t evening Cedric told his mother of this second speech, and then he
asked as a wistful look came over his face, "Ah, mother dear, do you
think I can ever become a knight?"

Weeks passed into months and the soft, gray snow clouds had covered the
green hills with the white mantle of winter. Whenever Cedric felt like
being rude, or cross, or selfish, he thought of the bright smile on the
great knight's face that summer evening, when he had asked for the cup
of cold water, and he felt sure the smile would change into a frown if
the knight should see him do a discourteous or a selfish act.

A year or two had passed when one day something happened which Cedric
never forgot. His father came in from his work and said, "Sir Rollin
Dubois wants a young lad to come to the castle to take the place of his
page who has lately been promoted. Do you think, wife, that our Cedric
is strong enough for such an office?" Cedric's heart almost stopped
beating while he listened for his mother's answer. She thought for a few
moments and then said slowly as if weighing each word, "Yes, I think he
would try very hard to do his duty, and I should like to have him learn
more of knighthood. Perhaps some day he too may be a knight, who
knows?" she added, as she turned smilingly to the radiant face of her
boy.

That very afternoon she made a bundle of his few clothes, and his father
took him by the hand and walked with him up the steep hill to the great
castle gate. Cedric had never before been so near the castle, and when
his father lifted the heavy iron knocker and brought it down with two or
three loud knocks, it seemed to Cedric that his heart was knocking
almost as loudly. Not that he was afraid, but he was stirred by the
thought of going into the presence of the great and noble Sir Rollin
whom all people loved and revered.

The huge iron gate slowly lifted. The drawbridge was already thrown
across the ditch of water which surrounded the castle and in a few
moments Cedric and his father had passed under the stone archway and
were standing within the courtyard. A man took them into a large room
whose walls and floors were of stone, and bade them sit down on a wooden
bench which stood near the door, saying at the same time, "I will tell
Sir Rollin that you are here."

They had been waiting some time when a door at the other end of the
room opened and a large, well built man, who looked so tall and straight
that he reminded Cedric of a mountain