all their questions were fired at Beltane, who talked and worked happily and without ceasing; but Mordred, watching almost as silently as the slave, saw that the latter missed very little, and gave, when those downcast eyes lifted now and again, an impression of intelligence far quicker than his master's. The impression was momentary, and soon forgotten; a prince had little thought to spare for a dumb slave, and Mordred, these days, was completely the prince, accepted by his half-brothers and —
still to his puzzlement — high in the queen's favour.
So the summer wore through, and at the end of it the queen's magical prevision was justified. On a fine day of September another ship docked. And the news came that changed life for all of them.
8
IT WAS A ROYAL SHIP.The boys saw it first. They had their boat out that day, and were fishing some way out in the firth. The ship came scudding with a fair wind, her sails set full, and the gilded mast flying a pennant that, though none of them had seen it before, they recognized immediately, with excitement. A red dragon on a background of yellow gold.
"The High King's standard!" Mordred, at the steering-oar, saw it first.
Gaheris, never one to control himself, gave a yell of exultation, as savage as a war-cry. "He's sent for us!
We are to go to Camelot! Our uncle the High King has remembered, and sent for us!"
Gawain said, slowly: "So she saw it truly. The silver gifts are for King Arthur. But if she is his sister, why should she need such gifts as those?"
His brothers paid no heed. "Camelot!" said Gareth, wide-eyed.
"He won't want you." That was Agravain, sharply. "You're far too young. She wouldn't let you go, anyway. But if our uncle the High King sends for us, how can she stop us?"
"You'd go?" That was Mordred, dryly.
"What do you mean? I'd have to. If the High King—"
"Yes, I know. I meant, would you want to go?"
Agravain stared. "Are you mad? Not want to go? Why on earth not?"
"Because the High King was never a friend to our father, that's what he means," put in Gaheris. He added, nastily: "Well, we can see why Mordred might not dare go, but the High King's our mother's brother, after all, and why should he be our enemy, even if he was our father's?" He glanced at Gawain.
"And that's what you meant, too? That she's taking all that treasure to buy herself back in?"
Gawain, busy with a rope, did not reply. Gareth, understanding only half of what was said, put in eagerly: "If she goes, too, then she will take me, I know she will!" "Buy herself back in!" Agravain repeated it explosively. "Why, that's folly! It's easy to see what's happened. It was that wicked old man Merlin who poisoned the High King's mind against us, and now he's dead at last, because you can bet anything you like, that's the news the ship brings, and now we can go to court at Camelot, and lead the High King's Companions!"
"Better and better." Mordred spoke more dryly than ever. "When I asked if you would want to go, I was remembering that you didn't approve of his policies."
"Oh, his policies," said Agravain, impatiently. "This is different. This may be a chance to get away from here, and into the middle of things. Just let me get there, to Camelot, I mean, and get half a chance to see some life and some fighting, and to hell with his policies!"
"But what fighting will there be? That's the whole point, isn't it? That's what you were so angry about. If he is really set on making a lasting peace with Cerdic the Saxon, you won't see any fighting."
"He's right," said Gaheris, but Agravain laughed.
"We'll see. For one thing, I don't think even Arthur will get a Saxon king to agree to terms and keep them, and for another, once I get there, and within reach of any Saxon, treaty or not, there'll be fighting!"
"Fine talking," said Gaheris, with scorn.
"But if there's a treaty—" began Gareth indignantly.
Gawain interrupted. His voice was tense and even, overlying excitement. "Hold your tongues,
still to his puzzlement — high in the queen's favour.
So the summer wore through, and at the end of it the queen's magical prevision was justified. On a fine day of September another ship docked. And the news came that changed life for all of them.
8
IT WAS A ROYAL SHIP.The boys saw it first. They had their boat out that day, and were fishing some way out in the firth. The ship came scudding with a fair wind, her sails set full, and the gilded mast flying a pennant that, though none of them had seen it before, they recognized immediately, with excitement. A red dragon on a background of yellow gold.
"The High King's standard!" Mordred, at the steering-oar, saw it first.
Gaheris, never one to control himself, gave a yell of exultation, as savage as a war-cry. "He's sent for us!
We are to go to Camelot! Our uncle the High King has remembered, and sent for us!"
Gawain said, slowly: "So she saw it truly. The silver gifts are for King Arthur. But if she is his sister, why should she need such gifts as those?"
His brothers paid no heed. "Camelot!" said Gareth, wide-eyed.
"He won't want you." That was Agravain, sharply. "You're far too young. She wouldn't let you go, anyway. But if our uncle the High King sends for us, how can she stop us?"
"You'd go?" That was Mordred, dryly.
"What do you mean? I'd have to. If the High King—"
"Yes, I know. I meant, would you want to go?"
Agravain stared. "Are you mad? Not want to go? Why on earth not?"
"Because the High King was never a friend to our father, that's what he means," put in Gaheris. He added, nastily: "Well, we can see why Mordred might not dare go, but the High King's our mother's brother, after all, and why should he be our enemy, even if he was our father's?" He glanced at Gawain.
"And that's what you meant, too? That she's taking all that treasure to buy herself back in?"
Gawain, busy with a rope, did not reply. Gareth, understanding only half of what was said, put in eagerly: "If she goes, too, then she will take me, I know she will!" "Buy herself back in!" Agravain repeated it explosively. "Why, that's folly! It's easy to see what's happened. It was that wicked old man Merlin who poisoned the High King's mind against us, and now he's dead at last, because you can bet anything you like, that's the news the ship brings, and now we can go to court at Camelot, and lead the High King's Companions!"
"Better and better." Mordred spoke more dryly than ever. "When I asked if you would want to go, I was remembering that you didn't approve of his policies."
"Oh, his policies," said Agravain, impatiently. "This is different. This may be a chance to get away from here, and into the middle of things. Just let me get there, to Camelot, I mean, and get half a chance to see some life and some fighting, and to hell with his policies!"
"But what fighting will there be? That's the whole point, isn't it? That's what you were so angry about. If he is really set on making a lasting peace with Cerdic the Saxon, you won't see any fighting."
"He's right," said Gaheris, but Agravain laughed.
"We'll see. For one thing, I don't think even Arthur will get a Saxon king to agree to terms and keep them, and for another, once I get there, and within reach of any Saxon, treaty or not, there'll be fighting!"
"Fine talking," said Gaheris, with scorn.
"But if there's a treaty—" began Gareth indignantly.
Gawain interrupted. His voice was tense and even, overlying excitement. "Hold your tongues,
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