“Oh no; do not meddle with them. You heard the opinions given a while since, Donald? What conclusion did you arrive at?”
“I am scarcely an impartial judge, your majesty. A soldier is ever for fighting, and I fear he pays little attention to the right or wrong of it.”
“You would try a fall with the Border kings perhaps?”
“Yes, your majesty, I would.”
“Then I need have no fear but the troops will respond if I call on them?”
“None in the least, your majesty.”
“Well, I am glad to hear that, Sir Donald, and, meanwhile, I can think of the project without any doubt regarding my army.”
When the cobbler came to the castle with Sir David, the king led the way to one of his small private rooms, and there sketched out the argument on both sides of the question with great impartiality.
“Now, Flemming,” he said, at the conclusion, “what is there to do?”
For a long time the shoemaker made no reply; then he scratched his head in perplexed fashion. At last he said: