"Yes," replied Edmund; "what did Sir Thomas say to you; I could hear him speaking?"
"Who's Sir Thomas?"
"Sir Thomas Stanley, of course."
"Oh! He didn't mention the affair at all."
"H'm! Did he say aught about me?"
"How should I know even if he had?" returned the ostler, "for I don't know your name yet. He did not mention anybody, only to say how that the old man, the baron would think well of me when parting time came if I took good care of his horse."
"Call me James," quickly replied Edmund.
"Very well," returned the other, "it shall be so; but I don't believe your name is James, nor do I think you are a broken-down wool merchant either; but so long as you pay me what we have bargained for, I don't care a straw what you are or what you call yourself."
"Just so, that will do exactly," Edmund promptly replied. "That is just what I require."
"I'll call you James, then, and if anybody asks about you I don't know aught of any such person."