of all timber and undergrowth which announced the presence of a castle.
And looking up, he saw the flag of the De Aldithelys flying from its
turrets.

There was a rustle in the thicket, horse and deerhound pricked up their
ears, and then ran pursued by flying arrows. And now ride! ride, my
brave boy, and seek shelter within the walls! For till thou reach them,
thy shirt of mail must be thy salvation.

The drawbridge was yet down, for a small party of men-at-arms had just
been admitted, and across it rushed boy, and horse, and dog before the
warder had time to wind his horn: the horse and rider unharmed, but the
deerhound wounded.

[Illustration: Hugo Seeks Shelter within the Walls]

The warder stared upon the strange boy, and the boy stared back at him.
And then the warder crossed himself. "'Tis some witchcraft," he
muttered. "Here cometh the young lord, and all the time I know that the
young lord is safe within the walls."

The grooms also crossed themselves before they drew up the bridge. But
the boy, unconcerned, rode on across the outer court and passed into
the inner one followed by the wounded dog. Here the men-at-arms were
dismounting, horses were neighing, and grooms running about. The boy,
too, dismounted, and bent anxiously over his dog.

Presently a young voice demanded, "Whence comest thou?"

The boy looked up to see his counterpart, the son of the lord of the