When they press upon us at the last, let no
one of us break away. If any see another dress him to flee or to yield,
let him slay him. How say ye?'

'It is good!' said they all.

Then, for all their aching wounds, they mended their broken harness
hurriedly, and righted their shields, took new spears from the hands of
their squires, and set them upright on their thighs, and thus, with the
low red light of the westering sun behind them, they stood still and
grim, like a clump of tall leafless trees.

Arthur gave the order to advance, and his knights leaped forward over
the heap of the slain. But just then Sir Kay came to the king, bringing
a knight from the north who had just been captured, bearing messages to
the eleven kings, and Arthur asked him who he was and why he came.

'Sir king,' said the man, 'I am Sir Eliot of the March Tower, and I
have ill tidings for my master, King Uriens, and his friends, but it
seems my news is no worse than their fate. If my great lord is to die,
I would lief die with him. Therefore, lord, despatch me now, or let me
go stand beside my lord in the last rally.'

'What is thy news?' asked King Arthur.

'It is that the pagans, the savage Saxons, have landed in three places
beyond Humber, and all the lands of my lord and his ten fellows shall
suffer fire and sword again.'

'But if I slay your master and his fellow-rebels, whose lands are those
the pagans overrun?'

'Yours, lord, of a truth, if you can dash the pagans from them.'

'If I and my host have swept these rebel kings from before me, think
you I cannot sweep the Saxons from the land?'

'I trow you could, sir king, for on my way hither I have heard of the
marvellous deeds this day of yourself and your knights. But, lord, I
see the press of knights about my dear lord. Ah, that I might strike a
blow for him before I die!'

'Thou shalt strike a-many yet,' said Arthur, and Sir Eliot marvelled.

Arthur commanded his trumpets to blow the retreat, and the knights,
wondering and half unbelieving, withdrew them from about the eleven
kings.

Then, surrounded by his chief lords, Arthur rode to the group of
wearied kings, who, with dented and broken harness, from which the
blood oozed in many places, still kept their seats with undaunted mien.

At King Arthur's command Sir Eliot told his news to King Uriens.

'Now this I have to say to ye,' said Arthur, lifting his vizor and
showing a stern countenance. 'Ye are in my hands, to sl