tlessly confronted the masters of his guild!

Stephen, sooth to say, was not very much at ease; everything around had
such a strange un-English aspect, and he imploringly muttered, "Bide
with me, Am!" to which his brother willingly assented, being quite as
comfortable in Master Michael's abode as by his aunt's own hearth.

Giles meanwhile lay quiet and then, as his senses became less confused,
and he could open one eye, he looked dreamily about him, and presently
began to demand where he was, and what had befallen him, grasping at the
hand of Ambrose as if to hold fast by something familiar; but he still
seemed too much dazed to enter into the explanation, and presently
murmured something about thirst. Aldonza came softly up with a cup of
something cool. He looked very hard at her, and when Ambrose would have
taken it from her hand to give it to him, he said, "Nay! _Site_!"

And _site_, with a sweet smile in her soft, dark, shady eyes, and on her
full lips, held the cup to his lips far more daintily and dexterously
than either of his boy companions could have done; then when he moaned
and said his head and eye pained him, the white-bearded elder came and
bathed his brow with the soft sponge. It seemed all to pass before him
like a dream, and it was not much otherwise with his unhurt companions,
especially Stephen, who followed with wonder the movements made by the
slippered feet of father and daughter upon the mats which covered the
stone flooring of the old stable. The mats were only of English rushes
and flags, and had been woven by Abenali and the child; but loose rashes
strewing the floor were accounted a luxury in the Forest, and even at
the Dragon court the upper end of the hall alone had any covering. Then
the water was heated, and all such other operations carried on over a
curious round vessel placed over charcoal; the window and the door had
dark heavy curtains; and a matted partition cut off the further stall,
no doubt to serve as Aldonza's chamber. Stephen looked about for
something to assure him that the place belonged to no wizard enchanter,
and was glad to detect a large white cross on the wall, with a holy-
water stoup beneath it, but of images there were none.

It seemed to him a long time before Master Headley's ruddy face, full of
anxiety, appeared at the door.

Blows were, of course, no uncommon matter; perhaps so long as no
permanent injury was inflicted, the master-armourer had no objecti