e such! An ugsome great thieving bird!"

"Nay now, Mistress Dennet," argued Perronel. "Thou hast thy bird, and
Alice has lost hers. It is not meet to grudge it to her."

"I! Grudge it to her!" said Dennet, with a toss of the head. "I grudge
her nought from Giles Headley, so long as I have my Goldspot that
Stephen climbed the wall for, his very self."

And Dennet turned majestically away with her bird--Goldspot only in the
future--perched on her finger; while Perronel shook her head bodingly.

But they were all children still, and Aldonza was of a nature that was
slow to take offence, while it was quite true that Dennet had been free
from jealousy of the jackdaw, and only triumphant in Stephen's prowess
and her own starling.

The great pleasure of all was a grand stag-hunt, got up for the
diversion of the French ambassadors, who had come to treat for the
espousals of the infant Princess Mary with the baby "Dolphyne."
Probably these illustrious personages did not get half the pleasure out
of it that the Antelope party had. Were they not, by special management
of a yeoman pricker who had recognised in Stephen a kindred spirit, and
had a strong admiration for Mistress Randall, placed where there was the
best possible view of hunters, horses, and hounds, lords and ladies,
King and ambassadors, in their gorgeous hunting trim? Did not Stephen,
as a true verdurer's son, interpret every note on the horn, and predict
just what was going to happen, to the edification of all his hearers?
And when the final rush took place, did not the prentices, with their
gowns rolled up, dart off headlong in pursuit? Dennet entertained some
hope that Stephen would again catch some runaway steed, or come to the
King's rescue in some way or other, but such chances did not happen
every day. Nay, Stephen did not even follow up the chase to the death,
but left Giles to do that, turning back forsooth because that little
Jasper thought fit to get tired and out of breath, and could not find
his way back alone. Dennet was quite angry with Stephen and turned her
back on him, when Giles came in all glorious, at having followed up
staunchly all day, having seen the fate of the poor stag, and having
even beheld the King politely hand the knife to Monsieur de Montmorency
to give the first stroke to the quarry!

That was the last exploit. There was to be a great tilting-match in
honour of the betrothal, and Master Alderman Headley wanted his
ap