Next morning Christopher, who slept in the little hall of the innercourt of the Castle, arose betimes, and came to the great gate; but, for asearly as he was, there he saw the squire Simon abiding him, standingbetween two strong horses; to him he gave the sele of the day, and thesquire greeted him, but in somewhat surly wise. Then he said to him:"Well, King Christopher, art thou ready for the road?"
"Yea, as thou seest," said the youngling smiling. For, indeed, he hadbreeches now beneath his shirt, and a surcoat of green woollen over it;boots of deerskin had he withal, and spurs thereon: he was girt with ashort sword, and had a quiver of arrows at his back, and bare a great bowin his hand.
"Yea," quoth Simon, "thou deemest thee a gay swain belike; but thoulookest likelier for a deerstealer than a rider, thou, hung up to thyshooting-gear. Deemest thou we go a-hunting of the hind?"
Quoth Christopher: "I wot not, squire; but the great lord who liethsleeping yonder, hath told me that thou shouldest give me his errand; andof some hunting or feat of wood-craft he spake. Moreover, this crookedstick can drive a shaft through matters harder than a hind's side."
Simon looked confused, and he reddened and stammered somewhat ashe answered: "Ah, yea: so it was; I mind me; I will tell thee anon."
Said Christopher: "Withal, squire, if we are wending into the wood,as needs we must, unless we ride round about this dale in a ring all day,dost thou deem we shall go at a gallop many a mile? Nay, fair sir; thehorses shall wend a foot's pace oftenest, and we shall go a-foot notunseldom through the thickets."
Now was Simon come to himself again, and that self was surly, so hesaid: "Ay, ay, little King, thou deemest thee exceeding wise in thesewoods, dost thou not? and forsooth, thou mayst be. Yet have I tidings forthee."
"Yea, and what be they?" said Christopher.
Simon grinned: "Even these," said he, "that Dr. Knowall was noman's cousin while he lived, and that he died last week."