A Boys Ride | Page 4

name, which is strange to me."
"Thou art right," replied Hugo. "I come from beyond Durham, from the
priory of St. Wilfrid, the prior whereof is my uncle, I having no other
kin so near as he."
"And whither dost thou journey?" asked Lady De Aldithely.
"South," was the answer. "My uncle, the prior, would have had me bred
a priest, but I would be a knight. Therefore he hath at last given me his
blessing and bid me fare forth to attach myself to the train of some
nobleman."
"Why did he not secure thee a place himself?" asked Lady De Aldithely

in surprise.
"Because he hath too great caution," was the answer. "These be
troublous times. Few be true to the king, and no man knoweth who
those few be. Should he choose for me a place and use his influence to
secure it, perchance the next week the noble lord might be fleeing, and
all in his service, under the hatred of the king. And there might be those
who would say, 'Here is Hugo Aungerville, the page to my lord, and the
nephew of the prior of St. Wilfrid.' And then might the king pull down
the priory about my uncle's ears,--that is, I mean he would set my uncle
packing. For the priory is fat, and with the prior gone--why, the king is
so much the richer. Thou knowest the king."
"Too well," rejoined Lady De Aldithely, with a sigh. "The Archbishop
of York is 'gone packing,' as thou sayest, and the king is all the richer
therefor. And this is thy dog that hath the arrow wound," she continued,
as she advanced a few steps and laid her hand on the hound's head. "I
have here a medicament of wonderful power." She turned to a little
casket on a table and unlocked it. Then taking out a small flask, she
opened it and, stooping over the dog, poured a few drops on the
bandage of his wound. "He is now as good as well," she said smilingly.
"That is, with our good leech's care, which he shall have. Nay, thou
needst not speak thy thanks. They are written in thy face. I see thou
lovest thy dog."
"Yea, my lady, right well. I have naught else to love."
"Except thine uncle, the prior," said Lady De Aldithely.
"Except my uncle," agreed Hugo.
All this time Josceline had waited with impatience and he now spoke.
"He is not to be put outside the walls, mother, is he?"
"Nay, my son. That were poor hospitality. He may bide here so long as
he likes."

CHAPTER II
Life was rather monotonous at the castle, as Hugo found. Occasionally
the men-at-arms sallied out, but there were no guests, for Lady De
Aldithely was determined to keep her son, if possible, and would trust
few strangers. It was a mystery to Humphrey why she had trusted
Hugo.
"I may have dreams of earthquakes," he grumbled, "and what doth it
count? Naught. Here cometh a lad, most like sent by the Evil One, and
he is taken in, and housed and fed, and his hound leeched; and he goeth
often to my lady's bower to chat with her; and often into the tilt-yard to
practise with our young lord Josceline; and often lieth on the rushes in
the great hall at the evening time before the fire with the men-at-arms;
and he goeth to the gates with the warder and the grooms; and on the
walls with William Lorimer; and Robert Sadler followeth him about to
have speech with him and to hear what he will say; and he is as good as
if he were My Lord Hugo with everybody, when he is but Hugo, a
strange lad, and no lord at all."
It was as Humphrey had said. Hugo was a favorite with all in the castle.
His company was a great solace to Lady De Aldithely in particular. She
was drawn to trust him, and every day confided more and more to him
concerning her painful and perilous situation. "I am convinced," she
said one day when two weeks had passed, "that there is mischief
brewing. I fear that I shall lose my boy, and it will break his father's
heart."
Hugo looked sympathetic.
"Thou knowest that fathers' hearts can break," she said. "Our first King
Henry fell senseless when his son was lost."
"What fearest thou, Lady De Aldithely?" asked Hugo.
"Treachery," was the answer. "There is some one within the castle
walls who will ere long betray us."

Hugo was silent a while. He was old for his years, very daring, and
fond of adventure. And he loved Lady De Aldithely not only for her
kindness to him, but for the attention she had given to Fleetfoot. At