l with the defenders.

black simon was down--dying, as he would wish to have died, like

a grim old wolf in its lair with a ring of his slain around him.

twice sir nigel had been overborne, and twice alleyne had fought

over him until he had staggered to his feet once more. burley

lay senseless, stunned by a blow from a mace, and half of the

men-at-arms lay littered upon the ground around him. sir nigel's

shield was broken, his crest shorn, his armor cut and smashed,

and the vizor torn from his helmet; yet he sprang hither and

thither with light foot and ready hand, engaging two bretons and

a spaniard at the same instant--thrusting, stooping, dashing in,

springing out--while alleyne still fought by his side, stemming

with a handful of men the fierce tide which surged up against

them. yet it would have fared ill with them had not the archers

from either side closed in upon the flanks of the attackers, and

pressed them very slowly and foot by foot down the long slope,

until they were on the plain once more, where their fellows were

already rallying for a fresh assault.

but terrible indeed was the cost at which the last had been

repelled. of the three hundred and seventy men who had held the

crest, one hundred and seventy-two were left standing, many of

whom were sorely wounded and weak from loss of blood. sir oliver

buttesthorn, sir richard causten, sir simon burley, black simon,

johnston, a hundred and fifty archers, and forty-seven men-at-

arms had fallen, while the pitiless hail of stones was already

whizzing and piping once more about their ears, threatening every

instant to further reduce their numbers.

sir nigel looked about him at his shattered ranks, and his face

flushed with a soldier's pride.

"by st. paul!" he cried, "i have fought in many a little

bickering, but never one that i would be more loth to have missed

than this. but you are wounded, alleyne?"

"it is nought," answered his squire, stanching the blood which

dripped from a sword-cut across his forehead.

"these gentlemen of spain seem to be most courteous and worthy

people. i see that they are already forming to continue this

debate with us. form up the bowmen two deep instead of four. by

my faith! some very brave men have gone from among us. aylward,

you are a trusty soldier, for all that your shoulder has never

felt accolade, nor your heels worn the gold spurs. do you take

charge of the right; i will hold the centre, and you, my lord of

angus, the left."

"ho! for sir samkin aylward!" cried a rough voice among the

archers, and a roar of laughter greeted their new leader.

"by my hilt!" said the old bowman, "i never thought to lead a

wing in a stricken field. stand close, camarades, for, by these

finger-bones! we must play the man this day."

"come hither, alleyne," said sir nigel, walking back to the edge

of the cliff which formed the rear of their position. "and you,

norbury," he continued, beckoning to the squire of sir oliver,

"do you also come here."

the two squires hurried across to him, and the three stood

looking down into the rocky ravine which lay a hundred and fifty

feet beneath them.

"the prince must hear of how things are with us," said the

knight. "another onfall we may withstand, but they are many and

we are few, so that the time must come when we can no longer form

line across the hill. yet if help were brought us we might hold

the crest until it comes. see yonder horses which stray among

the rocks beneath us?"

"i see them, my fair lord."

"and see yonder path which winds along the hill upon the further

end of the valley?"

"i see it."

"were you on those horses, and riding up yonder track, steep and

rough as it is, i think that ye might gain the valley beyond.

then on to the prince, and tell him how we fare."

"but, my fair lord, how can we hope to reach the horses?" asked

norbury.

"ye cannot go round to them, for they would be upon ye ere ye

could come to them. think ye that ye have heart enough to

clamber down this cliff?"

"had we but a rope."

"there is one here. it is but one hundred feet long, and for the

rest ye must trust to god and to your fingers. can you try it,

alleyne?"

"with all my heart, my dear lord, but how can i leave you in such

a strait?"

"nay, it is to serve me that ye go. and you, norbury?"

the silent squire said nothing, but he took up the rope, and,

having examined it, he tied one end firmly round a projecting

rock. then he cast off his breast-plate, thigh pieces, and

greaves, while alleyne followed his example.

"tell chandos, or calverley, or knolles, should the prince have

gone forward," cried sir nigel. "now may god speed ye, for ye

are brave and worthy men."

it was, indeed, a task which might make the heart of the bravest

sink within him. the thin