"Well, Master Lisle, thou hast been a dullard on the way; what hath made thee so late?" "There was a thick mist abroad, my lord." "Oh, and thou lost thy way? Like enough. These sea fogs are sudden in their uprising. But thou gavest my missive to the Hermit?" "Yea, my lord, and he bid me say that he had seen no sail, but that, as the mist had overspread the land and sea the latter part of the day, it were very possible for a schallop to have gotten past unnoticed." "Yea, forsooth, he sayeth well," said the Captain thoughtfully; then he added, "There was no other message?" "None my lord, save--" and Ralph hesitated, for he did not like to tell of his mishaps, and as he thought of the strange adventure on the wild cliff, in the brilliant light of that luxurious room, he could scarcely believe it was not a dream. The utter contrast between the present moment, the elegant surroundings, the absolute security of that splendid castle, with all its guards, walls, men-at-arms, bastions, archers, and turrets, and the wild weirdness of that solitary wrestle on the verge of the black precipice, in the cold light of the moon, and the ghostly vapour, seemed too impossible. Surely he must have dreamt it. "Save what, my child?" said Lord Woodville. "Save that I lost my way, and--" and again he hesitated. "Well, my page, and what?" "And I was set on by a base caitiff." "Ay, marry--who has dared to lay hands on one of my pages?" "That I know not, my lord," and then Ralph narrated the adventure as best he could. Lord Woodville listened to the end, his countenance expressing no feeling until Ralph came to the part where the man bid him take a note to the Captain of the Wight. He then looked up gravely, and said, "Where is it, my child?" Ralph fumbled in his pocket; he searched everywhere--he could not find it. Seeing his nervousness, the Lord Woodville said, smiling,-- "Nay, fair page, take it quietly; thou mayest have overlooked it. Search each of thy pockets one by one, and so we shall arrive at a just conclusion." Ralph did as he was told, and displayed but few things to the amused eyes of Lord Woodville, for he had not troubled to replace the rubbish which the man had left upon the grass when he turned out his pockets. When all had been gone through, there was nothing found. "My lord," said Ralph, abashed, "I must have dropped it when I delivered thy missive to the Hermit of St Catherine’s." "Like enough, my page; but thou shouldest be more careful. An thou didst, I shall get it in the morning; or thou canst ride in search of it. But thou art sure thou hast not been dreaming?" added Lord Woodville, with a smile. "Nay, my lord, that I will warrant, for thou mayest see the stain of the grass and the earth on my surcoat and hose."