Sabrino understood them perfectly, while he gazed at them with the painful and speechless anxiety which his face depicted at times so powerfully; and, anxious to express his gratitude, his eyes shone, while he grinned and nodded, saying-- "Ees--ees--ees!" laid his hands repeatedly on his breast, and placed the hand of Sir John Forrester on his woolly head, in token that he was their liege and true man. At that moment a loud knock was heard at the door. "Under the table, Sabrino--hide, hide," said Leslie; "I would not for my helmet full of gold pieces, thou wert seen with us--quick!" Sabrino dived below the table, and again the knock was heard. "Who is there without?--come in," said Sir John. Carrying in his hand his bonnet, which was adorned by a long white feather, a graceful young man, attired in the most gorgeous and extreme of the fashion of that age, a doublet of peach-coloured velvet, sewn with seed pearls, and stiff with silver lace, a Genoese mantle of blue velvet, and trunks and hose of the palest yellow satin, appeared. "My Lord David Lindesay!" said the two officers of the guard, as they started from their seats. "A message from the cardinal," said the young lord, who was soon to become the primate's son-in-law. "His eminence sets out to-morrow for Falkland Palace, to visit the king, and begs the favour of some twenty arquebusiers, under your guidance, Laird of Balquhan, as the roads are neither safe nor sure at this time." Leslie looked at his captain. "Half the guard are at Falkland already, under the other lieutenant, the Laird of Bute," replied Forrester: "but my friend Balquhan will be at the disposal of his eminence to-morrow with twenty arquebusiers. At what time do you mount and ride?" "After morning prayer," said the young lord: "you know how unsafe the country is around Falkland--for his eminence, at least." "True; the Kirkaldies of Grange, the Melvilles of Raith, and the Seatons of Clatto, are no friends of his." After a few more words of course, and tasting their wine, the heir of the princely line of Crawford bowed and retired. "A hundred devils!" said Leslie, as he buckled on his sword. "This duty will prevent me assisting in the escape of our poor Vipont." "It matters not, my true Leslie, for I alone will see to that. But how, a-God's name, am I to get our sable friend conveyed to my quarters in the palace? If our fat host of the _Cross and Gillstoup_ should see him, all will be over with him." After some consideration to preclude his being seen, and avoid the dangerous surmises consequent thereto, it was arranged that Sabrino should retire in the same manner as he had entered--by the window, which he immediately did.