l, perhaps
twelve hundred knights and men-at-arms, with three or four thousand
archers, and to their rear, as many of the savage, knife-armed Welsh
who fought that day under the banner of their country, the red Dragon
of Merlin. Grey Dick's place was on the extreme left of the archer
bodyguard, and Hugh's on the extreme right of that of the men-at-arms,
so that they were but a few yards apart and could talk together. From
time to time they spoke of sundry things, but mostly of home, for in
this hour of danger through which both of them could hardly hope
to live, even if one did, their thoughts turned thither, as was but
natural.

"I wonder how it fares with the lady Eve," said Hugh, with a sigh, for
of her no news had come to him since they had parted some months before,
after he recovered from the wound which Clavering gave him.

"Well enough, doubtless. Why not?" replied Dick. "She is strong and
healthy, she has many friends and servants to guard her and no enemy
there to harm her, for her great foe is yonder," and he nodded towards
Abbeville. "Oh, without doubt well enough. It is she who should wonder
how it fares with us. Let us hope that, having naught else to do, she
remembers us in her prayers, since in such a case even one woman's
prayers are worth something, for does not a single feather sometimes
turn the scale?"

"I think that Eve would rather fight than pray," answered Hugh, with a
smile, "like old Sir Andrew, who would give half his remaining days to
sit here with us this afternoon. Well, he is better where he is. Dick,
that knave Acour sent only insolent words in answer to my challenge,
which I despatched to him by the knight I took and spared at Caen."

"Why should he do more, master? He can find plenty of ways of dying
without risking a single combat with one whom he has wronged and who is
therefore very dangerous. You remember his crest, master--a silver swan
painted on his shield. I knew it, and that is why I shot that poor fowl
just before you killed young Clavering on the banks of Blythe, to teach
him that swans are not proof against arrows. Watch for the swan crest,
master, when the battle joins, and so will I, I promise you."

"Ay, I'll watch," said Hugh grimly. "God help all swans that come my
way. Let us pray that this one has not taken wing, for if so I, too,
must learn to fly."

Thus they talked of these and other things amongst the hum of the great
camp, which was like to that of bees o