he the kinsman you seek?"

"Not so, sir. We visited him at Winchester, and found him sorely
old and with failing wits. We be on our way to our mother's
brother, Master Harry Randall."

"Is he clerk or layman? My Lord of York entertaineth enow of both,"
said Master Headley.

"Lay assuredly, sir," returned Stephen; "I trust to him to find me
some preferment as page or the like."

"Know'st thou the man, Tibble?" inquired the master.

"Not among the men-at-arms, sir," was the answer; "but there be a
many of them whose right names we never hear. However, he will be
easily found if my Lord of York be returned from Windsor with his
train."

"Then will we go forward together, my young Masters Birkenholt. I
am not going to part with my doughty champions!"--patting Stephen's
shoulder. "Ye'd not think that these light-heeled knaves belonged
to the brave craft of armourers?"

"Certainly not," thought the lads, whose notion of armourers was
derived from the brawny blacksmith of Lyndhurst, who sharpened their
boar spears and shod their horses. They made some kind of assent,
and Master Headley went on. "These be the times! This is what
peace hath brought us to! I am called down to Salisbury to take
charge of the goods, chattels, and estate of my kinsman, Robert