but for Edred the meeting was
fraught with too much of thankful relief for him to be able to join
in his brother's hilarity, and after standing very still for a
moment, he suddenly bent his knee, and felt a hand laid upon his
head in mute blessing.

Then Brother Emmanuel removed the wrappings from his head, and
looked from one brother to the other with a world of gratitude in
his dark eyes. But it was a time for action, not words, and that
mute, eloquent gaze was all that passed at present.

"We have a servant's dress ready in the hut hard by," said Edred
quickly; "and then we must to horse again and get to the coast as
fast as may be. Yon sturdy little pony good Warbel has provided
will serve us as well as any stouter nag, and look more in keeping
with the humble part thou must play this day, Brother Emmanuel.
Come, let us change our dress quickly. I love not to linger in this
forest, even though we be five good miles from Chad."

Julian took care of the three horses, whilst Edred and the
disguised monk made their way through the thick growth of
underwood.

When they reappeared it seemed to the boy as though the monk was as
greatly disguised now as he had been with the wrappings of linen
about his face. Certainly none but a spy on the watch and on the
right scent would recognize in this serving man the young
ecclesiastic of a few weeks back.

There was a stubble of beard upon his lips and chin which was in
itself a marvellous disguise. He wore a loose riding dress, with a
slouch hat and a high collar to the cloak which shaded and changed
the outline of his features. There was nothing of the monk in his
look, save perhaps in the steady glance of his eyes, where a bright
intelligence and keen devotion beamed.

Julian flung his cap into the air again as he cried joyously:

"Why, not even the lord prior himself would know thee now. Sure,
thou mightest almost have ridden past the spies themselves thus
habited. We may push on in open daylight now, and none will heed
thy presence."

Edred had now put on the riding dress which Brother Emmanuel had
hitherto worn, so that on their return the same pair might be seen
to re-enter the house. The disguised monk mounted the forest pony
and followed his young masters, who pushed on quietly to the coast,
feeling a greater and greater security with every mile they put
between themselves and their home.

It was the day for the sailing of the sloop that would carry the
monk a