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

villagers.

CHAPTER II--IN THE FEN

It was near six in the May morning when Dick began to ride down

into the fen upon his homeward way. The sky was all blue; the

jolly wind blew loud and steady; the windmill-sails were spinning;

and the willows over all the fen rippling and whitening like a

field of corn. He had been all night in the saddle, but his heart

was good and his body sound, and he rode right merrily.

The path went down and down into the marsh, till he lost sight of

all the neighbouring landmarks but Kettley windmill on the knoll

behind him, and the extreme top of Tunstall Forest far before. On

either hand there were great fields of blowing reeds and willows,

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