ld his squire only that he was starting on a
journey; promising to tell him more, as they rode. Accordingly, when
well away from Alnwick, he beckoned to Roger to bring up his horse
alongside of him.

"Where think you that we are going, Roger? I will give you fifty
guesses, and would warrant that you would not come at the truth."

"It matters nothing to me, master; so that I ride with you, I am
content."

"You know, Roger, how grievously the king has treated the Percys; how
he has prevented their taking ransom for their prisoners, and has
refused to ransom Sir Edmund Mortimer; how he, in bitter jest, offered
the earl the estates of Douglas; and how he has put upon them the
indignity of sending four men, of no import, to decide upon their
difference with Westmoreland?"

"Ay, ay, Sir Oswald, everyone knows this, and not a few have wondered
that the Percys have suffered these things, in quietness."

"A fresh thing has happened, Roger. The tenants of Mortimer, with aid
from the earl and Hotspur, have raised the sum that Glendower demanded
as ransom; and now the king has laid on them his order, that this money
is not to be paid."

"By our Lady," Roger exclaimed wrathfully, "this is too much! Sir
Edmund is a noble gentleman, and that the king should refuse to allow
his friends to ransom him passes all bounds."

"So the earl and Hotspur consider," Oswald said, "and, ere long, you
will see that they will hoist the banner of the young Earl of March,
and proclaim him King of England."

"'Tis good," Roger exclaimed, slapping his hand on his leg. "To me it
matters nought who is King of England, but I always held that it was
hard that King Richard should be deposed, and murdered, by one who was
not even his lawful successor. I am not one to question the conduct of
my lord, but I always thought that the Percys were wrong in bringing
this usurper over."

"They feel that themselves, Roger, and consider the ingratitude of the
king to be a punishment upon them, for having aided him to the throne."

"But what has this to do with your journey, master?"

"It has much to do with it, Roger, seeing that I am on my way to
Glendower, to offer him alliance with the Percys."

"A good step!" Roger exclaimed. "We know that these Welsh can fight."

"Moreover, Roger, it may bring about the freeing of Mortimer; for the
evil feeling the king has shown against him will surely drive him to
raise all his vassals, and those of the young earl,