Although there were those who had looked upon Hugo and Humphrey
curiously in the streets of Lincoln, there were none sufficiently
interested to observe what direction they took after they had left the
town. And none saw them leave the road and betake themselves to the
fens as safer for their journey. So east of the heights, which, to the
east of Lincoln, extend in a southeasterly direction, they rode,
picking their way as they might, and hopeful that now all enemies were
thrown off their track.
"It is a weariness to be pursued so many days," said Hugo. "I would
fain breathe easily once more."
"Ay, lad," returned Humphrey. "But that is what cannot be done in this
world. When thou art forty years old, as I am, thou wilt see that every
man hath his enemies and every bird and beast also, as we may perchance
see in this wild fen country. It is good, therefore, to breathe as
easily as one can and think no more about it. Knowest thou what these
fens be like?"
"Nay; but mine uncle hath told me that they be vast, and that here and
there half-wild people live in huts along the reedy shores; and that
south lieth the goodly town of Peterborough, as well as the abbey of
Crowland."
"Doth the ring avail at Peterborough?"
"Yea, if I have need; but there will be none." And he glanced with a
smile at the heavily loaded horses they rode, and bethought himself of
his plentiful supply of gold pieces. "What hast thou in all these bags
and packs, Humphrey?" he asked.
"Why, the answer to that question is not so simple," was the reply. "I
did but buy somewhat of all I saw, and did bestow it the best I could,
so as to leave room for our legs on the sides of the horses. Should the
spy pursue us, he would soon come up with us, for flee we could not, so
loaded down. But I look not for him. No doubt he still lodgeth in the
Isle of Axholme, and the other spy we have not of late heard from. If
we but keep clear of beaten paths, we be safe enough. I will hope to
have a dream to-night."
Hugo did not reply; he was looking about him in much enjoyment. The day
chanced to be clear, and as far as he could see lay the level of the
fen-lands. Here were trees, some straight, others leaning over the
water; there were islands of reeds, and yonder the water shimmering on
its shallow, winding way, so sluggish as to be almost stagnant. The
whole region was alive with sound,--the cries of water-fowl, the songs
of birds, and the croak of frogs. And when he rode along the water's
brink, an occasional fin flashed out. Humphrey watched him with
approval. "Ay, lad," he said, "thou wilt soon be wise in fen lore, for
thou hast a heart to it. I will tell thee now that I have wherewith to
fish in one of these same packs. Mine ears were not idle in the town,
and I did learn that perch and red-eye and roach and bream frequent the
waters of the fen."
"And didst thou ask what fish were in the fen?" asked Hugo, in alarm.
"Nay, lad, most surely not. But when I did see fish for sale I did
praise their beauty, and they that had them did of themselves tell me
where they did catch them. There be more ways of finding out things
than by asking of questions."
They were now come to a small, grassy isle fringed with reeds. "Here do
we get down," said Humphrey. "I would fain see if we do not catch some
of those same fish for our dinner. And here is grass, moreover, where
the horses can graze."
Slowly and carefully boy and man disengaged themselves from the baggage
that almost encased them and dismounted. "If thou dost get a dream
to-night, Humphrey," said Hugo, laughingly, "I hope thou wilt discover
what we shall do with all this stuff."
"I dream not to find out such a thing as that," returned the
serving-man, good-naturedly.
The horses were soon tied out, and the fishing-lines and hooks
unpacked. Then Humphrey, going out on a fallen log which was half
submerged, carefully plumbed the water to see how deep it was, while
Hugo watched him in wonder. Next he took from another package some
ground bait consisting of meal, and balls made of bread and grain,
worked up in the hand. This he threw into the water, which was here but
two feet deep. Then in a whisper he said, "All this I did learn in
Lincoln." And he bade Hugo hold his line so that the bait on the hook
was about an inch from the bottom.
Hugo obeyed, and in a moment was rewarded with a red-eye about a foot
long. At the same time Humphrey drew out another. And before long they
had half a dozen each, for the red-eye was always sure to be one of a
crowd, and it was so greedy that it took the bait readily.
"No more to-day," said Humphrey, winding up his line, "for we already
have more than we can eat, and I hold it sin to slay what we cannot
eat. This was I taught by my grandsire, who ever said that evil was
sure to befall those who did so. And I would we could put the life back
into half we have taken; but they did bite so readily that we had too
many suddenly. Still, if we eat naught to speak of but fish, we may
make away with most and so be spared evil."
While Humphrey dressed the too numerous fish, Hugo sought sufficient
fuel to cook them, and came back to find the serving-man well
satisfied. "Even as I did begin to dress the fish," he said, "there
came a sound of wings, and I looked up and did behold a glede. And I
did cease to move; so came he nearer, and did snatch a fish. Then came
another and did snatch a fish. In quietness I did wait. Then came the
first glede back and did take a fish, and the second did like-wise.
And, by waiting with patience, the gledes did take two more. And now we
have but six fish, and no evil will befall us, for those we can eat."
Hugo smiled, for the big serving-man had spoken with the faith of a
child.
Their noon rest taken, they went on again toward the south and came by
nightfall to what Humphrey decided to be a suitable place to pass the
night. "I mean not," he said, "that the place would please me were we
out of the fen. But being in the fen, why, there be worse places than
this to be found; for it is not a bog nor a slough, and there be reeds
in plenty near by."
"Do we make a fire?" asked Hugo, mindful of their experience in the
Isle of Axholme.
"Yea," answered the serving-man. "If we make the fire perchance some
evil person seeth us, perchance not. If we make not the fire, the chill
of the fen doth get into our bones. Seest thou how the mist arises? And
we be not like the holy hermits of these haunts to withstand chill and
vapors."
Hugo looked at him in surprise. "How knowest thou of holy hermits?" he
asked.
