"Why, how now, Blunt," said Sir James, when Myles had ended, "Imyself gave the lads leave to go to the river to bathe. Whereforeshouldst thou forbid one of them?""I did it but to punish this fellow for his mutiny," said thebachelor. "Methought we at their head were to have oversightconcerning them.""So ye are," said the knight; "but only to a degree. Ere ye takeit upon ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye firstto me. Dost thou understand?""Aye," answered Blunt, sullenly.
"So be it, and now get thee gone," said the knight; "and let mehear no more of beating out brains with wooden clogs. An ye fightyour battles, let there not be murder in them. This is twice thatthe like hath happed; gin I hear more of such doings--" He didutter his threat, but stopped short, and fixed his one eyesternly upon the head squire. "Now shake hands, and be yefriends," said he, abruptly.
Blunt made a motion to obey, but Myles put his hand behind him.
"Nay, I shake not hands with any one who struck me while I wasdown.""So be it," said the knight, grimly. "Now thou mayst go, Blunt.
Thou, Falworth, stay; I would bespeak thee further.""Tell me," said he, when the elder lad had left them, "why wiltthou not serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such isthe custom here. Why wilt thou not obey it?""Because," said Myles, "I cannot stomach it, and they shall notmake me serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; butnot at their command.""Nay," said the knight, "I do not bid thee do them service. Thatlieth with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But howcanst thou hope to fight single-handed against the commands of adozen lads all older and mightier than thou?""I know not," said Myles; "but were they an hundred, instead ofthirteen, they should not make me serve them.""Thou art a fool!" said the old knight, smiling faintly, "forthat be'st not courage, but folly. When one setteth aboutrighting a wrong, one driveth not full head against it, for in sodoing one getteth naught but hard knocks. Nay, go deftly aboutit, and then, when the time is ripe, strike the blow. Now ourbeloved King Henry, when he was the Earl of Derby, what could hehave gained had he stood so against the old King Richard,brooking the King face to face? I tell thee he would have beenknocked on the head as thou wert like to have been this day. Nowwere I thee, and had to fight a fight against odds, I would firstget me friends behind me, and then--" He stopped short, but Mylesunderstood him well enough.
"Sir," said he, with a gulp, "I do thank thee for thy friendship,and ask thy pardon for doing as I did anon.""I grant thee pardon," said the knight, "but tell thee plainly,an thou dost face me so again, I will truly send thee to theblack cell for a week. Now get thee away."All the other lads were gone when Myles came forth, save only thefaithful Gascoyne, who sacrificed his bath that day to stay withhis friend; and perhaps that little act of self-denial movedMyles more than many a great thing might have done.
"It was right kind of thee, Francis," said he, laying his handaffectionately on his friend's shoulder. "I know not why thoulovest me so.""Why, for one thing, this matter," answered his friend; "becausemethinks thou art the best fighter and the bravest one of all ofus squires."Myles laughed. Nevertheless Gascoyne's words were a soothing balmfor much that had happened that day. "I will fight me no morejust now," said he; and then he told his friend all that SirJames had advised about biding his time.
Gascoyne blew a long whistle. "Beshrew me!" quoth he, "butmethinks old Bruin is on thy side of the quarrel, Myles. An thatbe so, I am with thee also, and others that I can name as well.""So be it," said Myles. "Then am I content to abide the time whenwe may become strong enough to stand against them."
