were only attacked by half a dozen vagrants, but brave as they all are
they could do naught if a large body surprised us; but be assured that
there is no fear of that--by the way we are travelling we shall meet with
none but friends."

"I should like to be attacked by the vagrants, mother. The last time you
made us stay with you when there was fighting going on, except just at the
first, but here we should see it all."

"Well, I don't want to see it, Charlie, and I am glad that we are not
likely to do so; and you must remember that you and I and Agnes would
sorely hamper our friends."

Nevertheless whenever a party of peasants was met upon the road Charlie
looked out hopefully and heaved a sigh of disappointment when, after
doffing their caps in respect, they passed on quietly. Several times they
encountered bodies of knights and men-at-arms, but the presence of the
royal herald saved them from all question. At each halting-place Dame
Margaret, her children and maid, were lodged in the house of one of the
principal citizens, while Guy and the men-at-arms lay at an inn. The
troubled state of the times was only manifest by the number of men-at-arms
in the streets, and the strict watch kept at the gates of the towns. Many
of these were kept shut, and were only opened once an hour to let people
pass in and out. This, however, did not affect the travellers, for the
gates were opened the moment the emblazonings on the surcoat of the herald
could be made out.

"We have assuredly nothing to complain of so far, Guy," Dame Margaret
said, as they set out on their last day's journey; "had we been the king's
special guests we could not have been more honourably treated, and I have