r."

Gascoyne shook his head and looked away, swallowing at the dry lump in
his throat. Suddenly he turned to Myles. "Wilt thou grant me a boon?"

"Yea," answered Myles. "What is it?"

"That thou wilt choose me for thy squire."

"Nay," said Myles; "how canst thou think to serve me as squire? Thou
wilt be a knight thyself some day, Francis, and why dost thou wish now
to be my squire?"

"Because," said Gascoyne, with a short laugh, "I would rather be in thy
company as a squire than in mine own as a knight, even if I might be
banneret."

Myles flung his arm around his friend's neck, and kissed him upon the
cheek. "Thou shalt have thy will," said he; "but whether knight or
squire, thou art ever mine own true friend."

Then they went slowly back together, hand in hand, to the castle world
again.

At two o'clock Myles went to Lord George's apartments, and there his
friend and patron dressed him out in a costume better fitted for the
ceremony of presentation--a fur-trimmed jacket of green brocaded velvet
embroidered with golden thread, a black velvet hood-cap rolled like a
turban and with a jewel in the front, a pair of crimson hose, and a pair
of black velvet shoes trimmed and stitched with gold-thread. Myles had
never worn such splendid clothes in his life before, and he could not
but feel that they became him well.

"Sir," said he, as he looked down at himself, "sure it is not lawful for
me to wear such clothes as these."

In those days there was a law, known as a sumptuary law, which regulated
by statute the clothes that each class of people were privileged to
wear. It was, as Myles said, against the law for him to wear such
garments as those in which he was clad--either velvet, crimson stuff,
fur or silver or gold embroidery--nevertheless such a solemn ceremony as
presentation to the King excused the temporary overstepping of the law,
and so Lord George told him. As he laid his hand upon the lad's shoulder
and held him off at arm's-length, he added, "And I pledge thee my word,
Myles, that thou art as lusty and handsome a lad as ever mine eyes
beheld."

"Thou art very kind to me, sir," said Myles, in answer.

Lord George laughed; and then giving him a shake, let go his shoulder.

It was about three o'clock when little Edmond de Montefort, Lord
Mackworth's favorite page, came with word that the King was then walking
in the Earl's pleasance.

"Come, Myles," said Lord George, and then Myles arose from the
s