OfallthetrainnoneescapedexceptWamba，whoshowedupontheoccasionmuchmorecouragethanthosewhopretendedtogreatersense。Hepossessedhimselfofaswordbelongingtooneofthedomestics，whowasjustdrawingitwithatardyandirresolutehand，laiditabouthimlikealion，drovebackseveralwhoapproachedhim，andmadeabravethoughineffectualattempttosuccourhismaster。Findinghimselfoverpowered，theJesteratlengththrewhimselffromhishorse，plungedintothethicket，and，favouredbythegeneralconfusion，escapedfromthesceneofaction。
YetthevaliantJester，assoonashefoundhimselfsafe，hesitatedmorethanoncewhetherheshouldnotturnbackandsharethecaptivityofamastertowhomhewassincerelyattached。
``Ihaveheardmentalkoftheblessingsoffreedom，’’
hesaidtohimself，``butIwishanywisemanwouldteachmewhatusetomakeofitnowthatI
haveit。’’
Ashepronouncedthesewordsaloud，avoiceverynearhimcalledoutinalowandcautioustone，``Wamba！’’and，atthesametime，adog，whichberecognisedtobeFangs，jumpedupandfawneduponhim。``Gurth！’’answeredWamba，withthesamecaution，andtheswineherdimmediatelystoodbeforehim。
``Whatisthematter?’’saidheeagerly；``whatmeanthesecries，andthatclashingofswords?’’
``Onlyatrickofthetimes，’’saidWamba；``theyareallprisoners。’’
``Whoareprisoners?’’exclaimedGurth，impatiently。
``Mylord，andmylady，andAthelstane，andHundibert，andOswald。’’
``InthenameofGod！’’saidGurth，``howcametheyprisoners?——andtowhom?’’
``Ourmasterwastooreadytofight，’’saidtheJester；``andAthelstanewasnotreadyenough，andnootherpersonwasreadyatall。Andtheyareprisonerstogreencassocks，andblackvisors。
Andtheyliealltumbledaboutonthegreen，likethecrab-applesthatyoushakedowntoyourswine。
AndIwouldlaughatit，’’saidthehonestJester，``ifIcouldforweeping。’’Andheshedtearsofunfeignedsorrow。
Gurth’scountenancekindled——``Wamba，’’hesaid，``thouhastaweapon，andthyheartwaseverstrongerthanthybrain，——weareonlytwo——butasuddenattackfrommenofresolutionwilldomuch——followme！’’
``Whither?——andforwhatpurpose?’’saidtheJester。
``TorescueCedric。’’
``Butyouhaverenouncedhisservicebutnow，’’
saidWamba。
``That，’’saidGurth，``wasbutwhilehewasfortunate——
followme！’’
AstheJesterwasabouttoobey，athirdpersonsuddenlymadehisappearance，andcommandedthembothtohalt。Fromhisdressandarms，Wambawouldhaveconjecturedhimtobeoneofthoseoutlawswhohadjustassailedhismaster；but，besidesthatheworenomask，theglitteringbaldricacrosshisshoulder，withtherichbugle-hornwhichitsupported，aswellasthecalmandcommandingexpressionofhisvoiceandmanner，madehim，notwithstandingthetwilight，recogniseLocksleytheyeoman，whohadbeenvictorious，undersuchdisadvantageouscircumstances，inthecontestfortheprizeofarchery。
``Whatisthemeaningofallthis，’’saidhe，``orwhoisitthatrifle，andransom，andmakeprisoners，intheseforests?’’
``Youmaylookattheircassockscloseby，’’saidWamba，``andseewhethertheybethychildren’scoatsorno——fortheyareaslikethineown，asonegreenpea-codistoanother。’’
``Iwilllearnthatpresently，’’answeredLocksley；
``andIchargeye，onperilofyourlives，nottostirfromtheplacewhereyestand，untilIhavereturned。Obeyme，anditshallbethebetterforyouandyourmasters——Yetstay，Imustrendermyselfaslikethesemenaspossible。’’
Sosayingheunbuckledhisbaldricwiththebugle，tookafeatherfromhiscap，andgavethemtoWamba；thendrewavizardfromhispouch，and，repeatinghischargestothemtostandfast，wenttoexecutehispurposesofreconnoitring。
``Shallwestandfast，Gurth?’’saidWamba；
``orshallwee’engivehimleg-bail?Inmyfoolishmind，hehadalltheequipageofathieftoomuchinreadiness，tobehimselfatrueman。’’
``Lethimbethedevil，’’saidGurth，``anhewill。
Wecanbenoworseofwaitinghisreturn。Ifhebelongtothatparty，hemustalreadyhavegiventhemthealarm，anditwillavailnothingeithertofightorfly。Besides，Ihavelateexperience，thaterrantthievesarenottheworstmenintheworldtohavetodealwith。’’
Theyeomanreturnedinthecourseofafewminutes。
``FriendGurth，’’hesaid，``Ihavemingledamongyonmen，andhavelearnttowhomtheybelong，andwhithertheyarebound。Thereis，Ithink，nochancethattheywillproceedtoanyactualviolenceagainsttheirprisoners。Forthreementoattemptthematthismoment，werelittleelsethanmadness；fortheyaregoodmenofwar，andhave，assuch，placedsentinelstogivethealarmwhenanyoneapproaches。ButItrustsoontogathersuchaforce，asmayactindefianceofalltheirprecautions；
youarebothservants，and，asIthink，faithfulservants，ofCedrictheSaxon，thefriendoftherightsofEnglishmen。HeshallnotwantEnglishhandstohelphiminthisextremity。Comethenwithme，untilIgathermoreaid。’’
