"Why do we come here?" Roger asked. "It would surely have been much shorter had we travelled through Berwick, and along the coast road." "Much shorter, Roger; but Sir Henry thought it better that we should go inland to Haddington, and thence east to Dunbar; as, thus entering the town, it would seem that we came from Edinburgh, or from some western monastery; whereas, did we journey by the coast road, it might be guessed that we had come from England." As before, they put up at a hostelry; and Oswald then proceeded, on foot, to the governor's house. Some soldiers were loitering at the door. "What do you want, lad?" one of them asked, as he came up. "I have a letter, which I am charged to deliver into the governor's own hands." "A complaint, I suppose, from some worthy prior, who has lost some of his beeves?" "Maybe the governor will inform you, if you ask him," Oswald replied. "I shall pull your ear for you, when you come out, young jackanapes," the soldier said, hotly. "That danger I must even risk. Business first, and pleasure afterwards." And while the other soldiers burst into a fit of laughter, at the astonishment of their comrade at what he deemed the insolence of this young servitor of a monastery, he quietly entered. The guard at the door, who had heard the colloquy, led him into the governor's room. "A messenger with a letter desires speech with you, Sir Philip," he said. "Bid him enter," the knight said, briefly. Oswald entered, and bowed deeply. He waited until the door closed behind the attendant, and then said: "I am the bearer of a letter, sir, from Lord Percy to you." The knight looked at him in surprise. "Hotspur has chosen a strange messenger," he muttered to himself, as he took the missive Oswald held out to him, cut the silk that bound it with a dagger, and read its contents. As he laid it down, he rose to his feet. "Excuse my want of courtesy," he said. "Lord Percy tells me that you are one of his esquires--no slight recommendation--and that you are intrusted with somewhat important a mission, on his part, to Dunbar, a still higher recommendation--for assuredly he would not have selected you for such a purpose, had you not stood high in his regard. But, indeed, at first I took you for what you seemed, as the bearer of a complaint from some abbot; for in truth, such complaints are not uncommon, for whenever a bullock is lost, they put it down to my men. "Where are your horses that Percy speaks of? You will, I hope, take up your abode here, as long as you stay in the town." "Thank you, Sir Philip; but I shall go forward in the morning. I have already put up at the Golden Rose. It would attract attention, were I to come here, and it were best that I remain as I am; and indeed, I have brought no clothes with me, save those I stand in." "Well, perhaps, as you do not wish to attract attention, it were best so; and I pray you inform Lord Percy of the reason why you declined my entertainment."