As the lances of both were now broken, the trumpet sounded, and the combatants, nothing loth, rode off for a few minutes’ rest, and a fresh supply of weapons.

The latter having been procured, they very quickly renewed the struggle, and this time De la Zouch had better fortune, for just as the bugles were sounding for them to cease he pierced the joint of Manners’ armour, and inflicted a nasty flesh wound upon his elbow.

As the latter would not own himself vanquished, even at Dorothy’s request, the conflict was resumed, and this time with swords, and here the inferiority of De la Zouch was soon apparent.  Though he was no mean swordsman, yet his opponent was far more than a match for him, and blow after blow was rained down upon him, whilst on his own part Sir Henry was too busily engaged in defending himself to attempt to act on the offensive.  He was hard pressed, and it was fortunate indeed for him when the signal was given which called upon them both to desist awhile, in order to gain fresh breath, and to put to rights, as far as they were able, the damages they had already received.

The interval was filled up by the shouts of the onlookers, who now made up for their previous silence by loudly criticising the deeds of their respective champion, and vociferously calling out their particular favourite worthless instructions how to proceed when the conflict was continued.

Eustace stood ready to receive his master, and give him cordials wherein to reinvigorate his nerves, while Crowleigh was in waiting in lieu of a page, to bathe his friend’s wounds with water.

The sight of blood, which slowly trickled from Manners’ arm, reminded a Woode that he was a doctor, and, leaping from his seat, he clambered over the balcony and rushed across the arena to where the wounded esquire was standing.

“Let me see it,” he cried.  “This must be stopped at once.  Sir Henry, I declare you the winner of the——­”

“Hold there,” cried Manners, “I have not yielded yet.”

“Leave him alone, Sir Benedict,” added Crowleigh.  “He will make a sorry example of De la Zouch even yet.”

“But,” persisted the old knight, “I declare——­”

His speech was rudely cut short, for with a yell of pain he darted off across the arena, closely followed by a huge mastiff, whose tail he had been unfortunate enough to tread upon.

With the doctor out of the way the conflict was speedily renewed.  It was a terrible combat.  De la Zouch, intent on ridding himself of his adversary, declared he would give no quarter, and, altering his tactics, he hewed and lunged away with all the temerity of a man who fights for death or victory.

Manners’ superiority with the sword, however, was so apparent that after the restarting of the contest the final issue of it was never for a moment doubted, not even by the veriest tyro present.  Sir Henry’s wild thrusts were parried with consummate ease, and while the knight’s sword moved hither and thither with lightning-like rapidity, the trusty blade of the other moved equally quick, but with far more certainty.