"Indeed, your high and mighty grace," sneered one of the yeomen,
"have you in sooth so ordained?"

"By the Virgin!" said a second, "I think that you may both chance
to find yourselves upon the road before long."

"And so belabored as to be scarce able to crawl along it," cried
a third.

"Nay, I shall go! I shall go!" said Alleyne hurriedly, as Hordle
John began to slowly roll up his sleeve, and bare an arm like a
leg of mutton. "I would not have you brawl about me."

"Hush! lad," he whispered, "I count them not a fly. They may
find they have more tow on their distaff than they know how to
spin. Stand thou clear and give me space."

Both the foresters and the laborers had risen from their bench,
and Dame Eliza and the travelling doctor had flung themselves
between the two parties with soft words and soothing gestures,
when the door of the "Pied Merlin" was flung violently open, and
the attention of the company was drawn from their own quarrel to
the new-comer who had burst so unceremoniously upon them.



CHAPTER VI.

HOW SAMKIN AYLWARD WAGERED HIS FEATHER-BED.