“If you will take my advice, Hugh Dacre, you will ride on, and leave the achievement of the adventure to these young galliards,” interposed Cryspyn.
“Nay, by the mass! that shall never be,” rejoined Dacre, “if they have no objection to our joining them. If they have, they have only to say so, and we will go on.”
“I will be plain with you, my masters,” said Surrey. “We are determined this night, as you have rightly conjectured, to seek out Herne the Hunter; and we hope to obtain such clue to him as will ensure his capture. If, therefore, you are anxious to join us, we shall be glad of your aid. But you must be content to follow, and not lead—and to act as you are directed—or you will only be in the way, and we would rather dispense with your company.”
“We are content with the terms—are we not, Tony?” said Dacre.
His companion answered somewhat sullenly in the affirmative.
“And now that the matter is arranged, may I ask when you propose to go?” he continued.
“We are on our way to a hut on the lake, where we expect a companion to join us,” replied Surrey.
“What! Tristram Lyndwood's cottage?” demanded Dacre.
“Ay,” replied the earl, “and we hope to recover his fair granddaughter from the power of the demon.”
“Ha! say you so?” cried Dacre; “that were a feat, indeed!”