"I will hand over a horse to you. For the present, it is at that croft
on the opposite hill. Each of the tenants keeps two or three at our
service. We have only the Bairds' own horses kept in the hold. It would
be too much trouble to gather forage for those of the twenty men who
always live here, and indeed, we have no room for such number.
"Mind that you drink not too much, over in the village there; for
though the Bairds care not, on feast days, if the whole garrison gets
drunk, so that there are enough sober to keep watch and ward, they set
their faces against it at other times, seeing that it leads to broils
and quarrels."
"I will take care. I like my cup, occasionally; and can drink with
others, without my head getting addled, but as a rule I care not
overmuch for it."
After being roughly introduced to several of the retainers as a new
comrade, Oswald was left to follow his own devices. Presently, Roger
came out into the courtyard.
"So you have got service, comrade," he said, in a voice that could be
heard by any of those standing near. "You had better fortune than I had
expected."
"That have I," he replied. "Still, I thought that it would be hard, if
one who could use his sword indifferently well, and puts no great value
on his life, could not find service on the border.
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