tidings on the way, fellows! Hold ye together and look to your gear;
yet hurry not, for no great matter shall this be. I wot well there is
little force between Canterbury and Kingston, for the lords are
looking north of Thames toward Wat Tyler and his men. Yet well it is,
well it is!"

The crowd opened and spread out a little, and the men moved about in
it, some tightening a girdle, some getting their side arms more within
reach of their right hands, and those who had bows stringing them.

Will Green set hand and foot to the great shapely piece of polished
red yew, with its shining horn tips, which he carried, and bent it
with no seeming effort; then he reached out his hand over his shoulder
and drew out a long arrow, smooth, white, beautifully balanced, with a
barbed iron head at one end, a horn nock and three strong goose
feathers at the other. 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: