monarch.

"Now God and St. George be praised!" cried Edward, as he watched the
approach of the foe, who had so nearly trapped him upon ground which
would have given every advantage to the French and none to his own army.
"Methinks had our good brother but pressed on a day's march faster, it
would have gone hard with us to save the honour of England. Now I stand
on mine own ground. Now will I fight at my ease. There is bread for my
soldiers. They shall rest ere they be called upon to fight. Let Philip
do his worst! We will be ready with an English welcome when he comes.
Let his host outnumber ours by three to one, as men say it does, shall
we be afraid to meet him in fair field, and show him what English
chivalry may accomplish?"

A tumultuous cheer was answer enough. The whole of the English army now
stood upon the north bank of the Somme, watching, with shouts of triumph
and gestures of defiance, the futile efforts of the French to plunge
over the ford. The tide was again flowing. The water was deep and rapid.
In a moment they knew themselves to be too late, and a few well-aimed
shafts from English longbows showed them how futile was now any effort
in pursuit of the foe who had eluded them.

Sullenly and with many menacing gestures, that were replied to by shouts
of derisive laughter from the English soldiers, the French army turned
hack towards Abbeville, where they could cross the river at their
leisure by the bridge which had been strongly fortified against Edward.
Careless confidence had lost Philip the advantage he might have gained
through clever generalship; he was now to see what he could do by force
of arms when he and Edward should stand face to face in their opposing
hosts in the open field of battle.

CHAPTER XIII. WINNING HIS SPURS.

"Tomorrow, good comrades in arms, we will show yon laggard King of what
stuff English chivalry is made!" cried the young Prince of Wales, as he
rose to his feet and held a bumper of wine high above his head. "We have
our spurs to win, and tomorrow shall be our chance. Here is to the
victory of the English arms! May the mighty St. George fight upon our
side, and bring us with glory and honour through the day!"

Every guest at the Prince's table had leaped to his feet. Swords were
unsheathed and waved in wild enthusiasm, and a shout went up that was
like one of triumph, as with one voice the guests around the Prince's
table drained their cups to the victory of th