t a cold return for a well-meant
kindness. I thank you, my lord, most heartily. The King's equerries
or prickers might find Roswal at disadvantage, and do him some injury,
which I should not, perhaps, be slow in returning, and so ill might come
of it. You have seen so much of my house-keeping, my lord," he added,
with a smile, "that I need not shame to say that Roswal is our principal
purveyor, and well I hope our Lion Richard will not be like the lion
in the minstrel fable, that went a-hunting, and kept the whole booty to
himself. I cannot think he would grudge a poor gentleman, who follows
him faithfully, his hour of sport and his morsel of game, more
especially when other food is hard enough to come by."

"By my faith, you do the King no more than justice; and yet," said the
baron, "there is something in these words, vert and venison, that turns
the very brains of our Norman princes."

"We have heard of late," said the Scot, "by minstrels and pilgrims, that
your outlawed yeomen have formed great bands in the shires of York and
Nottingham, having at their head a most stout archer, called Robin Hood,
with his lieutenant, Little John. Methinks it were better that Richard
relaxed his forest-code in England, than endeavour to enforce it in the
Holy Land."

"Wild work, Sir Kenneth," replied De Vaux, shrugging his shoulders, as
one who would avoid a perilous or unpleasing topic--"a mad world, sir.
I must now bid you adieu, having presently to return to the King's
pavilion. At vespers I will again, with your leave, visit your quarters,
and speak with this same infidel physician. I would, in the meantime,
were it no offence, willingly send you what would somewhat mend your
cheer."

"I thank you, sir," said Sir Kenneth, "but it needs not. Roswal hath
already stocked my larder for two weeks, since the sun of Palestine, if
it brings diseases, serves also to dry venison."

The two warriors parted much better friends than they had met; but ere
they separated, Thomas de Vaux informed himself at more length of
the circumstances attending the mission of the Eastern physician, and
received from the Scottish knight the credentials which he had brought
to King Richard on the part of Saladin.

CHAPTER VIII.

A wise physician, skilled our wounds to heal,
Is more than armies to the common weal.
POPE'S ILLIAD.

"This is a strange tale, Sir Thomas," said the sick monarch, when he had
heard the report of the