He held it loosely between the finger and
thumb of his right hand, and there he stood with a thoughtful look on
his face, and in his hands one of the most terrible weapons which a
strong man has ever carried, the English long-bow and cloth-yard
shaft.
But all this while the sound of the horse's hoofs was growing nearer,
and presently from the corner of the road amidst the orchards broke
out our long friend, his face red in the sun near sinking now. He
waved his right hand as he came in sight of us, and sang out, "Bills
and bows! bills and bows!" and the whole throng turned towards him and
raised a great shout.
He reined up at the edge of the throng, and spoke in a loud voice, so
that all might hear him:
"Fellows, these are the tidings; even while our priest was speaking we
heard a horn blow far off; so I bade the sergeant we have taken, and
who is now our fellow-in-arms, to tell me where away it was that there
would be folk a-gathering, and what they were; and he did me to wit
that mayhappen Sir John Newton was stirring from Rochester Castle; or,
maybe, it was the sheriff and Rafe Hopton with him; so I rode off what
I might towards Hartlip, and I rode warily, and that was well, for as
I came through a little wood between Hartlip and Guildstead, I saw
beyond it a gleam of steel, and lo in the field there a company, and a
pennon of Rafe Hopton's arms, and that is blue and thereon three
silver fish: and a pennon of the sheriff's arms, and that is a green
tree; and withal another pennon of three red kine, and whose they be I
know not.
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