the tide
stood at the corners of his mouth, and he breathed strongly through his
nose.

'We had him out, and rubbed him; we wrapped him in a cloak, and gave
him wine, and we leaned and looked upon him, the while he drank. He
was shivering, but shameless.

'Of a sudden we heard jehan at the stairway wake, but a boy pushed past
him, and stood before us, the Hall-rushes in his hair, all slubbered
with sleep. "My father! My father! I dreamed of treachery," he cried,
and babbled thickly.

"'There is no treachery here," said Fulke. "Go!" and the boy turned,
even then not fully awake, and jehan led him by the hand to the Great
Hall. "'Thy only son!" said De Aquila. "Why didst thou bring the child
here?"

"'He is my heir. I dared not trust him to my brother," said Fulke, and
now he was ashamed. De Aquila said nothing, but sat weighing a
wine-cup in his two hands--thus. Anon, Fulke touched him on the knee.

"'Let the boy escape to Normandy," said he, "and do with me at thy
pleasure. Yea, hang me tomorrow, with my letter to Robert round my
neck, but let the boy go."

"'Be still," said De Aquila. "I think for England."

'So we waited what our Lord of Pevensey should devise; and the sweat
ran down Fulke's forehead.

'At last said De Aquila: "I am too old to judge, or to trust any man.
I do not covet thy lands, as thou hast coveted mine; and whether thou
art any better or any worse than any other black Angevin thief, it is
for thy King to find out. Therefore, go back to thy King, Fulke."

"'And thou wilt say nothing of what has passed?" said Fulke.

"'Why should I? Thy son will stay with me. If the King calls me again
to leave Pevensey, which I must guard against England's enemies; if the
King sends his men against me for a traitor; or if I hear that the King
in his bed thinks any evil of me or my two knights, thy son will be
hanged from out this window, Fulke."'

'But it hadn't anything to do with his son,' cried Una, startled.

'How could we have hanged Fulke?' said Sir Richard. 'We needed him to
make our peace with the King. He would have betrayed half England for
the boy's sake. Of that we were sure.'

'I don't understand,' said Una. 'But I think it was simply awful.'

'So did not Fulke. He was well pleased.'

'What? Because his son was going to be killed?'

'Nay. Because De Aquila had shown him how he might save the boy's life
and his own lands and honours. "I will do it," he said. "I