The dragon sat down and barked viciously, while St. George
with difficulty pulled his horse round into position.

"End of Round One!" thought the Boy. "How well they managed it!
But I hope the Saint won't get excited. I can trust the dragon
all right. What a regular play-actor the fellow is!"

St. George had at last prevailed on his horse to stand steady,
and was looking round him as he wiped his brow. Catching sight
of the Boy, he smiled and nodded, and held up three fingers for
an instant.

"It seems to be all planned out," said the Boy to himself.
"Round Three is to be the finishing one, evidently. Wish it
could have lasted a bit longer. Whatever's that old fool of a
dragon up to now?"

The dragon was employing the interval in giving a ramping-
performance for the benefit of the crowd. Ramping, it should be
explained, consists in running round and round in a wide
circle, and sending waves and ripples of movement along the whole
length of your spine, from your pointed ears right down to the
spike at the end of your long tail. When you are covered with
blue scales, the effect is particularly pleasing; and the Boy
recollected the dragon's recently expressed wish to become a
social success.

St. George now gathered up his reins and began to move forward,
dropping the point of his spear and settling himself firmly in
the saddle.