hed that grunt out of thee with any sword."

'"But so long as I do not anger thee, my tale will be secret?" said Fulke.

'"Just so long. Does that comfort thee, Fulke?" said De Aquila.

'"What other comfort have ye left me?" he said, and of a sudden he wept
hopelessly like a child, dropping his face on his knees.'

'Poor Fulke,' said Una.

'I pitied him also,' said Sir Richard.

'"After the spur, corn," said De Aquila, and he threw Fulke three wedges
of gold that he had taken from our little chest by the bed-place.

'"If I had known this," said Fulke, catching his breath, "I would never
have lifted hand against Pevensey. Only lack of this yellow stuff has made
me so unlucky in my dealings."

'It was dawn then, and they stirred in the Great Hall below. We sent down
Fulke's mail to be scoured, and when he rode away at noon under his own
and the King's banner very splendid and stately did he show. He smoothed
his long beard, and called his son to his stirrup and kissed him. De
Aquila rode with him as far as the New Mill landward. We thought the night
had been all a dream.'

'But did he make it right with the King?' Dan asked. 'About your not being
traitors, I mean?'

Sir Richard smiled. 'The King sent no second summons to Pevensey, nor did
he ask why De Aquila had not obeyed the first. Yes, that was Fulke's work.
I know not how he did it, but it was well and swiftly done.'

'Then you didn't do anything to his son?' said Una.

'The boy? Oh, he was an imp. He turned the keep doors out of dortoirs
while we had him. He sang foul songs, learned in the Barons' camps--poor
fool; he set the hounds fighting in hall; he lit the rushes to drive out,
as he said, the fleas; he drew his dagger on Jehan, who threw him down the
stairway for it; and he rode his horse through crops and among sheep. But
when we had beaten him, and showed him wolf and deer, he followed us old
men like a young, eager hound, and called us "uncle." His father came the
summer's end to take him away, but the boy had no lust to go, because of
the otter-hunting, and he stayed on till the fox-hunting. I gave him a
bittern's claw to bring him good luck at shooting. An imp, if ever there
was!'

'And what happened to Gilbert?' said Dan.

'Not even a whipping. De Aquila said he would sooner a clerk, however
false, that knew the Manor-roll than a fool, however true, that must be
taught his work afresh. Moreover, after that night I think Gilbert loved
as mu