He informed them of the spectacle which the king had prepared for the amusement of the citizens on the morrow.
"In faith," Geoffrey said, "the idea is a good one, and promises rare sport, but it will be rough, and we may expect many broken limbs, for it be no joke to be thrown down with a ladder from a wall even twelve feet high, and there will be the depth of the moat besides." "That will only be two feet," Walter said, "for so it is marked on the plan." "And which do you mean to take, Walter, the attack or the defence?
Methinks the king has erred somewhat in making the forces equal, for assuredly the besiegers should outnumber the besieged by fully three to one to give them a fair chance of success." "I shall take the assault," Walter answered; "there is more to be done that way than in the defence.

When we get home, Geoffrey, we will look at the plans, and see what may be the best manner of assault." Upon examining the plan that evening they found that the wall was continued at an angle at either end for a distance of some twenty feet back so as to give a postern gate behind each of the corner towers through which a sortie might be made.

Geoffrey and Walter talked the matter over, and together contrived a plan of operation for the following day.
"You will have one great advantage," Geoffrey said.

"The apprentices are all accustomed to the use of the bow, while the young nobles will know but little of that weapon; therefore your shooting will be far straighter and truer, and even a blunt-headed arrow drawn from the shoulder will hit so smart a blow that those on the wall will have difficulty in withstanding them." After the talk was ended Walter again crossed London Bridge, and made his way to Ludgate, where he found his late antagonist, whose head had been plastered up, and was little the worse for the conflict.
"There is no ill-will between us, I hope," Walter said, holding out his hand.
"None in the world," the young smith said frankly.

He was a good-tempered-looking young giant, with closely-cropped hair, light-blue eyes, and a pleasant but somewhat heavy face.
"My faith but what a blow was that you gave me; why, one would think that your muscles were made of steel.