his station in the
gap and faced the coming host. The breach was some ten yards wide, but
it was only for about half this width that the mound of broken stones
rendered it possible for their enemies to assault, consequently there
was but a space of some fifteen feet in width to be defended. Regardless
of the flights of arrows, the French, headed by their knights and
squires, advanced to the assault, and clambering up the rough stones
attacked the defenders.

Walter, with Ralph and three of his best men-at-arms, stood in the front
line and received the first shock of the assault. The roughness and
steepness of the mound prevented the French from attacking in regular
order, and the very eagerness of the knights and squires who came first
in contact with their enemies was a hindrance to them. When the columns
were seen gathering for the assault Walter had scattered several barrels
full of oil and tar which he found in the cellars over the mound in
front of the breach, rendering it greasy and slippery, and causing the
assailants to slip and stagger and many to fall as they pressed forward
to the assault. Before the fight commenced he had encouraged his
soldiers by recalling to them how a mere handful of men had at Cressy
withstood for hours the desperate efforts of the whole of the French
army to break through their line, and all were prepared to fight to the
death.

The struggle was a desperate one. Served by their higher position, and
by the difficulties which the French encountered from the slipperiness
of the ground and their own fierce ardour to attack, Walter and his
little band for a long time resisted every effort. He with his sword
and Ralph with his heavy mace did great execution, and they were nobly
seconded by their men-at-arms. As fast as one fell another took his
place. The breach in front of them was cumbered with dead and red with
blood. Still the French poured upwards in a wave, and the sheer weight
of their numbers and the fatigue caused by the tremendous exertions
the defenders were making began to tell. Step by step the English were
driven back, and Walter saw that the defence could not much longer be
continued. He bade one of his men-at-arms at once order the archers to
cease firing, and, leaving the walls, to take refuge in the keep, and
thence to open fire upon the French as they poured through the breach.

When he found that this movement had been accomplished Walter bade the
men-at-arms fall bac