Hawking and coursing within bounds had been permitted by both
the Knight of Berwick and the Canon of Durham on the wide
northern moors; but Sir Patrick, on starting in the morning of
the day when they were entering Northamptonshire, had given a
caution that sport was not free in the more frequented parts of
England, and that hound must not be loosed nor hawk flown
without special permission from the lord of the manor.

He was, however, riding in the rear of the rest, up a narrow
lane leading uphill, anxiously discussing with Father Romuald
the expediency of seeking hospitality from any of the great
lords whose castles might be within reach before he had full
information of the present state of factions at the Court, when
suddenly his son Malcolm came riding back, pushing up hastily.

'Sir! father!' he cried, 'there's wud wark ahead, there's a
flight of unco big birds on before, and Lady Jean's hawk is awa'
after them, and Jeanie's awa' after the hawk, and Geordie Red
Peel is awa' after Jean, and Davie's awa' after Geordie; and
there's the blast of an English bugle, and my mither sent me for
you to redd the fray!'

'Time, indeed!' said Sir Patrick with a sigh, and, setting spurs
to his horse, he soon was beyond the end of the lane, on an open
heath, where some of his troop were drawn up round his banner,
almost forcibly kept back by Dame Lilias and the elder Andrew.
He could not stop for explanation from them, indeed his wife
only waved him forward towards a confused group some hundred
yards farther off, where he could see a number of his own men,
and, too plainly, long bows and coats of Lincoln green, and he