as glad that he had been able to do some service to her persecuted
co-religionists--the fact that he had won great personal credit,
and had received the honour of knighthood at the hands of Coligny
himself, weighed as nothing in her eyes. It was otherwise with his
father. He was very proud that his boy had turned out a worthy
descendant of the fighting Kentish stock; and that he had shown, in
half-a-dozen fights against heavy odds, a courage as staunch as
that which his forefathers had exhibited at Cressy, Poitiers, and
Agincourt.

"Good blood tells, my boy," he said; "and you must have shown them
a rare sample of what an Englishman can do, before they knighted
you. I would rather you had won it in an English battle, but all
admit that there is no more capable chief in Europe than the
Huguenot Admiral. Certainly there are no English commanders of fame
or repute to compare with him; though if we ever get to blows with
the Spanish, we shall soon find men, I warrant me, who will match
the best of them.

"There was a deal of talk in Canterbury, I can tell you, when the
news came home; and many refugees who came through the town
declared that they had heard your name among those of the nobles
who rode with the Admiral, and the brave La Noue. Indeed, there are
two families settled here who fled from Niort, and these have told
how you and your cousin saved them from the Catholics.

"I warrant you they have told the tale often enough since they have
come here; and it has made quite a stir in Canterbury, and there is
not a week passes without some of your old school friends, who used
to come up here with you, running up to ask the last news of you,
and to hear your letters read; and it has been a pleasure to me to
read them, lad, and to see how they opened their eyes when they
heard that the Queen of Navarre and her son had given you presents,
and that you often rode with the young prince, and his cousin
Conde.

"You have changed, Philip, mightily; not in your face, for I see
but little alteration there, but in your manner and air. The boys
did not seem to understand how you, whom they looked on as one of
themselves, could be riding to battle with nobles and talking with
princes; but I think they will understand better, when they see
you. You look almost too fine for such simple people as we are,
Philip; though I do not say your clothes are not of sombre hues, as
might be expected from one fighting in the Huguenot ranks."