ater, with shield
hung round his neck and huge battle-axe in hand. Unheeding the countless
darts of the enemy, he gained the beach, followed by a few faithful
knights. There the redoubtable Richard actually put to flight the
thousands of Turks, dashed into the town, rescued the citadel, and drove
every infidel out of the gates of Jaffa.

The story seems incredible, but it is true.

Next day the generous Saladin, hearing that Richard had no horse,
exclaimed, "It is a disgrace that so great a king should lack a steed!"
So he sent one of his men with a charger to Richard. The king accepted
the gift and bade one of his men mount the beautiful Arabian.
Immediately the spirited steed took the bit between its teeth and
galloped back to the Saracen camp. "Right shamefaced was Saladin when
the horse returned," for he knew that some would suspect him of trying
to entrap Richard. He sent another horse to the king, and many apologies
for the bad behavior of the first. Richard, incapable of treachery
himself, had no suspicion of Saladin's good faith. He thanked the
messenger, and to show his confidence in the sultan, at once mounted and
rode the horse.

A few days afterwards, a large body of Turks unexpectedly attacked
Richard, who was encamped outside the walls of Jaffa with only fifteen
knights and a few thousand foot-soldiers. It was early morning, and a
soldier flew to Richard's tent, crying, "O king, we are dead men!"

"Silence," ordered the suddenly aroused king, "or I will kill you!"
Richard and his knights, throwing on their armor, mounted their horses
amid a shower of arrows from the Saracens. Hurriedly the king posted his
men to receive the attack. While doing this, he exhorted them to courage
with many brave words.

"Hold out stubbornly," he cried. "It is the duty of brave men to
triumph bravely or to die gloriously! Death threatens, but if it come,
let us receive martyrdom with a thankful mind. But before we die we will
take vengeance, and yield God thanks for granting us the martyr's death!
This is the true reward of our toils,--the end at once of life and
battles!"

Then this heroic Richard, grasping his lance, rode _alone_ across the
whole front of the enemies' lines, defying them to combat; and not one
dared to do battle with him single-handed. But they set his armor as
thick with javelins as "a hedgehog with bristles," and his horse was
soon covered with innumerable arrows sticking to its harness. The Turks,