And then, sliding into place behind the Petit Chevalier's shape, a third shadow joined the line: beginning first as a small speck and rapidly growing, larger and larger, until at last it swallowed the other, and with a dreadful shattering roar a tremendous Regal Copper thundered down from above. The enormous red and gold beast pounced directly upon the Petit Chevalier, serving him with the very same trick he had used on Devastatio, and without any restraint bowled him over and down.

The two heavyweights tumbled, head over heels, snarling and snapping wildly; a couple of men went flying from the French dragon's back, and munitions, bombs and rifles tumbled loose towards the countryside. Laurence had no idea how the Regal Copper's crew were managing, and then he realized that the dragon wore no harness at all.

Elsie was panting as she slowed, curving in a wide arc so they could look back at the titanic struggle. ‘Oh, I am glad,’ Elsie said, gulping air between words. ‘I am not—quite sure I could have run away from that big French one.’

‘I hope we do not need to run away from that other fellow,’ Hollin said, a sentiment that Laurence shared: the Regal Copper outweighed the other dragon by at least another seven or eight tons. He had now hooked his claws into the Chevalier's shoulders and was scratching at him with his hind legs, shaking him all the time so the riflemen could not find their feet well enough to fire at him properly; the handful of wild shots which they managed did not trouble him greatly.

It was a savage style of fighting, and if cruder than formation flying, on the level of such an individual contest the unexpected ferocity told worse than discipline. The Chevalier squalled frantically at last, and with a great convulsive heave managed to tear himself free, leaving great torn gashes in his flesh, three furrows along each shoulder almost like bars of rank. He bolted headlong away, leaving the Regal Copper in possession of the field.

The victorious beast spread his wings, glowing vividly red with the sun behind them, and roared triumphantly after the Petit Chevalier, a deep bellowing noise like thunder; then the Regal Copper turned to look at them and spoke, in tones of great disapproval, ‘Well, and what are you about? I don't think much of your sense, taking on a fellow that size.’

‘Pray,’ Elsie said timidly, ‘we didn't mean to, only he came on us all of a sudden; and Devastatio is hurt.’