It stands not with your good
credit."

"Nay," cried the knight, "I was but now upon the march. Selden, sound me
the tucket. Sir, I am with you on the instant. It is not two hours
since the more part of my command came in, sir messenger. What would ye
have? Spurring is good meat, but yet it killed the charger. Bustle,
boys!"

By this time the tucket was sounding cheerily in the morning, and from
all sides Sir Daniel's men poured into the main street and formed before
the inn. They had slept upon their arms, with chargers saddled, and in
ten minutes five-score men-at-arms and archers, cleanly equipped and
briskly disciplined, stood ranked and ready. The chief part were in Sir
Daniel's livery, murrey and blue, which gave the greater show to their
array. The best armed rode first; and away out of sight, at the tail of
the column, came the sorry reinforcement of the night before. Sir Daniel
looked with pride along the line.

"Here be the lads to serve you in a pinch," he said.

"They are pretty men, indeed," replied the messenger. "It but augments
my sorrow that ye had not marched the earlier."

"Well," said the knight, "what would ye? The beginning of a feast and
the end of a fray, sir messenger;" and he mounted into his saddle. "Why!
how now!" he cried. "John! Joanna! Nay, by the sacred rood! where is
she? Host, where is that girl?"

"Girl, Sir Daniel?" cried the landlord. "Nay, sir, I saw no girl."

"Boy, then, dotard!" cried the knight. "Could ye not see it was a wench?
She in the murrey-coloured mantle--she that broke her fast with water,
rogue--where is she?"

"Nay, the saints bless us! Master John, ye called him," said the host.
"Well, I thought none evil. He is gone. I saw him--her--I saw her in
the stable a good hour agone; 'a was saddling a grey horse."

"Now, by the rood!" cried Sir Daniel, "the wench was worth five hundred
pound to me and more."

"Sir knight," observed the messenger, with bitterness, "while that ye are
here, roaring for five hundred pounds, the realm of England is elsewhere
being lost and won."

"It is well said," replied Sir Daniel. "Selden, fall me out with six
cross-bowmen; hunt me her down. I care not what it cost; but, at my
returning, let me find her at the Moat House. Be it upon your head. And
now, sir messenger, we march."

And the troop broke into a good trot, and Selden and his six men were
left behind upon the street of Kettley, with the staring