.

"Well," thought he to himself, "even if I lose my horses, let me get my
Joanna, and why should I complain?"

And then, from the further side of the encampment, there came a little
whistle, announcing that his men had joined, and the investment was
complete.

Bennet, at the sound, started to his feet; but ere he had time to spring
upon his arms, Dick hailed him.

"Bennet," he said--"Bennet, old friend, yield ye. Ye will but spill
men's lives in vain, if ye resist."

"'Tis Master Shelton, by St. Barbary!" cried Hatch. "Yield me? Ye ask
much. What force have ye?"

"I tell you, Bennet, ye are both outnumbered and begirt," said Dick.
"Caesar and Charlemagne would cry for quarter. I have two score men at
my whistle, and with one shoot of arrows I could answer for you all."

"Master Dick," said Bennet, "it goes against my heart; but I must do my
duty. The saints help you!" And therewith he raised a little tucket to
his mouth and wound a rousing call.

Then followed a moment of confusion; for while Dick, fearing for the
ladies, still hesitated to give the word to shoot, Hatch's little band
sprang to their weapons and formed back to back as for a fierce
resistance. In the hurry of their change of place, Joanna sprang from
her seat and ran like an arrow to her lover's side.

"Here, Dick!" she cried, as she clasped his hand in hers.

But Dick still stood irresolute; he was yet young to the more deplorable
necessities of war, and the thought of old Lady Brackley checked the
command upon his tongue. His own men became restive. Some of them cried
on him by name; others, of their own accord, began to shoot; and at the
first discharge poor Bennet bit the dust. Then Dick awoke.

"On!" he cried. "Shoot, boys, and keep to cover. England and York!"

But just then the dull beat of many horses on the snow suddenly arose in
the hollow ear of the night, and, with incredible swiftness, drew nearer
and swelled louder. At the same time, answering tuckets repeated and
repeated Hatch's call.

"Rally, rally!" cried Dick. "Rally upon me! Rally for your lives!"

But his men--afoot, scattered, taken in the hour when they had counted on
an easy triumph--began instead to give ground severally, and either stood
wavering or dispersed into the thickets. And when the first of the
horsemen came charging through the open avenues and fiercely riding their
steeds into the underwood, a few stragglers were overthrown or speared