led themselves with those of his comrades who seemed to
have most to give. Nigel's party was soon clear of the column of archers
and riding hard in the direction of the Prince's army. They passed by a
narrow and winding track, through the great wood of Nouaille, and found
before them a marshy valley down which ran a sluggish stream. Along its
farther bank hundreds of horses were being watered, and beyond was
a dense block of wagons. Through these the comrades passed, and then
topped a small mound from which the whole strange scene lay spread
before them.

Down the valley the slow stream meandered with marshy meadows on
either side. A mile or two lower a huge drove of horses were to be seen
assembled upon the bank. They were the steeds of the French cavalry,
and the blue haze of a hundred fires showed where King John's men were
camping. In front of the mound upon which they stood the English line
was drawn, but there were few fires, for indeed, save their horses,
there was little for them to cook. Their right rested upon the river,
and their array stretched across a mile of ground until the left was in
touch with a tangled forest which guarded it from flank attack. In front
was a long thick hedge and much broken ground, with a single deeply
rutted country road cutting through it in the middle. Under the hedge
and along the Whole front of the position lay swarms of archers upon the
grass, the greater number slumbering peacefully with sprawling limbs
in the warm rays of the September sun. Behind were the quarters of the
various knights, and from end to end flew the banners and pennons marked
with the devices of the chivalry of England and Guienne.

With a glow in his heart Nigel saw those badges of famous captains and
leaders and knew that now at last he also might show his coat-armor in
such noble company. There was the flag of Jean Grailly, the Captal de
Buch, five silver shells on a black cross, which marked the presence of
the most famous soldier of Gascony, while beside it waved the red lion
of the noble Knight of Hainault, Sir Eustace d'Ambreticourt. These two
coats Nigel knew, as did every warrior in Europe, but a dense grove of
pennoned lances surrounded them, bearing charges which were strange
to him, from which he understood that these belonged to the Guienne
division of the army. Farther down the line the famous English ensigns
floated on the wind, the scarlet and gold of Warwick, the silver star
of Oxford, the