The singer paused , a faint clink of iron followed , and then silence . The two lads stood looking at each other . Whoever he might be , their invisible neighbour was just beyond the ruin . And suddenly the colour came into Matcham 's face , and next moment he had crossed the fallen rafter , and was climbing cautiously on the huge pile of lumber that filled the interior of the roofless house . Dick would have withheld him , had he been in time ; as it was , he was fain to follow . Right in the corner of the ruin , two rafters had fallen crosswise , and protected a clear space no larger than a pew in church . Into this the lads silently lowered themselves . There they were perfectly concealed , and through an arrow-loophole commanded a view upon the farther side . Peering through this , they were struck stiff with terror at their predicament . To retreat was impossible ; they scarce dared to breathe . Upon the very margin of the ditch , not thirty feet from where they crouched , an iron caldron bubbled and steamed above a glowing fire ; and close by , in an attitude of listening , as though he had caught some sound of their clambering among the ruins , a tall , red-faced , battered-looking man stood poised , an iron spoon in his right hand , a horn and a formidable dagger at his belt . Plainly this was the singer ; plainly he had been stirring the caldron , when some incautious step among the lumber had fallen upon his ear . A little further off , another man lay slumbering , rolled in a brown cloak , with a butterfly hovering above his face . All this was in a clearing white with daisies ; and at the extreme verge , a bow , a sheaf of arrows , and part of a deer 's carcase , hung upon a flowering hawthorn . Presently the fellow relaxed from his attitude of attention , raised the spoon to his mouth , tasted its contents , nodded , and then fell again to stirring and singing . '' ` O , they must need to walk in wood that may not walk in town , ' '' he croaked , taking up his song where he had left it . `` O , sir , we walk not here at all an evil thing to do . But if we meet with the good king 's deer to shoot a shaft into . '' Still as he sang , he took from time to time , another spoonful of the broth , blew upon it , and tasted it , with all the airs of an experienced cook . At length , apparently , he judged the mess was ready ; for taking the horn from his girdle , he blew three modulated calls .
The other fellow awoke , XXXXX over , brushed away the butterfly , and looked about him .
came caught concealed crossed crouched fallen followed nodded raised rolled