IN PURSUIT. OF

you not that their horses are swifter than ours, and
we must go cunningly to work? Patience, Walter,
patience. We must make a circuit and intercept
them, without their be sing aware that we are in
pursuit.’

Walter’s blood boiled: his head seemed about to
turn; and, in spite of the knight’s admonition, he
could hardly restrain his impetuosity as he saw the
Saracens making off with their prize. Bisset, how-
ever, was calm, but, as usual, resolute; and it was
not till he had posted part of his cavalry at the gate
to prevent further intrusions that, at the head of
half-a-dozen horsemen, he deliberately went in pur-
suit, and in such a direction that the Saracens had
no suspicions that they were pursued. Indeed, they
deemed themselves so secure that they gradually
slackened their pace, and at length halted while two
of their number rode back to ascertain the result of
the combat that was taking place before Acre.

And what was the state of affairs before the
city ?

‘As the Genoese knight was retiring with his body
of infantry,’ says Joinville, ‘a Saracen suddenly
moved by his courage came boldly up to him, and
said in his faracenic tongue that if ke pleased he
would tilt with him. The knight answered with
pride that he would receive him; but, when he was
on the point of beginning his course, he perceived on
his left hand eight or nine Saracens, who had halted
there to see the event of the tournament. The
knight, therefore, instead of directing his course
towards the Saracen who had offered to tilt with