in time. He is a rare good lad.
Now, to work."

Out in the snow, Geoffrey with his sword drawn came upon Hubert.

"Thou mayest sheathe that knife," said the latter.

"And be thy quarry?" retorted Geoffrey.

"I have come too late for that!" Hubert answered.

"Thou hast been to the bear-pit, then?"

"Oh, aye!"

"There's big quarry there!" observed Geoffrey, tauntingly. "Quite a
royal bird."

"So royal the male hawk could not bring it down by himself, I hear,"
Hubert replied. "Nay, there's no use in waxing wroth, friend! My
death now would clap thee in a tighter puzzle than thou art in
already--and I should be able to laugh down at thee from a better
world," he added, mimicking the priestly cadence, and looking at
Geoffrey half fierce and half laughing.

He was but an apprentice at robbery and violence, and in the bottom of
his heart, where some honesty still was, he liked Geoffrey well. "Time
presses," he continued. "I must go. One thing thou must do. Let not
that pit be opened till the monks of Oyster-le-Main come here. We
shall come before noon."

"I do not understand," said Geoffrey.

[Illustration: Brother Hvbert goeth back to Oyster-le-Main for ye
last Time]

"That's unimportant," answered Hubert. "Only play thy part. 'Tis a
simple thing to keep a door shut. Fail, and the whole of us are
undone. Farewell."

"Nay, this is some foul trick," Geoffrey declared, and laid his hand
on Hubert.

But the other shook his head sadly. "Dost suppose," he said, "that we
should have abstained from any trick that's known to the accumulated
wisdom of man? Our sport is up."

"'Tis true," Geoffrey said, musingly, "we hold all of you in the
hollow of one hand."

"Thou canst make a present of us to the hangman in twenty minutes if
thou choosest," said Hubert.

"Though 'twould put me in quite as evil case."

"Ho! what's the loss of a woman compared with death?" Hubert
exclaimed.

"Thou'lt know some day," the young knight said, eying Hubert with a
certain pity; "that is, if ever thou art lucky to love truly."

"And is it so much as that?" murmured Hubert wistfully. "'Twas good
fortune for thee and thy sweetheart I did not return to look for my
master while he was being taken to the pit," he continued; "we could
have stopped all your mouths till the Day of Judgment at least."

"Wouldst thou have slain a girl?" asked Geoffrey, stepping back.

"Not I, indeed! But for my master I would not be so sure. And he says