my lords."

"Goodnight, boy," said the three guests.

And Allan, with his father and Alpin, then left the hall.

Two of the cruse lamps had by this time spent their oil, and their
flames had died out. Earl Hamish was now alone with his guests.

"Shall we," said he, "retire to the smaller hall, Roderic? I have
ordered Duncan to take some spiced wine there for us."

"I like the odour of the log fire here," said Roderic, exchanging
glances with Erland the Old. "I pray you let us remain here a while."

Earl Hamish and his brother stood side by side, looking into the fire,
while Sweyn the Silent and Erland the Old sat them at either corner of
the hearth. The two brothers were much alike in stature, both being tall
and broad; but Hamish was gentler, and his every movement showed that he
was accustomed to the company of those who deemed a courtly bearing of
more account than mere bodily prowess, though in truth he lacked not
that either. His hair and beard, too, were dark, touched here and there
with the frost of age; while his brother's long hair was red as the back
of the fox.

"Well, Hamish," began Roderic, moving uneasily on his feet, "you have,
as I have heard, won your way into the good graces of our lord the King?"

"I trust," said Hamish, "that I may never be accused of disloyalty. I am
ever at my sovereign's service in whatsoever he commands me to do."

"What, even though the doing of that service be to your own great
disadvantage?" said Roderic, looking aside at Earl Sweyn and smiling grimly.

"Naught can be to my disadvantage that is done in dutiful service of my
country and King," answered the lord of Bute proudly.

Roderic laughed scornfully, and his laugh was echoed by Sweyn and Erland.

"There may be two thoughts as to that," returned Roderic. "As for
myself, I'd snap my fingers in the King's face ere I would go on a
journey such as you have newly undertaken, my brother. Think not that we
have no eyes nor ears in the outer isles, Earl Hamish; for it is known
in every castle between Cape Wrath and the Mull of Kintyre that you have
but now returned from a mission to King Hakon of Norway."

"And what though it were yet more widely known?" said Hamish in
surprise. "Am I, then, the only lord in all the isles who remains true
to his oaths of fealty? And are they all as you are, Roderic, who have
failed these many years to pay due tribute to the King of Scots?"

"You are the only one among us," croaked E