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"And the Saracen hounds outside would at least give us a draught of water ere they made away with us," said another. "Saracens, forsooth!" said Sigbert. "You shall leave the Saracens far behind you. A few words first with my lord, and you shall hear. Meanwhile, you, John Cook, take all the beef remaining; make it in small fardels, such as a man may easily carry."
Walter, Mabel, Sigbert, and Roger were also mounted, and asses were found in the camp for the nurse, and the men who had been hurt in the night's surprise.
In the midst, Walter paused and exclaimed "Our banner! How leave it to the Paynim dogs?" "It's here, sir," said Sigbert, showing a bundle on his back. "Warning to the foe to break in and seek us," grumbled Gilbert. "Not so," replied Sigbert. "I borrowed an old wrapper of nurse's that will cheat their eyes till we shall be far beyond their ken."
The Saracens, surprised, fled without ever guessing the number of their foes. The Sheik made prisoner in his tent. Ay, and a greater still, the Emir Hussein Bey, who had arrived to take possession of the castle only that very evening. What a ransom he would pay! Horses and all were taken, the spoil of the country round, and Master Sigbert had sent this palfrey for Lady Mabel to ride down."
England hath enough of Saxon churls without thee, and I shall purvey myself an esquire of youthful grace and noble blood." Mabel looked at her betrothed and began to speak. "No, no, sweet lady, I will have none of that rough, old masterful sort about me." "Sir King," said Sigbert, "I thank thee heartily.
The old nurse, who was fitfully fanning Mabel with a dried palm- leaf, made a growl of utter dissent, and Mabel exclaimed, "None was ever so faithful as good old Sigbert." It was a promising quarrel, but their lips were too dry to keep it up for more than a snarl or two. Walter cast himself down, and bade old Tata fan him; why should Mabel have it all to herself?
The only mischance on the way was that in the noontide halt, just as the shimmer of the Lake of Galilee met their eyes, under a huge terebinth-tree, growing on a rock, when all, except Sigbert, had composed themselves to a siesta, there was a sudden sound of loud and angry altercation, and, as the sleepers started up, the Emir was seen grasping the bridle of the horse on which the Sheik sat downcast and abject under the storm of fierce indignant words hurled at him for thus degrading his tribe and all Islam by breaking his plighted word to the Christian.
On a cliff looking down on the Arab camp, and above it on the dark mass of the castle, where, in the watch-tower, Sigbert had left a lamp burning, they halted just as the half-moon was dipping below the heights towards the Mediterranean. Here the Lady Mabel and her guard were to wait until they heard the sounds which to their practised ears would show how the fight went.
The smoke of the lamp in front drifted back, and the air was more and more oppressive. Mabel, with set teeth and compressed lips, struggled on, clinging tight to the end of the cord which Sigbert had tied to his body for her to hold by, while in like manner Walter's hand was upon her dress.
It's time the cup was filled!" "It was Roger's turn. Sigbert said he should have the next," said Mabel. Walter uttered an imprecation upon Roger, and a still stronger one on Sigbert's meddling. But instantly the cry was, "Where is Sigbert?"
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