l on me to return,
and be at rest within their caves. The love I bear to thee and him thou
seekest hath yet a louder voice to bid me follow ye. I know not whither
I shall go, yet an my vision telleth that thou needst my aid, I shall
not be far from thee. Farewell, my child; and ye, true-hearted lords,
the blessing of an aged man repay ye for the kindly deed this day that
ye have done." He pressed the boy in his arms, reverentially saluted the
earls, and passed from the tent as he spoke.

A few words passed between the warriors, and then Lancaster desired the
page to follow him. In silence they proceeded through the camp, avoiding
the more bustling parts, where the soldiery were evidently busied in
preparing for the morrow's march, and inclining towards the wooded bank
of the river. The eye of the Earl of Lancaster had scarcely moved from
the page during his interview with Hereford, though the boy, engrossed
in his own feelings, had failed to remark it. He now glanced rapidly and
searchingly round him, and perceiving the ground perfectly clear, not a
soldier visible, he suddenly paused in his hasty stride, and laying his
hand heavily on the boy's shoulder, said, in a deep, impressive voice,
"I know not who or what thou art, but I love thy master, and know that
he is ill at ease, not from captivity, but from uncertainty as to the
fate of one beloved. If it be, as I suspect, in thy power entirely to
remove this uneasiness, be cautioned, and whoever thou mayest be, let
not one in this camp, from the noble Earl of Hereford himself to the
lowest soldier, suspect thou art other than thou seemest--a faithful
page. The rage of Edward is deadly, and all who bear the name of Bruce,
be it male or female, will suffer from that wrath. Tell this to thy
lord. I ask not his confidence nor thine, nay, I would refuse it were it
offered--I would know no more than my own thoughts, but I honor him,
aye, and from my very heart I honor thee! Hush! not a word in answer; my
speech is rude, but my heart is true; and now a few steps more and we
are there," and without waiting for reply he turned suddenly, and the
page found himself in the very centre of the camp, near the entrance of
a small pavilion, before which two sentinels were stationed, fully
armed, and pacing up and down their stated posts; the pennon of Hereford
floated from the centre staff, above the drapery, marking the tent and
all its appurtenances peculiarly the earl's. The watchword