Sosaying，hewalkedthroughthewoodatagreatpace，followedbythejesterandtheswineherd。
ItwasnotconsistentwithWamba’shumourtotravellonginsilence。
``Ithink，’’saidhe，lookingatthebaldricandbuglewhichhestillcarried，``thatIsawthearrowshotwhichwonthisgayprize，andthatnotsolongsinceasChristmas。’’
``AndI，’’saidGurth，``couldtakeitonmyhalidome，thatIhaveheardthevoiceofthegoodyeomanwhowonit，bynightaswellasbyday，andthatthemoonisnotthreedaysoldersinceI
didso。’’
``Minehonestfriends，’’repliedtheyeoman，``who，orwhatIam，islittletothepresentpurpose；
shouldIfreeyourmaster，youwillhavereasontothinkmethebestfriendyouhaveeverhadinyourlives。AndwhetherIamknownbyonenameoranother——orwhetherIcandrawabowaswellorbetterthanacow-keeper，orwhetheritismypleasuretowalkinsunshineorbymoonlight，arematters，which，astheydonotconcernyou，soneitherneedyebusyyourselvesrespectingthem。’’
``Ourheadsareinthelion’smouth，’’saidWamba，inawhispertoGurth，``getthemouthowwecan。’’
``Hush——besilent，’’saidGurth。``Offendhimnotbythyfolly，andItrustsincerelythatallwillgowell。’’
CHAPTERXX
Whenautumnnightswerelonganddrear，Andforestwalksweredarkanddim，Howsweetlyonthepilgrim’searWaswonttostealthehermit’shymnDevotionborrowsMusic’stone，AndMusictookDevotion’swing；
And，likethebirdthathailsthesun，Theysoartoheaven，andsoaringsing。
_TheHermitofStClement’sWell。_
Itwasafterthreehours’goodwalkingthattheservantsofCedric，withtheirmysteriousguide，arrivedatasmallopeningintheforest，inthecentreofwhichgrewanoak-treeofenormousmagnitude，throwingitstwistedbranchesineverydirection。
Beneaththistreefourorfiveyeomenlaystretchedontheground，whileanother，assentinel，walkedtoandfrointhemoonlightshade。
Uponhearingthesoundoffeetapproaching，thewatchinstantlygavethealarm，andthesleepersassuddenlystartedupandbenttheirbows。
Sixarrowsplacedonthestringwerepointedtowardsthequarterfromwhichthetravellersapproached，whentheirguide，beingrecognised，waswelcomedwitheverytokenofrespectandattachment，andallsignsandfearsofaroughreceptionatoncesubsided。
``WhereistheMiller?’’washisfirstquestion。
``OntheroadtowardsRotherham。’’
``Withhowmany?’’demandedtheleader，forsuchheseemedtobe。
``Withsixmen，andgoodhopeofbooty，ifitpleaseStNicholas。’’
``Devoutlyspoken，’’saidLocksley；``andwhereisAllan-a-dale?’’
``WalkeduptowardstheWatling-street，towatchforthePriorofJorvaulx。’’
``Thatiswellthoughtonalso，’’repliedtheCaptain；——
``andwhereistheFriar?’’
``Inhiscell。’’
``ThitherwillIgo，’’saidLocksley。``Disperseandseekyourcompanions。Collectwhatforceyoucan，forthere’sgameafootthatmustbehuntedhard，andwillturntobay。Meetmeherebydaybreak——
Andstay，’’headded，``Ihaveforgottenwhatismostnecessaryofthewhole——TwoofyoutaketheroadquicklytowardsTorquilstone，theCastleofFront-de-Buf。Asetofgallants，whohavebeenmasqueradinginsuchguiseasourown，arecarryingabandofprisonersthither——Watchthemclosely，foreveniftheyreachthecastlebeforewecollectourforce，ourhonourisconcernedtopunishthem，andwewillfindmeanstodoso。
Keepaclosewatchonthemtherefore；anddispatchoneofyourcomrades，thelightestoffoot，tobringthenewsoftheyeomenthereabout。’’
Theypromisedimplicitobedience，anddepartedwithalacrityontheirdifferenterrands。Inthemeanwhile，theirleaderandhistwocompanions，whonowlookeduponhimwithgreatrespect，aswellassomefear，pursuedtheirwaytotheChapelofCopmanhurst。
Whentheyhadreachedthelittlemoonlightglade，havinginfrontthereverend，thoughruinouschapel，andtherudehermitage，sowellsuitedtoasceticdevotion，WambawhisperedtoGurth，``Ifthisbethehabitationofathief，itmakesgoodtheoldproverb，ThenearerthechurchthefartherfromGod——Andbymycockscomb，’’headded，``Ithinkitbeevenso——Hearkenbuttotheblacksanctuswhichtheyaresinginginthehermitage！’’
Infacttheanchoriteandhisguestwereperforming，atthefullextentoftheirverypowerfullungs，anolddrinkingsong，ofwhichthiswastheburden：——
``Come，trowlthebrownbowltome，Bullyboy，bullyboy，Come，trowlthebrownbowltome：
Ho！jollyJenkin，Ispyaknaveindrinking，Come，trowlthebrownbowltome。’’
``Now，thatisnotillsung，’’saidWamba，whohadthrowninafewofhisownflourishestohelpoutthechorus。``Butwho，inthesaint’sname，everexpectedtohaveheardsuchajollychantcomefromoutahermit’scellatmidnight！’’
``Marry，thatshouldI，’’saidGurth，``forthejollyClerkofCopmanhurstisaknownman，andkillshalfthedeerthatarestoleninthiswalk。Mensaythatthekeeperhascomplainedtohisofficial，andthathewillbestrippedofhiscowlandcopealtogether，ifhekeepsnotbetterorder。’’