ience, which
greeted him with plaudits again and again renewed.

"See!" exclaimed De Lacey, with eyes wide open with astonishment,
"where's he come from?"

"Never saw a neater thing in my life," replied Sir George, enraptured
at the trick. "Look now!"

Sir John looked as he was bidden, and saw the astounded De la Zouch
receive a stinging blow on his arm from his opponent ere he had
recovered from his surprise.

As the lances of both were now broken, the trumpet sounded, and the
combatants, nothing loth, rode off for a few minutes' rest, and a
fresh supply of weapons.

The latter having been procured, they very quickly renewed the
struggle, and this time De la Zouch had better fortune, for just as
the bugles were sounding for them to cease he pierced the joint of
Manners' armour, and inflicted a nasty flesh wound upon his elbow.

As the latter would not own himself vanquished, even at Dorothy's
request, the conflict was resumed, and this time with swords, and here
the inferiority of De la Zouch was soon apparent. Though he was no
mean swordsman, yet his opponent was far more than a match for him,
and blow after blow was rained down upon him, whilst on his own part
Sir Henry was too busily engaged in defending himself to attempt to
act on the offensive. He was hard pressed, and it was fortunate indeed
for him when the signal was given which called upon them both to
desist awhile, in order to gain fresh breath, and to put to rights, as
far as they were able, the damages they had already received.

The interval was filled up by the shouts of the onlookers, who now
made up for their previous silence by loudly criticising the deeds
of their respective champion, and vociferously calling out their
particular favourite worthless instructions how to proceed when the
conflict was continued.

Eustace stood ready to receive his master, and give him cordials
wherein to reinvigorate his nerves, while Crowleigh was in waiting in
lieu of a page, to bathe his friend's wounds with water.

The sight of blood, which slowly trickled from Manners' arm, reminded
a Woode that he was a doctor, and, leaping from his seat, he clambered
over the balcony and rushed across the arena to where the wounded
esquire was standing.

"Let me see it," he cried. "This must be stopped at once. Sir Henry, I
declare you the winner of the----"

"Hold there," cried Manners, "I have not yielded yet."

"Leave him alone, Sir Benedict," added Crowleigh.