swords, cruel faces, and savage oaths.

Some wore steel breastplates, like that of the suit of armour in the
hall, and steel helmets. The sight of the camp thrilled the boy in
his dream, and yet he knew that he had seen it all before actually,
and in real life--in some former life.

Beside one of a small cluster of tents that stood well apart from the
rest sat a big man who instantly reminded the boy of his dread
"Grandfather," whom he would have loved to have loved had he been
given the chance.

The big man was even more strangely attired than those others who
clumped and clattered about the lower part of the camp.

Fancy a great big strong man with long curls, a lace collar, and a
velvet coat--like a kid going to a party!

The velvet coat had the strangest sleeves, too--made to button to the
elbow and full of slits that seemed to have been mended underneath
with blue silk. There was a regular pattern of these silk-mended slits
about the body of the coat, too, and funny silk-covered buttons.

On his head the man had a great floppy felt hat with a huge feather--a
hat very like one that Dearest wore, only bigger.

One of his long curls was tied with a bow of ribbon--like young
Lucille wore--and the boy felt quite uncomfortable as he noted it. A
grown man--the silly ass! And, yes! he had actually got lace round the
bottoms of his quaint baggy knickerbockers--as well as lace cuffs!