ike that--Sorley Boy's son he is, no other, on my life--that
I was fool enough to take wardship of when he was a puling puppy and his
father an honest man? What do you think of that? Curse the whole tribe
of them, say I."

"By your leave, Sir William," said the captain in a smooth soft voice,
that made every hair on my body bristle, "good deeds have always their
reward; but as for the deer that was shot, your ward is generous enough
to shield the real offender at his own cost. I should be sorry indeed
had it been otherwise."

I could see the veins in my comrade's neck swell while this talk went
on. But he remained silent, while Sir William said:

"By my soul, it wants but to look at the varlet to see poacher written
in his face! And the Queen's deer too! Come, you men, which of you was
it caught the rogue?"

Here one of the men, seeing how the wind lay, swore before heaven that
he saw me shoot the deer, and took me red-handed, with my bow in my
hand. And when one sheep leads the way, the others follow. They all
swore it was I; while some added that my comrade lay asleep under a
tree, and knew nothing of the matter till I was captured.

Then Sir William grunted, and turned to his ward.

"'Tis well for you, sir puppy, these honest fellows give you the lie.
Had they done otherwise, I could have believed them; and I promise you,
ward and all as you are, I would have hanged thee for slaying the
Queen's deer, as surely as I will hang this cunning rogue here. Let the
boy go, men; and now you," said he, turning to me, "you ill-looking
hang-dog, you, say your prayers, for to-morrow you ride to the Assizes,
and then the Lord have mercy on thy black soul!"

It surprised me that Sir Ludar took his release quietly, and now stood
by with thunderous face, but apparently heedless of my sentence.

"Take him away there," said his worship, "and make him fast in the
cellar. These dogs are slippery vermin, so take care. When the rope is
round his neck he may wriggle to his heart's content. Come, be off with
him."

I looked at Ludar, but his back was turned. I looked at Captain
Merriman, and he was smiling to himself. I looked at his worship, and
he was swearing at his foot. So as all seemed against me, I turned
sadly enough and followed my guard to the dungeon. I cared little
enough what came to me. Ever since I set foot out of London things had
gone against me. I was steeped breast-high in disloyalty and
lawles