t
of the strictest, especially considering his years. Sir Reginald was
nothing to him."

"Was it not time to be strict when there was such a nest of treachery
within the Castle?" said Gaston. "We knew that murderous miscreant of
a Basque, and had we not kept well on our guard against him, you,
Master Simon, would long since have been hanging as high from
Montfort's tower as I trust soon to see him."

"But how knew you him, Master d'Aubricour? that is the question," said
old Simon with a very solemn face of awe.

"How? why by means of somewhat sharper eyes than you seem to possess. I
have no time to bandy words--all I come to ask is, will you do the duty
of honest men or not? If not, away with you, and I and the Knight will
abide here till it pleases Messire Oliver, the butcher, to practice his
trade on us. I remember, if some of the Lances of Lynwood do not, a
certain camp at Valladolid, when some of us might have been ill off had
he not stood by our beds of sickness; nor will I easily desert that
pennon which was so gallantly made a banner."

These were remembrances to stir the hearts of the ancient Lances of
Lynwood, and there was a cry among them of, "We will never turn our
backs on it! Lynwood for ever!"

"Right, mine old comrades. Our walls are strong; our hearts are
stronger; three days, and aid must come from Bordeaux. The traitors
are captives, and we know to whom to trust; for ye, of English birth,
and ye, my countrymen, who made in so boldly to the rescue, ye will not
fail at this pinch, and see a brave and noble Knight yielded to a pack
of cowardly murderers."

"Never! never! We will stand by him to the last drop of our blood,"
they replied; for the sight of the brave wounded Knight, as well as the
example of Gaston's earnestness and devotion, had had a powerful
effect, and they unanimously joined the Squire in a solemn pledge to
defend both Castle and Knight to the last extremity.

"Then up with the good old banner!" said Gaston, "and let us give
Messire Oliver such a reception as he will be little prepared for." He
then gave some hasty directions, appointed old Silverlocks, a skilled
and tried warrior, to take the place of Seneschal for the time, and to
superintend the arrangements; and sending two men to guard the entrance
of Montfort's tower, where Sanchez and his accomplices had shut
themselves up, he returned to the Castellane's chamber.

Never was there an apartment more desolate. Ch