CHAPTER XX.
THE OGRE'S CASTLE Between six and nine we made ten miles, which was plenty for a horse carrying triple--man, woman, and armor; then we stopped for a long nooning under some trees by a limpid brook.
Right so came by and by a knight riding; and as he drew near he made dolorous moan, and by the words of it I perceived that he was cursing and swearing; yet nevertheless was I glad of his coming, for that I saw he bore a bulletin-board whereon in letters all of shining gold was writ: "USE PETERSON'S PROPHYLACTIC TOOTH-BRUSH--ALL THE GO." I was glad of his coming, for even by this token I knew him for knight of mine.

It was Sir Madok de la Montaine, a burly great fellow whose chief distinction was that he had come within an ace of sending Sir Launcelot down over his horse-tail once.

He was never long in a stranger's presence without finding some pretext or other to let out that great fact.

But there was another fact of nearly the same size, which he never pushed upon anybody unasked, and yet never withheld when asked: that was, that the reason he didn't quite succeed was, that he was interrupted and sent down over horse-tail himself.

This innocent vast lubber did not see any particular difference between the two facts.