From the tower above, the defenders now hurled over great stones, which had
been specially placed there for the purpose of destroying the drawbridge
should the earthwork be carried. The boards were soon splintered, and the
drawbridge was pronounced by the Earl of Talbot, who was acting as judge,
to be destroyed. The excitement of the spectators was worked up to a great
pitch while the conflict was going on, and the citizens cheered lustily at
the success of the apprentices.

"That was gallantly done," the king said to Queen Philippa, "and the leader
of the assailants is a lad of rare mettle. Not a captain of my army, no,
not Sir Walter Manny himself, could have done it more cleverly. You see, by
placing his forces at the ends of the wall he drew all the garrison thither
to withstand the assaults from them, and thus by his sudden movement he was
able to carry the outwork before they could recover from their surprise,
and come down to its aid. I am curious to know what he will do next. What
thinkst thou, Edward?" he asked his son, who was standing by his side.

"He will win the day," the young prince said; "and in faith, although the
others are my comrades, I should be glad to see it. He will make a gallant
knight, sir, one of these days, and remember he is engaged to follow my
banner, so you must not steal him from me. See, my liege, they are taking
planks and ladders to the outwork."

"They are doing wrongly then," the king said, "for even should they bridge
the moat where the drawbridge is, they cannot scale the wall there, since
the tower defends it, and the ladders are but long enough to reach the
lower wall. No, their leader has changed his mind, they are taking the
planks along the edge of the moat towards the tower on the left, and will
aid the assault by its bridge by a passage of the moat there.