g
a little towards the door, "perhaps I can answer them."

"That's a wise lad," said he, mollified, "I know you are but a tool--
men, stand back there--I blame you not for doing your duty, but you must
tell me here, the name of the man, your master, who sent you this
errand, and the name of him to whom you bore it."

"I can tell you neither," said I.

He turned to his men, but before they could rise, I had rushed to the
door and was outside. A key stood in the outside of the lock, which
mine host used to turn and take with him when business called him to
leave his inn empty. I had just time to turn this and vault on one of
the three horses, when the window was flung open and the leader of the
band sprang on to the casement.

But he was too late; for before he could level his musket at me, I was
twenty yards away at a gallop, leading by the bridle the two spare
horses which had stood at the door beside the one I rode.

The shot, badly aimed, whistled past my ear, and served to urge on the
horses to a wilder pace, so that, before even the party was outside,
hallooing after me, I was a furlong off, plunging deep into the wood.

I had no time to think if I had done well or ill, or what the upshot of
it all was like to be. Time enough for that when I had won clear. The
led horses, after their first fright, jibbed at the reins and struggled
to get free. So, as they checked my speed, I let them go, and saw them
plunge away among the trees, no easy capture for their lawful owners.
Meanwhile, I dashed forward whithersoever the horse took me. I
remember, even amid my panic, what a delight it was to sit astride of so
noble a beast, who seemed to scorn my weight, and skim the earth as
lightly as if he carried a child. Had it been my own sorry nag I should
long since have been by the heels.

Once clear of the wood I suddenly sighted Oxford towers to my left, and
found myself on the road by which I had passed but an hour ago with the
angry Welshman. I had forgotten him, and 'twas well for him that I had.

I had no mind to put myself again within reach of his worship, the Mayor
of Oxford, and his merry men; so I tugged my right rein and kept my
horse's head turned to the wooded hills northward. There, thought I, I
can at least find time to draw breath and determine what must be done
next. To the forest I sped, then, marvelling at the pace of my brave
horse, and wondering if the Bishop's man was yet on the road at my