Under this rebuke, his Grace the Duke of Somerset retired a little from the front for the moment. The King turned to Tom, and said kindly — ”My poor boy, how was it that you could remember where I hid the Seal when I could not remember it myself?”

“Ah, my King, that was easy, since I used it divers days.”

“Used it — yet could not explain where it was?”

“I did not know it was that they wanted.

They did not describe it, your Majesty.”

“Then how used you it?”

The red blood began to steal up into Tom’s cheeks, and he dropped his eyes and was silent.