at I hoped it would have fallen souse on your heads before you
were aware of it. What was the Master saying to you, Lucy?"

"I was telling your sister what an idle lad you were, keeping us waiting
here for you so long," said Ravenswood, to save Lucy's confusion.

"Waiting for me! Why, I told you to see Lucy home, and that I was to go
to make the ring-walk with old Norman in the Hayberry thicket, and you
may be sure that would take a good hour, and we have all the deer's
marks and furnishes got, while you were sitting here with Lucy, like a
lazy loon."

"Well, well, Mr. Henry," said Ravenswood; "but let us see how you will
answer to me for killing the raven. Do you know, the ravens are all
under the protection of the Lords of Ravenswood, and to kill one in
their presence is such bad luck that it deserves the stab?"

"And that's what Norman said," replied the boy; "he came as far with
me as within a flight-shot of you, and he said he never saw a raven sit
still so near living folk, and he wished it might be for good luck, for
the raven is one of the wildest birds that flies, unless it be a tame
one; and so I crept on and on, till I was within threescore yards of
him, and then whiz went the bolt, and there he lies, faith! Was it not
well shot? and, I dare say, I have not shot in a crossbow!--not ten
times, maybe."

"Admirably shot, indeed," said Ravenswood; "and you will be a fine
marksman if you practise hard."

"And that's what Norman says," answered the boy; "but I am sure it is
not my fault if I do not practise enough; for, of free will, I would do
little else, only my father and tutor are angry sometimes, and only Miss
Lucy there gives herself airs about my being busy, for all she can
sit idle by a well-side the whole day, when she has a handsome young
gentleman to prate with. I have known her do so twenty times, if you
will believe me."

The boy looked at his sister as he spoke, and, in the midst of his
mischievous chatter, had the sense to see that he was really inflicting
pain upon her, though without being able to comprehend the cause or the
amount.

"Come now, Lucy," he said, "don't greet; and if I have said anything
beside the mark, I'll deny it again; and what does the Master of
Ravenswood care if you had a hundred sweethearts? so ne'er put finger in
your eye about it."

The Master of Ravenswood was, for the moment, scarce satisfied with what
he heard; yet his good sense naturally regarded it as the