'To the rescue--a Drummond,' shouted David; but his father
pushed his horse forward, just as the men in green, were in the
act of stringing, all at the same moment, their bows, as tall as
themselves. They were not so many but that his escort might
have overpowered them, but only with heavy loss, nd the fact of
such a fight would have been most disastrous.

'What means this, sirs?' he exclaimed, in a tone of authority,
waving back his own men; and his dignified air, as well as the
banner with which Andrew followed him, evidently took effect on
the foresters, who perhaps had not believed the young men.

'Sir Patie, my hawk!' entreated Jean. 'She did but pounce on
yon unco ugsome bird, and these bloodthirsty grasping loons
would have wrung her neck.'

'She took her knife to me,' growled the wounded man, who had
risen to his feet, and showed bleeding fingers.

'Ay, for meddling with a royal falcon,' broke in Jean. ''Tis
thou, false loon, whose craig should be raxed.'

Happily this was an unknown tongue to the foresters, and Sir
Patrick gravely silenced her.

'Whist, lady, brawls consort not with your rank. Gang back
doucely to my leddy.'

'But Skywing! he has her jesses,' said the girl, but in a lower