hree　years　carried　away　the　prize　for　the　best　sword…　player　at　the　sports。　Methinks　the　boy　will　grow　up　into　a　strong　and　stalwart　man；　for　he　is　truly　a　splendid　lad。　As　to　archery；　he　need　not　go　far　to　learn　it；　since　your　apprentice；　Will　Parker；　last　year　won　the　prize　as　the　best　marksman　in　the　city　bounds。　　Trust　me；　if　his　tastes　lie　that　way　we　will　between　us　turn　him　out　a　rare　man…at…arms。　But　I　must　stand　gossiping　no　longer；　the　rumours　that　we　are　likely　ere　long　to　have　war　with　France；　have　rarely　bettered　my　trade。　Since　the　wars　in　Scotland　men's　arms　have　rusted　somewhat；　and　my　two　men　are　hard　at　work　mending　armour　and　fitting　swords　to　hilts；　and　forging　pike…heads。　You　see　I　am　a　citizen　though　I　dwell　outside　the　bounds；　because　house　rent　is　cheaper　and　I　get　my　charcoal　without　paying　the　city　dues。　So　I　can　work　somewhat　lower　than　those　in　the　walls；　and　I　have　good　custom　from　many　in　Kent；　who　know　that　my　arms　are　of　as　good　temper　as　those　turned　out　by　any　craftsman　in　the　city。〃
  Giles　Fletcher's　anticipations　as　to　the　result　of　his　guest's　illness　turned　out　to　be　well　founded。　The　fever　abated；　but　left　her　prostrate　in　strength。　　For　a　few　weeks　she　lingered；　but　she　seemed　to　have　little　hold　of　life；　and　to　care　not　whether　she　lived　or　died。　So；　gradually　she　faded　away。
  〃I　know　you　will　take　care　of　my　boy　as　if　he　were　your　own；　Bertha；〃　she　said　one　day；　〃and　you　and　your　husband　will　be　far　better　protectors　for　him　than　I　should　have　been　had　I　lived。　Teach　him　to　be　honest　and　true。　It　were　better；　methinks；　that　he　grew　up　thinking　you　his　father　and　mother；　for　otherwise　he　may　grow　discontented　with　his　lot；　but　this　I　leave　with　you；　and　you　must　speak　or　keep　silent　according　as　you　see　his　disposition　and　mind。　If　he　is　content　to　settle　down　to　a　peaceful　life　here；　say　nought　to　him　which　would　unsettle　his　mind；　but　if　Walter　turn　out　to　have　an　adventurous　disposition；　then　tell　him　as　much　as　you　think　fit　of　his　history；　not　encouraging　him　to　hope　to　recover　his　father's　lands　and　mine；　for　that　can　never　be；　seeing　that　before　that　time　can　come　they　would　have　been　enjoyed　for　many　years　by　others；　but　that　he　may　learn　to　bear　himself　bravely　and　gently　as　becomes　one　of　good　blood。〃
  A　few　days　later　Lady　Alice　breathed　her　last；　and　at　her　own　request　was　buried　quietly　and　without　pomp；　as　if　she　had　been　a　child　of　the　bowman；　a　plain　stone；　with　the　name　〃Dame　Alice　Somers〃；　marking　the　grave。
  The　boy　grew　and　throve　until　at　fourteen　years　old　there　was　no　stronger　or　sturdier　lad　of　his　age　within　the　city　bounds。　Giles　had　caused　him　to　be　taught　to　read　and　write；　accomplishments　which　were　common　among　the　citizens；　although　they　were　until　long　afterwards　rare　among　the　warlike　barons。　The　greater　part　of　his　time；　however；　was　spent　in　sports　with　lads　of　his　own　age　in　Moorfields　beyond　the　walls。　The　war　with　France　was　now　raging；　and；　as　was　natural；　the　boys　in　their　games　imitated　the　doings　of　their　elders；　and　mimic　battles；　ofttimes　growing　into　earnest；　were　fought　between　the　lads　of　the　different　wards。　　Walter　Fletcher；　as　he　was　known　among　his　play…fellows；　had　by　his　strength　and　courage　won　for　himself　the　proud　position　of　captain　of　the　boys　of　the　ward　of　Aldgate。
