"The fraud is justifiable,"
he said. "For why should he take my Black Tom and give me naught? I do
but protect myself when I give him instead Black Dick."
"Ay, and thou doest no unfriendly turn to the young lord neither. I
have been to inquire, and there be those that say he is son to De
Aldithely. And doubtless he fleeth away to his brave father in France.
I did think he had a familiar look this morn. And when I heard, I did
repent that the Swan had put this knave upon his track. But with Black
Dick he cometh not up with him in a hurry."
That night Walter Skinner found the Swan a most pleasant abiding-place,
where all were attentive to serve him. "Thou hast me for thy friend,"
he told the innkeeper as he supped with him. "Thou hast me, I say, and
not Richard Wood. And I will speak a good word for thee to the king.
Not now, indeed, for it were not seemly that I should introduce thy
matters until I had brought mine own to a happy issue. But what sayest
thou? To pursue a young lord for many miles and capture
him,--single-handed,--were that not worth a dukedom? I have here this
good yew bow with a silken string and a goodly store of arrows.
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