"Fine adventures, if we can but compass them. You saw that lady with the
carrot-headed fellow?--I saw that you saw. Well, if you will believe me,
that man has no more gentle blood than I have,--has no more right to sit
on the settle than I. He is a No-man's son, a Pict from Galloway, who came
down with a pirate crew and has made himself the master of this drunken
old Prince, and the darling of all his housecarles, and now will needs be
his son-in-law whether he will or not."

"I thought as much," said Hereward; "but how didst thou find out this?"

"I went out and sat with the knaves and the maids, and listened to their
harp-playing, and harp they can, these Cornish, like very elves; and then
I, too, sang songs and told them stories, for I can talk their tongue
somewhat, till they all blest me for a right good fellow. And then I fell
to praising up old Ironhook to the women."

"Praising him up, man?"

"Ay, just because I suspected him; for the women are so contrary, that if
you speak evil of a man they will surely speak good of him; but if you
will only speak good of him, then you will hear all the evil of him he
ever has done, and more beside. And this I heard; that the King's daughter
cannot abide him, and would as lief marry a seal."

"One did not need to be told that," said Hereward, "as long as one has
eyes in one's head. I will kill the fellow, and carry her off, ere
four-and-twenty hours be past."

"Softly, softly, my young master. You need to be told something that your
eyes would not tell you, and that is, that the poor lass is betrothed