The next morning, the first visitor to inquire after Ralph was his cousin Yolande. It was joyful news to her to hear that he had passed a quiet night, and, although very weak and faint from loss of blood, was doing well. No one had as yet questioned him on the strange accident, and it was still a mystery why he had gone outside the castle at all. "’Tis a rare mischance, Maurice," said Dicky Cheke, as they went downstairs together to begin the duties of the day; "Ralph might have gotten the prize of this day’s tourney also." "’Twas Bowerman that dealt the foul stroke," said Maurice, without heeding the other’s remark. "Where can he have gotten to?" "Ay, where indeed? But he can’t escape; I hear there’s orders been sent out to search all boats that leave the island." "Marry! why he could have gotten clear off before the alarm was raised. They ought to have scoured the country for him last night, they’d have taken him then withouten any doubt." Dicky looked rather foolish. He remembered how he had been rated by Sir John Trenchard the night before. "Dost think Newenhall knows aught of the matter?" "Humph!" answered Dicky. "He didn’t like Ralph, and he wouldn’t stop any harm coming to him, but I don’t think he’s got the pluck to do him a wrong himself." "His ways were odd last night. Didst mark how he couldn’t answer old Jack-in-Harness’s questions?" "Couldn’t? Wouldn’t, you mean," said Dicky. "Ay, I marked it sure enough. Well, old Jack’s as sharp as a needle--he’ll find it all out." The conversation was interrupted by their arriving at the door of their lord’s apartment, and being ordered to enter by the archer on guard. The account of Ralph Lisle’s favourable condition was joyfully received throughout the garrison, and the news had already spread to Newport. "So I hear there was a young lad slain last night in a drunken brawl after the revels," said the same rough fisherman who had spoken with Bowerman the day before, to a countryman whom he met coming out of Carisbroke. "Ay, so they say; leastways, if it warn’t two or three as was killed. Holy Thomas! they castle folk be a woundy lot of gallants. They’d as soon kill each other as the French, so long as there’s nought else to kill." "Marry, and you’re right; but I hear there’ll be blows anon." "Ay, sayest so? Well, well; but where away? All’s quiet i’ the land, bean’t it? "Seemingly. But there’s them as’ll be moving soon. They’ve not done with the White Rose yet. Howsever, ’tis blows in France as’ll soon be going. ’Tis rumoured over t’other side o’ the water that our Captain’s a-going over there with a power of men." "No! you don’t say so; and who’s he going to fight?" "Why the French, to be sure; all along o’ the Duke of Bretagne having helped King Henry when he were in hiding there." "Then ’tis the King of France as backs the t’other side--eh?" "Ay, ay; and another powerful princess." "Oh! and who’s that?"