“Then thou shalt hang for it.
“Here, Ralph, Gilbert, have you a rope between you?”
Ralph, the gamekeeper, unwound one from his waist. It was too often needed, and had our Martin been a peasant lad, he would have speedily swung from a branch of the oak above, but—Hubert came bravely forward.
“My Lord of Warwick, we knew not we were on your ground; we are pages from Kenilworth.”
The men who had seized Martin stood motionless at this, still, however, holding him, and awaiting further orders.
“Can this be true?” growled the Lord of the Bear and Ragged Staff.
“Yes, my lord, you see the crest of the Montforts on our caps.”
In his fury the earl had ignored the fact.
“Your names?”
“Martin.”