by forest laws.'

'Sir, if we had known,' said the ranger, who was evidently of gentle
blood, as he took his foot off the jesses, and Jean now allowed David to
remount her.

'But my Lord Duke is very heedful of his bustards, and when Roger there
went to seize the bird, my young lady was over-ready with her knife.'

'Who would not be for thee, my bird?' murmured Jean.

'And yonder big fellow came plunging down and up with his sword--so as
he was nigh on being the death of poor Roger again for doing his duty.
If such be the ways of you Scots, sir, they be not English ways under my
Lord Duke, that is to say, and if I let the lady and her hawk go, forest
law must have its due on the young man there--I must have him up to
Fotheringay to abide the Duke's pleasure.'

'Heed me not, Sir Patrick!' exclaimed Geordie. 'I would not have those
of your meinie brought into jeopardy for my cause.'

David was plucking his father's mantle to suggest who George was, which
in fact Sir Patrick might suspect enough to be conscious of the full
awkwardness of the position, and to abandon the youth was impossible.
Though it was not likely that the Duke of York would hang him if aware
of his rank, he might be detained as a hostage or put to heavy ransom,
or he might never be brought to the Duke's presence at all, but be put
to death by some truculent underling, incredulous of a Scotsman's tale,
if indeed he were not too proud to tell it. Anyway, Sir Patrick felt
bound to stand by him.

'Good sir,' said he to the forester, 'will it content thee if we all go
with thee to thy Duke? The two Scottish princesses are of his kin, and
near of blood to King Henry, whom they are about to visit at Windsor. I
am on a mission thither on affairs of state, but I shall be willing to
make my excuses to him for any misdemeanour committed on his lands by my
followers.'

The forester was consenting, when George cried--

'I'll have no hindrance to your journey on my account, Sir Patrick. Let
me answer for myself.'

'Foolish laddie,' said the knight. 'Father Romuald and I were only now
conferring as to paying the Duke a visit on our way. Sir forester, we
shall be beholden to you for guiding us.'

He further inquired into the ranger's hurts, and salved them with a
piece of gold, while David thought proper to observe to George--

'So much for thy devoir to thy princess! It was for Skywing's craig she
cared, never thine.'

George turned a deaf ear to the i