  Geoffrey　Ward　had　kept　his　word；　and　had　already　begun　to　give　the　lad　lessons　in　the　use　of　arms。　When　not　engaged　otherwise　Walter　would；　almost　every　afternoon；　cross　London　Bridge　and　would　spend　hours　in　the　armourer's　forge。　　Geoffrey's　business　had　grown；　for　the　war　had　caused　a　great　demand　for　arms；　and　he　had　now　six　men　working　in　the　forge。　As　soon　as　the　boy　could　handle　a　light　tool　Geoffrey　allowed　him　to　work；　and　although　not　able　to　wield　the　heavy　sledge　Walter　was　able　to　do　much　of　the　finer　work。　Geoffrey　encouraged　him　in　this；　as；　in　the　first　place；　the　use　of　the　tools　greatly　strengthened　the　boy's　muscles；　and　gave　him　an　acquaintance　with　arms。　Moreover；　Geoffrey　was　still　a　bachelor；　and　he　thought　that　the　boy；　whom　he　as　well　as　Giles　had　come　to　love　as　a　son；　might；　should　he　not　take　up　the　trade　of　war；　prefer　the　occupation　of　an　armourer　to　that　of　a　bowmaker；　in　which　case　he　would　take　him　some　day　as　his　partner　in　the　forge。　After　work　was　over　and　the　men　had　gone　away；　Geoffrey　would　give　the　lad　instructions　in　the　use　of　the　arms　at　which　he　had　been　at　work；　and　so　quick　and　strong　was　he　that　he　rapidly　acquired　their　use；　and　Geoffrey　foresaw　that　he　would　one　day；　should　his　thoughts　turn　that　way；　prove　a　mighty　man…at…arms。
  It　was　the　knowledge　which　he　acquired　from　Geoffrey　which　had　much　to　do　with　Walter's　position　among　his　comrades。　The　skill　and　strength　which　he　had　acquired　in　wielding　the　hammer；　and　by　practice　with　the　sword　rendered　him　a　formidable　opponent　with　the　sticks；　which　formed　the　weapons　in　the　mimic　battles；　and　indeed　not　a　few　were　the　complaints　which　were　brought　before　Giles　Fletcher　of　bruises　and　hurts　caused　by　him。
  〃You　are　too　turbulent；　Walter；〃　the　bowyer　said　one　day　when　a　haberdasher　from　the　ward　of　Aldersgate　came　to　complain　that　his　son's　head　had　been　badly　cut　by　a　blow　with　a　club　from　Walter　Fletcher。　〃You　are　always　getting　into　trouble；　and　are　becoming　the　terror　of　other　boys。　Why　do　you　not　play　more　quietly？　The　feuds　between　the　boys　of　different　wards　are　becoming　a　serious　nuisance；　and　many　injuries　have　been　inflicted。　I　hear　that　the　matter　has　been　mentioned　in　the　Common　Council；　and　that　there　is　a　talk　of　issuing　an　order　that　no　boy　not　yet　apprenticed　to　a　trade　shall　be　allowed　to　carry　a　club；　and　that　any　found　doing　so　shall　be　publicly　whipped。〃
  〃I　don't　want　to　be　turbulent；〃　Walter　said；　〃but　if　the　Aldersgate　boys　will　defy　us；　what　are　we　to　do？　I　don't　hit　harder　than　I　can　help；　and　if　Jonah　Harris　would　leave　his　head　unguarded　I　could　not　help　hitting　it。〃
  〃I　tell　you　it　won't　do；　Walter；〃　Giles　said。　〃You　will　be　getting　yourself　into　sore　trouble。　You　are　growing　too　masterful　altogether；　and　have　none　of　the　quiet　demeanour　and　peaceful　air　which　becomes　an　honest　citizen。　In　another　six　months　you　will　be　apprenticed；　and　then　I　hope　we　shall　hear　no　more　of　these　doings。〃
