would be well in the county; but at last he has fixed on your
brother, because he may do somewhat for me with the Prince."

"Then you are going with us to Bordeaux?" exclaimed Eustace, eagerly.

"Ay, truly."

"Nay, but that is a right joyful hearing!" said Eustace. "Old
friends should be brethren in arms."

"But, Eustace," said young Ashton, lowering his voice to a
confidential whisper, "I like not that outlandish Squire, so
tall and black. Men say he is a Moor--a worshipper of Mahound."

Eustace laughed heartily at this report, and assured his friend
that, though he had heard his brother often give his Squire in
jest his _nom de guerre_ of _Gaston le Maure_, yet d'Aubricour
was a gallant gentleman of Gascony. But still Leonard was not
satisfied. "Had ever man born in Christian land such flashing
black eyes and white teeth? And is not he horribly fierce and
strict?"

"Never was man of kinder heart and blither temper."

"Then you think that he will not be sharp with us? 'More straight
in your saddle!' 'lance lower!' 'head higher;' that is what has
been ringing in my ears from morning till night of late, sometimes
enforced by a sharp blow on the shoulders. Is it not so with you?"

"Oh, old Penrose took all that trouble off their hands long ago.