addressed the others with a straightforward vim and earnestness, but the
response was only half-hearted, and when at last, having heated himself
up with his own fire, he sat down, puffing out his red cheeks and
glaring round, a space of silence followed, the lads looked doubtfully
at one another. Myles felt the chill of their silence strike coldly on
his enthusiasm, and it vexed him.

"What wouldst thou do, Falworth?" said one of the knights, at last.
"Wouldst have us open a quarrel with the bachelors?"

"Nay," said Myles, gruffly. "I had thought that ye would all lend me a
hand in a pitched battle but now I see that ye ha' no stomach for that.
Ne'theless, I tell ye plainly I will not submit longer to the bachelors.
So now I will ask ye not to take any venture upon yourselves, but only
this: that ye will stand by me when I do my fighting, and not let five
or seven of them fall upon me at once.

"There is Walter Blunt; he is parlous strong," said one of the others,
after a time of silence. "Methinks he could conquer any two of us."

"Nay," said Myles; "ye do fear him too greatly. I tell ye I fear not to
stand up to try battle with him and will do so, too, if the need arise.
Only say ye that ye will stand by my back."

"Marry," said Gascoyne, quaintly, "an thou wilt dare take the heavy end
upon thee, I for one am willing to stand by and see that thou have thy
fill of fighting."

"I too will stand thee by, Myles," said Edmund Wilkes.