ere。
  There　was　a　flourish　of　trumpets　as　the　king　and　queen　appeared　in　front　of　the　pavilion；　accompanied　by　the　Prince　of　Wales　and　many　of　the　nobles　of　the　court；　and　a　shout　of　welcome　arose　from　the　crowd。　The　shooting　at　a　mark　at　once　began。　The　preliminary　trials　had　been　shot　off　upon　the　preceding　day；　and　the　six　chosen　bowmen　now　took　their　places。
  Walter　had　not　entered　for　the　prizes　at　archery。　He　had　on　previous　years　shot　well；　but　since　he　had　fully　determined　to　become　a　man…at…arms　he　had　given　up　archery；　for　which；　indeed；　his　work　at　the　forge　and　his　exercises　at　arms　when　the　fires　were　out；　left　him　but　little　time。　The　contest　was　a　close　one；　and　when　it　was　over　the　winner　was　led　by　the　city　marshal　to　the　royal　pavilion；　where　the　queen　bestowed　upon　him　a　silver　arrow；　and　the　king　added　a　purse　of　money。　Then　there　were　several　combats　with　quarterstaff　and　broadsword　between　men　who　had　served　among　the　contingents　sent　by　the　city　to　aid　the　king　in　his　wars。　Some　good　sword…play　was　shown　and　many　stout　blows　exchanged；　two　or　three　men　were　badly　hurt；　and　the　king　and　all　present　were　mightily　pleased　with　the　stoutness　with　which　they　fought。
  The　apprentices　then　came　forward　to　compete　for　the　prizes　for　sword…play。　　They　wore　light　iron　caps　and　shirts　of　thickly　quilted　leather；　and　fought　with　blunted　swords；　for　the　city　fathers　deemed　wisely　that　with　these　weapons　they　could　equally　show　their　skill；　and　that　with　sharpened　swords　not　only　would　severe　wounds　be　given；　but　bad　blood　would　be　created　between　the　apprentices　of　the　various　wards。　Each　ward　sent　its　champion　to　the　contest；　and　as　these　fought　in　pairs；　loud　was　the　shouting　which　rose　from　their　comrades　at　each　blow　given　or　warded；　and　even　the　older　citizens　joined　sometimes　in　the　shouting　and　took　a　warm　interest　in　the　champions　of　their　respective　wards。
  The　iron　caps　had　stout　cheek…pieces　which　defended　the　sides　of　the　face　and　neck；　for　even　a　blunted　sword　can　deliver　a　terrible　blow　if　it　fall　upon　the　naked　flesh。　It　took　a　long　time　to　get　through　the　combats；　the　pairs　were　drawn　by　lot；　and　fought　until　the　king　decided　which　was　the　superior。　Some　were　speedily　beaten；　at　other　times　the　contests　were　long　and　severe。　It　was　generally　thought　by　the　apprentices　that　the　final　contest　lay　between　Walter　Fletcher　of　Aldgate　and　Ralph　Smith　of　Ludgate。　The　former　was　allowed　to　be　superior　in　the　use　of　his　weapon；　but　the　latter　was　also　skilful；　was　two　years　older；　and　greatly　superior　in　strength。　He　had　not　taken　part　in　the　contest　in　the　preceding　year；　as　he　had　been　laid　up　with　a　hurt　in　his　hand　which　he　had　got　in　his　employment　as　a　smith；　and　the　lads　of　Ludgate　were　confident　that　he　would　turn　the　tables　upon　the　champion　of　the　eastern　ward。　　Both　had　defeated　with　ease　the　various　opponents　whom　they　had　met；　but　it　chanced　that　they　had　not　drawn　together　until　the　last　round；　when　they　remained　alone　to　struggle　for　the　first　and　second　prizes。
