Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/337

307 that the bridge was held by a party of some thirty or forty men-at-arms.

"So!" said the earl. "This is an ambush laid for you gentlemen who left the castle so early. They mean that you shall not return. What say you, Lord Edgar, shall we not try conclusions with these fellows ourselves? With my son and yourself, stout Hugh of Cambray, and the men of the garrison you brought with you, we ought to clear the way. There is no need to bring our main body into action. Come, forward!" and the Earl set spurs to his charger, followed only by those whom he had invited.

When they were in sight of the bridge they saw a small body, led by Luke the Lurdane, drawn up on the other side to dispute their passage. The Earl, with lance in rest, flew across the bridge at full speed, scarcely giving the others time to overtake him, and dashed into the enemy. He drove the foremost from his horse, and then dropping his lance, raised a heavy battle-ax that hung at his saddle-bow, and dealt blows right and left as he cleared a lane through the dismayed soldiers, who were taken by surprise.

At once his followers threw themselves into the opening the Earl had made, and striking fiercely, scattered the opposing force. Meanwhile the Earl had checked his horse and now came back