ried away, ducking
his head, lest in spite of Myles's well-known good-nature the block
should come whizzing after him.

"Hear ye that now!" cried Myles, flinging down the block again and
turning to his two friends. "Beaten with straps because, forsooth, he
would not fetch and carry quickly enough to please the haste of these
bachelors. Oh, this passeth patience, and I for one will bear it no
longer."

"Nay, Myles," said Gascoyne, soothingly, "the little imp is as lazy as a
dormouse and as mischievous as a monkey. I'll warrant the hiding was his
due, and that more of the like would do him good."

"Why, how dost thou talk, Francis!" said Myles, turning upon him
indignantly. "Thou knowest that thou likest to see the boy beaten no
more than I." Then, after a meditative pause, "How many, think ye, we
muster of our company of the Rose today?"

Wilkes looked doubtfully at Gascoyne. "There be only seventeen of us
here now," said he at last. "Brinton and Lambourne are away to Roby
Castle in Lord George's train, and will not be back till Saturday next.
And Watt Newton is in the infirmary.

"Seventeen be'st enou," said Myles, grimly. "Let us get together this
afternoon, such as may, in the Brutus Tower, for I, as I did say, will
no longer suffer these vile bachelors."

Gascoyne and Wilkes exchanged looks, and then the former blew a long
whistle.

So that afternoon a gloomy set of young faces were gathered together in
the Eyry--fifteen of the Knights of the Rose--and all knew why they were
assembled. The talk which followed was conducted mostly by Myles. He
addressed the others with a straightforward vim and earnestness, but the
response was only half-hearted, and when at last, having heated himself
up with his own fire, he sat down, puffing out his red cheeks and
glaring round, a space of silence followed, the lads looked doubtfully
at one another. Myles felt the chill of their silence strike coldly on
his enthusiasm, and it vexed him.

"What wouldst thou do, Falworth?" said one of the knights, at last.
"Wouldst have us open a quarrel with the bachelors?"

"Nay," said Myles, gruffly. "I had thought that ye would all lend me a
hand in a pitched battle but now I see that ye ha' no stomach for that.
Ne'theless, I tell ye plainly I will not submit longer to the bachelors.
So now I will ask ye not to take any venture upon yourselves, but only
this: that ye will stand by me when I do my fighting, and not let five
or seven of