"Thou art on the road to health, my son," said the man. "Thou hast been like to die for a week past."
"Where am I?"
"Safe in the cottage of a hind. But thou shalt know all to-morrow an thou art in trim to hear news."
So saying, the tall figure removed the light, and in a few minutes more all was quiet in the cottage.
The next morning found Ralph much better. He now learnt where he was, and who had saved him.
"But there is great risk still," said the girl, "and I know not how we may fare. Jean is very rough, and I doubt he is not to be trusted far. His wife Marie is as true as steel, but alack! we English are not overmuch liked, and I hear there are men-at-arms beating the country side. But now thou art better, we can move," she added cheerily.
Ralph saw how nobly these strangers had acted by him. He could not understand why. They had risked their lives to save him, and this, too, when the chances were very small that they could ever nurse him through the fever, which resulted from the exhaustion, heat, and wounds of that dreadful day of St Aubin. He did not yet know all.
"But who are you?" he asked languidly.
"Ah, now, who do you think?"
"You are not--no, you can't be. Well, I don't know who you are. But I seem to have seen you before."