of them dared to lend hand to help him, and so Myles fought his fierce
battle alone.

But four to one were odds too great, and though Myles struggled as
fiercely as ever, by-and-by it was with less and less resistance.

Blunt had picked up the clog he had dropped when he first attacked the
lad, and now stood over the struggling heap, white with rage, the blood
running from his lip, cut and puffed where Myles had struck him, and
murder looking out from his face, if ever it looked out of the face of
any mortal being.

"Hold him a little," said he, fiercely, "and I will still him for you."

Even yet it was no easy matter for the others to do his bidding, but
presently he got his chance and struck a heavy, cruel blow at Myles's
head. Myles only partly warded it with his arm. Hitherto he had fought
in silence, now he gave a harsh cry.

"Holy Saints!" cried Edmund Wilkes. "They will kill him."

Blunt struck two more blows, both of them upon the body, and then at
last they had the poor boy down, with his face upon the ground and his
arms pinned to his sides, and Blunt, bracing himself for the stroke,
with a grin of rage raised a heavy clog for one terrible blow that
should finish the fight.

CHAPTER 9

"How now, messieurs?" said a harsh voice, that fell upon the turmoil
like a thunder-clap, and there stood Sir James Lee. Instantly the
struggle ceased, and the combatants scrambled to their feet.

The older lads stood silent before their chief, but Myles was deaf and
blind and mad with passion, he knew not where he stood or what he said
or did. White as death, he stood for a while glaring about him, catching
his breath convulsively. Then he screamed hoarsely.

"Who struck me? Who struck me when I was down? I will have his blood
that struck me!" He caught sight of Blunt. "It was he that struck me!"
he cried. "Thou foul traitor! thou coward!" and thereupon leaped at his
enemy like a wild-cat.

"Stop!" cried Sir James Lee, clutching him by the arm.

Myles was too blinded by his fury to see who it was that held him. "I
will not stop!" he cried, struggling and striking at the knight. "Let me
go! I will have his life that struck me when I was down!"

The next moment he found himself pinned close against the wall, and
then, as though his sight came back, he saw the grim face of the old
one-eyed knight looking into his.

"Dost thou know who I am?" said a stern, harsh voice.

Instantly Myles ceased struggling, and