om using his power
to hang him over his own gate. The baron was instantly to issue orders
to all his own retainers and tenantry to lend their aid to those of Sir
Adelbert in putting the castle of the latter into a state of defense and
mending the breach which existed. A sum of money, equal to the revenues
of which he had possessed himself, was to be paid at once, and the
knight was to retain possession of Rotherheim and of the baron's person
until these conditions were all faithfully carried out. The baron had no
resource but to assent to these terms, and upon the following day
Cuthbert and Blondel departed upon their way, overwhelmed with thanks by
Sir Adelbert, and confident that he would now be able to regain and hold
the possession of his estate.

CHAPTER XXVI.

KING RICHARD'S RETURN TO ENGLAND.

Journeying onward, Blondel and his companion stopped at many castles,
and were everywhere hospitably entertained. Arriving at Vienna they
lingered for some time, hoping there to be able to obtain some
information of the whereabouts of King Richard. Blondel in his songs
artfully introduced allusions to the captive monarch and to the mourning
of all Christendom at the imprisonment of its champion. These allusions
were always well received, and he found that the great bulk of the
nobles of the empire were indignant and ashamed at the conduct of the
emperor in imprisoning his illustrious rival. The secret of his prison
place, however, appeared to have been so well kept that no information
whatever was obtainable.

"We must carry out our original plan," he said at length, "and journey
into the Tyrol. In one of the fortresses there he is most likely to be
confined."

Leaving the capital they wandered up into the mountains for weeks,
visiting one castle after another. It was no easy matter in all cases to
get so near to these prisons as to give a hope that their voice might be
heard within, or an answer received without. More than once crossbow
bolts were shot at them from the walls when they did not obey the
sentinel's challenge and move further away. Generally, however, it was
in the daytime that they sang. Wandering carelessly up, they would sit
down within earshot of the castle, open their wallets, and take out
provisions from their store, and then, having eaten and drunk, Blondel
would produce his lute and sing, as if for his own pleasure. It needed,
however, four visits to each castle before they could be sure