any
beside a stream that flowed athwart their way, and sitting thereby,
summoned to him the four--namely, Walkyn and Roger, Giles and Eric of
the wry neck; and while they ate together, they held counsel on this
wise:

BELTANE. "How think ye of this our adventure, comrades all?"

GILES. "Forsooth, as a man do I think well of it. Ho! for the twang of
bowstrings! the whirr and whistle of well-sped shafts loosed from the
ear! Ha! as an archer and a man 'tis an adventure that jumpeth with my
desire. But--as a soldier, and one of much and varied experience, as
one that hath stormed Belsaye ere now--with divers other towns, cities,
keeps, and castles beyond number--as a soldier, I do think it but a
gloomy business and foredoomed to failure--"

BELTANE. "And wherefore?"

GILES. "Method, tall brother, method precise and soldier-like. War is a
very ancient profession--an honourable profession and therefore to be
treated with due reverence. Now, without method, war would become but a
scurvy, sorry, hole-and-corner business, unworthy your true soldier. So
I, a soldier, loving my profession, do stand for method in all things.
Thus, would I attack a city, I do it _modo et forma:_ first, I set up
my mantelets for my archers, and under cover of their swift shooting I
set me up my mangonels, my trebuchets and balistae: then, pushing me
up, assault the walls with cat, battering-ram and sap, and having made
me a breach, would forthwith take me the place by sudden storm."

ROGER. "Ha, bowman! here is overmuch of thee, methinks! And dost speak
like a very archer-like fool--and forsooth, a foolish archer to boot.
Sure, well ye know that engines for the battery have we none--"

GILES. "Verily! So shall we none of Belsaye, methinks. Lacking engines,
we lack for all--no method, no city! Remember that, dolt Rogerkin!"

ROGER. "Nay, I remember Garthlaxton aflame, the gallows aflare, and the
empty dungeon. So, an we go up 'gainst Belsaye again, shall we surely
take it. Remember these, long-winded Giles, and being a soldier, be ye
also--a man."

BELTANE. "What think you, Walkyn?"

WALKYN. (patting his axe) "Of Gui of Allerdale, master."

BELTANE. "And you, Eric?"

ERIC. "That where thou dost go, messire, we follow."

BELTANE. "'Tis well. Now here beside me sitteth Sir Fidelis, who though
methinks the most youthful of us all, hath a head in council wiser than
us all. For he hath spoke me that whereby though few in number and
lacking e