have a task for thee, and if thou dost it not, dire
punishment shall fall upon thee." "Lord, what is the work that I must
do?" asked the poor fisherman. "Tarry: I will show thee." Then Godard
went into the inner room of the tower, whence he returned leading a
fair boy, who wept bitterly. "Take this boy secretly to thy house, and
keep him there till dead of night; then launch thy boat, row out to
sea, and fling him therein with an anchor round his neck, so that I
shall see him never again."

Grim looked curiously at the weeping boy, and said: "What reward
shall I have if I work this sin for you?"

Godard replied: "The sin will be on my head as I am thy lord and bid
thee do it; but I will make thee a freeman, noble and rich, and my
friend, if thou wilt do this secretly and discreetly."

Thus reassured and bribed, Grim suddenly took the boy, flung him to
the ground, and bound him hand and foot with cord which he took from
his pockets. So anxious was he to secure the boy that he drew the
cords very tight, and Havelok suffered terrible pain; he could not cry
out, for a handful of rags was thrust into his mouth and over his
nostrils, so that he could hardly breathe. Then Grim flung the poor
boy into a horrible black sack, and carried him thus from the castle,
as if he were bringing home broken food for his family. When Grim
reached his poor cottage, where his wife Leve was waiting for him, he
slung the sack from his shoulder and gave it to her, saying, "Take
good care of this boy as of thy life. I am to drown him at midnight,
and if I do so my lord has promised to make me a free man and give me
great wealth."

When Dame Leve heard this she sprang up and flung the lad down in a
corner, and nearly broke his head with the crash against the earthen
floor. There Havelok lay, bruised and aching, while the couple went to
sleep, leaving the room all dark but for the red glow from the fire.
At midnight Grim awoke to do his lord's behest, and Dame Leve, going
to the living-room to kindle a light, was terrified by a mysterious
gleam as bright as day which shone around the boy on the floor and
streamed from his mouth. Leve hastily called Grim to see this wonder,
and together they released Havelok from the gag and bonds and
examined his body, when they found on the right shoulder the token of
true royalty, a cross of red gold.

"God knows," quoth Grim, "that this is the heir of our land. He will
come to rule in good time, will bear