cast into prison; but it is not likely that we should succeed in
capturing more than the fellow who may be placed on the look-out, and the
danger would be in no wise lessened to yourself. But there is time to
talk over this matter before you leave. It will be another fortnight at
least before you will be able to pursue your journey."

Cuthbert gained strength more rapidly than the monk had expected. He was
generously fed, and this and his good constitution soon enabled him to
recover from the loss of blood; and at the end of five days he expressed
his hope that he could on the following day pursue his journey. The monk
who attended him shook his head.

"Thou mightst, under ordinary circumstances, quit us to-morrow, for thou
art well enough to take part in the ordinary pursuits of a page; but to
journey is a different thing. You may have all sorts of hardships to
endure; you may have even to trust for your life to your speed and
endurance; and it would be madness for you to go until your strength is
fully established. I regret to tell you that we have ascertained beyond a
doubt that the monastery is closely watched. We have sent some of the
acolytes out, dressed in the garbs of monks, and attended by one of our
elder brethren; and in each case, a monk who followed at a distance of
fifty yards was able to perceive that they were watched. The town is full
of rough men, the hangers-on of the army; some, indeed, are followers of
laggard knights, but the greater portion are men who merely pursue the
army with a view to gain by its necessities, to buy plunder from the
soldiers, and to rob, and, if necessary, to murder should there be a hope
of obtaining gold. Among these men your enemies would have little
difficulty in recruiting any number, and no appeal that we could make to
the mayor would protect you from them when you have left the walls. We
must trust to our ingenuity in smuggling you out. After that, it is upon