of silver. He fastened on it with
wolfish eagerness and the next instant had disappeared, leaving me to
find La Boule d'Or as best I could.

CHAPTER II.

La Boule d'Or.

"Faith," I muttered, "Raoul has a strange taste. One would think his
golden ball would soon become dingy in this neighbourhood!"

The Rue de Roi was really a narrow lane, with two rows of crazy
buildings looking as if they had been planned by a lunatic architect.
The street itself was only a few feet wide, and the upper storeys of
the opposite houses almost touched. But in spite of its air of general
ruin, the Rue de Roi was evidently a popular resort. Crowds of people
went to and fro; sturdy rogues they appeared for the most part, and
each man openly carried his favourite weapon--pike, or sword, or
halberd.

Some belonged to the bourgeois or shopkeeping class. These, wrapped in
long black cloaks, moved softly, speaking in low tones to groups of
coopers, charcoal-sellers, and men of such-like occupations.

I was more astonished at beholding bands of young nobles who swaggered
by in handsome dresses, laughing familiarly with both bourgeois, and
_canaille_--as the lowest class was called; and I wondered vaguely if
the scene had anything to do with what the boy had told me.

But I was tired and hungry, and the sights and sounds of the city had
muddled my brain so that I cared chiefly to discover Raoul's inn. At
any one of the numerous hostelries my lean purse would secure me a
supper and a bed, and I began to think it advisable to defer any
further search till the morning.

I stood in the middle of the road hesitating, as one will do at such
times, when a clear young voice cried, "Hush, do not disturb him; he is
waiting to hear the tinkle of the cow-bells!" a jest due no doubt to my
ill-cut country clothes.

At the ringing laugh which greeted these saucy words I turned, and saw
several young gallants stretched across the narrow street, completely
blocking my path. Their leader was a fair-haired lad with blue eyes,
and a good-humoured face that quite charmed me. He looked younger even
than myself, though I afterwards learned there was little difference in
our ages.

"I thought the fashion of keeping private jesters had gone out!" I
exclaimed. "You should ask your master to provide you with cap and
bells, young sir! Dressed as you are one might mistake you for a
gentleman."

I did not mean to deal harshly with the youngster, b