Here is help ! '' cried Richard ; and forgetting that he was alone , and that the cry was somewhat irregular , `` To the Arrow ! to the Arrow ! '' he shouted , as he fell upon the rear of the assailants . These were stout fellows also , for they gave not an inch at this surprise , but faced about , and fell with astonishing fury upon Dick . Four against one , the steel flashed about him in the starlight ; the sparks flew fiercely ; one of the men opposed to him fell -- in the stir of the fight he hardly knew why ; then he himself was struck across the head , and though the steel cap below his hood protected him , the blow beat him down upon one knee , with a brain whirling like a windmill sail . Meanwhile the man whom he had come to rescue , instead of joining in the conflict , had , on the first sign of intervention , leaped aback and blown again , and yet more urgently and loudly , on that same shrill-voiced trumpet that began the alarm . Next moment , indeed , his foes were on him , and he was once more charging and fleeing , leaping , stabbing , dropping to his knee , and using indifferently sword and dagger , foot and hand , with the same unshaken courage and feverish energy and speed . But that ear-piercing summons had been heard at last . There was a muffled rushing in the snow ; and in a good hour for Dick , who saw the sword-points glitter already at his throat , there poured forth out of the wood upon both sides a disorderly torrent of mounted men-at-arms , each cased in iron , and with visor lowered , each bearing his lance in rest , or his sword bared and raised , and each carrying , so to speak , a passenger , in the shape of an archer or page , who leaped one after another from their perches , and had presently doubled the array . The original assailants ; seeing themselves outnumbered and surrounded , threw down their arms without a word . `` Seize me these fellows ! '' said the hero of the trumpet ; and when his order had been obeyed , he drew near to Dick and looked him in the face . Dick , returning this scrutiny , was surprised to find in one who had displayed such strength , skill and energy , a lad no older than himself -- slightly deformed , with one shoulder higher than the other , and of a pale , painful , and distorted countenance . -LCB- 2 -RCB- The eyes , however , were very clear and bold . `` Sir , '' said this lad , `` ye came in good time for me , and none too early . '' `` My lord , '' returned Dick , with a faint sense that he was in the presence of a great personage , `` ye are yourself so marvellous a good swordsman that I believe ye had managed them single-handed . Howbeit , it was certainly well for me that your men delayed no longer than they did . '' `` How knew ye who I was ? '' demanded the stranger .
`` Even now , my lord , '' XXXXX answered , `` I am ignorant of whom I speak with . ''
Dick Howbeit Richard archer dagger first men-at-arms perches swordsman visor