erless men they were,
ill armed and unkempt and noisy. Their only strength was in their
numbers, so far as I could see.

As for ourselves, the gate was the weakest place, by reason of
there being no ditch before it, and that the ground was level, or
nearly so, for twenty paces outside. I did not think it in the
least likely that our men could not hold off the two side attacks;
for the stockade was well placed and high, and the ditch
sheer-sided and deep. Take it all round, it was hard to see how
Gymbert expected to take the place, or why he would try it at all.

"Quendritha is driving him," said Kynan, laughing, when I said as
much. "If that woman bids a man do a thing, he has to do it, or woe
betide him. But it will be a fight, for a time."

Now Gymbert halted his men beyond bow shot, and called to Jefan
once more to give us up; and so finding no answer beyond a laugh
from the men who were watching him from the rampart, drew his sword
and bade his men fall on.

They broke into a run for a dozen paces, and then some half of
either company halted, and while the rest went forward, those who
stood began to try to clear the way with arrow flights, shooting
over their heads so that the shafts might drop within the
stockading. And at the same time our men began to shoot, somewhat
too soon; for the Welsh bow will not carry so far as the English,
though the arrows are more deadly, being heavier.

Seeing that, Jefan bade his men hold their hands until he gave the
word; on which Gymbert called to his men, and they came the faster.
The arrows met them then at short range, and in a deadly hail, and
they faltered. Many fell under them, yet they still came on; and
now the men who had been shooting found that the Welsh were too
well sheltered under the stockade timbering for much harm to be
done them, and they ran and joined their comrades at some call from
their leaders. Then without stay the whole three companies threw
themselves with a great shout against the defences, leaping into
the ditch on either side, and surging up against the gate itself.

In a breathing space our Welsh were ready with the long spears, and
as one by one the heads of those who climbed gate or stockade
showed themselves, hoisted up by their comrades, or climbing in
some way or other, back they were sent with a flash of the terrible
weapon, falling on those below them. And now and again the Welsh
spears darted through the spaces between the timbers of