s been too closely set together; his nose was narrow, and
the expression of his face reminded Walter of a hawk. He had now laid
aside his helmet, and his figure was covered with a long cloak.

"He is up to no good," Walter said to himself, "for what dealings could
a knight honestly have with the ruffians who haunt these swamps. It is
assuredly no business of mine, but it may lead to an adventure, and I
have had no real fun since I left Aldgate. I will follow and see if I
can get to the bottom of the mystery."

When he came close to the spot where Walter was lying the knight paused
and looked round as if uncertain of his way. For four or five minutes
he stood still, and then gave a shout of "Humphrey" at the top of
his voice. It was answered by a distant "Hallo!" and looking in the
direction from which the answer had come, Walter saw a figure appear
above some bushes some four hundred yards distant. The knight at once
directed his steps in that direction, and Walter crept cautiously after
him.

"A pest upon these swamps and quagmires," the knight said angrily as he
neared the other. "Why didst not meet me and show me the way through, as
before?"

"I thought that as you had come once you would be able to find your way
hither again," the man said. "Had I thought that you would have missed
it I would have come ten times as far, rather than have had my name
shouted all over the country. However, there is no one to hear, did you
shout thrice as loud, so no harm is done."

"I thought I saw a figure a short time since," the knight said.

The man looked round in all directions.

"I see none," he said, "and you may have been mistaken, for the light is
waning fast. It were ill for anyone I caught prying about here. But come
in, sir knight; my hovel is not what your lordship is accustomed to, but
we may as well talk there as here beneath the sky."

The two men disappeared from Walter's sight. The latter in much surprise
crept forward, but until he reached the spot where he had last seen the
speakers he was unable to account for their disappearance. Then he saw
that the spot, although apparently a mere clump of bushes no higher
than the surrounding country, was really an elevated hummock of ground.
Anyone might have passed close to the bushes without suspecting that
aught lay among them. In the centre, however, the ground had been cut
away, and a low doorway, almost hidden by the bushes, gave access into a
half subterranean