ple Staithe."

So on they went across the meadow to the creek. It lay but three
bow-shots distant. At first they could see nothing, for the snow
covered the stones of the little pier, but presently a man cried
out that the lock of the water house, in which the brethren kept
their fishing-boat, was broken, and next minute, that the boat
was gone.

"She was small; she would hold but six men," cried a voice. "So
great a company could never have crowded into her."

"Fool!" one answered, "there may have been other boats."

So they looked again, and beneath the thin coating of rime, found
a mark in the mud by the Staithe, made by the prow of a large
boat, and not far from it a hole in the earth into which a peg
had been driven to make her fast.

Now the thing seemed clear enough, but it was to be made yet
clearer, for presently, even through the driving snow, the quick
eye of Wulf caught sight of some glittering thing which hung to
the edge of a clump of dead reeds. A man with a lance lifted it
out at his command, and gave it to him.

"I thought so," he said in a heavy voice; "it is a fragment of
that star-wrought veil which was my Christmas gift to Rosamund,
and she has torn it off and left it here to show us her road. To
St. Peter's-on-the-Wall! To St. Peter's, I say, for there the
boats or ship must pass, and maybe that in the darkness they have
not yet won out to sea."

So they turned their horses' heads, and those of them that were
mounted rode for St. Peter's by the inland path that runs through
Steeple St. Lawrence and Bradwell town, while those who were
not, started to search along the Saltings and the river bank. On
they galloped through the falling snow, Godwin and Wulf leading
the way, whilst behind them thundered an ever-gathering train of
knights, squires and yeomen, who had seen the beacon flare on
Steeple tower, or learned the tale from messengers--yes, and even
of monks from Stangate and traders from Southminster.

Hard they rode, but the lanes were heavy with fallen snow and mud
beneath, and the way was far, so that an hour had gone by before
Bradwell was left behind, and the shrine of St. Chad lay but half
a mile in front. Now of a sudden the snow ceased, and a strong
northerly wind springing up, drove the thick mist before it and
left the sky hard and blue behind. Still riding in this mist,
they pressed on to where the old tower loomed in front of them,
then drew rein and waited.

"What is tha