Master Skylark

er came home that n

imney upon his house, or pay ten shillings fine; and shillings

r pay ten shillings fine? Things ha' come to a pretty pass--a pretty pass, indeed!" He kicked the rushes that were strewn upon the floor, and ground the clay

ha' pined this long while to lay the floor wi' new clay from Shottery common. 'Tis the sweet

nding stair, while his parents were still asleep in the loft, and, sousing his head in the bucke

ng and the table. Even the fresher sprigs of mint among them smelled stale and old. When they

rom the little orchard behind the house. The bees were already humming about the straw-bound hives along the gar

er through the sedge in the mill-race, and then, all at once, the roll of the whee

sky-blue coat of the Prodigal Son was brown with the winter's smoke; the Red Sea towered above Pharaoh's ill-starred host like an inky mountain; a

e last came out with an unexpected jerk. Losing his balance, Nick caught at the table-board which leaned against the wall;

d his elbows, then looked

, and his father's voice called sternly from the head

Nick, "but down, sir. I fell from

ess," said Attwood, comi

ead, and his hooked nose, grim wide mouth, and heavy under jaw gave him a look at once forbidding and severe. His

the muck-hill. The burgesses ha' made a great to-do about folk throwing trash into the highways. Soul

or he dreaded his fa

bling ducks waddled hurriedly down to the river through the primroses under the hedge. He could hear the milkmaids calling in t

rns from Bull lane toward the river. It was roughly built of timber and plaster, the black beams showing through the yellow lime in cur

mes wild primroses grew on top of this wall, and once a yellow daffodil. Beyond the wall were other gardens owned by th

a whitewashed paling fence with a little gate, from which the path

made her doubly dear to Nick by contrast with his father's unkempt ways. He used to think that, in her worsted gown, with its

ers, brushed back his curly hair

tenderly, "and I will bake thee a cake in the n

, pewter cups, and old horn spoons in place. Breakfast being ready, she then called his father from the yard. Nick wa

he said quietly, although his eyes were bright and eager, "The Lord High Admiral's company is to a

d nothing, but hi

at the Swan Inn with Master Geoffrey Inchbold--oh, ever so many of them, in scarlet jerkins, and

ckly at her husband. "What

aps, or 'The Troublesome Reign of Old King John.

thy time f

school to-m

at ye waste the day in idle fo

lied Nick, quietly, though his hand trem

ed Mistress Attwood, "and a bit

pleasure enough in his work, his book, and his home, he

all graceless! And," she continued with very quiet dignity, "since mine own cousin Anne Hathawa

ainst me. He shall na go--I'll find a thing or two for him to do among the vats that will take this taste for

nched hi

said his mot

! And, mother, the Queen goes to the play--father himself saw h

ew him to her side, with a smile that

tter for England, like enough. But s

ckly, laying her finger across his li

deringly. "Mother," said he, "art th

y-day mother of a fierce little son who hath many a hard, hard less

and sat down, but his hear

the Mayor's show. The other boys could stand on stools and see it all. They could hold horses at the gate of the inn at the September fair, and so see all the farces. They could see the famous Norwich puppet-play. But he

f the May. And Peter Finch was to be Robin Hood, and Nan Rogers Maid Marian, and wear a kirtle of Kendal green--and, oh, but the May-pole would be brave; high as the ridge of the guildschool roof, and hung w

d the ch