He never slackened his pace,
but ran along, mile after mile, till he had come nigh to Mackworth, over
beyond the Derwent River, nigh to Derby Town. Here, seeing that he was
out of present danger, he slackened in his running, and at last sat him
down beneath a hedge where the grass was the longest and the shade the
coolest, there to rest and catch his wind. "By my soul, Robin," quoth
he to himself, "that was the narrowest miss that e'er thou hadst in all
thy life. I do say most solemnly that the feather of that wicked shaft
tickled mine ear as it whizzed past. This same running hath given me a
most craving appetite for victuals and drink. Now I pray Saint Dunstan
that he send me speedily some meat and beer."
It seemed as though Saint Dunstan was like to answer his prayer, for
along the road came plodding a certain cobbler, one Quince, of Derby,
who had been to take a pair of shoes to a farmer nigh Kirk Langly, and
was now coming back home again, with a fair boiled capon in his pouch
and a stout pottle of beer by his side, which same the farmer had given
him for joy of such a stout pair of shoon.
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