Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/338

308 like a thunderbolt, crying, "Down with the rascals! A Mortimer—a Mortimer!"

The attack was so bold and so unexpected that the Count's soldiers could not recover from their first confusion, and in a few minutes they fled, leaving half a dozen on the field. The Earl's forces now came up, and onward they went, the Earl leading them as before.

"If the Count dares to hold his ground," said he, "we shall find his battle-line all ready for us. And I am glad. I do not like waiting for battle or for banquet. When all is ready, then I long to hear the trumpet sound. Henry," turning to his son, "bid the men deploy into battle-line as soon as we come in sight of the enemy."

The young knight rode back along the column, giving the Earl's orders to the officers, and then returned. The road was masked by the woods just before coming to the plateau upon which stood the castle. And when they neared the opening of the woods, Edgar dashed forward. Riding just beyond the head of the road he saw the Mortimer standard still floating from the top of the keep, and then, glancing toward the left, he could see that the Count had drawn up all his force just at the edge of the woods. He returned and reported to the earl, whose face lighted up.

"Good news!" he said, "I feared they would