rticular King Carados had bidden them to seek Lancelot, and the king
of Northgalis to seek Tristram de Lyonesse.

"Lancelot is not far away," said Tristram. "As for me, I will be there,
and do my best to win honor in the fray."

And so he rode away, and soon after met with Sir Kay and Sir Sagramore,
with whom he refused to joust, as he wished to keep himself fresh for
the tournament.

But as Kay twitted him with being a cowardly knight of Cornwall, he
turned on him and smote him from his horse. Then, to complete the tale,
he served Sagramore with the same sauce, and serenely rode on his way,
leaving them to heal their bruises with repentance.

CHAPTER II.

ON THE ROAD TO THE TOURNAMENT.

Tristram now rode far alone through a country strange to him, and void
of knightly adventures. At length, however, chance brought to him a
damsel, who told him disconsolately that she sought a champion to cope
with a villanous knight, who was playing the tyrant over a wide
district, and who defied all errant knights.

"If you would win great honor come with me," she said.

"To win honor is the breath of my life," said Tristram. "Lead on, fair
maiden."

Then he rode with her a matter of six miles, when good fortune brought
them in contact with Sir Gawaine, who recognized the damsel as one of
Morgan le Fay's. On seeing her with an unknown knight he at once
surmised that there was some mischief afoot.

"Fair sir," said Gawaine, "whither ride you with that damsel?"

"Whither she may lead me," said Tristram. "That is all I know of the
matter."

"Then, by my good blade, you shall ride no farther with her, for she has
a breeder of ill for mistress, and means you a mischief."

He drew his sword as he spoke, and said in stern accents to the
damsel,--

"Tell me wherefore and whither you lead this knight, or you shall die on
the spot. I know you, minx, and the false-hearted witch who sends you."

"Mercy, Sir Gawaine!" she cried, trembling in mortal fear. "Harm me not,
and I will tell you all I know."

"Say on, then. I crave not your worthless life, but will have it if you
tell me not the truth."

"Good and valiant sir," she answered, "Queen Morgan le Fay, my lady, has
sent me and thirty ladies more, in search of Sir Lancelot or Sir
Tristram. Whoever of us shall first meet either of these knights is to
lead him to her castle, with a tale of worshipful deeds to be done and
wrongs to be righted. But thirty knights lie in