be a worthy knight? I cannot take thee to mine house, for I have men
there who might inform King Edward that thy mother harboured thee.
And unless I could first make interest with Montagu or Salisbury,
that would be thy death, if not mine.'

The boy had nothing to say to this, and stood shy by, while his
stepfather explained his designs to Hal. It was needful to remove
the young Baron as far as possible from the suspicion of the greater
part of Sir Lancelot Threlkeld's household, and the present resting-
place, within a walk of his castle, was therefore unsafe; besides
that, freebooters might be another danger, so near the outskirts of
the wood, since the northern districts of moor and wood were by no
means clear of the remnants of the contending armies, people who were
generally of the party opposite to that which they intended to rob.

But on the banks of the Derwent, not far from its fall into the sea,
Sir Lancelot had granted a tenure to an old retainer of the De
Vescis, who had followed his mistress in her misfortunes; and on his
lands Hob Hogward might be established as a guardian of the herds
with his family, which would excite no suspicion. Moreover, he could
train the young Baron in martial exercises, the only other way of
fitting him for his station unless he could be sent to France or
Burgundy like his brother; but besides that the journey was a
difficulty, it was always uncertain whether there would be revengeful
exiles of one or other side in the service of their King, who might
wreak the wrongs of their party on Clifford's eldest son. There was
reported to be a hermit on the coast, who, if he was a scholar, might
teach the young gentleman. To Sir Lancelot's surprise, his stepson's
face lighted up more at this suggestion than at that of being trained
in arms.