favour. For yourself, although it fits not for a person of your

birth to herd with outlaws, I must own ye are both brave and

honourable; very dangerous in battle, right courteous in peace; a

youth of excellent disposition and brave bearing. For your

estates, ye will never see them till the world shall change again;

so long as Lancaster hath the strong hand, so long shall Sir Daniel

enjoy them for his own. For my ward, it is another matter; I had

promised her before to a gentleman, a kinsman of my house, one

Hamley; the promise is old--"

"Ay, my lord, and now Sir Daniel hath promised her to my Lord

Shoreby," interrupted Dick. "And his promise, for all it is but

young, is still the likelier to be made good."

"'Tis the plain truth," returned his lordship. "And considering,

moreover, that I am your prisoner, upon no better composition than

my bare life, and over and above that, that the maiden is unhappily

in other hands, I will so far consent. Aid me with your good

fellows" -

"My lord," cried Dick, "they are these same outlaws that ye blame

me for consorting with."

"Let them be what they will, they can fight," returned Lord Foxham.

"Help me, then; and if between us we regain the maid, upon my

knightly honour, she shall marry you!"

Dick bent his knee before his prisoner; but he, leaping up lightly

from the cross, caught the lad up and embraced him like a son.

"Come," he said, "an y' are to marry Joan, we must be early

friends."

CHAPTER IV--THE GOOD HOPE

An hour thereafter, Dick was back at the Goat and Bagpipes,

breaking his fast, and receiving the report of his messengers and

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