-day, when you have done such
high service to my house? Moreover, that deed was brave and
great; nothing more knightly has been told of in Essex this many
a year, and those who wrought it should no longer be simple
gentlemen, but very knights. This boon it is in my power to grant
to you according to the ancient custom. Still, that none may
question it, while you lay sick, but after it was believed that
Godwin would live, which at first we scarcely dared to hope, I
journeyed to London and sought audience of our lord the king.
Having told him this tale, I prayed him that he would be pleased
to grant me his command in writing that I should name you
knights.

"My nephews, he was so pleased, and here I have the brief sealed
with the royal signet, commanding that in his name and my own I
should give you the accolade publicly in the church of the Priory
at Stangate at such season as may be convenient. Therefore,
Godwin, the squire, haste you to get well that you may become Sir
Godwin the knight; for you, Wulf, save for the hurt to your leg,
are well enough already."

Now Godwin's white face went red with pride, and Wulf dropped his
bold eyes and looked modest as a girl.

"Speak you," he said to his brother, "for my tongue is blunt and
awkward."

"Sir," said Godwin in a weak voice, "we do not know how to thank
you for so great an honour, that we never thought to win till we
had done more famous deeds than the beating off of a band of
robbers. Sir, we have no more to say, save that while we live we
will strive to be worthy of our name and of you."

"Well spoken," said his uncle, adding as though to himself, "this
man is courtly as he is brave."

Wulf looked up, a flash of merriment upon his open face.

"I, my uncle, whose speech is, I fear me, not courtly, thank you
also. I will add that I think our lady cousin here should be
knighted too, if such a thing were possible for a woman, seeing
that to swim a horse across Death Creek was a greater deed than
to fight some rascals on its quay."

"Rosamund?" answered the old man in the same dreamy voice. "Her
rank is high enough--too high, far too high for safety." And
turning, he left the little chamber.

"Well, cousin," said Wulf, "if you cannot be a knight, at least
you can lessen all this dangerous rank of yours by becoming a
knight's wife." Whereat Rosamund looked at him with indignation
which struggled with a smile in her dark eyes, and murmuring that
she must see to