"The first leap is yours, Master Dexter. See you set us a good lead."
I leapt, scarcely thinking what I did, and leapt badly; for though one
by one the others failed to reach it, Will Peake reached it, and lit in
my very footprints.
"A match again!" cried everyone, "and a close match, too!"
The gallant had made up to her again, and was tormenting her sweet ear
once more with his whispers. She stood rigid like a statue with her
eyes before her, showing only by the heaving of her bosom that she was
aware of his unwelcome presence.
"You keep us waiting, lad," cried the alderman. "Jump, unless you mean
to yield the victory to your adversary."
I jumped, listlessly again, and again alighted within an inch of my
former distance. And once again, Will Peake landed in my very hoof-
marks.
"A mortal match!" cried the crowd.
"One leap more," said the alderman, "and if that does not decide--"
He was there still, and, worse than before, had caught the little hand
that hung at her side in his. The colour had gone from her face. I saw
that she bit her lips, and for one moment her eyes looked up appealingly
and, so it seemed to me, met mine.
Then with my heart swelling big within me, I walked to the starting-
point, and ran for my last leap.
It was with all my might that I jumped now, and I cleared two good feet
beyond my former distance; so that the onlookers could scarcely shout
for amazement.
But I waited neither for their shouts nor for Will's jump, for I knew he
could not reach me. With beating heart, and fingers digging into the
palms of my hands, I walked straight to where she stood, pale and
trembling. Her right hand was still his prisoner, and his cursed lips
were still at her ear. But not for long.
Before he was aware, I had seized him with a grip which made him howl;
and next moment he was reeling and staggering a dozen yards away in the
midst of the enclosure. It all happened so quickly that even she seemed
scarcely to know of her deliverance, till she saw him draw his sword and
look round for me.
Then, to draw the combat away from her, I went on to meet him with my
club; and before his first onset was done, his sword flew over his head
in two pieces. It was an old trick, and cost nothing to a 'prentice
outside Temple Bar. And while he looked round, bewildered, after his
weapon, I took him by the nape of his neck and the cloth of his
breeches, and walked with him to the pond hard by, where I left him, and
so was well rid of him.
By this time the Fields were in an uproar. So intent had all been on
the leaping, to see if Will Peake would equal my jump (which, Heaven
help him! he could not do), that the gallant was swinging over the pond
before anyone understood what was afoot. Then they broke up the ring
and closed in on us, so that I, having dropped my burden amidst the
duck-weed, was fain to lose myself among the crowd and give one and all
the slip.
I thought I had done so, for while all stood gaping and jeering as they
fished out the sputtering hero from his pea-green bath, I sauntered back
unheeded to the place where last I had seen her for whose sake all the
pother arose. At first I feared she had fled, but on looking I spied
her in company with an elderly woman, who soothed and chid her in turn,
and began to hurry her from the place.
But when she saw me, she brushed the old servant aside, and with a blush
beckoned me to her. Shall I ever forget the vision of her, as she stood
there, stately and beautiful, with hand outstretched, smiling on me with
mingled pity for my shyness and gratitude for my service?
"My brave friend," said she, and her voice fell like music on my ears,
"I have nothing but my poor thanks to give thee, but they are thine."
The crimson now came to my cheeks, for it hurt me to hear her talk of
payment.
"I would gladly do it all again," said I.
"Nay," she laughed, "once is enough surely, at least for me."
Then I wished the ground might swallow me, for I deemed she thought me a
fool.
"She would come," put in the old servant in an accent which, though I
had never heard it before, I took to be Scotch or Irish; "I told her
myself what to expect among a crowd of rude, rascally City sparks, that
don't know a lady when they see her, and when they do, don't know how to
behave themselves. It serves her right, say I, and it's myself will see
she frolics no more, I warrant you--a low, unmannerly pack of curs, with
a plague on all of you."
"Never heed my old nurse," said the young lady, sweetly; "she and I were
parted in the crowd, and but for you, brave lad, I might have rued my
folly in coming hither more than I do. Thanks once more, and farewell.
Come, Judy--thank good Master Dexter for taking better care of me than
ever you did, and then come away."
I stood like a mule gaping after them as they went, unable to stir or
say a word till they were lost to view. Then as I turned came a shout
at my ears: "There he stands!--there stands the villain! Seize him and
hold him fast. He shall learn what it is to assault a captain of the
Queen's guard."
Ho! ho! There were a round dozen of them, and one on horseback. But I
knew of two dozen better than they within call.
So I shouted, "Clubs, clubs, to the rescue!" and began to lay about me.