CHAPTER XXXIV. HOW THE COMPANY MADE SPORT IN THE VALE OF PAMPELUNA.

arkyonderonthehill,”saidhe“mayhapyoucandiscernit.” “Iseesomething,”answeredJohnston,shadinghiseyeswithhishand“butitisaverylongshoot.” “Afairshoot—afairshoot!Standaside,Arnaud,lestyoufindaboltthroughyourgizzard.Now,comrade,Itakenoflightshot,andIgiveyouthevantageofwatchingmyshaft.” Ashespokeheraisedhisarbalesttohisshoulderandwasabouttopullthetrigger,whenalargegraystorkflappedheavilyintoviewskimmingoverthebrowofthehill,andthensoaringupintotheairtopassthevalley.Itsshrillandpiercingcriesdrewalleyesuponit,and,asitcamenearer,adarkspotwhichcircledaboveitresolveditselfintoaperegrinefalcon,whichhoveredoveritshead,poisingitselffromtimetotime,andwatchingitschanceofclosingwithitsclumsyquarry.Nearerandnearercamethetwobirds,allabsorbedintheirowncontest,thestorkwheelingupwards,thehawkstillflutteringaboveit,untiltheywerenotahundredpacesfromthecamp.TheBrabanterraisedhisweapontothesky,andtherecametheshort,deeptwangofhispowerfulstring.Hisboltstruckthestorkjustwhereitswingmeetsthebody,andthebirdwhirledaloftinalastconvulsiveflutterbeforefallingwoundedandflappingtotheearth.AroarofapplauseburstfromthecrossbowmenbutattheinstantthattheboltstruckitsmarkoldJohnston,whohadstoodlistlesslywitharrowonstring,benthisbowandspedashaftthroughthebodyofthefalcon.Whippingtheotherfromhisbelt,hesentitskimmingsomefewfeetfromtheearthwithsotrueanaimthatitstruckandtransfixedthestorkforthesecondtimeereitcouldreachtheground.Adeep-chestedshoutofdelightburstfromthearchersatthesightofthisdoublefeat,andAylward,dancingwithjoy,threwhisarmsroundtheoldmarksmanandembracedhimwithsuchvigorthattheirmailtunicsclangedagain. “Ah!camarade,”hecried,“youshallhaveastoupwithmeforthis!Whatthen,olddog,wouldnotthehawkpleasethee,butthoumusthavethestorkaswell.Oh,tomyheartagain!” “Itisaprettypieceofyew,andwellstrung,”saidJohnstonwithatwinkleinhisdeep-setgrayeyes.“Evenanoldbrokenbowmanmightfindthecloutwithabowlikethis.” “Youhavedoneverywell,”remarkedtheBrabanterinasurlyvoice.“ButitseemstomethatyouhavenotyetshownyourselftobeabettermarksmanthanI,forIhavestruckthatatwhichIaimed,and,bythethreekings!nomancandomore.” “Itwouldillbeseemmetoclaimtobeabettermarksman,”answeredJohnston,“forIhaveheardgreatthingsofyourskill.Ididbutwishtoshowthatthelong-bowcoulddothatwhichanarbalestcouldnotdo,foryoucouldnotwithyourmoulinethaveyourstringreadytospeedanothershafterethebirddroptotheearth.” “Inthatyouhavevantage,”saidthecrossbowman.“BySaintJames!itisnowmyturntoshowyouwheremyweaponhasthebetterofyou.Iprayyoutodrawaflightshaftwithallyourstrengthdownthevalley,thatwemayseethelengthofyourshoot.” “Thatisaverystrongprodofyours,”saidJohnston,shakinghisgrizzledheadasheglancedatthethickarchandpowerfulstringsofhisrival'sarbalest.“Ihavelittledoubtthatyoucanovershootme,andyetIhaveseenbowmenwhocouldsendacloth-yardarrowfurtherthanyoucouldspeedaquarrel.” “SoIhaveheard,”remarkedtheBrabanter“andyetitisastrangethingthatthesewondrousbowmenareneverwhereIchancetobe.Paceoutthedistanceswithawandateveryfivescore,anddoyou,Arnaud,standatthefifthwandtocarrybackmyboltstome.” Alinewasmeasureddownthevalley,andJohnston,drawinganarrowtotheveryhead,sentitwhistlingovertherowofwands. “Bravelydrawn!Arareshoot!”shoutedthebystanders. “Itiswelluptothefourthmark.” “Bymyhilt!itisoverit,”criedAylward.“Icanseewheretheyhavestoopedtogatheruptheshaft.” “Weshallhearanon,”saidJohnstonquietly,andpresentlyayoungarch