to requite knight's prowess by lady's love; and therefore beneath your
attention, and only fit for the care of a boy like me." And taking up
Alftruda in his arms, he carried her in and disappeared.

Who now but Hereward was in all men's mouths? The minstrels made ballads
on him; the lasses sang his praises (says the chronicler) as they danced
upon the green. Gilbert's lady would need give him the seat, and all the
honors, of a belted knight, though knight he was none. And daily and
weekly the valiant lad grew and hardened into a valiant man, and a
courteous one withal, giving no offence himself, and not over-ready to
take offence at other men.

The knights were civil enough to him, the ladies more than civil; he
hunted, he wrestled, he tilted; he was promised a chance of fighting for
glory, as soon as a Highland chief should declare war against Gilbert, or
drive off his cattle,--an event which (and small blame to the Highland
chiefs) happened every six months.

No one was so well content with himself as Hereward; and therefore he
fancied that the world must be equally content with him, and he was much
disconcerted when Martin drew him aside one day, and whispered: "If I were
my lord, I should wear a mail shirt under my coat to-morrow out hunting."

"What?"

"The arrow that can go through a deer's bladebone can go through a man's."

"Who should harm me?"

"Any man of the dozen who eat at the same table."