writing to his elder brother respecting the fee. Materials were
supplied to him, and he used them so as to do credit to the monks of
Beaulieu, in spite of little Dennet spending every spare moment in
watching his pen as if he were performing some cabalistic operation.

He was a long time about it. There were two letters to write, and
the wording of thorn needed to be very careful, besides that the old
court hand took more time to frame than the Italian current hand,
and even thus, when dinner-time came, at ten o'clock, the household
was astonished to find that he had finished all that regarded
Stephen, though he had left the letters open, until his own venture
should have been made.

Stephen flung himself down beside his brother hot and panting,
shaking his shoulder-blades and declaring that his arms felt ready
to drop out. He had been turning a grindstone ever since six
o'clock. The two new apprentices had been set on to sharpening the
weapon points as all that they were capable of, and had been bidden
by Smallbones to turn and hold alternately, but "that oaf Giles
Headley," said Stephen, "never ground but one lance, and made me go
on turning, threatening to lay the butt about mine ears if I
slacked."

"The lazy lubber!" cried Ambrose. "But did none see thee, or
couldst not call out for redress?"

"Thou art half a wench thyself, Ambrose, to think I'd complain.
Besides, he stood on his rights as a master, and he is a big
fellow."