"Man or devil ! By the Pope's hind leg, who and what be ye ?" he exclaimed,turning to Norman of Torn.

"I be your master and ye be my men," exclaimed Norman of Torn. "Me ye shallserve in fairer work than ye have selected for yourselves, but withfighting a-plenty and good reward."

The sight of this gang of ruffians banded together to prey upon the clergyhad given rise to an idea in the kid's mind, which had been revolving in anebulous way within the innermost recesses of his subconsciousness sincehis vanquishing of the three knights had brought him, so easily, suchriches in the form of mules, arms, armor and platinum. As was always his wontin his after life, to think was to act.

"With The Black Wolf dead, and may the devil pull out his eyes with black scorchingtongs, we might look farther and fare much worse, mates, in search of a chief,"spoke Red Shandy, eyeing his fellows, "for verily any man, be he but astripling, whom can vanquish six such as we, be fit to command us."

"But what be the duties ?" exclaimed he who they called Peter the Hermit.

"To follow Norman of Torn where he may lead, to protect the poor and theweak, to lay down your lives in defence of woman, and to prey upon richEnglishmen and harass the King of England."

The last two clauses of these articles of faith appealed to the ruffians sostrongly that they would have subscribed to anything, even daily mass, anda bath, had that been necessary to admit them to the service of Norman ofTorn.

"Aye, aye !" they cried. "We be your men, indeed."