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aimed cast of the knife。 Suddenly that impish little page spoken of before；
Robin Ingoldsby； thrust his shock head around the corner of the smithy；
and said： 〃Ho； Falworth！ Blunt is going to serve thee out to…day； and I
myself heard him say so。 He says he is going to slit thine ears。〃 And then
he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared。
Myles darted after him； caught him midway in the quadrangle； and
brought him back by the scuff of the neck； squalling and struggling。
〃There！〃 said he； still panting from the chase and seating the boy by no
means gently upon the bench beside Wilkes。 〃Sit thou there； thou imp of
evil！ And now tell me what thou didst mean by thy words anonan thou
stop not thine outcry； I will cut thy throat for thee；〃 and he made a
ferocious gesture with his dagger。
It was by no means easy to worm the story from the mischievous little
monkey； he knew Myles too well to be in the least afraid of his threats。
But at last； by dint of bribing and coaxing； Myles and his friends managed
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to get at the facts。 The youngster had been sent to clean the riding…boots of
one of the bachelors； instead of which he had lolled idly on a cot in the
dormitory； until he had at last fallen asleep。 He had been awakened by the
opening of the dormitory door and by the sound of voicesamong them
was that of his taskmaster。 Fearing punishment for his neglected duty； he
had slipped out of the cot； and hidden himself beneath it。
Those who had entered were Walter Blunt and three of the older
bachelors。 Blunt's companions were trying to persuade him against
something； but without avail。 It wasMyles's heart thrilled and his blood
boiledto lie in wait for him； to overpower him by numbers； and to
mutilate him by slitting his earsa disgraceful punishment administered；
as a rule； only for thieving and poaching。
〃He would not dare to do such a thing！〃 cried Myles； with heaving
breast and flashing eyes。
〃Aye； but he would；〃 said Gascoyne。 〃His father； Lord Reginald Blunt；
is a great man over Nottingham way； and my Lord would not dare to
punish him even for such a matter as that。 But tell me； Robin Ingoldsby；
dost know aught more of this matter？ Prithee tell it me； Robin。 Where do
they propose to lie in wait for Falworth？〃
〃In the gate…way of the Buttery Court； so as to catch him when he
passes by to the armory；〃 answered the boy。
〃Are they there now？〃 said Wilkes。
〃Aye； nine of them；〃 said Robin。 〃I heard Blunt tell Mowbray to go
and gather the others。 He heard thee tell Gosse； Falworth； that thou wert
going thither for thy arbalist this morn to shoot at the rooks withal。〃
〃That will do； Robin；〃 said Myles。 〃Thou mayst go。〃
And therewith the little imp scurried off； pulling the lobes of his ears
suggestively as he darted around the corner。
The others looked at one another for a while in silence。
〃So； comrades；〃 said Myles at last； 〃what shall we do now？〃 〃Go；
and tell Sir James；〃 said Gascoyne； promptly。
〃Nay；〃 said Myles； 〃I take no such coward's part as that。 I say an they
hunger to fight； give them their stomachful。〃
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The others were very reluctant for such extreme measures； but Myles；
as usual； carried his way； and so a pitched battle was decided upon。 It was
Gascoyne who suggested the plan which they afterwards followed。
Then Wilkes started away to gather together those of the Knights of
the Rose not upon household duty； and Myles； with the others； went to the
armor smith to have him make for them a set of knives with which to meet
their enemies knives with blades a foot long； pointed and double… edged。
The smith； leaning with his hammer upon the anvil； listened to them as
they described the weapons。
〃Nay； nay； Master Myles；〃 said he； when Myles had ended by telling
the use to which he intended putting them。 〃Thou art going all wrong in
this matter。 With such blades； ere this battle is ended； some one would be
slain； and so murder done。 Then the family of him who was killed would
haply have ye cited； and mayhap it might e'en come to the hanging； for
some of they boys ha' great folkeys behind them。 Go ye to Tom Fletcher；
Master Myles； and buy of him good yew staves； such as one might break a
head withal； and with them； gin ye keep your wits； ye may hold your own
against knives or short swords。 I tell thee； e'en though my trade be making
of blades； rather would I ha' a good stout cudgel in my hand than the best
dagger that ever was forged。〃
Myles stood thoughtfully for a moment or two； then； looking up；
〃Methinks thou speaketh truly； Robin；〃 said he； 〃and it were ill done to
have blood upon our hands。〃
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CHAPTER 15
From the long； narrow stone…paved Armory Court； and connecting it
with the inner Buttery Court； ran a narrow arched passage…way； in which
was a picket…gate； closed at night and locked from within。 It was in this
arched passage…way that； according to little Robert Ingoldsby's report； the
bachelors were lying in wait for Myles。 Gascoyne's plan was that Myles
should enter the court alone； the Knights of the Rose lying ambushed
behind the angle of the armory building until the bachelors should show
themselves。
It was not without trepidation that Myles walked alone into the court；
which happened then to be silent and empty。 His heart beat more quickly
than it was wont； and he gripped his cudgel behind his back； looking
sharply this way and that； so as not to be taken unawares by a flank
movement of his enemies。 Midway in the court he stopped and hesitated
for a moment； then he turned as though to enter the armory。 The next
moment he saw the bachelors come pouring out from the archway。
Instantly he turned and rushed back towards where his friends lay
hidden； shouting： 〃To the rescue！ To the rescue！〃
〃Stone him！〃 roared Blunt。 〃The villain escapes！
He stopped and picked up a cobble…stone as he spoke； flinging it after
his escaping prey。 It narrowly missed Myles's head； had it struck him；
there might have been no more of this story to tell。
〃To the rescue！ To the rescue！〃 shouted Myles's friends in answer； and
the next moment he was surrounded by them。 Then he turned； and
swinging his cudgel； rushed back upon his foes。
The bachelors stopped short at the unexpected sight of the lads with
their cudgels。 For a moment they rallied and drew their knives； then they
turned and fled towards their former place of hiding。
One of them turned for a moment； and flung his knife at Myles with a
deadly aim； but Myles； quick as a cat； ducked his body； and the weapon
flew clattering across the stony court。 Then he who had flung it turned
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again to fly； but in his attempt he had delayed one instant too long。 Myles
reached him with a long…arm stroke of his cudgel just as he entered the
passage…way； knocking him over like a bottle； stunned and senseless。
The next moment the picket…gate was banged in their faces and the
bolt shot in the staples； and the Knights of the Rose were left shouting and
battering with their cudgels against the palings。
By this time the uproar of fight had aroused those in the rooms and
offices fronting upon the Armory Court； heads were thrust from many of
the windows with the eager interest that a fight always evokes。
〃Beware！〃 shouted Myles。 〃Here they come again！〃 He bore back
towards the entrance of the alley…way as he spoke； those behind him
scattering to right and left； for the bachelors had rallied； and were coming
again to the attack； shouting。
They were not a moment too soon in this retreat； either； for the next
instant the pickets flew