Master Skylark

und about in speechless envy, or murmured their A B C's and "ba be bi's" along the chapel steps. The lower-form boys were playing leap-frog past the a

he larger boys of the Fable Class stood in an excited group beneath the shadow of the overhanging second s

the street, saying his sentences for the day over and over to himself in hopeless desperation, having had no

n amazement. "No stag

stood good for ninepence wine and twopence bread, and broached a keg of sturgeon. And when they were all met together there, eating, and drinking, and making merry--what? Why, in came my Lord Admiral's players from London town, ruffling it like high dukes, and not caring two pops for Sir Thomas, or Sir Ed

" crie

omen would have seen to it--what? Why, my Lord Admiral's master-player clappe

cy's men?" exclai

's own home town. And at that Sir Thomas, who, y' know, has always misliked Will, flared up like a bull at a red rag, and swore

that in Stratford Co

ere was his very own true friend, and the sweetest fellow in all England, and that whosoever gainsaid it was a hemp-cracking rascal, and that he would prove it upon his

s the very truth, or

fellow only laughed, and bowed quite low, and said that he took no offense from Sir Edward for saying that, since it could not honestly be

ld-face

s Sir Thomas straightway demanded that the High Bail

ord High Admi

d lay the whole coil before the Lord High Admiral himself. For ever since that he was High Bailiff, the best companies of England had always been bidden to play

and John Hemynge and Thomas Greene, besides Will Shakspere and his brother Edmund, all playing in the Lord Chamberlain's company

ord Howard was at Cadiz with Walter Raleigh and the young Earl of Sussex, and would by no means hear of it. So Master Bailiff Stubbes, who, 'tis said, doth owe Sir Thomas forty pound, and is therefore under his thumb, forthwith refused the company licen

be," sneere

father is a burgess. Dost thou

Hal, hastily; "'twas n

said Robin, sharply, "or it will crack t

d Nick, eagerly, "what

contempt of Stratford Council, and held him for trial. At that some cried 'Shame!' and some 'Hurrah!' but the

d Nick, both sorry and glad

eft the master-play

use him so--the Lor

he clary they were in last night, la! but they are in a pretty stew, my father says, for fear that they have given offense to the Lord Admiral. So they h

Nick. "I wish I we

e world or go to the Indies after it. And he has had his breakfast served in Master Geoffrey Inchbold's own room at the Swan,

inn? Why, let's go

he will birch whoever cometh

ivo' and 'vocativo' without a downright threshing--" He shrugged his shoulders ruefully as he remembered his unlearned lesson. Everything had gone wrong

the skies fall we'll catch sparrows, Nick

first thing that came into his head. "To Covent

wd gave an in

birched at school, to work all May-day in the ta

aggard, my mother's cousin, lives in Coventry. So out upon your musty Latin--English is good enough for me this day! There's bluebells blowing

in Southam's lane, and his heart gave a great, rebellious leap. "Ay," said he, exultantly, "I shall be out where the birds can sing and the grass is green, an

all have but bread and milk, and thou shalt have--a most glo

t straw to Nick'

d Master Brunswood will thresh me if I don't. I'll not be birched four times a week for merely tripping on a word

ick?" asked Robin Getley, earnestly, f

turning, Nick walked swiftly away towa