be had upon their border. Bethink you, Sir Simon,
that we have this news from the lips of common spies, who can scarce
tell us as much of the enemy and of his forces as the prince would wish
to hear."

"You are the leader in this venture, Sir Nigel," the other answered,
"and I do but ride under your banner."

"Yet I would fain have your rede and counsel, Sir Simon. But, touching
what you say of the river, we can take heed that we shall not have it
at the back of us, for the prince hath now advanced to Salvatierra, and
thence to Vittoria, so that if we come upon their camp from the further
side we can make good our retreat."

"What then would you propose?" asked Sir Simon, shaking his grizzled
head as one who is but half convinced.

"That we ride forward ere the news reach them that we have crossed the
river. In this way we may have sight of their army, and perchance even
find occasion for some small deed against them."

"So be it, then," said Sir Simon Burley; and the rest of the council
having approved, a scanty meal was hurriedly snatched, and the advance
resumed under the cover of the darkness. All night they led their
horses, stumbling and groping through wild defiles and rugged valleys,
following the guidance of a frightened peasant who was strapped by the
wrist to Black Simon's stirrup-leather. With the early dawn they found
themselves in a black ravine, with others sloping away from it on either
side, and the bare brown crags rising in long bleak terraces all round
them.

"If it please you, fair lord," said Black Simon, "this man hath misled
us, and since there is no tree upon which we may hang him, it might be
well to hurl him over yonder cliff."

The peasant, reading the soldier's meaning in his fierce eyes and harsh
accents dropped upon his knees, screaming loudly for mercy.

"How comes it, dog?" asked Sir William Felton in Spanish. "Where is this
camp to which you swore that you would lead us?"

"By the sweet Virgin! By the blessed Mother of God!" cried the trembling
peasant, "I swear to you that in the darkness I have myself lost the
path."

"Over the cliff with him!" shouted half a dozen voices; but ere the
archers could drag him from the rocks to which he clung Sir Nigel had
ridden up and called upon them to stop.

"How is this, sirs?" said he. "As long as the prince doth me the honor
to entrust this venture to me, it is for me only to give orders; and,
by Saint Paul! I shall be right blithe