Richard in a thoughtful
voice.

For a time the Knight stood talking to those about him, but at last
he arose and made ready to depart, so he called his men about him and,
tightening the girths of his saddle, he mounted his horse once more.

Meanwhile the young stranger had made his way through the crowd, but, as
he passed, he heard all around him such words muttered as "Look at the
cockerel!" "Behold how he plumeth himself!" "I dare swear he cast good
William unfairly!" "Yea, truly, saw ye not birdlime upon his hands?" "It
would be well to cut his cock's comb!" To all this the stranger paid no
heed, but strode proudly about as though he heard it not. So he walked
slowly across the green to where the booth stood wherein was dancing,
and standing at the door he looked in on the sport. As he stood thus, a
stone struck his arm of a sudden with a sharp jar, and, turning, he saw
that an angry crowd of men had followed him from the wrestling ring.
Then, when they saw him turn so, a great hooting and yelling arose from
all, so that the folk came running out from the dancing booth to see
what was to do. At last a tall, broad-shouldered, burly blacksmith
strode forward from the crowd swinging a mighty blackthorn club in his
hand.

"Wouldst thou come here to our fair town of Denby, thou Jack in the Box,
to overcome a good honest lad with vile, juggling tricks?" growled he in
a deep voice like the bellow of an angry bull. "Take that, then!" And of
a sudden he struck a blow at the youth that might have felled an ox.
But the other turned the blow deftly aside, and gave back another so
terrible that the Denby man went down with a groan, as though he had
been smitten by lightning. When they saw their leader fall, the crowd
gave another angry shout; but the stranger placed his back against the
tent near which he stood, swinging his terrible staff, and so fell had
been the blow that he struck the stout smith that none dared to come
within the measure of his cudgel, so the press crowded back, like a pack
of dogs from a bear at bay. But now some coward hand from behind threw
a sharp jagged stone that smote the stranger on the crown, so that he
staggered back, and the red blood gushed from the cut and ran down his
face and over his jerkin. Then, seeing him dazed with this vile blow,
the crowd rushed upon him, so that they overbore him and he fell beneath
their feet.

Now it might have gone ill with the youth, even to the losing of his