162 The Children of Spinalunga

Now it was in the autumn of the same
year that the fierce captain of Free-lances,
the Condottiere Ghino, appeared one moon-
light night before the gates of Spinalunga,
and bade the guard open in the name of
Pisa.

As I have said, the little hill-town could
only be attacked on the western side, on
account of the precipitous ravine which
divided it from the hills; but the ridge
before the gate was crowded with eight
hundred horsemen and two thousand men-
at-arms clamouring to be admitted. Noth-
ing daunted, the garrison on the square
towers cried back a defiance; the war-bell
was sounded; and the townspeople, men
and women, hurried down to defend the
walls.

After the first flight of arrows and quar-
rels the Free-lances fell back out of bow-
shot, and encamped for the night, but the
hill-men remained on the watch till day-
break. [Early in the morning Ghino him-
self rode up the ascent with a white flag, and
asked for a parley with the Syndic. .

“We are from Pisa,” said the Condot-
tiere ; “ Florence is against us; this castello