The journey passed without any incident of importance, but Oswald had reason to congratulate himself on having taken the monk with him.

On one occasion, as they were passing over a wild heath, a party of eight or ten men, on rough ponies, rode up.

They were armed with spears and swords.

They reined up with exclamations of disappointment as Roger, who had rolled up his robe round his waist, for convenience of walking, let it fall round him.
"You have played us a scurvy trick, monk," the leader said, angrily.
"Who was to guess it was a monk, who was thus striding along ?" "You would find it difficult to walk, yourself, with this robe dangling about your heels," Roger said.
"Whither are you bound, and whence are you going ?" "We are travelling to Dunbar, being sent to the convent of Saint Magnus there, and come from Roxburgh." "'Tis a shame that so stalwart a fellow as you are should be leading a drone's life, in a convent; when every true Scotsman is sharpening his spear, in readiness for what may come when the truce with England expires." "I am glad to hear that you are so well employed," Roger replied; "but methinks that, in days like these, it is sometimes useful to have a few men of thews and sinews, even in a religious house; for there are those who sometimes fail in the respect they owe to the Church." "That is true enough," the men laughed.

"Well, go thy way.