d man at Windsor?" asked one.

"And how with the good Queen Philippa?"

"And how with Dame Alice Perrers?" cried a third.

"The devil take your tongue, Wat!" shouted a tall young man, seizing
the last speaker by the collar and giving him an admonitory shake. "The
prince would take your head off for those words."

"By God's coif! Wat would miss it but little," said another. "It is as
empty as a beggar's wallet."

"As empty as an English squire, coz," cried the first speaker. "What a
devil has become of the maitre-des-tables and his sewers? They have not
put forth the trestles yet."

"Mon Dieu! if a man could eat himself into knighthood, Humphrey, you
had been a banneret at the least," observed another, amid a burst of
laughter.

"And if you could drink yourself in, old leather-head, you had been
first baron of the realm," cried the aggrieved Humphrey. "But how of
England, my lads of Loring?"

"I take it," said Ford, "that it is much as it was when you were there
last, save that perchance there is a little less noise there."

"And why less noise, young Solomon?"

"Ah, that is for your wit to discover."

"Pardieu! here is a paladin come over, with the Hampshire mud still
sticking to his shoes. He means that the noise is less for our being out
of the country."

"They are very quick in these parts," said Ford, turning to Alleyne.

"How are we to take this, sir?" asked the ruffling squire.

"You may take it as it comes," said Ford carelessly.

"Here is pertness!" cried the other.

"Sir, I honor your truthfulness," said Ford.

"Stint it, Humphrey," said the tall squire, with a burst of laughter.
"You will have little credit from this gentleman, I perceive. Tongues
are sharp in Hampshire, sir."

"And swords?"

"Hum! we may prove that. In two days' time is the vepres du tournoi,
when we may see if your lance is as quick as your wit."

"All very well, Roger Harcomb," cried a burly, bull-necked young man,
whose square shoulders and massive limbs told of exceptional personal
strength. "You pass too lightly over the matter. We are not to be so
easily overcrowed. The Lord Loring hath given his proofs; but we know
nothing of his squires, save that one of them hath a railing tongue.
And how of you, young sir?" bringing his heavy hand down on Alleyne's
shoulder.

"And what of me, young sir?"

"Ma foi! this is my lady's page come over. Your cheek will be browner
and your hand harder ere you see your mother ag