l safely in Castile."

"I will have a hotly seasoned dish for some folk I know of," answered
Don Pedro with a cold smile.

"But my friend Sir Oliver can fight right hardily without either bite or
sup," remarked the prince. "Did I not see him at Poictiers, when for two
days we had not more than a crust of bread and a cup of foul water, yet
carrying himself most valiantly. With my own eyes I saw him in the rout
sweep the head from a knight of Picardy with one blow of his sword."

"The rogue got between me and the nearest French victual wain," muttered
Sir Oliver, amid a fresh titter from those who were near enough to catch
his words.

"How many have you in your train?" asked the prince, assuming a graver
mien.

"I have forty men-at-arms, sire," said Sir Oliver.

"And I have one hundred archers and a score of lancers, but there are
two hundred men who wait for me on this side of the water upon the
borders of Navarre."

"And who are they, Sir Nigel?"

"They are a free company, sire, and they are called the White Company."

To the astonishment of the knight, his words provoked a burst of
merriment from the barons round, in which the two kings and the prince
were fain to join. Sir Nigel blinked mildly from one to the other, until
at last perceiving a stout black-bearded knight at his elbow, whose
laugh rang somewhat louder than the others, he touched him lightly upon
the sleeve.

"Perchance, my fair sir," he whispered, "there is some small vow of
which I may relieve you. Might we not have some honorable debate upon
the matter. Your gentle courtesy may perhaps grant me an exchange of
thrusts."

"Nay, nay, Sir Nigel," cried the prince, "fasten not the offence upon
Sir Robert Briquet, for we are one and all bogged in the same mire.
Truth to say, our ears have just been vexed by the doings of the same
company, and I have even now made vow to hang the man who held the rank
of captain over it. I little thought to find him among the bravest of my
own chosen chieftains. But the vow is now nought, for, as you have
never seen your company, it would be a fool's act to blame you for their
doings."

"My liege," said Sir Nigel, "it is a very small matter that I should be
hanged, albeit the manner of death is somewhat more ignoble than I had
hoped for. On the other hand, it would be a very grievous thing that
you, the Prince of England and the flower of knighthood, should make a
vow, whether in ignorance or no, and fail to b