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plan fixed upon. They did not, of course, know whether the tent in

which the conversation had been heard by Cuthbert was that of Sir de

Jacquelin Barras, or of one of the other persons who had spoken; and

Cuthbert suggested that the first thing would be to find out whether

the count, after nightfall, was in the habit of going to some other

tent, or whether, on the other hand, he remained within, and was

visited by others.

It was easy, of course, to discover which was his tent; and Cuthbert soon

got its position, and then took Cnut into his counsels.

"The matter is difficult," Cnut said, "and I see no way by which a watch

can be kept up by day; but after dark--I have several men in my band who

can track a deer, and surely could manage to follow the steps of this

baron without being observed. There is little Jack, who is no bigger than

a boy of twelve, although he can shoot, and run, and play with the

quarter-staff, or, if need be, with the bill, against the best man in the

troop. I warrant me that if you show him the tent, he will keep such

sharp watch that no one shall enter or depart without his knowing where

they go to. On a dark night he will be able to slip among the tents, and

to move here and there without being seen. He can creep on his stomach

without moving a leaf, and trust me the eyes of these French men-at-arms

will look in vain for a glimpse of him."

"You understand, Cnut, all that I want to know is whether the

other conspirators in this matter visit his tent, or whether he

goes to theirs."

"I understand," Cnut said. "That is the first point to be arrived at."

Three days later Cnut brought news that each night after dark a party of

five men met in the tent that was watched; that one of the five always

came out when all had assembled, and took his station before the entrance

of the tent, so as to be sure that no eavesdropper was near.

Cuthbert smiled,--

"It is a case of locking the door after the horse has gone."

"What is to be done now?" Cnut asked.

"I will talk with the earl before I tell you, Cnut. This matter is too

serious for me to take a step without consulting Sir Walter."

That night there was a long talk between the earl and his page as to the

best course to be pursued. It was clear that their old enemy was the

leading person in the plot, and that the only plan to baffle it with any

fair chances of success was to keep a constant eye upon his movements,

and also to have three or four of the sturdiest men of the band told off

to watch, without being perceived, each time that the princess was in

her palace.

The Earl of Evesham left the arrangements entirely in the hands of his

page, of whose good sense and sagacity he had a very high opinion.

His own first impulse had been to go before the king and denounce the

Count of Brabant. But the ill-will between them was already well known;

for not only was there the original dispute at the banquet, but when the

two armies had joined at Sicily, King Richard, who had heard from the

earl of the attempt at the assassination of Cuthbert, had laid a

complaint before King Phillip of the conduct of his subject.

Sir de Jacquelin Barras, however, had denied that he had any finger in

the matter.

"He had," he said, "discharged his page after the encounter with

Cuthbert, and knew nothing further whatever of his movements."

Although it was morally certain that the page could not have purchased

the services of the men who assisted him, from his own purse, or gain

them by any means of persuasion, but that they were either the followers

of the Count of Brabant, or ruffians hired with his money, as no proof

could be obtained, the matter was allowed to drop.

The earl felt, however, that an accusation against the count by him of an

intention to commit a high crime, and this merely on the evidence of his

page, would appear like an attempt to injure the fair fame of his rival.

Feeling, therefore, that nothing could be done save to watch, he left

the matter entirely in the hands of his page, telling him that he

could take as many men-at-arms or archers as he might choose and use

them in his name.

Cnut entered warmly into Cuthbert's plans; and finally it was arranged

between them that six of the archers should nightly keep watch opposite

the various entrances of the bishop's palace and of the two monasteries

joining. Of course they could not patrol up and down without attracting

attention, but they were to take up posts where they could closely

observe the entrances, and were either to lie down and feign drunken

sleep, or to conceal themselves within the shadow of an arch or other

hiding-place.

Down on the sea-shore, Cuthbert made an arrangement with one of the

owners of small craft lying there that ten of his men should sleep on

board every night, together with some fishermen accustomed to the use

of the oar.

Cuthbert himself determined to be always with this party.

Night after night passed, and so long a time went by that Cuthbert began

to think the design must have been given up.

However, he resolved to relax none of his watchfulness during the

remaining time that the expedition might stop in Sicily.

It was in January, three weeks after the first watch had been set, when

one of the men who had been placed to watch the entrance to one of the

monasteries, leapt on board the craft and shook Cuthbert by the shoulder.

"A party of some five men," he said, "have just issued out from the

monastery. They are bearing a burden--what, I cannot see. They were

making in the direction of the water. I whistled to Dick, who was

next to me in the lane. He is following them, and I came on to tell

you to prepare."

The night was pitch dark, and it was difficult in the extreme to see any

one moving at a short distance off.

There were two or three streets that led from the monastery, which stood

at the top of the town, towards the sea; and a party coming down might

take any of these, according to the position in which the boat they were

seeking was placed.

Cuthbert now instantly sent five or six of his men, with instructions to

avoid all noise, along the line of the port, with orders to bring in

word should any one come down and take boat, or should they hear any

noise in the town.

He himself with the sailors loosed the ropes which fastened the boat to

shore, got out the oars, and prepared to put off at a moment's notice.

He was of course ignorant whether the abductors would try to carry the

princess off by water, or would hide her in one of the convents of the

town; but he was inclined to think that the former would be the course

adopted; for the king in his wrath would be ready to lay the town in

flames, and to search every convent from top to bottom for the princess.

Besides, there would be too many aware of the secret.

Cuthbert was not wrong in his supposition.

