as thou wottest."

Therewith the elder rose up and went his ways about his business,
and there was no more said betwixt him and his son on this matter.



CHAPTER II: GOLDEN WALTER TAKES SHIP TO SAIL THE SEAS



When Walter went down to the Katherine next morning, there was the
skipper Geoffrey, who did him reverence, and made him all cheer, and
showed him his room aboard ship, and the plenteous goods which his
father had sent down to the quays already, such haste as he had
made. Walter thanked his father's love in his heart, but otherwise
took little heed to his affairs, but wore away the time about the
haven, gazing listlessly on the ships that were making them ready
outward, or unlading, and the mariners and aliens coming and going:
and all these were to him as the curious images woven on a tapestry.

At last when he had wellnigh come back again to the Katherine, he
saw there a tall ship, which he had scarce noted before, a ship all-
boun, which had her boats out, and men sitting to the oars thereof
ready to tow her outwards when the hawser should be cast off, and by
seeming her mariners were but abiding for some one or other to come
aboard.

So Walter stood idly watching the said ship, and as he looked, lo!
folk passing him toward the gangway. These were three; first came a