Devlen.

"By 'r Lady! thou art a cool blade, Myles," said Gascoyne, as they
marched back to the armory again. "Never heard I one bespeak Sir James
as thou hast done this day."

"And, after all," said another of the young squires, "old Bruin was not
so ill-pleased, methinks. That was a shrewd blow he fetched thee on the
crown, Falworth. Marry, I would not have had it on my own skull for a
silver penny."



CHAPTER 7

So little does it take to make a body's reputation.

That night all the squires' quarters buzzed with the story of how the
new boy, Falworth, had answered Sir James Lee to his face without fear,
and had exchanged blows with him hand to hand. Walter Blunt himself was
moved to some show of interest.

"What said he to thee, Falworth?" asked he.

"He said naught," said Myles, brusquely. "He only sought to show me how
to recover from the under cut."

"It is passing strange that he should take so much notice of thee as to
exchange blows with thee with his own hand. Haply thou art either very
quick or parlous slow at arms."