and, being partly
protected by their armour, they possessed a great advantage over their
opponents.

Oswald and his uncle fought slightly in advance of the others, lending
a helping hand to each other, when the pressure was greatest. On one
occasion a Welshman seized Alwyn's leg, while he was engaged with a
foeman on the other side, and strove to throw him from his horse.
Oswald wheeled his pony, and with a sweeping blow rid his uncle of his
foe; but, at the same moment, a man leapt up behind him, while two
others assailed him in front.

The Welshman's sinewy arms prevented him from again raising his sword,
and he would have been slain by those in front, had he not, at the
moment, slipped his right foot from his stirrup and thrown himself from
his horse, his leg sweeping off the man who held him behind, and hurled
him to the ground beneath him.

The Welshman's grasp instantly relaxed; but, as Oswald tried to rise, a
blow fell upon his helmet, and four Welshmen threw themselves upon him.
He threw his arms around two of them, and rolled over and over with
them, thereby frustrating the efforts of their companions to strike or
stab him, through some unguarded point in his armour; when suddenly
there was a mighty shout, two tremendous blows were struck in quick
succession, then there was a shout, "Hold them still, Master Oswald,
hold them still!"

Oswald tightened his grasp on his assailants, who were now striving to
rise. There was another crashing blow, and then his last opponent
slipped from his grasp, and fled.

"Thanks, Roger," he said, as he leapt to his feet, "you were but just
in time; another minute, and those fellows would have got their knives
into me."

"I have had my eye upon you, master, all the time; and while doing a
little on my own account, have kept myself in readiness to come to your
aid, if need be."

Roger was fighting with a heavy mace, and the number of men lying
round, with their skulls crushed in, showed with what terrible effect
he had been using it. Oswald again leapt on to his horse, which had
been too well trained to leave his master's side; and had indeed in no
small degree aided him, by kicking furiously at the Welsh, as they
strove to aid their comrades on the ground.

By this time the combat was well-nigh over. The protection afforded by
Alwyn's band, against any attack on their rear, had enabled Sir John's
men-at-arms and the tenants to clear the street in front of them; but
th