you, valiant, loyal,
honourable, and devout barons, Lords of Man's justice in your own
bounds, do you mock my fool?"

'He shook his bauble in the very faces of those two barons whose names
I have forgotten. "Na--Na!" they said, and waved him back foolishly
enough.

'He hies him across to staring, nodding Harold, and speaks from behind
his chair.

'"No man mocks thee, Who here judges this man? Henry of
England--Nigel--De Aquila! On your souls, swift with the answer!" he
cried.

'None answered. We were all--the King not least--over-borne by that
terrible scarlet-and-black wizard-jester.

'"Well for your souls," he said, wiping his brow. Next, shrill like a
woman: "Oh, come to me!" and Hugh ran forward to hold Harold, that had
slidden down in the chair.

'"Hearken," said Rahere, his arm round Harold's neck. "The King--his
bishops--the knights--all the world's crazy chessboard neither mock nor
judge thee. Take that comfort with thee, Harold of England!"

'Hugh heaved the old man up and he smiled.

'"Good comfort," said Harold. "Tell me again! I have been somewhat
punished." 'Rahere hallooed it once more into his ear as the head
rolled. We heard him sigh, and Nigel of Ely stood forth, praying aloud.

'"Out! I will have no Norman!" Harold said as clearly as I speak now,
and he refuged himself on Hugh's sound shoulder, and stretched out, and
lay all still.'

'Dead?' said Una, turning up a white face in the dusk.

'That was his good fortune. To die in the King's presence, and on the
breast of the most gentlest, truest knight of his own house. Some of us
envied him,' said Sir Richard, and fell back to take Swallow's bridle.

'Turn left here,' Puck called ahead of them from under an oak. They
ducked down a narrow path through close ash plantation.

The children hurried forward, but cutting a corner charged full-abreast
into the thorn-faggot that old Hobden was carrying home on his back.
'My! My!' said he. 'Have you scratted your face, Miss Una?'

'Sorry! It's all right,' said Una, rubbing her nose. 'How many rabbits
did you get today?'

'That's tellin'!' the old man grinned as he re-hoisted his faggot. 'I
reckon Mus' Ridley he've got rheumatism along o' lyin' in the dik to see
I didn't snap up any. Think o' that now!'

They laughed a good deal while he told them the tale.

'An' just as he crawled away I heard some one hollerin' to the hounds
in our woods,' said he. 'Didn't you hear? You must ha' been asleep