Meantime the three sons of Sir John had entered into conversation with the two youthful esquires, and were making friends as fast as circumstances would allow.  They were some years older than the Gascon brothers —­ that is to say that John was close upon twenty, and Oliver and Bernard followed, each a year younger than his predecessor.  They had seen far more of the world than these country-bred lads, and had been reared more or less in the atmosphere of the Court; still they were bright, high spirited, and unaffected youths, who were ready enough to make advances to any comrades of their own standing across whose path they might be thrown.

Gaston and Raymond had about them an air of breeding which won them notice wherever they went.  Their speech was refined for the times, and their handsome figures and faces gained them speedy and favourable attention.  Very soon the five youths were chatting and laughing together as though they were old friends.  The sons of Sir John heard all about the encounter in the forest, and how the wolves had been scared away; whilst the Gascon brothers, on their side, heard about the vast round tower built by the King for his Round Table to assemble at, and how busily everybody had been employed in hastening on the work and getting everything in readiness for the great festival that was at hand.

“Shall we see the feast?” asked Gaston eagerly.  “Men say it will be a sight not to be forgotten.”

“We shall see it like enough,” answered John, “but only belted knights will sit at the board.  Why, even the Prince of Wales himself will not sit down at the table, but will only stand to serve his father; for his spurs are not yet won, though he says he will not be long in winning them if kind fortune will but give him the chance he craves.  A great assembly of esquires will be in attendance on their masters, and I trow ye twain might well be amongst these, as we hope ourselves to be.  Your master is one of the bidden knights, and will sit not very far from the King himself.  If you can make shift to steal in through the press and stand behind his chair, I doubt not but what ye will see all right well; and perchance the King himself may take note of you.  He has a marvellous quick eye, and so has the Prince; and he is ever on the watch for knightly youths to serve him as valettus —­ as we do.”

“We are going to win our spurs together,” cried Bernard, who in some ways was the leading spirit amongst the brothers, as he was afterwards the most noted man of his house.  “We have talked of it a thousand times, and the day will come ere long.  The King has promised that when next he is called forth to fight the recreant King of France, he will take the Prince with him, and he has promised that we shall go with him.  The day will come when he will lay claim once more to that crown of France which by rights is his to wear, and we shall all sally forth to drive the coward Louis from the throne, and place the crown on Edward’s royal brow.”