To Have & To Hold by Mary Johnson Chapter 14 Page 12

wrestled with Hercules and won. Presently I threw him, and, pinning him down with my knee upon his breast, cried to Sparrow to cut the bridle reins from Black Lamoral and throw them to me. Though he had the Italian upon his hands, he managed to obey. With my free hand and my teeth I drew a thong about my lord’s arms and bound them to his sides; then took my knee from his chest and my hand from his throat, and rose to my feet. He rose too with one spring. He was very white, and there was foam on his lips.

“What next, captain?” he demanded thickly. “Your score is mounting up rather rapidly. What next?”

“This,” I replied, and with the other thong fastened him, despite his struggles, to the young maple beneath which we had wrestled.