thrust you out?"

"A lean brother with a thin red beard, and a shrewd, puckered
visage."

"Ha! By that token 'twas Segrim the bursar. He wots how to drive a
bargain. St. Austin! but he deemed you came to look after your
kinsman's corrody."

"He said the king spake of a visitation to abolish corrodies from
religious houses," said Ambrose.

"He'll abolish the long bow from them first," said Father Shoveller.
"Ay, and miniver from my Lord Abbot's hood. I'd admonish you, my
good brethren of S. Grimbald, to be in no hurry for a visitation
which might scarce stop where you would fain have it. Well, my
sons, are ye bound for the Forest again? An ye be, we'll wend back
together, and ye can lie at Silkstede to-night."

"Alack, kind father, there's no more home for us in the Forest,"
said Ambrose.

"Methought ye had a brother?"

"Yea; but our brother hath a wife."

"Ho! ho! And the wife will none of you?"

"She would have kept Ambrose to teach her boy his primer," said
Stephen; "but she would none of Spring nor of me."