that I speak, though methinks
he liketh thee well enow. Canst thou keep a secret, boy?" he asked,
suddenly.

"Yea," answered Myles.

"And wilt thou do so in this case if I tell thee who it is that is thy
best friend here?"

"Yea."

"Then it is my Lord who is that friend--the Earl himself; but see that
thou breathe not a word of it."

Myles sat staring at the old knight in utter and profound amazement, and
presently Sir James continued: "Yea, almost ever since thou hast come
here my Lord hath kept oversight upon all thy doings, upon all thy mad
pranks and thy quarrels and thy fights, thy goings out and comings in.
What thinkest thou of that, Myles Falworth?"

Again the old knight stopped and regarded the lad, who sat silent,
finding no words to answer. He seemed to find a grim pleasure in the
youngster's bewilderment and wonder. Then a sudden thought came to
Myles.

"Sir," said he, "did my Lord know that I went to the privy garden as I
did?"

"Nay," said Sir James; "of that he knew naught at first until thy father
bade thy mother write and tell him."

"My father!" ejaculated Myles.

"Aye," said Sir James, twisting his mustaches more vigorously than ever.
"So soon as thy father heard of that prank, he wrote straightway to
my Lord that he should put a stop to what might in time have bred
mischief."

"Sir," said Myles, in an almost breathless voice, "I know not how to
believe all these things, or whether I be awake or a-dreaming."

"Thou be'st surely enough awake," answered the old man; "but there are
other matters yet to be told. My Lord thinketh, as others of us do--Lord
George and myself--that it is now time for thee to put away thy boyish
follies, and learn those things appertaining to manhood. Thou hast been
here a year now, and hast had freedom to do as thou might list; but,
boy,"--and the old warrior spoke seriously, almost solemnly--"upon thee
doth rest matters of such great import that did I tell them to thee thou
couldst not grasp them. My Lord deems that thou hast, mayhap, promise
beyond the common of men; ne'theless it remaineth yet to be seen an he
be right; it is yet to test whether that promise may be fulfilled. Next
Monday I and Sir Everard Willoughby take thee in hand to begin training
thee in the knowledge and the use of the jousting lance, of arms, and of
horsemanship. Thou art to go to Ralph Smith, and have him fit a suit of
plain armor to thee which he hath been charged to make for thee