sufficient representatives to make up the hundred, who will fight as
men-at-arms; these will wear steel caps and breastpieces, with leather
jerkins, and vizors to protect their faces, for even a blunted arrow or
wooden quarrel might well kill if it struck true."

On leaving the marshal Walter joined Giles Fletcher and Geoffrey Ward, who
warmly congratulated him upon his success. He informed them of the
spectacle which the king had prepared for the amusement of the citizens on
the morrow.

"In faith," Geoffrey said, "the idea is a good one, and promises rare
sport, but it will be rough, and we may expect many broken limbs, for it be
no joke to be thrown down with a ladder from a wall even twelve feet high,
and there will be the depth of the moat besides."

"That will only be two feet," Walter said, "for so it is marked on the
plan."

"And which do you mean to take, Walter, the attack or the defence? Methinks
the king has erred somewhat in making the forces equal, for assuredly the
besiegers should outnumber the besieged by fully three to one to give them
a fair chance of success."

"I shall take the assault," Walter answered; "there is more to be done that
way than in the defence. When we get home, Geoffrey, we will look at the
plans, and see what may be the best manner of assault."

Upon examining the plan that evening they found that the wall was continued
at an angle at either end for a distance of some twenty feet back so as to
give a postern gate behind each of the corner towers through which a sortie