"Ah, well," exclaimed Sir George, "'tis a bad plan to be betwixt towns
at mealtimes, eh, Doll? I suppose he'll come soon, though. Perhaps
he's having the best run of the day all alone;" and the knight sighed
at the bare thought of his being away from it.

But Sir George's anticipations were not fulfilled, for when the meal
was finished De la Zouch had not appeared.

"He may have met with an accident?" suggested Manners.

"I rather think Sir Henry is afraid of me," stammered old Sir John de
Lacey, as he buried his face in the last tankard of ale.

"Then he were wise indeed to stay away," added Sir Thomas Stanley,
with a sly wink. "I, for one, would not lightly risk a combat with so
doughty a knight as yourself, else Margaret might eftsoon weep for a
lover departed."

As there was still some time left, and there was no certain knowledge
that Sir Henry needed their assistance, it was determined to return
slowly homewards, and if sport offered itself upon the way to turn
aside and follow it. The party had not been long in motion before it
roused a "fall" of woodcocks, the very sight of which--so excessively
rare at such a time--infused into the sportsmen all the animation
of which they were capable. The hawks shot up after them, and their
bells, which could be heard tinkling even when the birds were beyond
the range of vision, served in some degree to inform the hunters which
direction they should take.

"Well, if De la Zouch is doing better than this, why then he is