word, to come back when he had achieved a few more
heroic deeds and wed her.

The treacherous Almidor, hiding behind the jessamine bower, had
overheard all the uncomplimentary references to himself, and, burning
with a desire of vengeance, hastened to the King, and told him that his
daughter intended quitting the faith of her ancestors and flying with
the Christian Knight. This so enraged the King that, yielding to the
suggestions of the wicked Almidor, he agreed to send him, with
treacherous intent, to the court of Egypt, as bearer of a sealed letter,
in which document he entreated King Ptolemy to take an early opportunity
of destroying one who was a despiser and uprooter of their ancient
belief. Summoning Saint George, with expressions of great esteem, while
Almidor stood at his right hand, glancing unutterable hatred from his
large eyes, the King informed him that to do him honour he would send
him as an ambassador to the court of the magnificent Sovereign of Egypt,
a country in which he was sure to meet with adventures worthy of his
arms.

The true-hearted Knight fell into the trap, and, dazzled with the
thought of fresh adventures, agreed to set forth. Summoning De
Fistycuff, he buckled on his armour, and set out towards the rising of
the sun. Many adventures he met with; many monsters he slew. On
approaching the famed river Nile, De Fistycuff, weary with the heat, sat
himself down on what he took to be the trunk of a large tree, fastening
the bridle of his steed to, as he believed, one of the branches, while
his master was scouring over the plain after a troop of tawny lions,
which had been committing great depredations in the neighbouring lands.
Sleep overtook the Squire. He slept he knew not how long, when he was
awoke by the loud snorts and cries of his steed, and by finding himself
borne along in a most uneasy manner. What was his horror, on opening
his eyes, to discover a huge head, with terrific jaws, projecting from
the seeming log before him, snapping at everything as it moved swiftly
towards the broad stream of the Nile, while his horse, frantic with
terror, was tugging at the bridle behind, in vain attempting to get
loose, or stop the progress of the monster, which was one of the largest
of the crocodiles of that famed stream, and held in especial reverence
by the heathen priests of that district! The Squire dared not jump off,
for fear of being trampled on by the hind feet of the brute, nor co