the next battle may
leave them widows. This has been always somewhat of a marvel to me;
but I suppose that it is human nature, and that admiration for deeds of
valour and bravery is ingrained in the heart of man, and will continue
until such times come that the desire for wealth, which is ever on the
increase, has so seized all men that they will look with distaste upon
everything which can interfere with the making of money, and will regard
the man who amasses gold by trading as a higher type than he who does
valiant deeds in battle."

"Surely that can never be," Walter said indignantly.

"There is no saying," the armourer answered; "at any rate, Walter,
it will matter little to you or to me, for many generations must pass
before such a state of things can come about."

Two days later Walter, who had been across into the city, returned in a
state of excitement.

"What do you think, Geoffrey? The king, with the Prince of Wales and all
his court, are coming to the games next month. They say that the
king himself will adjudge the prizes; and there is to be a grand
assault-at-arms between ten of the 'prentices with a captain, and an
equal number of sons of nobles and knights."

"That will be rare," Geoffrey Ward exclaimed; "but there will be some
broken limbs, and maybe worse. These assaults-at-arms seldom end without
two or three being killed. However, you youngsters will not hit as hard
as trained knights; and if the armour be good, no great damage should be
done."

"Do you think that I shall be one of the ten?" Walter asked anxiously.

"Just as if you did not know you would," Geoffrey replied, laughing.
"Did you not win the prize for swordplay last year? And twelve months
have added much to the strength of your arm, to say nothing of your
skill with weapons. If you win this year again--and it will be strange
if you do not--you are like enough to be chosen captain. You will
have tough fighting, I can tell you, for all these young aspirants to
knighthood will do their best to show themselves off before the king and
queen. The fight is not to take place on horseback, I hope; for if so,
it will be settled as soon as it begins."

"No, it is to be on foot; and the king himself is to give orders as to
the fighting."

"You had best get out that helmet and coat of mail of yours," Geoffrey
said, "I warrant me that there will be none of finer make or of truer
metal in the tourney, seeing that I made them specially for y