to me,"
said the grim old warrior, "I've seen too many towns taken for that, but
it might make the lad queasy, and cost him a thumb or so."

Of course this renewed the dismay and excitement, and both Tibble and
his master entreated Stephen to give up the undertaking if he felt the
least misgiving as to his own steadiness, arguing that they should not
think him any more a craven than they did Kit Smallbones or Edmund
Burgess. But Stephen's mind was made up, his spirit was high, and he
was resolved to go through with it.

He held out his open hand, a rosy-checked apple was carefully laid on
it. The sword flashed through the air--divided in half the apple which
remained on Stephen's palm. There was a sharp shriek from a window,
drowned in the acclamations of the whole court, while the Captain patted
Stephen on the shoulder, exclaiming, "Well done, my lad. There's the
making of a tall fellow in thee! If ever thou art weary of making
weapons and wouldst use them instead, seek out John Fulford, of the
Badger troop, and thou shalt have a welcome. Our name is the Badger,
because there's no troop like us for digging out mines beneath the
walls."

A few months ago such an invitation would have been bliss to Stephen.
Now he was bound in all honour and duty to his master, and could only
thank the knight of the Badger, and cast a regretful eye at him, as he
drank a cup of wine, and flung a bag of gold and silver, supplemented by
a heavy chain, to Master Headley, who prudently declined working for
Free Companions, unless he were paid beforehand; and, at the knight's
request, took charge of a sufficient amount to pay his fare back again
to the Continent. Then mounting a tall, lean, bony horse, the knight
said he should call for his armour on returning from Somerset, and rode
off, while Stephen found himself exalted as a hero in the eyes of his
companions for an act common enough at feats of arms among modern
cavalry, but quite new to the London flat-caps. The only sufferer was
little Dennet, who had burst into an agony of crying at the sight,
needed that Stephen should spread out both hands before her, and show
her the divided apple, before she would believe that his thumb was in
its right place, and at night screamed out in her sleep that the ill-
favoured man was cutting off Stephen's hands.

The sword was left behind by Sir John in order that it might be fitted
with a scabbard and belt worthy of it; and on examination,