it go,
and begin."

Then they fell to making a wonderful disturbance. The Dragon's voice
was lifted in horrid howlings; and the young knight continually bawled
with all his lungs. They chased as children in a game do: forward,
back, and across to nowhere, knocking the barrels, clanking and
clashing, up between the rows and around corners; and the dry earth
was ground under their feet and swept from the floor upward in a fine
floating yellow powder that they sucked down into their windpipes,
while still they hustled and jangled and banged and coughed and grew
dripping wet, so the dust and the water mingled and ran black streams
along their bodies from the neck downwards, tickling their backs and
stomachs mightily. When the breath was no longer inside them, they
stopped to listen.

The house was stone still, and no noise came, save always the wind's
same cheerless blowing.

"How much more of this before they will awaken?" exclaimed Geoffrey,
in indignation. "'Tis a scandal people should sleep so."

"They are saying their prayers," said Sir Francis.

"It is a pity thou art such a miscreant," Geoffrey said, heartily;
"otherwise I could sweat myself into a good-humour with thee."

But Sir Francis replied with coldness, "It is easy for the upper hand
to laugh."

"We must at it again," said Geoffrey; "and this time I will let them
hear thou art conquered." The din and hubbub recommenced. And
Mistletoe could hear it where she quaked inside her closet holding the
door with both hands. And the Baron could hear it. He was locked in
the bath-room, dreadfully sorry he had not gone to the Crusade. Quite
unknowingly in his alarm he had laid hold of a cord that set going the
shower-bath; but he gave no heed at all to this trifle. And every man
and woman in the house heard the riot, from the scullion up through
the cook to Popham, who had unstrapped his calves before retiring, so
that now his lean shanks knocked together like hockey-sticks. Little
Whelpdale, freezing in his shirt-tail under the bed, was crying
piteously upon all Saints to forget about his sins and deliver him.
Only Miss Elaine standing in her room listened with calm; and she with
not much, being on the threshold of a chance that might turn untoward
so readily. Presently a victorious shouting came from far down through
the dark.

"He is mine!" the voice bellowed. "I have laid him low. The Dragon is
taken." At this she hastened to summon Sir Godfrey.

"Why, w