"No, I don't mean it now, Ben. The places don't tingle so; but I say, there'll be black marks wherever you cut at me." "Never mind, sir; they'll soon come white again, and you'll know next time that you've got to have your weapon ready to save yourself. Well, I dunno. I meant it right, but you've had enough of it. Some day Sir Granby'll let you go to a big fencing-master as never faced a bit o' steel drawn in anger in his life, and he'll put you on leather pads and things, and tap you soft like, and show you how to bow, s'loot, and cut capers like a Frenchman, and when he's done with you I could cut you up into mincemeat without you being able to give me a scratch." "Get out!" cried Roy. "You don't think anything of the sort. What time shall I come to-morrow morning--six?" "No, sir, no. Bed's very nice at six o'clock in the morning. You stop there, and then you won't be hurt." "Five, then?" said Roy, sharply. "Nay, sir; you wait for the big fencing-master." "Five o'clock, I said," cried Roy. The old soldier took the sword Roy had held, and fetching a piece of leather from a drawer began to polish off the finger-marks left upon the steel. "I said five o'clock, Ben," cried the boy, very decisively. "Nay, Master Roy, you give it up, sir. I'm too rough an old chap for you." "Sorry I was so disagreeable, Ben," said the boy, offering his hand. "Mean it, sir?" "Why, of course, Ben." The hand was eagerly seized, and, it being understood that the sword practice was to begin punctually at six next morning, they separated. CHAPTER FIVE. ROY TAKES HIS NEXT LESSON. The clock in the little turret which stood out over the gate-way facing Lady Royland's garden had not done striking six when Roy entered the armoury next morning, to find Ben hard at work fitting the interior of a light helmet with a small leather cap which was apparently well stuffed with wool. "Morning, Ben," said the boy. "What's that for?" "You, sir." "To wear?" "Of course. Just as well to take care of your face and head when you're handling swords. You can use it with the visor up or down, 'cording to what we're doing. You see, I want to learn you how to use a sword like a soldier, and not like a gentleman who never expects to see trouble." "Ready?" "Yes, sir, quite; and first thing 's morning we'll begin where we left off, and you shall try to learn that you don't know how to thrust. Nothing like finding out how bad you are. Then you can begin to see better what you have to learn." "Very well," said Roy, eagerly. "You'll have to look out now then, Ben, for I mean to learn, and pretty quickly." "Oh, yes; you'll learn quickly enough," said Ben, placing the helmet upon the table and taking the pair of sticks up from where he had placed them. "But say, Master Roy, I have been working here. Don't you think the place looks better?"