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"Hast met Sir Richard?"

"I have!"

"Aha!" quoth the fellow, nodding "He had ye whipped, belike?"

"He did so"

"For stealing of a fine, fat capon, belike?"

"Nay, 'twas for another matter But what of hi in friends and a power at court yet?"

"No," says True horses "Neither one nor t'other!"

"How--not?" quoth I "And wherefore?"

"Because he's dead--"

"Dead!" says I, starting up "Dead?"

"Why look'ee, if he ain't dead--leastways--" But here I seized hi hiue--da teeth "Will ye asped

"Then tell --anything ye will,in his manor of Shene--doth he not? Aye or no?"