them."

"So be it," said Gascoyne, tartly. "An thou canst not stomach it,
let be, and I will e'en carry all three myself. It will make me two
journeys, but, thank Heaven, I am not so proud as to wish to get me
hard knocks for naught." So saying, he picked up two of the buckets and
started away across the court for the dormitory.

Then Myles, with a lowering face, snatched up the third, and, hurrying
after, gave him his hand with the extra pail. So it was that he came to
do service, after all.

"Why tarried ye so long?" said one of the older bachelors, roughly, as
the two lads emptied the water into the wooden trough. He sat on the
edge of the cot, blowzed and untrussed, with his long hair tumbled and
disordered.

His dictatorial tone stung Myles to fury. "We tarried no longer than
need be," answered he, savagely. "Have we wings to fly withal at your
bidding?"

He spoke so loudly that all in the room heard him; the younger squires
who were dressing stared in blank amazement, and Blunt sat up suddenly
in his cot.

"Why, how now?" he cried. "Answerest thou back thy betters so pertly,
sirrah? By my soul, I have a mind to crack thy head with this clog for
thy unruly talk."

He glared at Myles as he spoke, and Myles glared back again with right
good-will. Matters might have come to a crisis, only that Gascoyne and
Wilkes dragged their friend away before he had opportunity to answer.

"An ill-conditioned knave as ever I did see," growled Blunt, glaring
after him.

"Myles, Myles," said Gascoyne, almost despairingly, "why wilt thou
breed such mischief for thyself? Seest thou not thou hast got thee
the ill-will of every one of the bachelors, from Wat Blunt to Robin de
Ramsey?"

"I care not," said Myles, fiercely, recurring to his grievance. "Heard
ye not how the dogs upbraided me before the whole room? That Blunt
called me an ill-conditioned knave."

"Marry!" said Gascoyne, laughing, "and so thou art."

Thus it is that boldness may breed one enemies as well as gain one
friends. My own notion is that one's enemies are more quick to act than
one's friends.

CHAPTER 8

Every one knows the disagreeable, lurking discomfort that follows a
quarrel--a discomfort that imbitters the very taste of life for the time
being. Such was the dull distaste that Myles felt that morning after
what had passed in the dormitory. Every one in the proximity of such
an open quarrel feels a reflected constraint, and in Myles's mind