Page:The Children Who Followed the Piper.djvu/172

THE CHILDREN Then Baldwin, having told him of the three perils, went away slowly. John Ball saw the old horse stretch himself upon the ground. He did not go to him, for he knew that Baldwin wanted to be alone, but he watched and watched him, and the tears flowed down from his eyes.

He brought Valentine and Golden Hood to where the horse lay. Baldwin was dead. The two youths dug a grave and buried him and set a mark above the grave. And Golden Hood wept over Baldwin.

They went toward the city. The bells rang out new peals. At the city gate a cavalcade was drawn up to welcome Valentine, the Emperor's son, who had been given up as lost.

As they came up to the gate a groom led out a high roan horse for Valentine to mount on. Valentine put his foot into the silver stirrup. As he did John Ball snatched the sword from Valentine's hand and plunged it into the horse's side. The horse gave a scream and fell down.

Then the grooms turned upon John Ball and