All that stood around smiled at this, for it seemed a merry wager for
a king to give to a queen; but Queen Eleanor bowed her head quietly. "I
will take thy wager," said she, "for I know right well where to place
those things that thou hast spoken of. Now, who will be on my side in
this matter?" And she looked around upon them that stood about; but no
one spake or cared to wager upon the Queen's side against such archers
as Tepus and Gilbert and Clifton. Then the Queen spoke again, "Now, who
will back me in this wager? Wilt thou, my Lord Bishop of Hereford?"

"Nay," quoth the Bishop hastily, "it ill befits one of my cloth to deal
in such matters. Moreover, there are no such archers as His Majesty's in
all the world; therefore I would but lose my money.

"Methinks the thought of thy gold weigheth more heavily with thee than
the wrong to thy cloth," said the Queen, smiling, and at this a ripple
of laughter went around, for everyone knew how fond the Bishop was of
his money. Then the Queen turned to a knight who stood near, whose name
was Sir Robert Lee. "Wilt thou back me in this manner?" said she. "Thou
art surely rich enough to risk so much for the sake of a lady."

"To pleasure my Queen I will do it," said Sir Robert Lee, "but for the
sake of no other in all the world would I wager a groat, for no man can
stand against Tepus and Gilbert and Clifton."

Then turning to the King, Queen Eleanor said, "I want no such aid as Sir
Robert giveth me; but against thy wine and beer and stout bows of yew I
wager this girdle all set with jewels from around my waist; and surely
that is worth more than thine."

"Now, I take thy wager," quoth the King. "Send for thy archers
straightway. But here come forth the others; let them shoot, and then I
will match those that win against all the world."

"So be it," said the Queen. Thereupon, beckoning to young Richard
Partington, she whispered something in his ear, and straightway the Page
bowed and left the place, crossing the meadow to the other side of the
range, where he was presently lost in the crowd. At this, all that stood
around whispered to one another, wondering what it all meant, and what
three men the Queen was about to set against those famous archers of the
King's guard.

And now the ten archers of the King's guard took their stand again, and
all the great crowd was hushed to the stillness of death. Slowly and
carefully each man shot his shafts, and so deep was the silen