I marvel thou hast not come up with them before now. Thou
sayest this is the third day of their flight?"
This seeming to reflect on the ability of the pompous little Walter
Skinner, he frowned. And drawing himself up importantly he said, "The
young lord hath to his servant a Saxon who knoweth well these parts."
"Some deer-stealer, without doubt," observed the man-at-arms.
"And he goeth not straight forward," continued Walter Skinner, "else
had I met him. But he creepeth here, and hideth there, and goeth in
retired paths."
"And all to balk thee!" said the big man-at-arms, regarding with scarce
concealed contempt the little strutting spy.
There was that in the manner of the man-at-arms that nettled Walter
Skinner, so that he became more pompous than before and, resolved to
show the soldier how high he stood in the king's counsel, he said
haughtily: "Why, it were best he balk me, if he knew what will come to
his young master when I find him. King John, as thou knowest, hath a
special hatred toward his father, Lord De Aldithely."
"De Aldithely, sayest thou?" interrupted the man-at-arms.
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