unfrocked yourself."

"It was so," Roger replied, with a laugh. "Methinks that it was a happy
day for the abbot, as well as for myself, when I laid aside my gown;
for I fear that I gave him more trouble than all the rest of his
convent. Besides, it was as if a wolf's cub had been brought up among a
litter of ladies' lapdogs--it was sure to be an ill time for both."

"And for how long are you at home with us, brother Alwyn?" John Forster
asked, presently.

"I am here for a week only, John; but Oswald has leave for a month,
seeing that, at present, there is no great chance of Hotspur needing
his services. The Scotch are quiet since the king returned, I hear."

"Ay, they are as quiet as is their nature to be, but 'tis not likely to
last long. I went not with the army, but I hear that Henry behaved so
gently that the Scotch feel that it would be almost an act of
ingratitude to meddle with us, for a time. However, that will not last
long. Next spring they will doubtless be storming down over the hills
again."

The holiday passed delightfully to Oswald. Roger enjoyed it even more.
It was so long since the latter had been permitted the freedom of
riding at will, over mountain and moor, that he was like a schoolboy
enjoying an altogether unwonted holiday. He and Oswald scoured the
country, sometimes returning late in the afternoon, but often staying
for the night at the houses of one or other of Oswald's friends. Once
they crossed the border, and rode to the Armstrongs', where they
stopped for a couple of days, bringing Allan and Janet back with them;
for Roxburgh was still held by the English, and unless when hostilities
were actively going on, the people of the border, save the marauders,
who were always ready to seize any opportunity that offered of carrying
off booty, were on friendly terms, and maintained frequent intercourse
with each other.

Alwyn had returned to Alnwick when his leave was up. He had spent his
time quietly at the hold. He and his brother had discussed many plans
by which its defences could be strengthened, but arrived at the same
conclusion: that it could defend itself, at present, against any small
party, but must yield, however much its defences were increased, at the
approach of an invading army; since, even with the assistance of the
inhabitants of the surrounding districts, it could not maintain itself
until an army was gathered, and the invaders driven out.

Occasionally an afternoon was d