hard knocks, and manliness and courage were considered the first of
virtues. Their leader, however, still stood his ground on the crest,
though hardly pressed on all sides, and used his club both to strike and
parry with a skill which aroused the warmest admiration on the part of
the prince. In vain his followers attempted to come to his rescue; each
time they struggled up the heap they were beaten back again by those on
the crest.

"Yield thee prisoner," the assailants of their leader shouted, and the
prince in his excitement echoed the cry. The lad, however, heard or
heeded them not. He still kept his flag aloft in his left hand. With a
sudden spring he struck down one of his opponents, plucked up their flag
from the ground, and then fought his way back through his foes to the
edge of the battleground; then a heavy blow struck him on the temple,
and, still holding the flags, he rolled senseless to the foot of the
heap. The defenders with shouts of triumph were rushing down when the
prince urged his horse forward.

"Cease!" he said authoritatively. "Enough has been done, my young
masters, and the sport is becoming a broil."

Hitherto the lads, absorbed in their strife, had paid but little heed
to the party of onlookers; but at the word they at once arrested their
arms, and, baring their heads, stood still in confusion.

"No harm is done," the prince said, "though your sport is of the
roughest; but I fear that your leader is hurt, he moves not; lift his
head from the ground." The boy was indeed still insensible. "My lords,"
the prince said to the knights who had now ridden up, "I fear that this
boy is badly hurt; he is a gallant lad, and has the spirit of a true
knight in him, citizen's son though he be. My Lord de Vaux, will you bid
your squire ride at full speed to the Tower and tell Master Roger, the
leech, to come here with all haste, and to bring such nostrums as may be
needful for restoring the boy to life."

The Tower was but half a mile distant, but before Master Roger arrived
Walter had already recovered consciousness, and was just sitting up when
the leech hurried up to the spot.

"You have arrived too late, Master Roger," the prince said; "but I doubt
not that a dose of cordials may yet be of use, for he is still dazed,
and the blow he got would have cracked his skull had it been a thin
one."

The leech poured some cordial from a vial into a small silver cup and
held it to the boy's lips. It was pote