'

'Sir, I will,' said the young man, 'I will plight my word to obey
you, and faithfully, so long as I ride under your banner in foreign
parts--provided such oath be not binding within this realm of Scotland,
nor against my lealty to the head of my name.'

'Nor do I ask it of thee,' returned Sir Patrick heartily, but regarding
him more attentively; 'these are the scruples of a true man. Hast thou
any following?'

'Only a boy to lead my horse to grass,' replied George, giving a
peculiar whistle, which brought to his side a shock-headed, barefooted
lad, in a shepherd's tartan and little else, but with limbs as active as
a wild deer, and an eye twinkling and alert.

'He shall be put in better trim ere the English pock-puddings see him,'
said Douglas, looking at him, perhaps for the first time, as something
unsuited to that orderly company.

'That is thine own affair,' said Sir Patrick. 'Mine is that he should
comport himself as becomes one of my troop. What's his name?'

'Ringan Raefoot,' replied Geordie Sir Patrick began to put the oath of
obedience to him, but the boy cried out--

'I'll ne'er swear to any save my lawful lord, the Yerl of Angus, and my
lord the Master.'

'Hist, Ringan,' interposed Geordie. 'Sir, I will answer for his faith to
me, and so long as he is leal to me he will be the same to thee; but I
doubt whether it be expedient to compel him.'

So did Sir Patrick, and he said--

'Then be it so, I trust to his faith to thee. Only remembering that if
he plunder or brawl, I may have to leave him hanging on the next bush.'

'And if he doth, the Red Douglas will ken the reason why,' quoth Ringan,
with head aloft.

It was thought well to turn a deaf ear to this observation. Indeed,
Geordie's effort was to elude observation, and to keep his uncouth
follower from attracting it. Ringan was not singular in running along
with bare feet. Other 'bonnie boys,' as the ballad has it, trotted
along by the side of the horses to which they were attached in the like
fashion, though they had hose and shoon slung over their shoulders, to
be donned on entering the good town of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Not without sounding of bugle and sending out a pursuivant to examine
into the intentions and authorisation of the party, were they admitted,
Jean and Eleanor riding first, with the pursuivant proclaiming--'Place,
place for the high and mighty princesses of Scotland.'

It was an inconvenient ceremony for poor Sir Patrick