The Battle for the Castle by Elizabeth Winthrop

chosen him as his personal page. Next year, when Sir Simon rides out to a tournament, Tolliver will probably go with him.”
    â€œLucky,” Jason said quickly. He glanced at William and shrugged. “It’d be fun to try it once.”
    Brian marched up to William and saluted him. “If it will please you to accompany me, Sir William. And also your companion. Sir Simon desires your presence in his chamber.”
    â€œVery well, Brian.” They fell into step beside him.
    â€œWe are honored by your visit, my lord,” the soldier said.
    â€œThank you, Brian,” William said. “I am glad you will be staying with us in the castle.”
    He grinned. “You and I, we have faced trouble before, have we not?”
    â€œThat we have,” said William.
    An hour later William and Jason stood behind the wall of the barracks waiting for a signal.
    â€œThis is a crazy idea,” Jason said. “A boy on a bicycle dueling with a knight on a horse.” He readjusted his helmet again. It was a little too big so that the visor fell down over his nose when he least expected it. “It’s hot in here. My glasses keep fogging up,” he babbled in William’s ear. His voice sounded as if it were coming through a long tunnel. “How am I supposed to hold this lance and ride at the same time? And this chain mail shirt is itchy. I’m glad he didn’t make me wear the full suit of armor. My poor bike would have been completely squashed under the weight.”
    â€œIt’s all for show,” William reminded him for the fourth time. “You don’t really have to knock the guy off. Sir Simon just wants to make a fool of Sir Morlan who played some trick on him last year. That’s why he’s making you hide back here. When the trumpets blow, the guy will be expecting a knight in full regalia and all he’ll see is a boy on a bike.”
    Jason drew himself up. “Yeah, well this boy and this bike are not just your everyday slobs, you know. I’m going to ride circles around the guy.”
    William shrugged. Sir Simon hadn’t given him anything to do. And what could he do anyway? A tumbling exhibition? With all the fools gathering, there were enough tumblers in the courtyard to hold a meet. No, it was the same old story. Jason was the train jumper and the bicycle knight and he, William, wasn’t anything. Fine. So if Jason wanted to be the big hero, let him go ahead and try.
    With the next trumpet call, Sir Simon rose to his feet to announce the last event of the morning. “A joust between my good friend, Sir Morlan, of the neighboring kingdom of Haggleshire, and our new friend and esteemed visitor from across the border, the noble Sir Jason of Yorkshire. Gentlemen, to the lists.”
    â€œThat’s you,” William said.
    Jason flipped down his visor with a decisive clank, mounted his bicycle, and stood at the ready, the unwieldylance balanced in the crook of his elbow. Sir Simon had instructed him to stay out of sight until the last moment.
    In full jousting armor, Sir Morlan entered the courtyard. His big black stallion pranced and danced his way across the drawbridge, fighting his master’s tight hold on the reins with defiant tosses of his head. Each drop of his thick hoof echoed against the wooden planks like the warning beat of a drum.
    â€œHe sure is big,” Jason said as he watched the man circle the courtyard once and take up his place at the far end.
    â€œWhich one? The man or the horse?” William asked.
    â€œBoth,” said Jason in a low voice.
    â€œBring on your mysterious knight,” Sir Morlan roared at his host. Sir Simon stood up and nodded at William who jabbed Jason with his elbow. “Go for it,” he said, and Jason wobbled out of his hiding place.
    Jason lurched around the edge of the courtyard with his visor bobbing up and down on his head, trying to balance the lance and steer the bike over