halo, and right over against the luminary, Shoreby, a field of snowy

roofs and ruddy gables, was rolling up its columns of morning smoke.

Gloucester turned round to Dick.

In that poor place," he said, "where people are cooking breakfast,

either you shall gain your spurs and I begin a life of mighty honour and

glory in the world's eye, or both of us, as I conceive it, shall fall

dead and be unheard of. Two Richards are we. Well, then, Richard

Shelton, they shall be heard about, these two! Their swords shall not

ring more loudly on men's helmets than their names shall ring in people's

ears."

Dick was astonished at so great a hunger after fame, expressed with so

great vehemence of voice and language, and he answered very sensibly and

quietly, that, for his part, he promised he would do his duty, and

doubted not of victory if everyone did the like.

By this time the horses were well breathed, and the leader holding up his

sword and giving rein, the whole troop of chargers broke into the gallop

and thundered, with their double load of fighting men, down the remainder

of the hill and across the snow-covered plain that still divided them

from Shoreby.

The Black Arrow