onestly by it?'

'Up with your beaver, young man,' said Sir Patrick peremptorily; 'no man
rides with me whose face I have not seen.'

A face not handsome and thoroughly Scottish was disclosed, with keen
intelligence in the gray eyes, and a certain air of offended dignity,
yet self-control, in the close-shut mouth. The cheeks were sunburnt and
freckled, a tawny down of young manhood was on the long upper lip, and
the short-cut hair was red; but there was an intelligent and trustworthy
expression in the countenance, and the tall figure sat on horseback with
the upright ease of one well trained.

'Soh!' said Sir Patrick, looking him over, 'how ca' they you, lad?'

'Geordie o' the Red Peel,' he answered.

'That's a by-name,' said the knight sternly; 'I must have the full name
of any man who rides with me.'

'George Douglas, then, if nothing short of that will content you!'

'Are ye sib to the Earl?'

'Ay, sir, and have rid in his company.'

'Whose word am I to take for that?'

'Mine, sir, a word that none has ever doubted,' said the youth boldly.
'By that your son kens me.'

David here vouched for having seen the young man in the Angus following,
when he had accompanied his father in the last riding of the Scots
Parliament at Edinburgh; and this so far satisfied Sir Patrick that
he consented to receive the stranger into his company, but only on
condition of an oath of absolute obedience so long as he remained in the
troop.

David could see that this had not been reckoned on by the high-spirited
Master of Angus; and indeed obedience, save to the head of the name, was
so little a Scottish virtue that Sir Patrick was by no means unprepared
for reluctance.

'I give thee thy choice, laddie,' he said, not unkindly; 'best make up
your mind while thou art still in thine own country, and can win back
home. In England and France I can have no stragglers nor loons like to
help themselves, nor give cause for a fray to bring shame on the haill
troop in lands that are none too friendly. A raw carle like thyself, or
even these lads of mine, might give offence unwittingly, and then I'd
have to give thee up to the laws, or to stand by thee to the peril of
all, and of the ladies themselves. So there's nothing for it but strict
keeping to orders of myself and Andrew Drummond of the Cleugh, who kens
as well as I do what sorts to be done in these strange lands. Wilt thou
so bind thyself, or shall we part while yet there is time?