u, pass on as though you heard them not. are you

ready?"

"i am ready, my fair lord," said alleyne.

"and i," "and i," cried aylward and john.

"then the rest i leave to your wisdom, sir william; and if god

sends us fortune we shall meet you again in this gorge ere it be

dark."

so saying, sir nigel mounted the white horse of the spanish

cavalier, and rode quietly forth from his concealment with his

three companions behind him, alleyne leading his master's own

steed by the bridle. so many small parties of french and spanish

horse were sweeping hither and thither that the small band

attracted little notice, and making its way at a gentle trot

across the plain, they came as far as the camp without challenge

or hindrance. on and on they pushed past the endless lines of

tents, amid the dense swarms of horsemen and of footmen, until

the huge royal pavilion stretched in front of them. they were

close upon it when of a sudden there broke out a wild hubbub from

a distant portion of the camp, with screams and war-cries and all

the wild tumult of battle. at the sound soldiers came rushing

from their tents, knights shouted loudly for their squires, and

there was mad turmoil on every hand of bewildered men and

plunging horses. at the royal tent a crowd of gorgeously dressed

servants ran hither and thither in helpless panic for the guard

of soldiers who were stationed there had already ridden off in

the direction of the alarm. a man-at-arms on either side of the

doorway were the sole protectors of the royal dwelling.

"i have come for the king," whispered sir nigel; "and, by saint

paul! he must back with us or i must bide here."

alleyne and aylward sprang from their horses, and flew at the two

sentries, who were disarmed and beaten down in an instant by so

furious and unexpected an attack. sir nigel dashed into the

royal tent, and was followed by hordle john as soon as the horses

had been secured. from within came wild screamings and the clash

of steel, and then the two emerged once more, their swords and

forearms reddened with blood, while john bore over his shoulder

the senseless body of a man whose gay surcoat, adorned with the

lions and towers of castile, proclaimed him to belong to the

royal house. a crowd of white-faced sewers and pages swarmed at

their heels, those behind pushing forwards, while the foremost

shrank back from the fierce faces and reeking weapons of the

adventurers. the senseless body was thrown across the spare

horse, the four sprang to their saddles, and away they thundered

with loose reins and busy spurs through the swarming camp.

but confusion and disorder still reigned among the spaniards for

sir william felton and his men had swept through half their camp,

leaving a long litter of the dead and the dying to mark their

course. uncertain who were their attackers, and unable to tell

their english enemies from their newly-arrived breton allies, the

spanish knights rode wildly hither and thither in aimless fury.

the mad turmoil, the mixture of races, and the fading light, were

all in favor of the four who alone knew their own purpose among

the vast uncertain multitude. twice ere they reached open ground

they had to break their way through small bodies of horses, and

once there came a whistle of arrows and singing of stones about

their ears; but, still dashing onwards, they shot out from among

the tents and found their own comrades retreating for the

mountains at no very great distance from them. another five

minutes of wild galloping over the plain, and they were all back

in their gorge, while their pursuers fell back before the rolling

of drums and blare of trumpets, which seemed to proclaim that the

whole army of the prince was about to emerge from the mountain

passes.

"by my soul! nigel," cried sir oliver, waving a great boiled ham

over his head, "i have come by something which i may eat with my

truffles! i had a hard fight for it, for there were three of

them with their mouths open and the knives in their hands, all

sitting agape round the table, when i rushed in upon them. how

say you, sir william, will you not try the smack of the famed

spanish swine, though we have but the brook water to wash it

down?"

"later, sir oliver," answered the old soldier, wiping his grimed

face. "we must further into the mountains ere we be in safety.

but what have we here, nigel?"

"it is a prisoner whom i have taken, and in sooth, as he came

from the royal tent and wears the royal arms upon his jupon, i

trust that he is the king of spain."

"the king of spain!" cried the companions, crowding round in

amazement.

"nay, sir nigel," said felton, peering at the prisoner through

the uncertain light, "i have twice seen henry of transtamare, and

certes this man in no way resembles him."

"then, by the light of hea