the bough of a tall oak his head had fallen forward on his breast j but at every stronger of wind his body span round and round and his legs and arms tossed like some ridiculous dick to his feet and staggering and leaning on the tree trunks as he went drew near to this object the bough was perhaps twenty feet above the ground and the poor fellow had been drawn up so high by his that his boots swung clear above dick s reach and as his hood had been drawn over his face it was impossible to recognise the man dick looked about him right and left and at last he perceived that the other end of the cord had been made fast to the trunk of a little which grew thick with blossom under the lofty of the oak with how dick changed sides his dagger which alone remained to him of all his arms young severed the rope and instantly with a dead the corpse fell in a heap upon the ground dick raised the hood it was sir messenger he had not gone far upon his errand a paper which had apparently escaped the notice of the men of the black arrow stuck from the bosom of his and dick pulling it forth found it was sir letter to lord come thought he if the world changes yet again i may have here the to shame sir daniel � nay and perchance to bring him to the block and he put the paper in his own bosom said a prayer over the dead man and set forth again through the woods his fatigue and weakness increased his ears sang his steps faltered his mind at intervals failed him so low had he been brought by loss of blood doubtless he made many from his true path but at last he came out upon the high road not very far from hamlet a rough voice bid him stand stand repeated dick by the mass but i am nearer falling and he suited the action to the word and fell all his length upon the road two men came forth out of the thicket each in the black arrow green forest each with long bow and quiver and short sword why lawless said the younger of the two it is young ay this will be as good as bread to john au returned the other though faith he hath been to the wars here is a tear in his that must a cost him many a good of blood and here added ms a hole in his shoulder that must have pricked him well who hath done this think ye if it be one of ours he may all to prayer will give him a short and a long rope up with the said lawless clap him on my back and then when dick had been hoisted to his shoulders and he had taken the lad s arms about his neck and got a firm hold of him the ex grey added � keep ye the post brother i will on with him by myself so returned to his on the and lawless down the hill whistling as he went with dick still in a dead faint comfortably settled on his shoulders the sun rose as he came out of the skirts of the wood and saw hamlet straggling up the opposite hill all seemed quiet but a strong post of some half a score of lay close by the bridge on either how dick changed sides side of the road and as soon as they perceived lawless with his burden began to themselves and set arrow to string like who goes cried the man in command will lawless by the � ye know me as well as your own hand returned the contemptuously give the word lawless returned the other now heaven thee thou great fool replied lawless did i not tell it thee myself but ye are all mad for this playing at soldiers when i am in the give me ways and my word for this tide is a fig for all mock i lawless ye but show an ill example give us the word fool said the commander of the post and if i had forgotten it asked the other an ye had forgotten it � as i know y ave not � by the mass i would clap an arrow your big body returned the first nay an y are so ill a said lawless ye shall have your word for m e and is the word and here to the illustration is on my shoulders and o do i carry him pass lawless said the and where is john asked the grey he a by the mass and rents as to the manner bom i cried another of the company so it proved when lawless got as far up the village as the little inn he found surrounded by sir daniel s tenants and by the right of the black his good company of coolly taking rents and giving written in return for them by the faces of the tenants it was plain how little this proceeding pleased them for they argued very rightly that they would simply have to pay them twice as soon as he knew what had brought lawless dismissed the remainder of the tenants and with every mark of interest and apprehension conducted dick into an inner chamber of the inn there the lad s hurts were looked to and he was recalled by simple to consciousness dear lad said pressing his hand y are in a friend s hands that loved your father and loves you for his sake rest ye a little quietly for ye are somewhat out of case then shall ye tell me your story and the two of us we shall find a remedy for all a little later in the 