Soon the man he had sent to the extreme right came running up with the

news that a boat had embarked at the farther end, with a party of some

ten men on board. As he came along he had warned the others, and in five

minutes the whole party were collected in the craft, numbering in all

twelve of Cuthbert's men and six sailors. They instantly put out, and

rowed in the direction in which the boat would have gone, the boatmen

expressing their opinion that probably the party would make for a vessel

which was lying anchored at some little distance from shore. The bearings

of the position of this ship was known to the boatmen, but the night was

so dark that they were quite unable to find it. Orders had been given

that no sound or whisper was to be heard on board the boat; and after

rowing as far as they could, the boatmen said they were in the direction

of the ship.

The boatmen all lay on their oars, and all listened intently.

Presently the creaking of a pulley was heard in the still night, at a

distance of a few hundred yards. This was enough. It was clear that

the vessel was getting up sail. The boat's head was turned in that

direction; the crew rowed steadily but noiselessly, and in a few

minutes the tall mast of a vessel could be seen faintly against the

sky. Just as they perceived the situation, a hail from on board showed

that their approach was now observed.

"Stretch to your oars," Cuthbert said, "we must make a dash for it now."

The rowers bent to their work and in a minute the boat ran alongside

the craft.

As Cuthbert and his followers scrambled upon the deck, they were attacked

by those of the crew and passengers who were standing near; but it was

evident at once that the chiefs of the expedition had not heard the hail,

and that there was no general plan of defence against them.

It was not until the last of them had gained a footing, and were

beginning to fight their way along the vessel, that from below three or

four men-at-arms ran up, and one in a tone of authority demanded what was

the matter. When he heard the clash of swords and the shouts of the

combatants, he put himself at once at the head of the party, and a fierce

and obstinate fight now took place.

The assailants had, however, the advantage.

Cuthbert and his men were all lightly clad, and this on the deck of a

ship lumbered with ropes and gear, and in the dark, was a great

advantage, for the mailed men-at-arms frequently stumbled and fell. The

fight lasted for several minutes. Cnut who was armed with a heavy mace,

did great service, for with each of his sweeping blows he broke down the

guard of an opponent, and generally levelled him to the deck.

The numbers at the beginning of the fight were not unequal, but the men

to whom the vessel belonged made but a faint resistance when they

perceived that the day was going against them. The men-at-arms, however,

consisting of three, who appeared to be the leaders, and of eight

pikemen, fought stubbornly and well.

Cuthbert was not long in detecting in the tones of the man who was

clearly at the head of affairs the voice of Sir de Jacquelin Barras. To

do him justice he fought with extreme bravery, and when almost all his

followers were cut down or beaten overboard, he resisted staunchly and

well. With a heavy two-handed sword he cleaved a space at the end of the

boat, and kept the whole of Cuthbert's party at bay.

At last Cnut, who had been engaged elsewhere, came to the front, and a

tough fight ensued between them.

It might have ended badly for the brave forester, for his lack of armour

gave an enormous advantage to his opponent. Soon, however, the count's

foot slipped on the boards of the deck, and before he could recover

himself the mace of Cnut descended with tremendous force upon his head,

which was unprotected, as he had taken off his casque on arriving at the

ship. Without a word or a cry the count fell forward on the deck, killed

as a bullock by a blow of a pole-axe.

While this conflict had been going on, occasionally the loud screams of a

woman had been heard below.

Cuthbert, attended by Cnut and two of his followers, now descended.

At the bottom of the steps they found a man-at-arms placed at the

door of a cabin. He challenged them as they approached, but being

speedily convinced that the vessel was in their hands, and that his

employer and party were all conquered, he made a virtue of necessity,

and laid down his arms.

"You had better go in alone," Cnut said, "Master Cuthbert. The lady is

less likely to be frightened by your appearance than by us, for she must

wonder indeed what is going on."

On entering the cabin, which had evidently been fitted up for the use of

a lady, Cuthbert saw standing at the other end the princess whom of

course he knew well by sight. A lamp was burning in the cabin, and by its

light he could see that her face was deadly pale. Her robes were torn and

disarranged, and she wore a look at once of grave alarm and surprise upon

seeing a handsomely dressed page enter with a deep reverence.

"What means this outrage, young sir? Whoever you be, I warn you that the

King of England will revenge this indignity."

"Your Highness," Cuthbert said, "you have no further reason for alarm;

the knaves who carried you off from the bishop's palace and conveyed you

to this ship are all either killed or in our power. I am the page of the

Earl of Evesham, a devoted follower of King Richard. Some of the designs

of the bold men came to the ears of my lord, and he ordered me and a band

of his followers to keep good guard over the palace and buildings

adjoining. We were unable to gather our strength in time to prevent your

being taken on board, but we lost no time in putting forth when we found

that your abductors had taken boat, and by good fortune arrived here in

time; a few minutes later, and the knaves would have succeeded in their

object, for the sails were already being hoisted, and the vessel making

way, when we arrived. Your abductors are all either killed or thrown

overboard, and the vessel's head is now turned towards the shore, and I

hope in a few minutes to have the honour of escorting you to the palace."

The princess, with a sigh of much satisfaction and relief, sank on

to a couch.

"I am indeed indebted to you, young sir," she said. "Believe me, the

Princess Berengaria is not ungrateful, and should it be ever in her power

to do aught for your lord, or for yourself, or for those who have

accompanied you to rescue her, believe me that she will do it."

"May I be so bold as to ask a boon?" Cuthbert said, dropping on one knee

before her.

"It is granted at once, whatever it be, if in my power."

"My boon is, lady," he said, "that you will do your best to assuage the

natural anger which the King of England will feel at this bold and most

violent attempt. That he should be told, is of course necessary; but,

lady, much depends upon the telling, and I am sure that at your request

the king would restrain his anger. Were it not for that, I fear that such