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461
Next
morning
the
people
began
streaming
up
to
the
Downs
at
quite
an
early
hour
,
in
their
Sunday
clothes
and
carrying
baskets
with
bottle
-
necks
sticking
out
of
them
,
every
one
intent
on
securing
good
places
for
the
combat
.
This
was
not
exactly
a
simple
matter
,
for
of
course
it
was
quite
possible
that
the
dragon
might
win
,
and
in
that
case
even
those
who
had
put
their
money
on
him
felt
they
could
hardly
expect
him
to
deal
with
his
backers
on
a
different
footing
to
the
rest
.
Places
were
chosen
,
therefore
,
with
circumspection
and
with
a
view
to
a
speedy
retreat
in
case
of
emergency
;
and
the
front
rank
was
mostly
composed
of
boys
who
had
escaped
from
parental
control
and
now
sprawled
and
rolled
about
on
the
grass
,
regardless
of
the
shrill
threats
and
warnings
discharged
at
them
by
their
anxious
mothers
behind
.
462
The
Boy
had
secured
a
good
front
place
,
well
up
towards
the
cave
,
and
was
feeling
as
anxious
as
a
stage
-
manager
on
a
first
night
.
Could
the
dragon
be
depended
upon
?
He
might
change
his
mind
and
vote
the
whole
performance
rot
;
or
else
,
seeing
that
the
affair
had
been
so
hastily
planned
,
without
even
a
rehearsal
,
he
might
be
too
nervous
to
show
up
.
The
Boy
looked
narrowly
at
the
cave
,
but
it
showed
no
sign
of
life
or
occupation
.
Could
the
dragon
have
made
a
moon
-
light
flitting
?
463
The
higher
portions
of
the
ground
were
now
black
with
sightseers
,
and
presently
a
sound
of
cheering
and
a
waving
of
handkerchiefs
told
that
something
was
visible
to
them
which
the
Boy
,
far
up
towards
the
dragon
-
end
of
the
line
as
he
was
,
could
not
yet
see
.
A
minute
more
and
St
.
George
s
red
plumes
topped
the
hill
,
as
the
Saint
rode
slowly
forth
on
the
great
level
space
which
stretched
up
to
the
grim
mouth
of
the
cave
.
Very
gallant
and
beautiful
he
looked
,
on
his
tall
war
-
horse
,
his
golden
armour
glancing
in
the
sun
,
his
great
spear
held
erect
,
the
little
white
pennon
,
crimson
-
crossed
,
fluttering
at
its
point
.
He
drew
rein
and
remained
motionless
.
The
lines
of
spectators
began
to
give
back
a
little
,
nervously
;
and
even
the
boys
in
front
stopped
pulling
hair
and
cuffing
each
other
,
and
leaned
forward
expectant
.
Отключить рекламу
464
Now
then
,
dragon
!
muttered
the
Boy
impatiently
,
fidgeting
where
he
sat
.
He
need
not
have
distressed
himself
,
had
he
only
known
.
465
The
dramatic
possibilities
of
the
thing
had
tickled
the
dragon
immensely
,
and
he
had
been
up
from
an
early
hour
,
preparing
for
his
first
public
appearance
with
as
much
heartiness
as
if
the
years
had
run
backwards
,
and
he
had
been
again
a
little
dragonlet
,
playing
with
his
sisters
on
the
floor
of
their
mother
s
cave
,
at
the
game
of
saints
-
and
-
dragons
,
in
which
the
dragon
was
bound
to
win
.
466
A
low
muttering
,
mingled
with
snorts
,
now
made
itself
heard
;
rising
to
a
bellowing
roar
that
seemed
to
fill
the
plain
.
Then
a
cloud
of
smoke
obscured
the
mouth
of
the
cave
,
and
out
of
the
midst
of
it
the
dragon
himself
,
shining
,
sea
-
blue
,
magnificent
,
pranced
splendidly
forth
;
and
everybody
said
,
Oo
-
oo
-
oo
!
as
if
he
had
been
a
mighty
rocket
!
His
scales
were
glittering
,
his
long
spiky
tail
lashed
his
sides
,
his
claws
tore
up
the
turf
and
sent
it
flying
high
over
his
back
,
and
smoke
and
fire
incessantly
jetted
from
his
angry
nostrils
.
Oh
,
well
done
,
dragon
!
cried
the
Boy
,
excitedly
.
Didn
t
think
he
had
it
in
him
!
he
added
to
himself
.
467
St
.
George
lowered
his
spear
,
bent
his
head
,
dug
his
heels
into
his
horse
s
sides
,
and
came
thundering
over
the
turf
.
The
dragon
charged
with
a
roar
and
a
squeal
,
a
great
blue
whirling
combination
of
coils
and
snorts
and
clashing
jaws
and
spikes
and
fire
.
Отключить рекламу
468
Missed
!
yelled
the
crowd
.
There
was
a
moment
s
entanglement
of
golden
armour
and
blue
-
green
coils
,
and
spiky
tail
,
and
then
the
great
horse
,
tearing
at
his
bit
,
carried
the
Saint
,
his
spear
swung
high
in
the
air
,
almost
up
to
the
mouth
of
the
cave
.
469
The
dragon
sat
down
and
barked
viciously
,
while
St
.
470
George
with
difficulty
pulled
his
horse
round
into
position
.