Thus it came about that the Gascon youths found themselves furnished with tunics of blue and silver, richly embroidered with their master’s cognizances, and trimmed with costly fur, with long mantles of blue cloth fastened with golden clasps, with rich girdles, furnished with gipciere and anelace, and hose and long embroidered shoes, such as they began to see were the fashion of the day in England.  Their stout nags, which had carried them bravely thus far, were now exchanged for handsome animals of a better breed, horses trained to knightly exercises, and capable of carrying their masters bravely through any game of battle or tourney such as the King loved to organize when he had his knights round him.  It was often that the esquires as well as the knights competed in these contests of skill and strength, or followed their masters into some great melee, and it was a point of honour with the latter that their followers should be well and suitably equipped for the sport.

“By my faith, but I wish good Margot and the holy Father could see us now,” quoth Gaston, laughing, as Sir James and his followers sallied forth one bright December morning to take their last stage on the journey to Windsor.

They had traversed the main distance the day previously, for Sir James had no wish to arrive weary and travel stained at the King’s Court.  Orders had been given for every man to don his best riding dress and look well to the trappings of his steed, and it was a gallant-looking company indeed that sallied out from the door of the wayside hostelry and took the road towards the great Castle, glimpses of which began from time to time to be visible through the trees.

“I trow they would scarce know us!  There be moments, Raymond, when I scarce know myself for the same.  It seems as though years had passed since we left the old home, and by the Mass I feel as though I were a new being since then!”

“Yea, verily, and I also,” answered Raymond, looking round him with eager eyes.  “Gaston, look well about thee; for by what Malcolm says, these very woods through which we shall pass, and the Manor of old Windsor hard by, are the property of our uncle Sir John de Brocas, the King’s Master of the Horse; and by what I hear, methinks we shall see him in the flesh ere the day has passed.”

“Ha!” exclaimed Gaston, with interest; “if that be so let us heed him well, for much of our future may hang on him.  He is in the King’s favour, they say, and if he did but plead our cause with the Roy Outremer, we might well look to call Basildene our home ere long.”

“We must call him no longer the Roy Outremer,” said Raymond, with a smile.  “If we are to be the brothers of Basildene, we must be English subjects and he our liege lord.”

“True,” answered Gaston readily; “and methinks, if he be what all men say, it will be no hardship to own ourselves his subjects.  I would ten thousand times sooner call myself so than be servant to yon weak and treacherous King of France.”