Then the King and Lord Clinton arose from their seats and prepared to depart. The King extended his hand, which the young men again knelt to kiss, and he bade them farewell. Lord Clinton shook hands warmly with them.
"Adieu! mes braves gens," he said: "God grant you a safe and successful journey. We shall next meet in London, I trust. Farewell, farewell." And so they left the tent.
The young men stood in silence for a moment, then Geoffrey spoke—
"The King has laid a heavy trust upon us," he said, "and therein has conferred on us great honour, for we shall now be doing service to our own dear country as well as to his. Let us ask a greater King than Philip, even our Heavenly Father, to bless our enterprise."
With one impulse the young men knelt, and for a few minutes held silent converse with God. Ere they left the tent William spoke.
"In this matter, my brothers, we need a leader whom we swear to obey in all things. I propose that Geoffrey be our captain."
"Nay," urged Geoffrey; but ere he could proceed further Ralph intervened.
"I consent, and that most heartily," he said.
Geoffrey grasped the hands of his two comrades and said—
"Let it be as you wish, my brothers, and my first word of command is to horse! to horse!"