told you."

"Gladly! Gladly! Oh, give me back my weapons!"

At a sign from the judge the heralds restored to him the spear and
shield marked _F_, which lay on the stone steps, and he returned to the
circle of his comrades, many of whom clasped his hand.

CHAPTER XXXV.

"A joyful duty now awaits you," the Duke began again: "a boy of noble
family asks the bestowal of the sword, the first weapon granted. Many
of us know him, and all who do, wish him well. True, the young hero is
not very large; but I take my oath that I saw him yesterday pierce with
his spear, at fifteen paces, a moderately thick linden-wood shield. And
great was his courage, bold his daring when, dauntlessly risking his
life and liberty, he scaled the wall of the Roman camp, brought back
most important information and placed it in the Duke's hand."

"Who is it? Who is it?" asked many voices.

Adalo stepped forward, leading his brother by the hand: "Sippilo, my
brave little brother."

Then the Duke spoke:

"I ask the assembly: Shall he receive the weapons? Is the young falcon
fledged?" A pleasant smile illumined the face which could look so
wrathful and threatening.

"Hail to him! Hail to the Adeling! Hail to the boy! Give him the
weapons."

Sippilo flushed like a young girl, but the blush was very becoming.

"Will you grant him the favor of bestowing the weapons yourself, O
Duke?" pleaded Adalo. "Then, when he grasps sword or spear, he must
always remember the hero to whom he first owed them, and prove himself
worthy of the giver."

"I will," said the judge, rising and beckoning to the boy.

Sippilo ascended the first of the steps leading to the Duke's chair.
Hariowald took the little round shield lying before him and gave it to
the lad, who seized it eagerly, passing his left arm under the upper
bar of the shield and clasping the lower one with his hand. "I,
Hariowald, son of Hariomar, Count of Linzgau, chosen by all the
Alemanni Duke for this summer's Roman war, say to you, Sippilo, son of
Adalger, of age to use weapons and worthy to receive them:

"With the shield I give, protect,
Better than thine own breast,
Dearer than thine own body and life,
The noble Alemanni
Land and nation.
Shield runes, and runes of defence,
Deep burned thy brother
Its solid framework within;
They will hold and keep