"It is quick that he is," said Gascoyne, speaking up in his friend's
behalf. "For the second time that Falworth delivered the stroke, Sir
James could not reach him to return; so I saw with mine own eyes."

But that very sterling independence that had brought Myles so creditably
through this adventure was certain to embroil him with the rude,
half-savage lads about him, some of whom, especially among the
bachelors, were his superiors as well in age as in skill and training.
As said before, the bachelors had enforced from the younger boys a
fagging sort of attendance on their various personal needs, and it was
upon this point that Myles first came to grief. As it chanced, several
days passed before any demand was made upon him for service to the heads
of the squirehood, but when that demand was made, the bachelors were
very quick to see that the boy who was bold enough to speak up to Sir
James Lee was not likely to be a willing fag for them.

"I tell thee, Francis," he said, as Gascoyne and he talked over the
matter one day--"I tell thee I will never serve them. Prithee, what
shame can be fouler than to do such menial service, saving for one's
rightful Lord?"

"Marry!" quoth Gascoyne; "I reason not of shame at this or that. All I
know is that others serve them who are haply as good and maybe better
than I be, and that if I do not serve them I get knocked i' th' head
therefore, which same goeth soothly against my stomach."

"I judge not for thee," said Myles. "Thou art used to these castle
ways, but only I know that I will not serve them, though they be thirty
against me instead of thirteen."