d ever
higher upon the chamber wall, Nigel tossed feverishly upon his couch,
his ears straining for the footfall of Aylward or of Chandos, bringing
news of the fate of the prisoner. At last the door flew open, and there
before him stood the one man whom he least expected, and yet would most
gladly have seen. It was the Red Ferret himself, free and joyous.

With swift furtive steps he was across the room and on his knees beside
the couch, kissing the pendent hand. "You have saved me, most noble
sir!" he cried. "The gallows was fixed and the rope slung, when the good
Lord Chandos told the King that you would die by your own hand if I were
slain. 'Curse this mule-headed Squire!' he cried. 'In God's name let him
have his prisoner, and let him do what he will with him so long as he
troubles me no more!' So here I have come, fair sir, to ask you what I
shall do."

"I pray you to sit beside me and be at your ease," said Nigel. "In a few
words I will tell you what I would have you do. Your armor I will
keep, that I may have some remembrance of my good fortune in meeting so
valiant a gentleman. We are of a size, and I make little doubt that I
can wear it. Of ransom I would ask a thousand crowns."

"Nay, nay!" cried the Ferret. "It would be a sad thing if a man of my
position was worth less than five thousand."

"A thousand will suffice, fair sir, to pay my charges for the war. You
will not again play the spy, nor do us harm until the truce is broken."

"That I will swear."

"And lastly there is a journey that you shall make."

The Frenchman's face lengthened. "Where you order I must go," said he;
"but I pray you that it is not to the Holy Land."

"Nay," said Nigel; "but it is to a land which is holy to me. You will
make your way back to Southampton."

"I know it well. I helped to burn it down some years ago."

"I rede you to say nothing of that matter when you get there. You will
then journey as though to London until you come to a fair town named
Guildford."

"I have heard of it. The King hath a hunt there."

"The same. You will then ask for a house named Cosford, two leagues from
the town on the side of a long hill."

"I will bear it in mind."

"At Cosford you will see a good knight named Sir John Buttesthorn, and
you will ask to have speech with his daughter, the Lady Mary."

"I will do so; and what shall I say to the Lady Mary, who lives at
Cosford on the slope of a long hill two leagues from the fair town