o earnest, were fought between the lads of
the different wards. Walter Fletcher, as he was known among his
play-fellows, had by his strength and courage won for himself the proud
position of captain of the boys of the ward of Aldgate.

Geoffrey Ward had kept his word, and had already begun to give the lad
lessons in the use of arms. When not engaged otherwise Walter would,
almost every afternoon, cross London Bridge and would spend hours in the
armourer's forge. Geoffrey's business had grown, for the war had caused
a great demand for arms, and he had now six men working in the forge. As
soon as the boy could handle a light tool Geoffrey allowed him to work,
and although not able to wield the heavy sledge Walter was able to do
much of the finer work. Geoffrey encouraged him in this, as, in the
first place, the use of the tools greatly strengthened the boy's
muscles, and gave him an acquaintance with arms. Moreover, Geoffrey was
still a bachelor, and he thought that the boy, whom he as well as Giles
had come to love as a son, might, should he not take up the trade of
war, prefer the occupation of an armourer to that of a bowmaker, in
which case he would take him some day as his partner in the forge. After
work was over and the men had gone away, Geoffrey would give the lad
instructions in the use of the arms at which he had been at work, and so
quick and strong was he that he rapidly acquired their use, and Geoffrey
foresaw that he would one day, should his thoughts turn that way, prove
a mighty man-at-arms.

It was the knowledge which he acquired from Geoffrey which had much to
do with Walter's position among his comrades. The skill and strength
which he had acquired in wielding the hammer, and by practice with the
sword rendered him a formidable opponent with the sticks, which
formed the weapons in the mimic battles, and indeed not a few were the
complaints which were brought before Giles Fletcher of bruises and hurts
caused by him.

"You are too turbulent, Walter," the bowyer said one day when a
haberdasher from the ward of Aldersgate came to complain that his son's
head had been badly cut by a blow with a club from Walter Fletcher. "You
are always getting into trouble, and are becoming the terror of other
boys. Why do you not play more quietly? The feuds between the boys of
different wards are becoming a serious nuisance, and many injuries have
been inflicted. I hear that the matter has been mentioned in the Common