"We are still at fault, my liege," said Bouchier.
"So I see, Sir," replied the king angrily. "Hew down the tree instantly,
knaves," he added to the woodmen. "Fall to--fall to."
Ropes were then fastened to the head of the tree, and the welkin
resounded with the rapid strokes of the hatchets. It was a task of
some difficulty, but such zeal and energy were displayed by the
woodmen that ere long the giant trunk lay prostrate on the ground. Its
hollows were now fully exposed to view, but they were empty.
"Set fire to the accursed piece of timber!" roared the king, "and burn it
to dust, and scatter it to the wind!"
At these orders two yeomen of the guard advanced, and throwing down
a heap of fagots, straw, and other combustibles on the roots of the tree,
soon kindled a fierce fire.
Meanwhile a couple of woodmen, stripped of their jerkins, and with
their brawny arms bared to the shoulder, mounted on the trunk, and
strove to split it asunder. Some of the keepers likewise got into the
branches, and peered into every crack and crevice, in the hope of
making some discovery. Amongst the latter was Will Sommers, who
had posted himself near a great arm of the tree, which he maintained
when lopped off would be found to contain the demon.
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