Una walked behind with Puck. She remembered everything now.

'I'm sorry about the Leaves,' he said, 'but it would never have done if
you had gone home and told, would it?'

'I s'pose not,' Una answered. 'But you said that all the fair--People of
the Hills had left England.'

'So they have; but I told you that you should come and go and look and
know, didn't I? The knight isn't a fairy. He's Sir Richard Dalyngridge,
a very old friend of mine. He came over with William the Conqueror, and
he wants to see you particularly.'

'What for?' said Una.

'On account of your great wisdom and learning,' Puck replied, without a
twinkle.

'Us?' said Una. 'Why, I don't know my Nine Times--not to say it dodging,
and Dan makes the most _awful_ mess of fractions. He can't mean _us_!'

'Una!' Dan called back. 'Sir Richard says he is going to tell what
happened to Weland's sword. He's got it. Isn't it splendid?'

'Nay--nay,' said Sir Richard, dismounting as they reached the Ring, in
the bend of the mill-stream bank. 'It is you that must tell me, for I
hear the youngest child in our England today is as wise as our wisest
clerk.' He slipped the bit out of Swallow's mouth, dropped the ruby-red
reins over his head, and the wise horse moved off to graze.