ye to gainsay any of my orders or permits, come ye first to me. Dost
thou understand?"

"Aye," answered Blunt, sullenly.

"So be it, and now get thee gone," said the knight; "and let me hear no
more of beating out brains with wooden clogs. An ye fight your battles,
let there not be murder in them. This is twice that the like hath
happed; gin I hear more of such doings--" He did utter his threat, but
stopped short, and fixed his one eye sternly upon the head squire. "Now
shake hands, and be ye friends," 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 was down."

"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 wilt thou not
serve these bachelors as the other squires do? Such is the custom here.
Why wilt thou not obey it?"

"Because," said Myles, "I cannot stomach it, and they shall not make me
serve them. An thou bid me do it, sir, I will do it; but not at their
command."

"Nay," said the knight, "I do not bid thee do them service. That lieth
with thee, to render or not, as thou seest fit. But how canst thou hope
to fight single-handed against the commands of a dozen lads all older