prevail
throughout the town; and what with the hurried clashing of bells, the
sounding of trumpets, the swift movement of bodies of horse, the cries
of the commanders, and the shrieks of women, the noise was almost
deafening to the ear. Presently, little by little, the tumult began to
subside; and soon after, files of men in armour and bodies of archers
began to assemble and form in line of battle in the market-place.

A large portion of this body were in murrey and blue, and in the mounted
knight who ordered their array Dick recognised Sir Daniel Brackley.

Then there befell a long pause, which was followed by the almost
simultaneous sounding of four trumpets from four different quarters of
the town. A fifth rang in answer from the market-place, and at the same
moment the files began to move, and a shower of arrows rattled about the
barricade, and sounded like blows upon the walls of the two flanking
houses.

The attack had begun, by a common signal, on all the five issues of the
quarter. Gloucester was beleaguered upon every side; and Dick judged, if
he would make good his post, he must rely entirely on the hundred men of
his command.

Seven volleys of arrows followed one upon the other, and in the very
thick of the discharges Dick was touched from behind upon the arm, and
found a page holding out to him a leathern jack, strengthened with
bright plates of mail.

"It is from my Lord of Gloucester," said the page. "He hath observed,
Sir Richard, that ye went unarmed."

Dick, with a glow at his heart at being so addressed, got to his feet
and, with the assistance of the page, donned the defensive coat. Even as
he did so, two arrows rattled harmlessly upon the plates, and a third
struck down the page, mortally wounded, at his feet.

Meantime the whole body of the enemy had been steadily drawing nearer
across the market-place; and by this time were so close at hand that
Dick gave the order to return their shot. Immediately, from behind the
barrier and from the windows of the houses, a counterblast of arrows
sped, carrying death. But the Lancastrians, as if they had but waited
for a signal, shouted loudly in answer; and began to close at a run upon
the barrier, the horsemen still hanging back, with visors lowered.

Then followed an obstinate and deadly struggle, hand to hand. The
assailants, wielding their falchions with one hand, strove with the
other to drag down the structure of the barricade. On the other side,