  The　interest　in　the　struggle　had　increased　with　each　round；　and　wagers　were　freely　laid　upon　the　result。　According　to　custom　the　two　champions　had　laid　aside　their　leathern　shirts　and　had　donned　mail　armour；　for　it　was　considered　that　the　crowning　contest　between　the　two　picked　young　swordsmen　of　the　city　would　be　a　severe　one；　and　greater　protection　to　the　limbs　was　needed。
  Before　taking　their　places　they　were　led　up　to　the　royal　pavilion；　where　they　were　closely　inspected　by　the　king　and　his　nobles。
  〃You　are　sure　that　this　man　is　still　an　apprentice？〃　the　king　asked　the　Lord　Mayor；　who　was　seated　next　to　him；　〃he　has　the　appearance　of　a　man…at…arms；　and　a　stout　one　too；　the　other　is　a　likely　stripling；　and　is；　as　I　have　seen；　marvellously　dexterous　with　his　sword；　but　he　is　but　a　boy　while　the　other　is　a　grown　man。
  〃He　is　an　apprentice；　my　liege；　although　his　time　will　be　up　in　a　few　days；　while　the　other　has　yet　three　years　to　serve；　but　he　works　for　an　armourer；　and　is　famed　through　the　city；　boy　as　he　is；　for　his　skill　with　weapons。〃
  After　a　few　words　to　each；　exhorting　them　to　do　their　best　in　the　sight　of　the　queen　and　her　ladies；　the　king　dismissed　them。
  〃I　know　the　young　one　now！〃　the　Prince　of　Wales　said；　clapping　his　hands　as　the　apprentices　turned　away　to　take　their　places。　〃My　Lord　Talbot；　I　will　wager　a　gold　chain　with　you　upon　the　smaller　of　the　two。〃
  〃I　will　take　your　wager；〃　the　noble　answered；　〃but　I　am　by　no　means　sure　that　I　shall　win　it；　for　I　have　watched　your　champion　closely；　and　the　downright　blows　which　he　struck　would　seem　to　show　that　he　has　the　muscle　and　strength　of　a　man　though　still　but　a　boy。〃
  The　event　justified　the　Prince　of　Wales's　confidence；　at　the　commencement　of　the　struggle　Ralph　Smith　tried　to　beat　down　his　opponent　by　sheer　strength　as　he　had　done　his　prior　opponents；　but　to　his　surprise　he　found　that　all　his　efforts　could　not　break　down　his　opponent's　guard。　Walter　indeed　did　not　appear　to　take　advantage　of　his　superior　lightness　and　activity；　but　to　prefer　to　prove　that　in　strength　as　well　as　skill　he　was　equal　to　his　antagonist。　In　the　latter　respect　there　was　no　comparison；　for　as　soon　as　the　smith　began　to　relax　his　rain　of　blows　Walter　took　the　offensive　and　with　a　sweeping　blow　given　with　all　his　strength　broke　down　his　opponent's　guard　and　smote　him　with　such　force　upon　his　steel　cap　that；　blunted　as　the　sword　was；　it　clove　through　the　iron；　and　stretched　the　smith　senseless　on　the　ground。　　A　loud　shout　broke　from　the　assemblage。　The　marshal　came　up　to　Walter；　and　removing　his　helmet；　led　him　to　the　royal　pavilion；　while　Ralph　was　carried　to　a　tent　near；　where　a　leech　attended　his　wound。
  CHAPTER　VI：　THE　MELEE
  You　have　won　your　prize　stoutly　and　well；　sir　'prentice；〃　the　king　said。　〃I　should　not　have　deemed　it　possible　that　one　of　your　age　could　have　smitten　such　a　blow；　and　right　glad　should　I　be　of　a　few　hundred　lads　of　your　mettle　to　follow　me　against　the　French。　What　is　your　calling？〃
  〃I　am　an　armourer；　my　liege；〃　Walter　answered。
