e over here in a couple
of hours, Master Roy, and I'll be getting off to market."

The farmer went away, and Roy felt comparatively happy with his tutor,
for Master Pawson seemed to have put aside the petty feeling of
annoyance, and to wish to let the trouble over the firing be quite
forgotten, so careful was he about avoiding any allusion to the guns.

"I can't help," he said, smiling; "only to look on. I was never meant
for a fighting man. What a change, though, you seem to be producing,
Roy."

This was sufficient to make Roy, with his natural boyish frankness,
begin talking freely about his plans, for he was growing enthusiastic,
and he even began to ask the secretary's opinion about two or three
minor matters.

"Oh, don't ask me," said his companion, laughing, and with an air of
protest; "you might just as well expect me to begin wearing armour. No.
You must do all the defending if trouble does come, and I beg you will
give particular orders to your men-at-arms to take the greatest care of
the secretary, for you must not have him hurt. I suppose, then, that
there will be no more studies for the present?"

"No, not for the present," said Roy, rather importantly; "I have so much
to do."

"Very well, man o' war; the man o' peace will go back to his music and
his books, but if you want me to do anything that I can do, send for me
at once."

Master Pawson put his hands behind him and walked thoughtfully through
the garden towards the door-way leading to the ramparts, and from thence
to the north-west tower, by the green grass and flowers seeming to him a
more attractive way than through the long corridor and past the occupied
rooms; while Roy made for the armoury, which seemed to be his study now.
Ben was there, busy, and he looked up and nodded. "Master Pawson's
soon settled down then, sir?" he said.

"Oh, yes, Ben; he's good-tempered enough now."

"Good job for him, sir. Can't have quarrelling in a garrison. I began
to think he was going to mutiny outright, and if he'd shown his teeth
any more, I suppose I should have had to remind him that there were some
deep, dark dungeons underground as a first dose, and the stone gallows
up at the far corner of the ramparts for the very worst cases."

"But do you think that stone bar thing was ever used for executing
people?"

"Sure of it, sir; and there's the opening underneath leading down to
that square patch beneath the walls."

"But it may have been to