hour of need you will not join Florence against us."

"What pledge do you ask?" inquired the Syndic.

"Let twenty of your children ride back with us to Pisa," said the
Free-lance. "These shall answer for your fidelity. They shall be
cherished and well cared for during their sojourn."

Who but Messer Gianni was the angry man on hearing this?

"Our children!" he cried; "are we, then, slaves, that we must needs
send you our little ones as hostages? Guards, here! Shoot me down
this brigand who bids me surrender your children to him!"

Bolts flew whizzing from the cross-bows; the Free-lance shook his iron
gauntlet at the Syndic, and galloped down the ridge unharmed. The
Syndic forgot his gout in his wrath, and bade the hill-men hold their
own till their roofs crumbled about their ears.

Then began a close siege of the castello; but on the fourth day Frate
Agnolo passed boldly through the lines of the enemy, and was admitted
through the massive stone gateway which was too narrow for the entrance
of either cart or waggon. Great was the joy of the hill-men as the
Brother appeared among them. He, they knew, would give them wise
counsel and stout aid in the moment of danger.

When they told him of the pledge for which the besiegers asked, he only
smiled and shook his head. "Be of good cheer," he said, "God and His
Angels have us in their keeping."

Thoughtfully he ascended the steep streets to the piazza, and, entering
the Cathedral, he remained there for a long while absorbed in prayer.
And as he prayed his face brightened with the look of one who hears
joyful news, and when he rose from his knees he went to the house of
the Syndic, and spoke with him long and seriously.

At sunset that day a man-at-arms went forth from the gates of the
castello with a white flag to the beleaguering lines, and demanded to
be taken into the presence of the captain. To him he delivered this
message from the Syndic: "To-morrow in the morning the gate of
Spinalunga will be thrown open, and all the children of our town who
are not halt or blind or ailing shall be sent forth. Come and choose
the twenty you would have as hostages."

By the camp-fires that night the Free-lances caroused loud and long;
but in the little hill-town the children slept sound while the men and
women prayed with pale stern faces. An hour after midnight all the
garrison from the towers and all the strong young men assembled in the
square. They were divi