all directions without waiting
to perceive how slender the succouring force really was.

Edmund and Stephen were raising up the unlucky Giles, who lay quite
insensible, with blood pouring from his eye. Ambrose tried to wipe it
away, and there were anxious doubts whether the eye itself were safe.
They were some way from home, and Giles was the biggest and heaviest of
them all.

"Would that Kit Smallbones were here!" said Stephen, preparing to take
the feet, while Edmund took the shoulders.

"Look here," said Will Wherry, pulling Ambrose's sleeve, "our yard is
much nearer, and the old Moor, Master Michael, is safe to know what to
do for him. That sort of cattle always are leeches. He wiled the pain
from my thumb when 'twas crushed in our printing-press. Mayhap if he
put some salve to him, he might get home on his own feet."

Edmund listened. "There's reason in that," he said. "Dost know this
leech, Ambrose?"

"I know him well. He is a good old man, and wondrous wise. Nay, no
black arts; but he saith his folk had great skill in herbs and the like,
and though he be no physician by trade, he hath much of their lore."

"Have with thee, then," returned Edmund, "the rather that Giles is no
small weight, and the guard might come on us ere we reached the Dragon."

"Or those cowardly rogues of the Eagle might set on us again," added
Stephen; and as they went on their way to Warwick Inner Ward, he
explained that the cause of the encounter had been that Giles had
thought fit to prank himself in his father's silver chain, and thus
George Bates, always owing the Dragon a grudge, and rendered specially
malicious since the encounter on Holy Rood Day, had raised the cry
against him, and caused all the flat-caps around to make a rush at the
gaud as lawful prey.

"'Tis clean against prentice statutes to wear one, is it not?" asked
Ambrose.

"Ay," returned Stephen; "yet none of us but would stand up for our own
comrade against those meddling fellows of the Eagle."

"But," added Edmund, "we must beware the guard, for if they looked into
the cause of the fray, our master might be called on to give Giles a
whipping in the Company's hall, this being a second offence of going
abroad in these vanities."

Ambrose went on before to prepare Miguel Abenali, and entreat his good
offices, explaining that the youth's master, who was also his kinsman,
would be sure to give handsome payment for any good offices to him. He
scarcely