lf. And is not yon ungainly varlet the hope
of some rich English house?"

"I must see their hopes meet with no downfall," said Gaston, walking
away, and muttering to himself. "A plague upon it! To train two boys
is more than I bargained for, and over and above to hinder this
wiseacre Ashton from ruining himself, or being ruined by _le Borgne
Basque_! What brought him here? I thought he was safe in Castile with
the Free Companions. I would let the oaf take his course, for a wilful
wrong-headed fool, but that it would scarce be doing good service to
Sir Reginald."

The Knights had nearly finished their meal, and the Squires having
served them with wine, returned to their own table, now freshly
supplied with meat, which the yeomen in their turn carved for them.
Gaston kept Leonard under his own eye till the party broke up.

On the way to the tent, he began to take him to task. "A proper
commencement! Did you take the Prince's pavilion for one of your own
island hostels, where men may freely brawl and use their fists without
fear of aught save the parish constable?"

"What business had he to tread on my foot?" growled Leonard.

"What business had your foot there? Was not your office, as I told
you, to stand ready to hand me whatever I might call for?"

"I was speaking a few words to another gentleman."

"The fewer words you speak to _le Borgne Basque_ the better, unless you
think it is Sir Reginald's pleasure that you should be instructed in
all the dicing and drinking in this camp, and unless you wish that the
crowns with which your father stored your pouch should jingle in his
pockets. It is well for you the Knight marked you not."

"You held long enough parley with him yourself," said the refractory
pupil.

"Look you, Master Leonard Ashton, I do not presume to offer myself as
an example to you save, perhaps, in the matter of sitting a steed, or
handing a wine-cup. I have no purse to lose, and I have wit to keep it
if I had, or at least," as a recollection crossed him, "if I lost it,
it should be to please myself, and not _le Borgne Basque_; above all,
my name and fame are made, and yours--"

"What would you say of mine?" said Leonard, with sulky indignation.
"The heir of Ashton is not to be evened to a wandering landless
foreigner."

"It is not in sight of these mountain peaks," said Gaston,
contemptuously, "that I am to be called a foreigner; and as to being
landless, if I chose to take my stand