ick hastened to secure his post. The street he had to
guard was very narrow, and closely lined with houses, which projected and
overhung the roadway; but narrow and dark as it was, since it opened upon
the market-place of the town, the main issue of the battle would probably
fall to be decided on that spot.

The market-place was full of townspeople fleeing in disorder; but there
was as yet no sign of any foeman ready to attack, and Dick judged he had
some time before him to make ready his defence.

The two houses at the end stood deserted, with open doors, as the
inhabitants had left them in their flight, and from these he had the
furniture hastily tossed forth and piled into a barrier in the entry of
the lane. A hundred men were placed at his disposal, and of these he
threw the more part into the houses, where they might lie in shelter and
deliver their arrows from the windows. With the rest, under his own
immediate eye, he lined the barricade.

Meanwhile the utmost uproar and confusion had continued to prevail
throughout the town; and what with the hurried clashing of bells, the
sounding of trumpets, the swift movement of bodies of horse, the cries of
the commanders, and the shrieks of women, the noise was almost deafening
to the ear. Presently, little by little, the tumult began to subside;
and soon after, files of men in armour and bodies of archers began to
assemble and form in line of battle in the market-place.

A large portion of this body were in murrey and blue, and in the mounted
knight who ordered their array Dick recognised Sir Daniel Brackley.

Then there befell a long pause, which was followed by the almost
simultaneous sounding of four trumpets from four different quarters of
the town. A fifth rang in answer from the market-place, and at the same
moment the files began to move, and a shower of arrows rattled about the
barricade, and sounded like blows upon the walls of the two flanking
houses.

The attack had begun, by a common signal, on all the five issues of the
quarter. Gloucester was beleaguered upon every side; and Dick judged, if
he would make good his post, he must rely entirely on the hundred men of
his command.

Seven volleys of arrows followed one upon the other, and in the very
thick of the discharges Dick was touched from behind upon the arm, and
found a page holding out to him a leathern jack, strengthened with bright
plates of mail.

"It is from my Lord of Gloucester," said