CHAPTER VI.
I shall now tell you how it came about that Marco Polo went to China with his uncle and father, though he had no eye for a bargain, or interest in courting foreign women, or sense of horses.
Now, as you may know, this was a great religious time.

The Crusaders, feeling shame that the Sepulchre of the Lord Jesus should be in Saracen hands, had come with horse, foot and artillery to Palestine to give tribute of arms to Him who had died for them on the Bitter Tree.

And great feats were performed and grand battles won.

And kings became saints, like Louis of France, and saints became kings, like Baldwin of Constantinople.

Mighty wonders were seen and miracles performed, so that people said, "Now will be the second coming of Christ and the end of the world." And a great desire came on the Christian people to tell the truth of Christ to the strange and foreign peoples of the world.