But that astute youth determined not to move. "They’ll never be such caitiffs as to ride over me," he thought. However, it looked very much like it, for without any concern the esquire called out,-- "Now, Master Cheke and Master Woodville, ’tis your turn. Lower your beavers." "You’d best take care, Maurice," said Dicky, as they rode off. "I mean to do my best, and I’m sorry for thee." "None of thy peppercorn wit, Dicky. I’ll topple thee out of thy saddle like a pint pot off a brown jack." And so the two boys took up their positions, waiting for the word. It was soon given. Down came the lances. "Go," called the esquire, and the two boys rode at each other manfully enough. They were very equally matched, and struck each other full on their breastplates; but in Dicky’s case the lance of his adversary glanced off the sharp edge of the convex corslet, and slipped under his arm, doing him no injury, while his own lance also glanced aside, and the two boys were nearly unseated by their horses’ impetus. Had they not both held on tightly by the reins, and been prevented from going backwards by the high-peaked saddle, they must have fallen to the ground. As it was, they remained with their horses stationary, each spear locked under the other’s arm. "Maurice, I shall do thee a mischief," cried Dicky Cheke, through his visor. "Thou hadst best give up, and fall off thy horse. I won’t hurt thee then." "Grammercy for thy gentleness, Master Dicky, but I’ll soon have thee down," and the two boys pushed at each other, with the guards of their spears pressing against their breastplates. "Maurice, I say, don’t be such an obstinate pig! I’ll give thee all my share of the marchpane of strawberries when we have it again, if thou wilt only fall off this once. I’ll promise I’ll do it for thee another time." "That _is_ gammon! Marry come up, my pipkin!" said Maurice ironically, and, pushing and wriggling his lance harder than ever, to the great aggravation of Dicky Cheke, he almost lifted him out of the saddle. "Maurice, I shall get mad soon," said Dicky, "and then I shall hurt thee. Ah! would’st thou?" and Dicky, dropping his reins, and gripping the saddle with his knees, grasped Maurice’s lance with his left hand, and tried to force it back out of his hold. The two horses were pushing against each other. Suddenly Maurice grasped Dicky’s lance, and at the same time backing his horse, he pulled that young gentleman out of the saddle forward, who, however held on all the time to the lance, and thus broke his fall. The moment he was on the ground, he rose to his feet, holding the spear all the time, and fiercely tried to push Maurice out of the saddle. But Sir John Trenchard called out that all was fairly done, and that both had done their devoir as right hardy varlets, but that natheless Woodville had gotten most honour, for he kept his seat while the other was dismounted.