But Dick had his hand at once upon his shoulder.

Friend Lawless, sit ye still," he said. "An ye have eyes, look yonder

at the corner by the chancel arch; see ye not that, even upon the motion

of your rising, yon armed men are up and ready to intercept you? Yield

ye, friend. Ye were bold aboard ship, when ye thought to die a

sea-death; be bold again, now that y' are to die presently upon the

gallows."

Master Dick," gasped Lawless, "the thing hath come upon me somewhat of

the suddenest. But give me a moment till I fetch my breath again; and,

by the mass, I will be as stout-hearted as yourself."

Here is my bold fellow!" returned Dick. "And yet, Lawless, it goes hard

against the grain with me to die; but where whining mendeth nothing,

wherefore whine?"

Nay, that indeed!" chimed Lawless. "And a fig for death, at worst! It

has to be done, my master, soon or late. And hanging in a good quarrel

is an easy death, they say, though I could never hear of any that came

back to say so."

And so saying, the stout old rascal leaned back in his stall, folded his

arms, and began to look about him with the greatest air of insolence and

unconcern.

"And for the matter of that," Dick added, "it is yet our best chance to

The Black Arrow