  〃My　father　is　talking　of　apprenticing　me；　Master　Geoffrey；〃　Walter　said　that　evening。　〃I　hope　that　you　will；　as　you　were　good　enough　to　promise；　talk　with　him　about　apprenticing　me　to　your　craft　rather　than　to　his。　I　should　never　take　to　the　making　of　bows；　though；　indeed；　I　like　well　to　use　them；　and　Will　Parker；　who　is　teaching　me　says　that　I　show　rare　promise；　but　it　would　never　be　to　my　taste　to　stand　all　day　sawing；　and　smoothing；　and　polishing。　One　bow　is　to　me　much　like　another；　though　my　father　holds　that　there　are　rare　differences　between　them；　but　it　is　a　nobler　craft　to　work　on　iron；　and　next　to　using　arms　the　most　pleasant　thing　surely　is　to　make　them。　One　can　fancy　what　good　blows　the　sword　will　give　and　what　hard　knocks　the　armour　will　turn　aside；　but　some　day；　Master　Geoffrey；　when　I　have　served　my　time；　I　mean　to　follow　the　army。　　There　is　always　work　there　for　armourers　to　do；　and　sometimes　at　a　pinch　they　may　even　get　their　share　of　fighting。〃
  Walter　did　not　venture　to　say　that　he　would　prefer　to　be　a　man…at…arms；　for　such　a　sentiment　would　be　deemed　as　outrageous　in　the　ears　of　a　quiet　city　craftsman　as　would　the　proposal　of　the　son　of　such　a　man　nowadays　to　enlist　as　a　soldier。　　The　armourer　smiled；　he　knew　well　enough　what　was　in　Walter's　mind。　It　had　cost　Geoffrey　himself　a　hard　struggle　to　settle　down　to　a　craft；　and　deemed　it　but　natural　that　with　the　knightly　blood　flowing　in　Walter's　veins　he　should　long　to　distinguish　himself　in　the　field。　He　said　nothing　of　this；　however；　but　renewed　his　promise　to　speak　to　Giles　Fletcher；　deeming　that　a　few　years　passed　in　his　forge　would　be　the　best　preparation　which　Walter　could　have　for　a　career　as　a　soldier。
  CHAPTER　II：　THE　HUT　IN　THE　MARSHES
  A　week　later　a　party　of　knights　and　court　gallants；　riding　across　the　fields　without　the　walls；　checked　their　horses　to　look　at　a　struggle　which　was　going　on　between　two　parties　of　boys。　One；　which　was　apparently　the　most　powerful；　had　driven　the　other　off　from　a　heap　of　rubbish　which　had　been　carried　without　the　walls。　Each　party　had　a　flag　attached　to　a　stick；　and　the　boys　were　armed　with　clubs　such　as　those　carried　by　the　apprentice　boys。　　Many　of　them　carried　mimic　shields　made　of　wood；　and　had　stuffed　their　flat　caps　with　wool　or　shavings；　the　better　to　protect　their　heads　from　blows。　The　smaller　party　had　just　been　driven　from　the　heap；　and　their　leader　was　urging　them　to　make　another　effort　to　regain　it。
  〃That　is　a　gallant…looking　lad；　and　a　sturdy；　my　Lord　de　Vaux；〃　a　boy　of　about　ten　years　of　age　said。　〃He　bears　himself　like　a　young　knight；　and　he　has　had　some　hard　knocks；　for；　see；　the　blood　is　streaming　down　his　face。　One　would　scarcely　expect　to　see　these　varlets　of　the　city　playing　so　roughly。〃
  〃The　citizens　have　proved　themselves　sturdy　fighters　before　now；　my　prince；〃　the　other　said；　〃they　are　ever　independent；　and　hold　to　their　rights　even　against　the　king。　　The　contingent　which　the　city　sends　to　the　wars　bear