door as a pair of make-bates and a peril to this goodly
company. Lo you, the sky without has not yet lost all memory of the sun,
and in a little while it will be yellowing again to the dawn. Nought
evil shall be the wild-wood for our summer dwelling; and what! ere the
winter come, we may have won us another house where erst my fathers
feasted. And thereto, my friends, do I bid you all."

But when they heard his friendly words, and saw the beauty of the fair
woman whose hand he held, his face grew so well-beloved to them, that
they cried out with so great a voice of cheer, wordless for their very
joy, that the timbers of the hall quavered because of it, and it went
out into the wild-wood as though it had been the feastful roaring of the
ancient gods of the forest.

But when the tumult sank a little, then cried out Jack of the Tofts:
"Bring now the mickle shield, and let us look upon our King."

So men went and fetched in a huge ancient shield, plated with
berry-brown iron, inlaid with gold, and the four biggest men in the
hall took it on their shoulders and knelt down anigh the dais, before
Christopher, and Jack said aloud: "King! King! Stand up here! for this
war-board of old days is the castle and the burg alone due to thee, and
these four fellows here are the due mountains to upbear it."

Then lightly strode Child Christopher on to the shield, and when he
stood firm thereon, they rose heedfully underneath him till they were
standing upright on their feet, and the King stood on the shield as if
he were grown there, and waved his naked sword to the four orts.

Then cried out an old woman in a shrill voice: "Lo, how the hills rise
up into tall mountains; even so shall arise Child Christopher to the
kingship."

Thereat all the folk laughed for joy and cried out: "Child Christopher!
Child Christopher, our King!" And for that word, when he came to the
crown indeed, and ruled wide lands, was he called Child Christopher; and
that name clave to him after he was dead, and but a name in the tale of
his kindred.

Now the King spake and said: "Friends, now is it time to get to the
board, and the feast which hath been stayed this while; and I pray you
let it be as merry as if there were no striving and unpeace betwixt us
and the winning of peace. But to-morrow we will hallow-in the Mote, and
my earl and my barons and good men shall give counsel, and then shall it
be that the hand shall do what the heart biddeth."

Therewi