rom time to time at the rich
folds of the heavy pennon, and, when the cry of the sentinels came from
the distant lines and defences of the camp, he answered them with one
deep and reiterated bark, as if to affirm that he too was vigilant in
his duty. From time to time, also, he lowered his lofty head, and wagged
his tail, as his master passed and repassed him in the short turns which
he took upon his post; or, when the knight stood silent and abstracted
leaning on his lance, and looking up towards heaven, his faithful
attendant ventured sometimes, in the phrase of romance, "to disturb his
thoughts," and awaken him from his reverie, by thrusting his large rough
snout into the knight's gauntleted hand, to solicit a transitory caress.

Thus passed two hours of the knight's watch without anything remarkable
occurring. At length, and upon a sudden, the gallant staghound bayed
furiously, and seemed about to dash forward where the shadow lay
the darkest, yet waited, as if in the slips, till he should know the
pleasure of his master.

"Who goes there?" said Sir Kenneth, aware that there was something
creeping forward on the shadowy side of the mount.

"In the name of Merlin and Maugis," answered a hoarse, disagreeable
voice, "tie up your fourfooted demon there, or I come not at you."

"And who art thou that would approach my post?" said Sir Kenneth,
bending his eyes as keenly as he could on some object, which he
could just observe at the bottom of the ascent, without being able to
distinguish its form. "Beware--I am here for death and life."

"Take up thy long-fanged Sathanas," said the voice, "or I will conjure
him with a bolt from my arblast."

At the same time was heard the sound of a spring or check, as when a
crossbow is bent.

"Unbend thy arblast, and come into the moonlight," said the Scot, "or,
by Saint Andrew, I will pin thee to the earth, be what or whom thou
wilt!"

As he spoke he poised his long lance by the middle, and, fixing his eye
upon the object, which seemed to move, he brandished the weapon, as
if meditating to cast it from his hand--a use of the weapon sometimes,
though rarely, resorted to when a missile was necessary. But Sir Kenneth
was ashamed of his purpose, and grounded his weapon, when there stepped
from the shadow into the moonlight, like an actor entering upon the
stage, a stunted, decrepit creature, whom, by his fantastic dress and
deformity, he recognized, even at some distance, for the m