before him and arrested his advance.

"Whither, my son?" he asked, severely.

"My father," answered Dick, "I am here upon an errand of expedition.

Stay me not. I command here for my Lord of Gloucester."

"For my Lord of Gloucester?" repeated the priest. "Hath, then, the

battle gone so sore?"

"The battle, father, is at an end, Lancaster clean sped, my Lord of

Risingham--Heaven rest him!--left upon the field. And now, with your

good leave, I follow mine affairs." And thrusting on one side the

priest, who seemed stupefied at the news, Dick pushed open the door and

rattled up the stairs four at a bound, and without pause or stumble, till

he stepped upon the open platform at the top.

Shoreby Church tower not only commanded the town, as in a map, but

looked

far, on both sides, over sea and land. It was now near upon noon; the

day exceeding bright, the snow dazzling. And as Dick looked around him,

he could measure the consequences of the battle.

A confused, growling uproar reached him from the streets, and now and

then, but very rarely, the clash of steel. Not a ship, not so much as a

skiff remained in harbour; but the sea was dotted with sails and

row-boats laden with fugitives. On shore, too, the surface of the snowy

The Black Arrow