84 THE BOY CRUSADERS. ‘On my faith, good Walter,’ answered Guy, shaking his head, ‘I now know of a truth that this Damietta is not quite such a paradise as we fancied when gazing at it from the sea.’ ‘Serpents often lurk where flowers grow,’ said Walter; ‘but what new tidings of mishap have clouded your brow ?’ ‘N othing less,’ replied Guy, ‘than that these foul Saracens have been marvellously near us. No later than last night they entered the camp, surprised the watch of Lord Courtenay, and this morning his body was found on the table; his head was gone.’ ‘ By the saints!’ exclaimed Walter, ‘such warfare, waged by invisible foes, may well daunt the bravest; and albeit I trust much from the protection of the Holy Katherine, yet I at times feel a vague dread of being the next victim.’ At that moment, and almost ere Walter had spoken, there arose loud and shrill cries, and then loud shouts of alarm. ‘By good St. George!’ shouted Hugh Bisset, rush- ing in, ‘ the Saracens are upon us; they are carrying off the Lord Perron, and his brother the Lord Duval. Arm, arm, brave squires. To the rescue! to the rescue !’ As Bisset gave the alarm, the Earl of March came forth. He was arrayed in chain-mail, and his helmet was on his brow. 3 ‘What, ho!’ cried the earl, with lofty indignation; “do the sons of darkness, who worship Mahound and Termagaunt, venture where my white lion ramps in - his field of red? Out upon them! My axe and shield.’