"Not much to win by," grunted ****, "though enough. I have done twenty and one score once, but that was somewhat downhill."
Then, while the silence still reigned, he set the second arrow on the string, and waited, as though he knew not what to do. Presently, about fifty paces from him, a wood dove flew from out a tree and, as such birds do at the first breath of spring, for the day was mild and sunny, hovered a moment in the air ere it dipped toward a great fir where doubtless it had built for years. Never, poor fowl, was it destined to build again, for as it turned its beak downward ****'s shaft pierced it through and through and bore it onward to the earth.
Still in the midst of a great silence, **** took up his quiver and emptied it on the ground, then gave it to the captain of the archers, saying:
"And you will, step sixty, nay, seventy paces, and set this mouth upward in the grass where a man may see it well."
The captain did so, propping the quiver straight with stones and a bit of wood. Then, having studied all things with his eyes, **** shot upward, but softly. Making a gentle curve, the arrow turned in the air as it drew near the quiver, and fell into its mouth, striking it flat.
"Ill done," grumbled ****; "had I shot well, it should have been pinned to earth. Well, yon shadow baulked me, and it might have been worse."
Then he unstrung his bow, and slipped it into its case.
Now, at length, the silence was broken, and in good earnest. Men, especially those of Dunwich, screamed and shouted, hurling up their caps. Jack Green, for all jealousy was forgotten at the sight of this wondrous skill, ran to ****, clasped him in his arms, and, dragging the badge from off his breast, tried to pin it to his rough doublet.
The young Prince came and clapped him on the shoulder, saying:
"Be my man! Be my man!"
But **** only growled, "Paws off! What have I done that I have not done a score of times before with no fine folk to watch me? I shot to please my master and for the honour of Suffolk, not for you, and because some dogs keep their tails too tightly curled."
"A sulky fellow," said the Prince, "but, by heaven, I like him!"
Then the King pushed his horse through the throng, and all fell back before his Grace.
"Richard Archer," he said, "never has such marksmanship as yours been seen in England since we sat upon the throne, nor shall it go unrewarded. The twenty angels that you said you would stake last night shall be paid to you by the treasurer of our household. Moreover, here is a gift from Edward of England, the friend of archers, that you may be pleased to wear," and taking his velvet cap from off his head, the King unpinned from it a golden arrow of which the barbed head was cut from a ruby, and gave it to him.
"I thank you, Sire," said ****, his pale skin flushing with pride and pleasure. "I'll wear it while I live, and may the sight of it mean death to many of your enemies."
"Without doubt it will, and that ere long, Richard, for know you that soon we sail again for France, whence the tempest held us back, and it is my pleasure that you sail with us. Therefore I name you one of our fletchers, with place about our person in our bodyguard of archers.
