In sooth , 't was pity , for it was a fair house . '' Down in the hollow , where no wind blew , it was both warm and still ; and Matcham , laying one hand upon Dick 's arm , held up a warning finger . `` Hist ! '' he said . Then came a strange sound , breaking on the quiet . It was twice repeated ere they recognised its nature . It was the sound of a big man clearing his throat ; and just then a hoarse , untuneful voice broke into singing . `` Then up and spake the master , the king of the outlaws : ` What make ye here , my merry men , among the greenwood shaws ? ' And Gamelyn made answer -- he looked never adown : ` O , they must need to walk in wood that may not walk in town ! ' '' 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 XXXXX , when some incautious step among the lumber had fallen upon his ear .
't Hist Matcham caldron clink dagger fire neighbour right sooth