"Ay, it was a bad shot. Yet, had you not moved your head, it would have spiked you by the ear to that tree. What brings you here?" I was taken aback by the coolness of the fellow, who talked about spiking me by the ear as if I had been the fox he carried on his back. "Marry," said I, "you should know what brings me here. My horse and my cloak, they brought me here, sirrah." "Nay, they brought me here; but I am not sorry to see you. I was about to return to the inn, to look for you." I flushed to the roots of my hair, to think how readily I had set this man down as a runaway thief. Never was a face less deceitful, or a manner less suspicious; and I, if I had not been a fool, might have known as much. "I did you an injustice," said I, returning my sword, "I believed you had given me the slip, and were--" "A thief," said he, with a scornful curl on his lips. "I thank you, master 'prentice." I would sooner he had cut at me with his dirk. But further parley was ended by a sudden noise of horns and a tramp of horses close by. I sprang to the alert in an instant. "The bishop's men!" cried I, "we are pursued. Fly!" "Too late for that," said my comrade, as a party of huntsmen, some mounted, some on foot, broke through the glade at the very spot where we stood. It was not the bishop's men; but to my horror I recognised in the leading horseman, his worship the Mayor. At sight of me in my cap and gown, and of my comrade with his bow and the dead fox, and of the horse tethered to the tree--(the bishop's horse had strayed, I know not whither)--the hunters raised a loud cry, and closed upon us. "Seize the varlets," cried the mayor, "they are caught at last. By my life, a scholar, too. If he smart not for this, and something else, call me a dullard." I saw by that he did not recognise me, although he cherished a lively memory of that morning's adventure. My comrade, somewhat to my surprise, submitted quietly to superior numbers, and I was fain to do the like. It were better to be punished for poaching, than to be arraigned before the High Court of Star Chamber for publishing seditious libels. "Bring them away, bring them away," cried the mayor, who was in no amiable mood. "I warrant they shall learn one lesson well, for once in their lives. Scholars indeed! a parcel of lewd, blood-thirsty, poaching scoundrels, with no more conscience than a London apprentice. Come, away with them to the city." At this a gay young stripling rode up. "Father," he said, "is our day's sport to be spoiled for a brace of rogues like these? Surely they will keep an hour or two, while we have our chase. Let some one guard them in the ranger's house, and we can take them up with us as we return at evening."