"Yea, Lord," said Jack, "and thou also. What is thine errand?"

"Nay," said the Baron, "what is thine? As for mine host here, there came
a bird to Brimside and did me to wit that I should be like to need a
throng if I came thy way; and sooth was that. Come now, tell us what is
toward, thou rank reiver, though I have an inkling thereof; for if this
were a mere lifting, thou wouldst not sit still here amidst thy friends
of Hazeldale."

"Lord," said Jack o' the Tofts, "thou shalt hear mine errand, and then
give heed to what thou wilt do. Look to the bent under the wood, and
tell me, dost thou see the blazon of the banner under which be my men?"

"That can I not," said the Lord Gandolf; "but I have seen the banner
of Oakenrealm, which beareth the wood-woman with loins garlanded with
oak-leaves, look much like to it at such a distance."

Said Jack: "It is not ill guessed. Yonder banner is the King's banner,
and beareth on it the woman of Oakenrealm."

The Lord bent his brows on him, and said: "Forsooth, rank reiver, I
wotted not that thou hadst King Rolf for thy guest."

Quoth Jack of the Tofts: "Forsooth, Lord, no such guest as the Earl
Marshal Rolf would I have alive in my poor house."

"Well, Jack," said the big Lord, grinning, "arede me the riddle, and
then we shall see what is to be done, as thou sayest."

"Lord," said Jack, "dost thou see this young man standing by me?"

"Yea," said the other, "he is big enough that I may see him better than
thy banner: if he but make old bones, as is scarce like, since he is of
thy flock, he shall one day make a pretty man; he is a gay rider now.
What else is he?"

Quoth Jack of the Tofts: "He is my King and thy King, and the all-folk's
King, and the King of Oakenrealm: and now, hearken mine errand: it is to
make all folk name him King."

Said the Lord: "This minstrel's tale goes with the song the bird sang
to me this morning; and therefore am I here thronging--to win thy head,
rank reiver, and this young man's head, since it may not better be, and
let the others go free for this time. Hah! what sayest thou? and thou,
youngling? 'Tis but the stroke of a sword, since thou hast fallen into
my hands, and not into the hangman's or the King's."

"Thou must win them first, Lord," said Jack of the Tofts. "Therefore,
what sayest thou? Where shall we cast down the white shield and uprear
the red?"

"Hot art thou, head, heart, and hand, rank reiver," said the Lord; "bide
a wh