emprise as I have achieved.'

'Let us hear,' said Hal, linking his arm in Sir James's, who turned for a
moment to say, 'Take care of the lad, John; he is a young kinsman of
mine.'

'Kinsman!' thought Malcolm; 'do all wandering Stewarts claim kin to the
blood royal?' but then, as he looked at Sir James's stately head, he felt
that no assumption could be unbecoming in one of such a presence, and so
kind to himself; and, ashamed of the moment's petulance, dismounted, and,
as John said, 'This is the way to our noon meat,' he let himself be
conducted through the trees to a glade, sheltered from the wind, where a
Lenten though not unsavoury meal of bread, dried fish, and eggs was laid
out on the grass, in a bright warm sunshine; and Hal, declaring himself
to have a hunter's appetite, and that he knew Jamie had been starved in
Scotland, and was as lean as a greyhound, seated himself on the grass,
and to Malcolm's extreme surprise, not to say disgust, was served by Lord
Marmion on the knee and with doffed cap.

While the meal was being eaten, Malcolm studied the strangers. Lord
Marmion was a good-humoured, hearty-looking young Yorkshireman, but the
other two attracted his attention far more. They were evidently
brothers, one perhaps just above, the other just below, thirty; both of
the most perfect mould of symmetry, activity, and strength, though
perhaps more inclining to agility than robustness. Both were
fair-complexioned, and wore no beard; but John was the paler, graver, and
more sedate, and his aquiline profile had an older look than that borne
by Hal's perfectly regular features. It would have been hard to define
what instantly showed the seniority of his brother, for the clearness of
his colouring--bright red and white like a lady's--his short,