divided the proceeds between the widow and children. He had
presided at the wedding of the last daughter, with whom the mother
was to reside, and was on his way back to London with his godson,
who had now become his apprentice.

Giles Headley the younger was a fine tall youth, but clumsy and
untrained in the use of his limbs, and he rode a large, powerful
brown horse, which brooked no companionship, lashing out with its
shaggy hoofs at any of its kind that approached it, more especially
at poor, plump, mottled Poppet. The men said he had insisted on
retaining that, and no other, for his journey to London, contrary to
all advice, and he was obliged to ride foremost, alone in the middle
of the road; while Master Headley seemed to have an immense quantity
of consultation to carry on with his foreman, Tibble, whose quiet-
looking brown animal was evidently on the best of terms with Poppet.
By daylight Tibble looked even more sallow, lean, and sickly, and
Stephen could not help saying to the serving-man nearest to him,
"Can such a weakling verily be an armourer?"

"Yea, sir. Wry-mouthed Tibble, as they call him, was a sturdy
fellow till he got a fell against the mouth of a furnace, and lay
ten months in St. Bartholomew's Spital, scarce moving hand or foot.
He cannot wield a hammer, but he has a cunning hand for gilding, and
coloured devices, and is as good as Garter-king-at-arms himself for
all bearings of knights and nobles."

"As we heard last night," said Stephen.

"Moreover in the spital he learnt to write and cast accompts like a
very scrivener, and the master trusts him more than any, except