"I bring a kitchen boy who has overthrown your brother."

"Ah!" shouted the knight, and rode fiercely at Sir Gareth.

The two fought for a long time. The warrior was strong, but Sir
Gareth was stronger, and at last overthrew him, and sent him back
to Arthur's Court.

The damsel Lynette had ridden far ahead of him. When he came near
her, she said:

"The knight's horse slipped, and that is why you overcame him.
And now are you ready to fight with the third knight, for there
he stands?"

At the third and innermost circle of the river stood the third
knight, clad not in armor, but in hardened skins. Sir Gareth saw
that he was more powerful than his brothers. The two at once
began to fight on the bridge, but Sir Gareth's sword could not
pierce the hard skins. Again and again he tried and failed. He
grew tired, and began to fear that he should be conquered. But
all at once, when his strokes were becoming feeble, Lynette cried
out to him:

"Well done, good knight! You are no kitchen boy, but a brave
lord. Strike for me! Do not lose. You are worthy to be a Knight
of the Round Table."

When Sir Gareth heard this, he was so encouraged that he made a
final great effort and threw his enemy over the bridge into the
water. Then he turned to Lynette, saying:

"Lead; I follow."

But Lynette, proud now of her valiant escort, and humbled and
ashamed at her misjudging of him, said:

"No, we shall ride side by side. I am very sorry I called you a
kitchen boy, for I know that you are a noble knight."

They rode happily side by side till dusk, when they came in sight
of Castle Perilous. Just as they were about to cross the moat, a
knight overtook them. It was Sir Lancelot, who had been delayed
because he had stopped to help Sir Kay after Sir Gareth had
thrown him from his horse.

The great knight, as he rode up to the two in the twilight,
seeing only the shields which Sir Gareth had taken from the three
knights, thought the young man was an enemy, and attacked him.
Sir Lancelot was so strong that he soon overcame the youth.

As he fell, Lynette cried out in shame and sorrow, and Sir Gareth
said:

"Oh, I am thrown."

Sir Lancelot knew Sir Gareth's voice, and raised him up, saying:

"I am Lancelot, and I am sorry to have overthrown you, my
friend."

Sir Gareth said that it was no dishonor to be beaten by Sir
Lancelot. Then the three rode into the castle, and there they
met the fourth knight, who was all covered wit