Pages may not fight to the death without
the permission of their liege lord. The baron must give
permission."
"Wilfred, dost thou accept my challenge? I honour thy base blood in
making it."
"My ancestors were as noble as thine; nay, they ruled here while
thine were but pirates and cutthroats. I do accept it."
"Let us separate, then; we meet here at daybreak tomorrow."
"But the permission of our lord?"
"I will answer for that," replied his hopeful son.
The party separated: Wilfred took his foster brother, who had not
made the least attempt to escape from the scene, trusting to the
love of his young lord for protection, and no sooner were they
alone than the poor lad overwhelmed his deliverer with thanks, in
which tears were not unmixed, because he knew that a price had yet
to be paid, and that his beloved master was in danger.
"Nay, nay, Eadwin, I shall do very well--if not, there is not much
left to live for now--only you must take care of yourself, or they
may avenge themselves on you; indeed, when the baron hears the
tale, I doubt not that he will send for you, and then I may not be
able to save you--you must fly."
"Not till I know--"
"Yes, this very night--thou knowest the Deadman's Swamp?"
"Well."
"The Normans could never find thee there, and thou and I have
threaded its recesses a hundred times; go to the hollow tree where
we have slept before now in our hunting days.
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