"I did even learn of them in Lincoln. It was the canon's servant who
did tell me of St. Guthlac and St. Godric. He did know more of the holy
hermits than of his master's service, I warrant thee. And that is an
evil knowledge for a servant that bids him talk to the neglect of his
master's good."
The fire alight, the two lay down, Hugo to fall asleep and Humphrey to
rise at intervals through the night and throw on reeds that so the fen
mists might work no harm to the boy, to whom he was now as devotedly
attached as ever he was to Josceline. The morning's breakfast was from
the packs which Humphrey acknowledged were too full for prudent
carrying; and by the time Walter Skinner arose at the Swan they were
off again, still southward. They were now nearer the coast, and a great
fen eagle flew screaming over their heads. "To dream that eagles do fly
over your head doth betoken evil fortune," remarked Humphrey, gravely.
"But I think we need not fear those eagles which do not fly in dreams."
And now in the yard of the Swan all was astir. Elfric had taken Black
Dick out and gently exercised him so that his spring-halt need not be
at once apparent, and there was no little anxiety on the part of the
host to get rid of his guest expeditiously. The spy, however, with his
usual dulness, did not perceive it, but took all this effusive service
as his rightful due. "I will requite thee later, worthy host," he said
grandly. "I will not fail to set thee before the king in the light of a
trusty innkeeper." With this farewell he rode pompously out of the yard
and slowly down the hill street to the river, and so passed out of the
town. And, being out, he paused to consider his course.
"Shall I go to the fen in pursuit of them, or shall I go down
Nottingham way?" he said. "I will go Nottingham way. I will be no more
planted in mire like a rush. Nay, verily. Not to find all the young
lords and Saxon serving-men in creation. I serve the king; and will go
not into bogs and fens suitable for Saxon outcasts and no others. And
if they be wise they will do the same."
Having come to this decision, he put spurs to Black Dick and was off
southwest, while slowly Hugo and Humphrey journeyed on southeast.
Presently the horse began to heave. "Why, where is thy speed of
yesterday, Black Tom?" cried Walter Skinner. "Thou didst not heave when
I clung round thy neck on the way to Lincoln town." He gave the bridle
a sharp jerk, suddenly turning the horse which now began to show the
spring-halt with which he was afflicted. "Why, what sort of a dance is
this?" cried Walter Skinner. "Thou art a strange beast. Verily, thou
art like some people--one thing yesterday and another to-day. I can say
this for thee--thou wert black yesterday, and thou art still black
to-day."
He had not gone far when he came up with a man riding slowly along, and
decided to take him into his confidence so far as to ask if he had seen
those he sought. Accordingly he crowded Black Dick close alongside of
the stranger's horse, and, giving him a meaning glance, said, "Hast
thou seen a young lord this morn?"
The stranger looked astonished, as well he might.
"Ay," said Walter Skinner, much gratified. "I said a young lord. Mayhap
thou art not used to consort with such, but a young lord is not much
more to me than his Saxon serving-man. And that remindeth me--hast seen
the serving-man also?"
"Nay," answered the stranger, mildly. "I have seen neither."
"And that is strange, too," said Walter Skinner. "Why, bethink thee,
man! Thou must have seen them. They did leave Lincoln but yester morn.
And if they came not this way, which way did they go? Answer me truly,
for I warn thee, I serve the king."
The stranger reaffirming that he had seen neither the young lord nor
his serving-man, Walter Skinner was obliged to be content. "They be as
slippery as eels," he cried. "And that remindeth me, I did eat eels for
breakfast at the Swan this morn."
Then, without a word of leave-taking, he rode off, Black Dick doing his
afflicted best, and Walter Skinner wondering how he could have been so
mistaken in the animal. "The thief that stole him did well to be rid of
him," he said. "And that he should put him off on me is but another
indignity I have suffered on this chase. The king hath ever a
lengthening score to pay, and nothing but a dukedom will content me.
And why should I not be a duke? Let Richard Wood say what he likes,
worse men than I have been dukes. Ay, and more basely born."
By noon he had come to Newark. "And here will I pause and search the
town for them," he said. "If they know not of them, why, their
ignorance is criminal. A loyal subject should know what concerneth his
king. And it concerneth the king that these two be found."
Now it chanced that the king was then at Newark and about to set off
for Clipstone Palace. Which, when Walter Skinner heard, he declared
proudly, "I will have speech of him."
"Thou have speech of him!" exclaimed an attendant. "Thou art mad."
"Nay, verily, I am not mad. Am I not Walter Skinner, hired by the
king's minister to bide in a high tree that overlooketh De Aldithely
castle? I tell thee, I will see the king." And, the party now
approaching, he broke through all restraint and rode close up beside
the king. "May it please thy Majesty," he began, "there be those that
do keep me back from speech with thee. Ay, even though I do tell them
that I serve thee."
The king looked at him, laughed rudely, and motioned one of his
attendants to remove him. But the little man waved the attendant off,
and cried out so that all might hear, "Didst not thy minister hire me
to bide in the tall tree that overlooketh De Aldithely Castle?"
At the mention of the name De Aldithely the king paused, and seemed to
listen. Seeing which, Walter Skinner went on: "And, when all the rest
were gone to York, did I not see the young lord and his Saxon
serving-man ride forth? And did I not give chase? And do I not now seek
them on this wind-broken and spring-halt horse as best I may?"
The king beckoned the little man nearer.
"Where hast thou sought?" he asked.
"In the wood, in the swamp, and in the town," was the proud answer. "I
be not like Richard Wood, who did set out to help me. For I have come
up with them three several times, and he not once."
The king turned to one of his attendants. "Take thou the madman into
custody," he said. "We will presently send to De Aldithely castle to
see if these things be so."