in anger in his life, and he'll put you on leather pads and
things, and tap you soft like, and show you how to bow, s'loot, and cut
capers like a Frenchman, and when he's done with you I could cut you up
into mincemeat without you being able to give me a scratch."

"Get out!" cried Roy. "You don't think anything of the sort. What time
shall I come to-morrow morning--six?"

"No, sir, no. Bed's very nice at six o'clock in the morning. You stop
there, and then you won't be hurt."

"Five, then?" said Roy, sharply.

"Nay, sir; you wait for the big fencing-master."

"Five o'clock, I said," cried Roy.

The old soldier took the sword Roy had held, and fetching a piece of
leather from a drawer began to polish off the finger-marks left upon the
steel.

"I said five o'clock, Ben," cried the boy, very decisively.

"Nay, Master Roy, you give it up, sir. I'm too rough an old chap for
you."

"Sorry I was so disagreeable, Ben," said the boy, offering his hand.

"Mean it, sir?"

"Why, of course, Ben."

The hand was eagerly seized, and, it being understood that the sword
practice was to begin punctually at six next morning, they separated.

CHAPTER FIVE.

ROY TAKES HIS NEXT LESSON.

The clock in the little turret which stood out over the gate-way facing
Lady Royland's garden had not done striking six when Roy entered the
armoury next morning, to find Ben hard at work fitting the interior of a
light helmet with a small leather cap which was apparently well stuffed
with wool.

"Morning, Ben," said the boy. "What's that for?"

"You, sir."

"To wear?"

"Of course. Just as well to take care of your face and head when you're
handling swords. You can use it with the visor up or down, 'cording to
what we're doing. You see, I want to learn you how to use a sword like
a soldier, and not like a gentleman who never expects to see trouble."

"Ready?"

"Yes, sir, quite; and first thing 's morning we'll begin where we left
off, and you shall try to learn that you don't know how to thrust.
Nothing like finding out how bad you are. Then you can begin to see
better what you have to learn."

"Very well," said Roy, eagerly. "You'll have to look out now then, Ben,
for I mean to learn, and pretty quickly."

"Oh, yes; you'll learn quickly enough," said Ben, placing the helmet
upon the table and taking the pair of sticks up from where he had placed
them. "But say, Master Roy, I have been working here. Don't you t