"Nay, were we separated, they would find out every joint in our
mail, and riddle us with arrows till we looked like porcupines,
while they would never tarry to abide one honest blow of a
battle-axe. Upon our archers depends our chance."
It would be a waste of time to tell in detail how the assailants
again and again repeated the same manoeuvre, until their Christian
opponents were reduced to a handful, when at length the Turks
changed their tactics and suddenly charged with all their force.
All would have been over with the Crusaders, crushed beneath the
weight of numbers, in spite of their superior weapons, at close
quarters. All seemed ended; the young knight, indeed, protected by
his excellent armour, still fought with all the valour of his
Norman race--fought like a paladin of romance--when--
A sudden cry, "Holy Cross to the rescue!" and a gallant band of
light horsemen charged the Infidels in the rear.
The assailants became the assailed, and fled in all directions.
"Rise up, sir knight--for knight you should be," said a stern manly
voice; and a warrior of noble mien, whose features were yet hidden
behind his visor, raised the youthful hero from the ground.
CHAPTER XXVI. "QUANTUM MUTATUS AB ILLO HECTORE."
An hour had passed away since the conflict had ceased, and all was
again peaceful and still.
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