or the sake of the legend,
waved his great paws and trundled towards where she was standing.

"Do not forget to roar, sir," said the young lady, managing her voice
so there was scarce any tremble to be heard in it.

At this the Dragon stood still.

"You perceive," she said to him, "after all, a dragon, like a mouse,
comes to the trap."

"Not quite yet," cried Sir Francis, in a terrible voice, and rushed
upon her, meaning death.

"The legend has come true!" she loudly said.

A gleaming shaft of steel whistled across the sight of Sir Francis.

"Halt there!" thundered Geoffrey, leaping between the two, and posing
his sword for a lunge.

"My hour has come," Sir Francis thought. For he was cased in the stiff
hide, and could do nothing in defence.

"Now shalt thou lick the earth with thy lying tongue," said Geoffrey.

A sneer came through the gaping teeth of the crocodile.

"Valiant, indeed!" the voice said. "Very valiant and knightly, oh son
of Bertram of Poictiers! Frenchmen know when to be bold. Ha! ha!"

"Crawl out of that nut, thou maggot," answered Geoffrey, "and taste
thy doom."

Here was a chance, the gift of a fool. The two white hands appeared
and shifted the mask aside, letting them see a cunning hope on his
face.

"Do not go further, sir," said Elaine. "It is for the good of us all
that you abide where you are. As I shall explain."

"What is this, Elaine?" said Geoffrey.

"Your promise!" she answered, lifting a finger at him.

There was a dry crack from the crocodile's hide.

"Villain!" cried Geoffrey, seizing the half-extricated body by the
throat. "Thy false skin is honester than thyself, and warned us. Back
inside!"

The robber's eyes shrivelled to the size of a snake's, as, with no
tenderness, the youth grappled with him still entangled, and with
hands, feet, and knees drove him into his shell as a hasty traveller
tramples his effects into a packing-case.

"See," said Elaine, "how pleasantly we two have you at our disposal.
Shall the neighbours be called to have a sight of the Dragon?"

"What do you want with me?" said Sir Francis, quietly. For he was a
philosopher.

"In the first place," answered Geoffrey, "know that thou art caught.
And if I shall spare thee this night, it may well be they'll set thy
carcase swinging on the gallows-tree to-morrow morning,--or, being
Christmas, the day after."

"I can see my case without thy help," Sir Francis replied. "What
next?"

At this, E