uld be doing wrong
to the Prince's cause to set the rogues free without taking some good
French crowns from them, and therefore, permitting him to name what
ransom he thought fit, he returned to them their horses, and dismissed
them to collect the sum.

Early the next morning, Gaston had the satisfaction of beholding his
young banneret arrayed in knightly guise, the golden spurs on his
heels, Du Guesclin's sword by his side, and his white mantle flung over
his shoulder. Leonard was summoned to accompany him, but he growled
out something so like an absolute refusal and utter disclaimer of all
duty to Sir Eustace, that Gaston began to reproach him vehemently.

"Never mind, Gaston," said Eustace, "you never mend matters with him in
that way, I shall do very well alone."

"So you shall never go," said Gaston, rising; "I will go myself, I have
been longing to see you received by the Prince. Where is my sword?"

"Nay, Gaston," said Eustace, "that must not be. See how the hot
sunbeams lie across that hill between us and the Prince's tent. You
must not waste your strength if it is true that we are to journey to
Burgos to-day."

"It shows how new your chivalry is, that you make so much of a mere
scratch," said Gaston, hastily commencing his preparations; "Guy, go
you and saddle Brigliador."

"No, do not touch Brigliador," said Eustace. "You deny it in vain,
Gaston; your face betrays that you do not move without pain. I learnt
some leech-craft among my clerkly accomplishments, and you had better
take care that you do not have the benefit. Leonard, since it is the
only way to quiet him, I order you to mount."

Leonard hung his head, and obeyed. They rode towards the village of
Najara, where Eustace found the Prince entering the church, to hear
morning mass. Giving his horse to John Ingram, he followed among the
other Knights who thronged the little building.

The service at an end, he received more than one kind greeting from his
brother's friends, and one of them, Sir Richard Ferrars, a fine old
man, whose iron-gray locks contrasted with his ruddy complexion, led
him forward to present him to the Prince of Wales.

"Welcome! our new-made Knight," said Edward. "Brave comrades, I
present to you the youngest brother of our order, trusting you will not
envy him for having borne off the fairest rose of our chaplet of
Navaretta."

Bertrand du Guesclin, who stood among the throng of nobles around the
Prince, was the