be let off, and I begged for his place, and at last the governor allowed
me to join, but wouldn't let Noel off, because he was disgusted with him,
he was such a cry-baby. Yes, and much good he'll do the King's service;
he'll eat for six and run for sixteen. I hate a pygmy with half a heart
and nine stomachs!"

"Why, this is very surprising news to me, and I am sorry and disappointed
to hear it. I thought he was a very manly fellow."

The Paladin gave me an outraged look, and said:

"I don't see how you can talk like that, I'm sure I don't. I don't see
how you could have got such a notion. I don't dislike him, and I'm not
saying these things out of prejudice, for I don't allow myself to have
prejudices against people. I like him, and have always comraded with him
from the cradle, but he must allow me to speak my mind about his faults,
and I am willing he shall speak his about mine, if I have any. And, true
enough, maybe I have; but I reckon they'll bear inspection--I have that
idea, anyway. A manly fellow! You should have heard him whine and wail
and swear, last night, because the saddle hurt him. Why didn't the saddle
hurt me? Pooh--I was as much at home in it as if I had been born there.
And yet it was the first time I was ever on a horse. All those old
soldiers admired my riding; they said they had never seen anything like
it. But him--why, they had to hold him on, all the time."

An odor as of breakfast came stealing through the wood; the Paladin
unconsciously inflated his nostrils in lustful response, and got up and
limped painfully away, saying he must go and look to his horse.

At bottom he was all right and a good-hearted giant, without any harm in