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
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