strength and
stature, in comparison with your countrymen of the same age. Still,
doubtless, it was as much due to good fortune as to skill that I
gained my success.

"I assuredly had no desire to kill him; the less so because, to a
certain extent, the duel was of my making. There was, as it seemed
to me, no choice between fighting him, and being denounced by him
as a spy. Therefore when he accosted me roughly, I took the matter
up hotly, and there was nothing for it but an encounter. As I have
said, I meant only to wound him; but his skill and his impetuosity
were so great that I was forced, in self defence, to run him
through.

"After all, I gained nothing by the duel; for the governor, with a
troop of horse, came up just as it concluded, and as I could give
no satisfactory account of myself, I was hauled off a prisoner to
the castle."

"And how did you escape thence?" Gaston asked.

Philip gave an account of the manner in which his servant had
rescued him.

"Parbleu! You are fortunate in your servant! Would that so shrewd a
knave--

"But there, the trumpets are sounding. I will take you at once to
the queen, who is doubtless ready to mount."

Chapter 13: At Laville.

The queen was standing at the door of the house where she had lain
down for a few hours' rest, after her arrival. The prince was
standing beside her.

"Here is our English friend, mother," he exclaimed, running forward
to meet Philip.

"Welcome, Monsieur Fletcher. When we found that you were not here,
on our arrival last night, we feared that some evil had befallen
you."

"Monsieur Fletcher is well able to take care of himself, prince. He
has been having adventures enough," Gaston de Rebers said.

"You must tell me about them as we ride," the prince said. "I love
adventures, Monsieur Fletcher."

They had now reached the queen.

"I am glad to see you, Monsieur Fletcher. Of course, it was in one
way a relief to us, when we crossed the river and did not find you
there; for I was sure you would have been there to give us warning,
had there been danger on the way; but I thought you might come in
any case, and when we found that you had not arrived here before
us, I was afraid that something might have befallen you."

"I have had some slight troubles, your majesty; and to my great
regret, I was unable to meet you at the passage of the river. I
should have been here long before daylight, but we were unable to
find the road in the da