The Captain of the Wight

s the early practice, before the morning meal, at throwing the bar, running at the quintain, and leaping over the wooden horse. Every exercise was directed to b

repaired by Sir George Carey, those pages who were not on duty went through a course of "grammar and rhetoric," under the instruction of Sir Simon Halbard, the chaplain of St Nicholas within the walls. The whole garrison, or at least suc

the day. This repast was served in much state, all the pages being required to attend to carve and hand the dishes, and pour out the wine for the Captain of the Wig

and exercises of their own. No one of the pages was allowed out of the precincts of t

ridden over with Maurice Woodville to pay his relatives a visit at Briddlesford. They had met his fair cousin, who was riding out to fly her hawk; and as they accompanied her to a high hill, whence a lovely view was obtained all over the Solent

, who was himself but a boy, but whose affairs were wonderfully managed by that very wise and puissant lady the Dame de Beaujeu, his sister, had entered the country, and how all would go to utter ruin, unless King Henry sent force of knights and men-at-arms to assist the Duke of Brittany and his fair young daughter the Duchess Anne. Such news was bruited abroad, and there was no young knight in England who did

the bird, but fell with it so far out on the mud that it was impossible to get at it, although the boys did everything they could to urge their dogs to go on to the treacherous slime, and bring the quarry to land. The tide was quite low, and they had to give up all hopes of obtaining more sport. It was with much difficulty, and after long waiting, that they were able to get the falcon to fly back to fist, for it was taught not to leave its prey until some one came to take it. When at last they did recover the bird, the afternoon was too far advanced for them to return by Briddlesford to inquire after Mistress Yolande, a

have been shaken off like that. But I'll talk to that jackanapes anon, that I will. What does he mean by coming over here and sporting in our

ll me a goose again," said Ralph good-humou

vent his ill-humour upon. "None but a goose would show the whit

," said Maurice hotly, "and if you sa

nd would have flung himself upon him, had not Ralph put out his foot, and tripped him up. He fell heavily to the ground,

it your new trunk hose all down the leg. Fie, man, you're not fit

g, and although he was four years junior to Eustace Bowerman, yet in height and activity he was in no way his inferior, although his frame was not as well set, or his weigh

ht," said Ralph quietly; "why

eered Eustace, who was in a very evil mood. "Then I

, although he was of a very peace-loving, happy disposi

s backwardness for cowardice, utterly forgetting, or else wilfu

ce; but the boy guarded it with his right arm, and at the same time with his left dealt his assaila

and excitement. "Do it again, my lusty lambkin; follow it up

s?" stormed Eustace to his ally Willie Newe

the big booby," laug

s superior weight. Stepping back therefore, to gather way for a rush, he was about to spring upon Ralph, when tha

stre expression on his fat face, and marvelling to see how Ralph dared to stand up to Bowerman, whom he had always looked upon as invincible. He was roughly aroused from his stupid contemplation of the contest, by Dicky Cheke's unprovoked assault. When once aro

with hearty alacrity, not without receiving, however, very severe blows in return. The two smaller boys had got Willie down, a

the Captain of the Wight appeared, attended by th

interruption, and for a second or two fierce blows were exc

ght of the calm face of his lord, ove

trate Willie's eye, who was at the same moment pounding Maurice in the chest, "here's the Captain,"

led, and for a second or two

uld wish you to remember that it better becomes you to tilt at the quintain, or even at each

would not see that it was a real fight that was going on;

n arms, the sire de la Roche Guemené, to hold a joust against all comers, and he fain would see if I cannot spare

s; only the three younger boys looked a little crestfallen, for they knew they were too you

s on the first six courses, but not to take part in the tourney with swords." Then seeing the looks of disappointment in the faces of Ralph Lisle, and his two comrades, he added,--"And you, fair pages, must rest you content for another year, when you be grown o

ou knowest the way--'tis where thou wentest hunting with me last week. Take the best horse out of my stable, and ride like the wind; wait for an ans

note, and turned away to go to the stables. As he was goin

la Roche Guemené hath gotten t

h pa

met us with Mistress Lisle, and we left

ng, in a voice not intended for Ralph's ear,--"Fair knight, we shall have to take c

for the sun was just setting, and the gates were shut for the night; but Ralph with great pride told him, he was rid

to open, and the heavy rattle of the chains showed that the drawbridge was being let down, and in anothe

t to pass away to other names. Little did Ralph know that he was passing what once had belonged to his ancestors, and how that fair manor had come down, through three successive ladies, from the Fitz Stuar to the Lisles, and thence, in the female line, to the Bremshotts, whose daughters again would share it with the Dudleys and the Pakenhams. He breathed his horse up the steep slope that led past Chillerton Down, and as he descended on the further side, he first felt how damp was the night air, and noticed how difficult it was to find his way. Mindful, however, of his lord's injunction to make all the speed he could, he urged his horse to a reckless pace, and it was not until he had ridden for another half-hour that he began to be anxious as to his whereabouts. The air seemed much keener than it had been, and there was a salt freshness in it, that ought to have told him he must be near the sea. Could he have mistaken his way? There was no building he could see anywhere, and the track had ent

m to be so unmanageable. Seeing how useless it was to press the horse any further, he cea

h excitement, Ralph noticed a smell of smoke: his

probably a human habitation. He turned his head round to ascertain where the smell came from, and, as

ward, but the animal was as dete

f goblins and spirits came back to his mind, suggested by the unaccountable noise, the mysterious

des, encouraging him by his voice at the same time, but with

rse's head, and in another moment a tall black figure rose out of the darkness, so close as almost to touch Ralph,