said, "for

then Humphrey continued: "The badger hath a thick skin. He goeth into a wasp's

n wasps' nests and bees

t beside the path, and there, full in the moonlight, was a badger rooting out the nest. Out swarmed the bees, and several did sting the horse of my grandsire at the moment when he had taken good aim at the badger with his stic

veth, then?"

d at the question. "Hale and hearty

n for Fleetfoot. Hearing nothing Humphrey

was the

Report hath it that there is great sport in London at the p

e had been doing wrong. Three partridges, a fox, and a badger he

e mine, I should beat him. The king maketh nothing of lopping off a man's hand or foot for such a trespass, or even p

he dog's head. "Perchance he hath taken

artridge hath such a filling power. Else would I feed only on partridges. Moreover, he is a knowin

ght," replied Hugo, as

y to be right when it cometh to measuring up the trespasses of a straying deerhound. For why should a man be advanced to preferment and honor except t

tempted to follow Hugo, much to Humphrey's satisfaction. "Ay, thou wouldst follow, wouldst thou?" he said. "Bide where thou art with the

ointing out its features with the air of a proprietor. Green and lovely it stretched away to the southeast some two miles, as Humphrey told him. Through it flowe

n the shelter of the trees. "The Normans rule, and honest men

a Norman," remarked

deth bravely by the people, and is opposed to murder and robbery. Therefore is he fled, and therefore is our young lord Josceline in danger

t of the flash of sunlight on steel down th

reading oak at the edge of the vale. Ther

they not?" asked Hugo when they were

sleep too sound to dream last night, else might we have bee

yes of Humphrey and Hugo resolved them int

king's man to take a b

that they have a good

umphrey had a short while before revealed

ides of him and learn nothing. My head had been off my shoulders ere this, had not some measure of cunning done its part to ke

uld pin such faith to dreams. So he said teasingly: "How if thou get not the dream to-night,

o be sure. Then would the summer be done; and, moreover,

umphrey, they dismounted. "Here do we stop," said Walter Skinner. "I warrant you they be

arther to the east, when thy fellow will catch them if we miss them. I marvel thou has

kinner, he frowned. And drawing himself up importantly he said, "The

without doubt," obse

ter Skinner, "else had I met him. But he creepeth

an-at-arms, regarding with scarce conc

d to show the soldier how high he stood in the king's counsel, he said haughtily: "Why, it were best he balk me, if he knew what wil

st thou?" interrupt

son shall not live, no more

im to death?" aske

fashion, by which he will be the longer dying, and his father the more torment

u this?" demanded

ith an air of great mystery, he said: "It is whispe

ray no mouse to the cat, least of all the son of the brave De Aldithely. I will back to my own master from whom thou didst borrow me. I

he second man-at-arms, s

!" exclaime

clattered off down the valley whence they had come,

ernation all that passed. "I fear it meaneth death to thee also if thou be caught," said Humphrey. "For it is a serious thi

ing, I did forget that for murdering of Arthur all men hate him, and few will help him to his will upon others." Moodily he threw himself upon the grass, having staked his horse, and soon left off berating himself by falling into a sound sleep. The sun reached the meridian, and he still slept. It came t

leepeth," said Humphrey, anxiously. "F

a little sound goeth far here? The rustling of the leaves

Ay, poor mouse!" he said.

ed loudly. Once more the horses in the thicket answered; and the spy, bro

st not dreamed of going up a ladder and climbing a tre

hoping to hear them. "I will on," he cried impatiently. "'Twas from this direction the answer came." And away he hurried on foot, for he imagined that those he sought were hidden near at hand, and waiting

out of sight Humphrey b

est thou?"

see," return

he birch rod. Away galloped the horse down the valley, while Humphrey hastened back to his place in the tree. "Fortune may be with him," he said to Hugo, "but his horse i