the keep and fire a gun, every man on the estate would muster here before
sunset, and would march against the King of France himself did Sir Eustace
order them to do so."

"In that case what force could we put on the walls, Captain?"

"Two hundred men besides the garrison, and we have provisions stored away
in the keep sufficient for them and their women and children for a three
months' siege. Sir Eustace gave me orders yesterday to procure wood of the
kind used for arrows, and to lay in a great store of it; also to set the
smiths to work to make arrow-heads. I asked him how many, and he said,
'Let them go on at it until further orders. I should like a store
sufficient at least for a hundred rounds for each of these English
archers, and if we had double that it would be all the better. They can
make their own arrows if they have suitable wood.' It seemed to me that
two hundred rounds was beyond all necessity, but now when I see that these
men can shoot nigh twenty rounds a minute, I can well understand that a
great supply for them is needful."

The time passed very pleasantly at Villeroy. Sometimes Guy rode with his
lord and lady when they went out hawking or paid visits to neighbouring
castles. Regularly every day they practised for two hours in arms, and
although well instructed before, Guy gained much additional skill from the
teaching of Jean Bouvard, who was a famous swordsman. The latter was
surprised at finding that the page was able to draw the English bows as
well as the archers, and that, although inferior to Long Tom and three or
four of the best shots, he was quite as good a marksman as the majority.
Moreover, though of gentle blood he would join with the men in their bouts
of quarter-staff, and took no more heed of a broken head than they did.