"Ah! my dear Bradley, I hope thou hast quite recovered from the effects of thy journey." Then, looking at Harleston, he said:—"And thou, Sir Frederick, art not so sleep-weary as thou wast yesterday e'en? By the saints, we thought that ye both were done for! Ye would not even keep from dreamland for the sake of a flagon of wine. Truly, ye were greatly exhausted; and no small wonder, when one doth take into account the time ye made."
We bowed respectfully, in acknowledgment of this compliment, and he continued:—
"I hope that ye will now give me a description of the battle; for my brother doth send me the result only."
After we had described the battle, as well as might be, the King, with a complimentary expression of his thanks for our services, gave unto Harleston and me each a suit of the best of Spanish armour, richly inlaid with gold. I had seen the King wear suits like these, and I did guess that they were his Majesty's own. This surmise proved to be correct, for, as we hastened to thank him for his magnificent gift, he said:—
"I know that you will not prize them the less when ye learn that both of those suits have been worn by us."
We could not thank his Grace sufficiently for this marked favor: nor did he want our expressions of gratitude; for he stopped us with a wave of his hand:—
"No more, no more, I pray," said he. "The only thing that I do wish you to do is promise me that, in case anything should happen me, ye will ever be as true and faithful to my son, which is now Prince of Wales, as ye have been to me. Stand by him through his youth, and should any one—no matter who—wrong him, I wish ye now to swear to do all in your power to avenge his wrongs. Now, gentlemen, are ye willing to do this for your King?"
So there we swore, on the cross of his sword, to do that which the King had asked of us; and when we bowed ourselves out of the royal presence and went in search of the girls the thought furthest from our minds was that we should ever be called upon to fulfil our oaths made to our King that day.
Suddenly, as we were making our way slowly through the halls, Harleston quickened his pace and, without one word, left me, and hastened forward, almost at a run.
"I hope that our hard ride hath not turned my dear friend's mind," thought I, as I hurried after him. But when I turned a corner in the corridor I learned the reason of his haste. There, a few paces down the hall, and retreating from me, but with Frederick gaining rapidly upon them, were Hazel and Mary, walking arm in arm, unconscious of their pursuers—for by this time they had two. I reached them almost as soon as did Harleston, so great was my anxiety lest I should be considered negligent in finding them. When the maidens, hearing the hasty steps behind them, turned and beheld us, both did utter little screams of surprise. Then Mary quickly recovered herself and said:—