The King's Esquires Part 9

"Will your Majesty let me try--I mean, Monsieur le Comte, will you let me try?"

"Hah! That's better, boy. But speak; what do you mean to do?"

"Let me show you, sir," cried the boy excitedly, and going to where his steed was tethered, he patted and tried to soothe it for a few moments before taking bit and bridle and fitting them on. Then he called to the skipper.

"What do you want?" said the man gruffly, as he came up scowling.

"Have that flat hauled away," said Denis quickly, "and then give me a clear s.p.a.ce on the deck. There isn't much room, but I think I can manage."

"Hah!" cried the skipper. "Well done, youngster! I see what you mean, and if you can do that there will be no trouble with the others. Well done! Good idea!"

The anger against the King seemed to die out at once, and giving his orders sharply, in a very brief s.p.a.ce of time the shallow barge had been allowed to drift astern, there was a fairly clear s.p.a.ce on deck, there was the open gangway on the side of the vessel nearest the sh.o.r.e, and the time had come for the young esquire to act.

The next minute Denis cast loose the halter which tethered his charger to the vessel's side, turned it round, patted the arched neck once more, and then, bridle in hand, sprang up, threw over one leg, and the next moment was seated upon his barebacked steed.

The sailors gave a cheer, which startled the horse, but a few words from Denis quieted it again, and in obedience to the pressure of the rider's heels it paced forward along the deck as far as the hamper of the vessel would allow, turned in obedience to the pressure on the rein, and paced back again in the other direction, to be turned once more.

Everyone else on board was turned into a spectator now, the men in the flat watching as eagerly as the rest. "He will never do it, Saint Simon," said the King.

"Think not, sir?" was the reply. "I believe he will. Look!"

For after walking his beautiful steed to and fro again, Denis waited till they reached the open gangway, and then turned the n.o.ble animal's head and let it stop to stretch out its muzzle towards the sh.o.r.e to gaze with starting eyes at the solid land and moving people there.

It snuffed the air loudly, and then a loud neigh rang out like a challenge, which was answered by one of the horses attached to a trolley high-up on a wharf.

This had the effect of setting the other two chargers challenging in turn, and as they ceased, Denis spoke to and patted his steed, bending well forward the while. Then he turned its head again and rode a few yards up and down the deck once more.

"Well done, my lad," cried the skipper, coming to his side. "You will do it. Go on."

"How deep is the water here?" said Denis eagerly.

"About a fathom. Plenty of room for you to swim."

Denis set his teeth, walked his horse up and down once more, turned it sharply toward the gangway, and then with voice and heel urged it forward, but only to elicit a loud snort as it stood with all four feet pressed firmly on the deck.

Once more, half despairing now, Denis rode up and down again, before turning toward the open gangway, and it happened that just as he reached it a neighing challenge came afresh from the sh.o.r.e, sending a quiver through the charger, which snorted loudly, and then, in obedience to the rider's voice and the pressure of his heel, rose and bounded bravely forward from the vessel's side, out into the water, descending with a heavy splash, and then submerged all but the extended neck, and with the lad with the water rising above his hips, but firmly in his seat, bending forward and giving as if part of the brave animal that had begun swimming steadily towards the sh.o.r.e.

A ringing cheer rose from the vessel, was taken up by the men on the flat, and answered from the sh.o.r.e, while all watched the progress of horse and rider, who both seemed as if to the manner born.

"That means success, sir," said Saint Simon eagerly. "Will you go next?"

"But I shall be so wet, man. You had better follow with my charger now."

"Yes, sir, I will if you wish," whispered Saint Simon; "but--this is the beginning of our adventures, and--"

"Yes," said the King, in a voice full of vexation, "it seems so cowardly if I hang back. I am not afraid to do it, man, but I shall be so horribly drenched."

"You can get dry, sir, when we are ash.o.r.e."

"Yes, of course," whispered the King. "Here, I'll go next. I am not going to be beaten by that boy."

He was in full earnest, and bitting and bridling his horse himself, refusing Saint Simon's help and leaving him to perform the same task on his own steed, almost as soon as Denis had reached the sh.o.r.e, for his steed to stand snorting and shaking the water from its flowing mane and tail, the King was mounted, barebacked too. He rode his charger to the open gangway, where the brave beast answered the neigh that came from its companion on land, and without hesitation made the splashing leap so suddenly that the rider nearly lost his seat, having an undignified struggle to get himself upright again; while as soon as there was a clear way Saint Simon followed without the slightest difficulty, his charger in a few strides getting abreast of the King's; and they swam together till the water shallowed and the swimming became a splashing wade to where, wet and triumphant, Denis was waiting their arrival.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

MADAME THE HOSTESS.

