y word for it that no scath shall come to

his people, nor to their houses or gear. if, however, we have

not his leave, i shall come close at the heels of this message

without his leave, and bearing a key with me which shall open all

that he may close." he stooped and whispered to sir robert

knolles and sir huge calverley, who smiled as men well pleased,

and hastened from the room.

"our cousin charles has had experience of our friendship," the

prince continued, "and now, by the saints! he shall feel a touch

of our displeasure. i send now a message to our cousin charles

which his whole kingdom may read. let him take heed lest worse

befall him. where is my lord chandos? ha, sir john, i commend

this worthy knight to your care. you will see that he hath

refection, and such a purse of gold as may defray his charges,

for indeed it is great honor to any court to have within it so

noble and gentle a cavalier. how say you, sire?" he asked,

turning to the spanish refugee, while the herald of navarre was

conducted from the chamber by the old warrior.

"it is not our custom in spain to reward pertness in a

messenger," don pedro answered, patting the head of his

greyhound. "yet we have all heard the lengths to which your

royal generosity runs."

"in sooth, yes," cried the king of majorca.

"who should know it better than we?" said don pedro bitterly,

"since we have had to fly to you in our trouble as to the natural

protector of all who are weak."

"nay, nay, as brothers to a brother," cried the prince, with

sparkling eyes. "we doubt not, with the help of god, to see you

very soon restored to those thrones from which you have been so

traitorously thrust."

"when that happy day comes," said pedro, "then spain shall be to

you as aquitaine, and, be your project what it may, you may ever

count on every troop and every ship over which flies the banner

of castile."

"and," added the other, "upon every aid which the wealth and

power of majorca can bestow."

"touching the hundred thousand crowns in which i stand your

debtor," continued pedro carelessly, "it can no doubt----"

"not a word, sire, not a word!" cried the prince. "it is not now

when you are in grief that i would vex your mind with such base

and sordid matters. i have said once and forever that i am yours

with every bow-string of my army and every florin in my coffers."

"ah! here is indeed a mirror of chivalry," said don pedro. "i

think, sir fernando, since the prince's bounty is stretched so

far, that we may make further use of his gracious goodness to the

extent of fifty thousand crowns. good sir william felton, here,

will doubtless settle the matter with you."

the stout old english counsellor looked somewhat blank at this

prompt acceptance of his master's bounty.

"if it please you, sire," he said, "the public funds are at their

lowest, seeing that i have paid twelve thousand men of the

companies, and the new taxes--the hearth-tax and the wine-tax--

not yet come in. if you could wait until the promised help from

england comes----"

"nay, nay, my sweet cousin," cried don pedro. "had we known that

your own coffers were so low, or that this sorry sum could have

weighed one way or the other, we had been loth indeed----"

"enough, sire, enough!" said the prince, flushing with vexation.

"if the public funds be, indeed, so backward, sir william, there

is still, i trust, my own private credit, which hath never been

drawn upon for my own uses, but is now ready in the cause of a

friend in adversity. go, raise this money upon our own jewels,

if nought else may serve, and see that it be paid over to don

fernando."

"in security i offer----" cried don pedro.

"tush! tush!" said the prince. "i am not a lombard, sire. your

kingly pledge is my security, without bond or seal. but i have

tidings for you, my lords and lieges, that our brother of

lancaster is on his way for our capital with four hundred lances

and as many archers to aid us in our venture. when he hath come,

and when our fair consort is recovered in her health, which i

trust by the grace of god may be ere many weeks be past, we shall

then join the army at dax, and set our banners to the breeze once

more."

a buzz of joy at the prospect of immediate action rose up from

the group of warriors. the prince smiled at the martial ardor

which shone upon every face around him.

"it will hearten you to know," he continued, "that i have sure

advices that this henry is a very valiant leader, and that he has

it in his power to make such a stand against us as promises to

give us much honor and pleasure. of his own people he hath

brought together, as i learn, some fifty thousand, with twelve

thousand of the french free companies, who are, as you know very

valiant and expert men-at-arms. it is certain also, that