al master,
but died at his side fighting for his safety. The younger spirits
thought only of the glory of victory. John, with his feebler physique
and more thoughtful mind, saw another possible ending to the day's
adventure. Still his heart did not fail; only his unspoken prayer was
that no harm should befall the brave young Prince, who was so eager to
show the world that chivalry was not yet dead.

The brothers from Gascony had no trouble whatever in finding and keeping
the trail the robbers had left behind them. Slowly but surely they
pursued their way through the labyrinth of the gloomy forest. Neither
John nor any of his companions had ever been here before. The dense wood
was gloomy enough to be almost terrible. Craggy rocks were visible from
time to time as the party proceeded, and the thickness of the forest was
so great that almost all light was excluded.

At last a spot was reached where the forest-bred boys paused. They
looked back at those who were following, and beckoned them silently
forward. So quietly had the party moved that the stillness of the forest
had scarce been broken. Mute and breathless, John and his companion
stole up. They found that they had now reached the edge of a deep
ravine, so thickly wooded as to appear impassable to human foot. But
just where they stood there were traces of a narrow pathway, well
concealed by the sweeping boughs of a drooping willow; and that this was
the dell and the path of which the old woodman had spoken the little
party did not doubt for a moment.

"It is doubtless the place," said the Prince, in a whisper. "Let us
softly reconnoitre whilst our forces are assembling."

"I and my brother will make the round of the dell," answered Gaston, in
a like cautious tone. "Sweet Prince, stay you hither, where the rest
will doubtless find us. It boots not for us to make too much stir. Sound
carries well in this still frosty air."

The Prince made a sign of assent, and Gaston and Raymond crept away in
different directions to make the circuit of this secluded hollow, and
try to ascertain how the land lay, and what was the chance of capturing
the band unawares. In particular they desired to note whether there were
any other pathway into it, and whether, if the robbers were taken by
surprise and desirous of flight, there was any way of gaining the forest
save by the overgrown path the exploring party had already found.

The dell proved to be a cup-like hollow of no very gr