gry. Ah, good days!
Ah, wonderful people! And I loved them all.'

The knight lifted his arms as though he would hug the whole dear valley,
and Swallow, hearing the chink of his chain-mail, looked up and whinnied
softly.

'At last,' he went on, 'after a year of striving and contriving and some
little driving, De Aquila came to the valley, alone and without warning. I
saw him first at the Lower Ford, with a swine-herd's brat on his
saddle-bow.

'"There is no need for thee to give any account of thy stewardship," said
he. "I have it all from the child here." And he told me how the young
thing had stopped his tall horse at the Ford, by waving of a branch, and
crying that the way was barred. "And if one bold, bare babe be enough to
guard the Ford in these days, thou hast done well," said he, and puffed
and wiped his head.

He pinched the child's cheek, and looked at our cattle in the flat by the
brook.

'"Both fat," said he, rubbing his nose. "This is craft and cunning such as
I love. What did I tell thee when I rode away, boy?"

'"Hold the Manor or hang," said I. I had never forgotten it.

'"True. And thou hast held." He clambered from his saddle and with sword's
point cut out a turf from the bank and gave it me where I kneeled.'

Dan looked at Una, and Una looked at Dan.

'That's seizin,' said Puck, in a whisper.

'"Now thou art lawfully seized of the Manor, Sir Richard," said he--'twas
the first time he ever called me that--"thou and thy heirs for ever. This
must serve till the King's clerks write out thy title on a parchment.
England is all ours--if we can hold it."

'"What service shall I pay?" I asked, and I remember I was proud beyond
words.

'"Knight's fee, boy, knight's fee!" said he, hopping round his horse on
one foot. (Have I said he was little, and could not endure to be helped to
his saddle?) "Six mounted men or twelve archers thou shalt send me
whenever I call for them, and--where got you that corn?" said he, for it
was near harvest, and our corn stood well. "I have never seen such bright
straw. Send me three bags of the same seed yearly, and furthermore, in
memory of our last meeting--with the rope round thy neck--entertain me and
my men for two days of each year in the Great Hall of thy Manor."

'"Alas!" said I, "then my Manor is already forfeit. I am under vow not to
enter the Great Hall." And I told him what I had sworn to the Lady
AElueva.'

'And hadn't you ever been into the house since