Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - It was a bright morning in the month of August, when a lad of some fifteen years of age, sitting on a low wall, watched party after party of armed men riding up to the castle of the Earl of Evesham. A casual observer glancing at his curling hair and bright open face, as also at the fashion of his dress, would at once have assigned to him a purely Saxon origin; but a keener eye would have detected signs that Norman blood ran also in his veins, for his figure was lither and lighter, his features more straightly and shapely cut, than was common among Saxons. His dress consisted of a tight-fitting jerkin, descending nearly to his knees. The material was a light-blue cloth, while over his shoulder hung a short cloak of a darker hue. His cap was of Saxon fashion, and he wore on one side a little plume of a heron. In a somewhat costly belt hung a light short sword, while across his knees lay a crossbow, in itself almost a sure sign of its bearer being of other than Saxon blood. The boy looked anxiously as party after party rode past toward the castle. "I would give something," he said, "to know what wind blows these knaves here. From every petty castle in the Earl's feu the retainers seem hurrying here. Is he bent, I wonder, on settling once and for all his quarrels with the Baron of Wortham? or can he be intending to make a clear sweep of the woods? Ah! here comes my gossip Hubert; he may tell me the meaning of this gathering."

Portrait

G.A. Henty was a prolific English novelist born on 8 December 1832 near Cambridge. In his childhood facing the health issues, he was almost confined to bed so, he developed a good hobby of reading books. For his education he joined Westminster School London and Cambridge University. He had good interest in sports also. In 1853, Crimea war broke out, by the time he decided to join the British army and he went Crimea as war correspondent. After the Crimean War he resigned the army and began article writing for standard newspaper. As a special correspondent, he covered, Austro- Italian war, British Punitive Expedition Abyssinia, the Prussian War, Turco- Serbian War and Opening of the Suez Canal. Throughout his life he supports British Empire. He wrote his first children's book, Out On The Pampas in 1868. With children's book, he wrote fiction, non-fiction novel and short stories but he is best historical adventurous story writer. He was died in 1902. His notable works include-The March of Magdala, The Bravest of the Brave, In the Reign of Terror, The Dragon and The Raven, For the Temple, Under Drake's Flag and In Freedoms Cause, At Agincourt etc.