Part 8 (1/2)
”Did I see you with Warrenton, Robin Fitzooth?” put in the clerk, curiously ”I would fain have some talk with him on the matter of archery I am told that this old haland, I would say,” said Gae is upon Warrenton and hisin such matters is to seek Yet he will teach you a few tricks whenis come Now kiss s and gaht; God keep thee, Robin”
He seeranted that Robin would, in the end, consent to becoe looked upon him as heir to the hall and its acres; even as slowly did Warrenton, the shrewd and faithful ard the prospect with too kind an eye
Young Fitzooth eht with real affection There was no chance to alter his sleeping-room to one nearer to Gaain came the suspicion of Warrenton
Robin unfastened his tunic slowly and thoughtfully Presently he crossed the floor of his room with decided step
”Will,” cried he, softly; and Stuteley, who had chosen his couch across the door of his youngup at once in answer
”Do you hold yourself ready, Will, so soon as the house is asleep We will go out together to the bower; there is a way down to the court from myRest and be still until I warn you”
Stuteley replied in a word to hi out his taper, Robin returned to his bed and flung himself upon it in patient expectation
The hours passed wearily by, and ave entry to all sound from the court below; and from hisRobin could tell when the tapers in the hall were extinguished Thrice he got up fro from him
At last all was quiet and black in the courtyard of Ga his door as he spoke, ”are you ready?”
Stuteley nodded as he entered on pointed toes
”Fro him towards the lattice A faint starry radiance illules and nooks of the court below the to and covered the walls of the house To one of light and agile body it gave fair footing Robin had hands and feet in it in a nalled to Will Stuteley
The little ex-tumbler would have liked to have done tricks and shown his cleverness in the business, had there been tihtly and easily, and instantly the two began to cross the court
It was necessary for thes, hearing these quiet, stealthy footfalls, began to bay furiously: and both the youths stayed the and suspicious back to the kennels
They then renewed their journey, and, under the better light, ed at length to win the gardens, and then raced across the open ground to gain the shelter of the yew-trees bordering the bower
The pleasance, in the soft h: the statues and stone ornaments placed about the place seenals of horror to Will's starting eyes
At last they approached the hut, and Robin saw in the bright n to betray either Warrenton or Geoffrey to hi esquire after hiht of chill air puffed in their faces as they entered; and a great owl blundered screa Will to a cold ecstasy of terror He would have plunged madly back to the hall had not Robin held firmly to him
”Be not so foolish, friend,” said Fitzooth, crossly His voice took his father's tone, as always happened when he was angered
Theybefore and about the to show that Warrenton had fulfilled hisdown Robin atop of hi out his hand to save hi but air They were upon the verge of an open trap, in the far corner of the hut; and Stuteley had tripped over the edge of the reversed flap-mouth of this pit Fitzooth's hand rested at last upon the top rung of a ladder, and slowly the truth came to him Quickly he drew himself up and whispered the discovery to the other
In an instant, then, their fears were dispelled Will would have gone down first into the pit had not Robin stayed hi er appeared an earthly one, he was quite willing to bear the brunt of it