of walking warily, so that all men count him their friend,
and, earnest man, he hath full oft his own good designs, that carry him
to and fro across the seas. Thou hast but to stride with his smart step
boldly by yon chateau gate, and so to Pierre Port, and none will forbid
thy passage on any vessel that thou pleasest, if thou but give good word
to all thou meetest, Moor and islander alike, good man and good dame.
Pat, too, the little innocents on the head with a paternal blessing.
Answer not save in words of hearty jest. Keep a front unconcerned and
free, though thy heart rap hard against thy chest-bones, and, in good
faith, within a sennight or twain thou wilt be back in the isle, with
Duke William at thy tail."

"And it is well for thee, good lad," said Augustine, "that thou art
better suited than this rogue to figure harmlessly as a priest that men
trust. But surely it will aid thee much in carrying through this scheme
that thou wast bred amid monks, and churchmen, and art used to their
ways of act and speech. Yea, lad, with a bold step and an easy manner
thou wilt be safer beneath my cloak in the open than if by secret paths
thou essayedst never so warily to cheat the Sarrasin's sentinels."

What could I do but thank them, and yield myself with all despatch into
their hands, to be turned by means of razor and paint, of cunning dye,
still nearer like the priest of St. Apolline? In the end, as I drew the
good father's cowl around my pate, and essayed to imitate his careless
stride and easy gait, they both swore that the good saint himself, were
he to escape from the skies and visit his earthly shrine, would be hard
put to it to know which was his own priest and which the counterfeit.

But ere this the sun was up, and there were sounds of fishermen already
moving in the bay below. We knew that by this time our escape must be
discovered, and so with hurried counsel my friends betook themselves
away--at least, they were with me at one moment, and then of a sudden,
like dreams, were lost to my sight. And I, as it were to try the
strength of my disguise, went down for a short space among the huts of
the fisher-people.

There goodman and goodwife alike gave me friendly greeting, and I
cheerily told them they must spare me for one sennight, if that might
be; whereupon the children, running up, stayed further question, and in
a moment I, in my long, sober cloak, was a war-horse, or a crazy bull at
the least, that went ram