ispute their hold on Basildene. The King's
time and thought were too much engrossed in great matters of the state
to give him leisure to concern himself with private affairs. Let the
youths then remain as they were for the present, serving under his
banner, high in favour with the youthful Prince, and like to win fame
and honour and wealth through the victorious war about to be waged in
France. When that war had triumphantly ended, and the King was rewarding
those whose faithful service had gained him the day, then might the time
come for the brothers of Basildene to make themselves known, and plead
for their own again."

"I trow he is in the right," said John, "and I am glad that he knows all
himself. So would he take the more interest in you, good Raymond; and
thus it was, I take it, that he brought you to England himself when he
came hither."

"Ay, truly his kindness was great; and after he knew all, I was moved to
better quarters, and a prince could not have been better treated. But it
was long before I could stand upon my own feet, and save for the hope of
seeing you once again, I would gladly have been spared the journey to
England. But the sea passage was favourable, and gave me strength,
though the wind from the east blew so strong that we could not make the
harbour of Dover, and were forced to beat westward along the coast till
we reached the friendly port of Southampton. Then we took horse and rode
hither, and glad am I to be at the journey's end. But our uncle tells me
that in a few short weeks I shall be sound and whole again, and before
the winter ends I may hope to join my brother beneath the King's banner."

"I hope it will be so," answered John; "and if rest is what thou needest
for thy recovery, it will not be lacking to thee here. It is well that
the sword is not the only weapon thou lovest, but that the quill and the
lore of the wise of the earth have attractions for thee likewise."

It quickly seemed to Raymond as if the incidents of that stirring
campaign had been but part and parcel of a fevered dream. He was
disposed to believe that he had never quitted the retreat of his uncle's
roof, and took up his old studies with John with the greatest zest. John
found him marvellously advanced since the days they had studied together
before. His two years with Father Paul in the Brotherhood had
wonderfully enlarged his mind and extended his field of vision. It was a
delight to both cousins to exchange ide