THE sun was high in the heavens when the three comrades awoke. Throwing back the flap of the tent, Reeves slipped out. The other tents had been struck, and were already strapped to the backs of small, heavily-limbed horses, while seated on the ground were the five men who had challenged the trio on the previous night. They had divested themselves of their armour, and were engaged in polishing the closely interlocked rings of their hauberks.
The Englishman could not help noticing that, although their limbs were powerfully built, and their muscles stood out like lumps of polished stone, their feet were small and well-formed.
"Good morrow, stranger," they exclaimed courteously, when they saw that Reeves was astir; and the correspondent, not to be outdone, courteously replied.
"You asked Walter, our servant, questions concerning us," said he who had been the spokesman overnight. "We will tell you as much as is expedient. For the rest you must wait till you have seen Sir Jehan. What would you ask?
"We are of the State of Croixilia," he replied, in answer to Reeves's question. "Concerning its history you may learn much later—if it be our lord's will. At this moment we are expecting an attack from our hereditary enemies, the infidel Arabs of the tribes that are known as the Kharili. For that purpose we have been keeping watch and ward on the eastern borders of our territory, This day our relief arrives, and we are free to return to the city for another month."
"What is the name of your city?"
"It is called Charleton, after Sir Charles de Wyke, who led our ancestors hither. But tell me how are worked these weapons that the infidels use. Beforetimes we have seen several, which have been captured in fight, and though they did us grievous harm in spite of the hauberk and helm, we could not find how they were shot, having neither Spring nor cord, even as our crossbows have."
"That I can explain," replied Reeves; but in spite of his careful and practical instruction the Croixilian seemed unable to grasp the principle of powder and shot.
"I would rather place my faith in an honest longbow than in that evil-smelling and thundering tube," remarked the latter, covering his ears as the correspondent discharged one of the flintlocks. "It was that noise we heard in the night, and we were fully expecting a horde of these men of Kharili to pour upon our outpost."
"We were beset by a lion."