ets of brothers, these
had best either go or stay together; therefore if you cast lots do
it not singly, but two against two."

"We may as well do it at once, Monsieur Philip," Eustace said. "I
know, beforehand, that we would all choose to follow you; therefore
if you will put two papers into my steel cap, one with my name, and
one with Jacques', Pierre shall draw. If he takes out the one with
my name, then I and Henri will go with you. If he draws Jacques,
then he and Roger shall go."

This was done, and Jacques and Roger won.

"You will have plenty to do, while we are away," Philip said to
Eustace. "There will be seven horses to look after, including my
chargers."

"How long are you likely to be away, sir?"

"I may return in ten days. I may be away three weeks. Should any
evil chance befall us, you will take the horses over to Laville and
hand them over to my cousin; who will, I am sure, gladly take you
and Henri into his service.

"As we leave here at daybreak, you, Jacques, and your brother Roger
had better wrap yourselves up in your cloaks, and lie down in the
hall below. I would that we could, in the morning, procure clothes
for you, older and more worn than those you have on. You are going
as men who have formerly served; but have since been living in a
village, tilling the land, just as you were when you first joined
me."

"Then we have the very clothes ready to hand," Jacques said. "When
we joined you, we left ours with a friend in the town, to hold for
us. There is no saying how long military service may last and, as
our clothes were serviceable, we laid them by. We can go round and
get them, the first thing in the morning; leaving these we wear in
his care, until we return."

"That will do well; but you must be up early, for it is important
we should make our start as soon as possible."

"I also have my old clothes held in keeping for me, by one who
worked in the stable with me," Pierre said. "A man who is going to
the war can always find others ready to take charge of whatever he
may leave behind, knowing full well that the chances are that he
will never return to claim them."

"That simplifies matters," Maitre Bertram said. "There remains only
your dress, Monsieur Philip; and I shall have no difficulty in
getting, from my own knaves, a doublet, cloak, and other things to
suit you. I have plenty of steel caps and swords, in my warehouse."

"You had best leave your breast pieces here," Philip