"He has a white plume, but it may have been shorn off," the king said. "Look, the young Pembroke is making a sortie!" From the sortie gate behind the tower the defenders now poured out, and running down the edge of the moat fell upon the stormers. These, however, received them with great steadiness, and while some continued to attack the rest turned upon the garrison, and, headed by Ralph the smith, drove them gradually back. "They fight well and steadily," the king said. "One would have thought that they had reckoned on the sortie, so steadily did they receive it." As only a portion of the garrison had issued out, they were unable to resist long the pressure of the apprentices, who drove them back step by step to the sally-port, and pressing them hard endeavored to force their way in at their heels. CHAPTER VII. THE YOUNG ESQUIRE. While the attention of the whole of the spectators and combatants was fixed upon the struggle at the right-hand angle of the castle, a party of twenty 'prentices suddenly leaped to their feet from among the broken palisades of the outwork. Lying perdu there they had escaped the attention of the spectators as well as of the defenders. The reason why the assailants carried the planks and ladders to this spot was now apparent. Only a portion had been taken on to the assault of the right-hand tower; those who now rose to their feet lifted with them planks and ladders, and at a rapid pace ran toward the left angle of the castle, and reached that point before the attention of the few defenders who remained on the wall there was attracted to them, so absorbed were they in the struggle at the other angle. The moment that they saw the new assailants they raised a shout of alarm, but the din of the combat, the shouts of the leaders and men were so loud that their cries were unheard. Two or three then hurried away at full speed to give the alarm, while the others strove to repel the assault. Their efforts were in vain. The planks were flung across the moat, the ladders placed in position, and led by Walter the assailants sprang up and gained a footing on the wall before the alarm was fairly given. A thundering cheer from the spectators greeted the success of the assailants. Springing along the wall they drove before them the few who strove to oppose them, gained the central tower, and Walter, springing up to the top, pulled down the banner of the defenders and placed that of the city in its place. At this moment the defenders, awakened too late to the ruse which had been played upon them, came swarming back along the wall and strove to regain the central tower. In the confusion the assault by the flying tower of the assailants was neglected, and at this point also they gained a footing on the wall. The young nobles of the court, furious at being outwitted, fought desperately to regain their lost laurels. But the king rose from his seat and held up his hand. The