A little crowd of idlers soon began to gather about the adventurers, who had dismounted to shake the water from their clinging garments and make much of their brave steeds.

"My faith!" said the King. "We are beginning our adventures indeed; but we are in a sorry plight, and ought to change."

"Here's the boat coming, sir," cried Denis, who turned away from a man who began questioning him eagerly as to who they were and why they had come ash.o.r.e like this.

The fellow's manner had annoyed him, for though he pretty well understood his English he replied shortly in his native tongue. But the man was in no wise rebuffed, and turned now to Saint Simon, with whom he fared no better, in fact, rather worse, the result being that he addressed the King, who shortly told him to go and mind his own affairs.

The boat, which soon reached the sh.o.r.e, contained the skipper, who had thoughtfully brought on the travellers' light valises, their saddles, and the remains of the horse-gear, ready to offer them any further a.s.sistance, and praising their gallant swim; but warmed up by his excitement, the King made light of it all, seeming ready to forget the state of his garments; and eager to get away from the crowd, he joined with his young companions in saddling up and mounting, to ride away from the curious crowd and the hangers-on, several of whom seemed on friendly terms with the man who had first addressed Denis, and whose curiosity seemed in no degree abated.

"I did think of going to some inn to change and rest, and start forward later on for Winchester," said the King; "but we will start at once and get away from here. Do the people think we have come to make an exhibition for them?"

"But you will want rest and refreshment, sir, and to dry your clothes,"

said Saint Simon.

"No," said the King. "Do you?"

"I am ready--we are ready," said Saint Simon, "to follow you in everything."

"Are our valises fast in their places, and the saddles well girthed?"

said the King. "Yes? Then we ride on at once till we are clear of this town. We shall soon dry in the hot sunshine, and be better ready to make a breakfast, for I feel as if I could touch no food. Follow, gentlemen," he continued, and putting spurs to his charger he cantered away along what seemed to be the main street, at the end of which a few inquiries put them on their right road and direct for the open country, where, once amongst green fields and hedgerows, they dismounted, to rest their horses by a river-bank and let them drink and graze.

But for this the brave animals, which had suffered more than their riders from the crossing, displayed no eagerness, and the travellers advanced again, walking each with his bridle in his hand, enjoying the glowing sunshine and the simple beauty of the country, and gradually growing more light-hearted and ready for any fresh adventure that they might encounter.

The road became more and more deserted, a village or two was pa.s.sed, and later on in the day they were attracted by the appearance of a substantial farmhouse whose very aspect suggested that here was the spot to put an end to certain qualms connected with the fact that they had not partaken of food for a considerable length of time.

Here there was corn for their horses in a shady barn-like stable whose loft shed a delicious odour of sweet hay, and in the house a clean white scrubbed table with bowls of new milk, newly made bread, and freshly fried ham, the whole forming a repast to which the party paid ample justice, while it made the King declare that it was the most delicious banquet he had ever enjoyed.

Then with the horses quite recovered, the journey was recommenced and the travellers rode off, Denis turning in his saddle to wave his hand to the farmer and his wife, just in time to catch sight of another party riding up to the farm as if to take their places and enjoy a similar meal.

Winchester at last, with the square tower of the fine old cathedral standing up from amongst the trees, the river sparkling in the sunshine, the wooded hills and verdant plains rising on all sides making Francis draw rein to breathe his horse and half close his eyes as he gazed around.

"Well," he said, "France is France, but my brother of England, if all his country is like this, possesses a land that any king might envy; and I shall tell him so if we meet, as of course we shall. But after all, I don't like this task. I am a king, and it begins to look to me, boys, as if I am going crawling up to the back door of this palace of his like some lacquey. But there, I have said that I would do it. It is for France, and I will. What do you say, Saint Simon?"

"Oh, sir, you mustn't turn back now."

"No: I must not turn back now, though we have been rather damped at the start, eh?" he added, with a laugh. "But are you lads dry?"

They declared they were, and the conversation turned upon their proceedings.