ught meet. Tibble himself followed until they reached a thicket
entirely concealing them from the river. Halting here, Randall, with
his nephew's help, divested himself of his long gown and cloak, his
beard and wig, produced cockscomb and bauble from his pouch, and stood
before the astonished eyes of Dennet as the jester!

She recoiled upon Tibble with a little cry, "Oh, why should he make
sport of us? Why disguise himself?"

"Listen, pretty mistress," said Randall. "'Tis no disguise, Tibble
there can tell you, or my nephew. My disguise lies there," pointing to
his sober raiment. "Thus only can I bring thee to the King's presence!
Didst think it was jest? Nay, verily, I am as bound to try to save my
sweet Stevie's life, my sister's own gallant son, as thou canst be to
plead for thy betrothed." Dennet winced.

"Ay, Mistress Dennet," said Tibble, "thou mayst trust him, spite of his
garb, and 'tis the sole hope. He could only thus bring thee in. Go
thou on, and the lad and I will fall to our prayers."

Dennet's bosom heaved, but she looked up in the jester's dark eyes, saw
the tears in them, made an effort, put her hand in his, and said, "I
will go with him."

Hal led her away, and they saw Tibble and Ambrose both fall on their
knees behind the hawthorn bush, to speed them with their prayers, while
all the joyous birds singing their carols around seemed to protest
against the cruel captivity and dreadful doom of the young gladsome
spirits pent up in the City prisons.

One full gush of a thrush's song in especial made Dennet's eyes
overflow, which the jester perceived and said, "Nay, sweet maid, no
tears. Kings brook not to be approached with blubbered faces. I marvel
not that it seems hard to thee to go along with such as I, but let me be
what I will outside, mine heart is heavy enough, and thou wilt learn
sooner or later, that fools are not the only folk who needs must smile
when they have a load within."

And then, as much to distract her thoughts and prevent tears as to
reassure her, he told her what he had before told his nephews of the
inducements that had made him Wolsey's jester, and impressed on her the
forms of address.

"Thou'lt hear me make free with him, but that's part of mine office,
like the kitten I've seen tickling the mane of the lion in the Tower.
Thou must say, `An it please your Grace,' and thou needst not speak of
his rolling in the mire, thou wottest, or it may anger him."

The