the Tay rapidly by the assistance of sail and oar and of the
ebb tide.

For some space the Duke of Rothsay appeared silent and moody, nor did
his companions interrupt his reflections. He raised his head at length
and said: "My father loves a jest, and when all is over he will take
this frolic at no more serious rate than it deserves--a fit of youth,
with which he will deal as he has with others. Yonder, my masters, shows
the old hold of Kinfauns, frowning above the Tay. Now, tell me, John
Ramorny, how thou hast dealt to get the Fair Maid of Perth out of the
hands of yonder bull headed provost; for Errol told me it was rumoured
that she was under his protection."

"Truly she was, my lord, with the purpose of being transferred to the
patronage of the Duchess--I mean of the Lady Marjory of Douglas. Now,
this beetle headed provost, who is after all but a piece of blundering
valiancy, has, like most such, a retainer of some slyness and cunning,
whom he uses in all his dealings, and whose suggestions he generally
considers as his own ideas. Whenever I would possess myself of a
landward baron, I address myself to such a confidant, who, in the
present case, is called Kitt Henshaw, an old skipper upon the Tay,
and who, having in his time sailed as far as Campvere, holds with Sir
Patrick Charteris the respect due to one who has seen foreign countries.
This his agent I have made my own, and by his means have insinuated
various apologies in order to postpone the departure of Catharine for
Falkland."

"But to what good purpose?"

"I know not if it is wise to tell your Highness, lest you should
disapprove of my views. I meant the officers of the Commission for
inquiry into heretical opinions should have found the Fair Maid at
Kinfauns, for our beauty is a peevish, self willed swerver from the
church; and certes, I designed that the knight should have come in
for his share of the fines and confiscations that were about to be
inflicted. The monks were eager enough to be at him, seeing he hath had
frequent disputes with them about the salmon tithe."

"But wherefore wouldst thou have ruined the knight's fortunes, and
brought the beautiful young woman to the stake, perchance?"

"Pshaw, my Lord Duke! monks never burn pretty maidens. An old woman
might have been in some danger; and as for my Lord Provost, as they call
him, if they had clipped off some of his fat acres, it would have
been some atonement for the needless brave he put o