with you; a little more to the left and it would have pierced your
throat."

"It was a dagger wound," the man said. "I was knocked down by a blow from
a sword which fell full on my head, but luckily I had iron hoops in my
cap. One man knelt upon me, and endeavoured to strike me through the
throat. I fought so hard that one of his comrades came to his assistance,
and I thought that the end had come, when he sprung suddenly up. The other
attempted more furiously than before to finish me, but striking almost
blindly he twice missed me altogether, and the third time, by a sudden
twist, I took a blow on my shoulder that would otherwise have pierced my
throat. When he raised his dagger again something flashed. I saw his hand
with the dagger he held in it drop off, and then the man himself fell on
me, and I was like to be stifled with his weight, when my preserver hauled
him off me."

"It were best not to talk further," the landlord said. "I have rooms
fortunately vacant, and it were well that you retired at once."

"I will do that as soon as you have given me something to eat, landlord.
Anything will do, but I am grievously hungry."

"I have a cold capon in the house," the landlord said.

"You will have to cater for three, for doubtless these gentlemen need
supper as much as I do."

"I thank you, sir, but we are very late already, and our friends will have
become alarmed; therefore, with your leave, we will, as soon as we hear
that your daughter has recovered, go on our way."