“Old red earthenware!” exclaimed Ailwin. “As if old earthenware was better than fish and fowl, when there is so much new to be had now-a-days! My uncle is a sailor, always going between this and Holland; and he says the quantity of ware they bring over in a year will hold victuals for all Lincolnshire. And Dutch ware does not cost above half what it did in my grandfather’s time: so don’t you be telling your wonderful tales, Roger. We sha’n’t believe them.”
“Well, then don’t. But I say again, uncle Stephen and I took gold for the old red ware we got out of a deep hole in the carr.”
“Very likely, indeed. I wonder who has gold to throw away in that manner. However, I don’t say but there may be such. ‘Fools and their money are soon parted,’ some folks say.”
“Who gave you the gold?” asked Oliver.
“You may ask that,” said Roger; “but you may not believe me when I tell you. You know the Earl of Arundel comes sometimes into these parts. Well,—it was he.”
“When? Why?”
“He often comes down to see the Trent, having the care of the forests upon it: and one time he stopped near here, on his way into Scotland, about some business. They say he has a castle full of wonderful things somewhere.”
“What sort of things?” asked Ailwin. “Horn spoons and pewter drinking-mugs to his old red earthenware?”
“Perhaps,” replied Roger, “But I heard nothing of them. What I heard of was old bricks, and stone figures, and all manner of stone jars. Well, a gentleman belonging to the Earl of Arundel chanced to come across us, just after we had found a pitcher or two down in the moss; and he made us go with him to the Earl...”
“You don’t mean that you ever saw a lord to speak to!” exclaimed Ailwin, turning sharp round upon Roger.