"There
thou mayest stand like a reed or a rush," he said. "I would thou wert
as worthy as either."
A moment the spy stood there in water up to his knees while Hugo and
Humphrey, by the light of the ever-renewed torch of reeds, watched him.
Then he began to try to extricate himself. But when he pulled one foot
loose, it was only to set the other more securely in the mud.
"Ay, lad," observed Humphrey, with satisfaction. "He danceth very well,
but somewhat slowly. Leave we him to his pleasure while we go seek for
his bow and arrows. It were not well that he should shoot at us again."
"Thou villain!" cried the half-drunken Walter Skinner; "when I am a
lord in His Majesty's service thou shalt hear of this night's work."
"Ay, Sir Stick-in-the-Mud," responded Humphrey, indifferently. "When
that day cometh I am content to hear of it." Then he led the way back
to Walter Skinner's hiding-place, while Hugo followed. And there they
found the bow, which was of yew with a silken string. And with it was a
goodly store of ash arrows tipped with steel and winged with goose
feathers.
"We be not thieves, lad," said Humphrey, "else might we add these to
our store.
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