about to ask if you had not yet come across from Kilmory. Where is
Sir Oscar this morning?"

"Hard at work in the fields," answered Allan. "And he bade me tell you
that should King Alexander commission you on any dangerous enterprise,
there are threescore of fishermen at your service over at Kilmory."

"'Tis well. And now I see you have not forgotten the king's tribute,"
said Sir Piers, as he observed the pair of gerfalcons that Allan was
tending. "Could his Majesty receive a like tribute from other vassals,
methinks there would be need to supply him also with a few score of
herons to fly them against. But the tribute customs are well ordered.
One sends a hart, another a hound, one a heron, and another a hawk. My
lord of Arran's offering is but two dead golden eagles -- and for the
matter of that his Majesty might have all the eagles in Arran, and
welcome, for we have over many of them."

"Stand by your oars, my lads!" cried Kenric, balancing himself upon the
gunwale and stepping aft. "Now, Duncan, heave off the ropes, you
laggard. So. Ready all!"

Then the boatswain, standing by the mast upon the centre gangway running
fore and aft between the two sets of rowers, blew his horn, and the
rowers pushed up their oars at arms' length that the blades might catch
the water, then springing upon the thwarts which they gripped with their
bare feet they threw themselves back with all their weight and strength,
and the ship began to glide through the clear water. And so, springing
up again as before for another pull, the men went to their hard work
with a will, singing a wild Gaelic boat song in measured time with the
strains of Dovenald's harp, and the galley, with ever-increasing speed,
sailed out into the mid-bay. When there was a good way on her the work
at the oars became easier and the song sank down into a subdued crooning
sound that was soothing to hear.

The shipmaster steered them out into the broader sea past Toward Point,
and two hours' good rowing up the firth brought them abreast of the
fortress of Dunoon. When the course was turned eastward the oars were
shipped and the great sail was set to catch the light western breeze,
and then they went speeding up the Clyde to Dumbarton, whose
strong-built castle stood upon a high steep rock on the northern bank of
the river.

"Alas!" said Sir Piers de Currie, as he turned his clear gray eyes
towards the battlements, "much do I fear that we are doomed to
disappointment.