ady to offer compensation, but we
should hear how it has been--'

'Am I to see my poor laddie torn to bits, stoned, and hanged by these
savage loons,' cried George, 'for a goose's egg and an old gander?'

Of course his defence was incomprehensible to the Flemings, but on their
side a man with a bound-up head and another limping were produced,
and the head man spoke of more serious damage to others who could not
appear, demanding both the aggressors to be dealt with, i.e. to be
hanged on the next tree.

'These men are of mine, Master Marshal,' said Sir Patrick.

'My Lord can permit no violence by those under his banner,' said the
Marshal stiffly. 'I must answer it to him.'

'Do so then,' said Sir Patrick. 'This is a matter for him.'

The Marshal, who had much rather have disposed of the Scottish thieves
on his own responsibility, was forced to give way so far as to let the
appeal be carried to the Marquis of Suffolk, telling the Flemings, in
something as near their language as he could accomplish, that his Lord
was sure to see justice done, and that they should follow and make their
complaint.

Suffolk sat on his horse, tall, upright, and angry. 'What is this I
hear, Sir Patrick Drummond,' said he, 'that your miscreants of wild
Scots have been thieving from the peaceful peasant-folk, and then
beating them and murdering them? I deemed you were a better man than to
stand by such deeds and not give up the fellows to justice.'

'It were shame to hang a man for one goose,' said Sir Patrick.

'All plunder is worthy of death,' returned the Englishman. 'Your Border
law may be otherwise, but 'tis not our English rule of honest men. And
here's this other great lurdane knave been striking the poor rogues down
right and left! A halter fits both.'

'My Lord, they are no subjects of England. I deny your rights over
them.'

'Whoever rides in my train is under me, I would have you to know, sir.'

'Hark ye, my Lord of Suffolk,' said Sir Patrick, coming near enough
to speak in an undertone, 'that lurdane, as you call him, is heir of a
noble house in Scotland, come here on a young man's freak of chivalry.
You will do no service to the peace of the realms if you give him up to
these churls, for making in to save his servant.'

Before Sir Patrick had done speaking, while Suffolk was frowning grimly
in perplexity, a wild figure, with blood on the face, rushed forth with
a limping run, crying 'Let the loons hang me and welcome,