1Y2 THE BOY CRUSADERS,

whirled it with irresistible force, and, as the weapon
whizzed through the air, the Saracen dropped from
his horse and rolled into the ditch, the water of which
immediately became red with his blood.

Not a moment did Bisset now waste in getting under
cover of the wood. For full five minutes he neither
halted nor looked behind. At length he stopped
under a palm tree; and taking out one of those little
crosses which the Crusaders carried with them for
purposes of prayer, and which are now symbolised by
figures on the shield of many a Crusader’s descendant,
he knelt before it, and invoked the protection and aid
of God and the saints to shield him from danger and
restore him to the land of his fathers.

But almost ere the prayer was uttered, Bisset
started at the sound of footsteps; and as he turned
his head his brain reeled; and, after grasping at the
tree for support, he sank motionless on the ground.