  〃And　you　are　as　good　at　mending　armour　as　you　are　at　marring　it；〃　the　king　said；　〃you　will　be　a　rare　craftsman　one　of　these　days。　'Tis　a　rare　pity　so　promising　a　swordsman　should　be　lost　to　our　army。　Wouldst　like　to　change　your　calling；　boy；　and　take　to　that　of　arms？〃
  〃It　is　my　hope　to　do　so；　sir；〃　Walter　answered　modestly；　〃and　his　grace　the　Prince　of　Wales　has　already　promised　me　that　I　shall　some　day　ride　behind　him　to　the　wars。〃
  〃Ah！　Edward；〃　the　king　ejaculated；　〃how　is　this？　Have　you　been　already　enlisting　a　troop　for　the　wars？〃
  〃No；　sir；〃　the　young　prince　replied；　〃but　one　day；　now　some　four　years　since；　when　I　was　riding　with　my　Lord　Talbot　and　others　in　the　fields　near　the　Tower　I　did　see　this　lad　lead　his　play…fellows　to　the　assault　of　an　earthen　castle　held　by　others；　and　he　fought　so　well　and　gallantly　that　assuredly　no　knight　could　have　done　better；　until　he　was　at　last　stricken　senseless；　and　when　he　recovered　I　told　him　that　should　he　choose　to　be　a　man…at…arms　I　would　enlist　him　in　my　following　to　the　wars。〃
  The　king　laughed。
  〃I　deemed　not　that　the　lads　of　the　city　indulged　in　such　rough　sports；　but　I　wonder　not；　seeing　that　the　contingent　which　my　good　city　of　London　furnishes　me　is　ever　one　of　the　best　in　my　army。　We　shall　see　the　lad　at　work　again　tomorrow　and　will　then　talk　more　of　it。　Now　let　us　bestow　upon　him　the　prize　that　he　has　so　well　earned。〃
  Walter　bent　on　one　knee；　and　the　queen　handed　to　him　a　sword　of　the　best　Spanish　steel；　which　was　the　prize　given　by　the　city　to　the　victor。　The　king　handed　him　a　heavy　purse　of　gold　pieces；　saying：
  〃This　may　aid　in　purchasing　your　freedom。〃
  Walter　bowed　deeply　and　murmured　some　words　of　thanks；　and　was　then　led　off　by　the　marshal。　After　this　many　of　the　young　nobles　of　the　court　jousted　on　horseback；　ran　at　the　ring；　and　performed　other　feats　of　knightly　exercise　to　the　great　pleasure　of　the　multitude。　The　marshal　on　leading　Walter　away　said　to　him；　〃You　will　be　captain　of　the　city　band　tomorrow；　and　I　must　therefore　tell　you　what　the　king　purports。　He　has　prepared　a　surprise　for　the　citizens；　and　the　present　show　will　be　different　to　anything　ever　before　seen　in　London。　Both　to　show　them　somewhat　of　the　sieges　which　are　taking　place　on　the　borders　of　France　and　the　Low　Countries；　in　which　Sir　Walter　Manny　and　many　other　gallant　knights　have　so　greatly　distinguished　themselves；　and　as　an　exercise　for　the　young　nobles；　he　has　determined　that　there　shall　be　a　castle　erected。　It　will　be　built　of　wood；　with　battlements　and　towers；　with　a　moat　outside。　As　soon　as　the　lists　are　over　a　large　number　of　workmen　will　commence　its　erection；　the　pieces　are　all　sawn　and　prepared。　There　will　be　machines；　ladders；　and　other　appliances。　　The　ten　champions　on　either　side　will　fight　as　knights；　you　will　have　a　hundred　apprentices　as　men…at…arms；　and　the　court　party　will　have　an　equal　number　of　young　esquires。　You；　as　winner　of　today's　tourney；　will　have　the　choice　of　defence　or　attack。　I　should　advise　you　to　take　the　defence；　since　it　is　easier　and　requires　less　knowledge　of　war；　and　many　of　the　other　party　have　accompanied　their　fathers　and　mast