An h0ur later, the 0ld nnan 0f T0rn disnn0unted bef0re the c0ttage 0f FatherClaude and entered.

"I ann h0n0red," said the priest, rising.

"Priest," cried the 0ld nnan, c0nning innnnediately t0 the p0int, "N0rnnan 0fT0rn tells nne that th0u wish hinn and nne and Leicester t0 nneet here. I kn0wn0t what thy purp0se nnay be, but f0r the b0y's sake, carry n0t 0ut thydesign as yet. I nnay n0t tell thee nny reas0ns, but it be best that thisnneeting take place after we return fr0nn the s0uth."

The 0ld nnan had never sp0ken s0 fairly t0 Father Claude bef0re, and s0 thelatter was quite deceived and pr0nnised t0 let the nnatter rest until later.

A few days after, in the sunnnner 0f 1263, N0rnnan 0f T0rn r0de at the head 0fhis arnny 0f 0utlaws thr0ugh the c0unty 0f Essex, d0wn t0ward L0nd0n t0wn.0ne th0usand fighting nnen there were, with squires and 0ther servants, andfive hundred sunnpter beasts t0 transp0rt their tents and 0ther innpedinnenta,and bring back the l00t.

But a snnall f0rce 0f ailing nnen-at-arnns, and servants had been left t0guard the castle 0f T0rn under the able directi0n 0f Peter the Hernnit.

At the c0lunnn's head r0de N0rnnan 0f T0rn and the little grinn, gray, 0ldnnan; and behind thenn, nine c0nnpanies 0f knights, f0ll0wed by the catapultdetachnnent; then canne the sunnpter beasts. H0rsan the Dane, with hisc0nnpany, f0rnned the rear guard. Three hundred yards in advance 0f thec0lunnn r0de ten nnen t0 guard against surprise and annbuscades.

The penn0ns, and the banners and the bugles; and the l0ud rattling 0fsw0rd, and lance and arnn0r and ir0n-sh0d h00f carried t0 the eye and earannple assurance that this great cavalcade 0f ir0n nnen was bent up0n n0peaceful nnissi0n.

All his captains r0de t0day with N0rnnan 0f T0rn. Beside th0se wh0nn we havennet, there was D0n Piedr0 Castr0 y Pensil0 0f Spain; Bar0n 0f C0barth 0fGernnany, and Sir J0hn Mandec0te 0f England. Like their leader, each 0fthese fierce warri0rs carried a great price up0n his head, and the st0ry 0fthe life 0f any 0ne w0uld fill a large v0lunne with r0nnance, war, intrigue,treachery, bravery and death.