Chapter Twelve.

Chapter Twelve.Guns and no Powder?Very little more was done with the men that day, for, in spite of Roy’s spirited behaviour, he felt afterwards that Master Pawson had cast a damp upon the proceedings. Still, he knew that something must be done to counteract that sneering smile distributed among the men by the tutor; and upon his return to the rank he walked to and fro, and expressed his satisfaction at the promptitude they had displayed, and, after ordering them to assemble at nine the next morning, he dismissed them. For the messenger had returned with the village carpenter, who took one of the old capstan-bars for a pattern, and undertook to have half a dozen new ones of the strongest oak made by the next morning.Then there was the greasing of the drawbridge chains and rollers to see to, and, when this was successfully done, Roy found to his satisfaction that the men could raise or lower it with, if not ease, at all events without much difficulty.To the boy’s great delight, he found that the three troopers dropped into their places in the most easy manner, obeying his every order with alacrity and displaying all the readiness of well-drilled men. They began by assisting at once with the cleaning and easing of the drawbridge chains, one of them, after stripping off his coat, gorget, and cap, climbing the supports to apply the lubricant to the rollers from outside, where they needed it most; and when, that evening, Ben suggested that one of the guns standing in the pleasaunce should be examined, they made the servants stare by the deft way in which they helped him to handle the ponderous mass of metal, hitching on ropes and dragging it out from where it had lain half-covered with ivy to where it was now planted, so that it could be made to sweep the road-way approaching the bridge; the other one in the garden being afterwards treated in the same way.“Well, yes, sir, they’re pretty heavy,” said the corporal, in answer to a compliment passed by Roy upon the ease with which the work had been done; “but it isn’t all strength that does it. It’s knack—the way of handling a thing and all putting your muscle into it together.”“Ay, that’s it,” said Ben. “That’s what you see in a good charge. If it’s delivered in a scattering sort o’ way it may do good, but the chance is it won’t. But if the men ride on shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee, and then give point altogether—”“Yes, as Sir Granby Royland’s regiment can,” said the corporal, proudly.“Ay, and always did,” cried Ben, excitedly. “It takes something to stand against ’em.”There was a dead silence then, and Roy’s heart beat fast, for the war spirit was getting hold of him tightly, for his eyes flashed, and his eagerness to go on with the preparations grew stronger every hour.“Now, about these guns, sergeant?” he said.Ben’s eyes twinkled as his rank was mentioned, and he gave his young master a grateful look.“Well, sir,” he said, “they’ve been fast asleep in that garden all these years, with enough ivy over ’em to keep ’em warm in winter and the sun off ’em in summer; but, now they’ve been woke up, I believe they’ll bark as loudly and bite as well as any dogs of their size. If they’d been cast iron, I should have been for putting a very light charge in ’em and standing a good way off when they were fired, but, seeing as they’re regular good brass guns and not a bit worn, all they want is a good cleaning up, and then they’ll be fit to do their work like—like—well, sir, like guns. What do you say, corporal?”“I say they’re a fine and sound pair o’ guns, sergeant, as’ll do their work. We should like a night’s rest first, but in the morning my two lads and me will give ’em a good scour up, and you won’t know ’em again.”“Right! If the captain says yes, you shall; but I want to be with you—I’m armourer here.”“Oh, of course, sergeant,” said the trooper. “Don’t you think we want to take your place.”“I don’t, my lad,” said the old soldier, warmly; “and I’m only too glad to have three comrades out of the reg’lars to stand by me and help me to lick the recruits into shape.”“Thank ye, sergeant,” said the man. “We four can soon do that. They’re the right stuff, and only want a bit o’ training.” Then, turning and saluting Roy respectfully, he went on: “Sir Granby give us all a talking-to, sir, and said he’d picked us out because we—I mean t’others—was the handiest fellows he knew in the regiment, and he hoped we’d do our best to get things in a good state of defence. And, of course, sir, we shall.”The great, manly fellow spoke with a simple modesty that made Ben’s eyes sparkle, and he nodded his head and remained silent when the man had ended, but gave vent to his satisfaction by bringing his hand down heavily upon the trooper’s shoulder.“We’ll see to the other guns now then,” said Roy.“Yes, sir,” said Ben, promptly. “Forward there to the sou’-east tower.”The three men marched off at once in the direction pointed out, and Ben stopped back for a moment or two to whisper to Roy, in a quick, vexed manner—“Don’t go on saying we’ll do this next, or we’ll do that next, sir, as if you was asking a favour of us. You’re captain and castellan, as they calls him. You’re governor and everything, and you’ve got to order us to do things sharp, short, and strong.”“But I don’t want to bully you all, Ben,” cried Roy.“Nobody wants you to, sir. You can’t be bullying a man when you’re ordering him sharply to do what’s right. Of course, if you ask us in your civil way to do a thing, we shall do it, but it aren’t correct.”“I’ll try differently, Ben.”“Sergeant, sir!”“Ser-geant,” said Roy. “But it’s all so new yet, I can’t quite realise it. And, of course, I’m so young to be ordering big men about.”“You’ve the right to do it, sir, and that’s everything. Now, just suppose the enemy was in front playing up ruination and destruction, and your father was going to charge ’em with his regiment of tough dragoons, do you think he’d say, ‘Now, my men, I want you to—or I’d like you to attack those rapscallions yonder’? Not he. He’d just say a word to the trumpeter, there’d be a note or two blown, and away we’d go at a walk; another blast, and we should trot; then another, and away we should be at ’em like a whirlwind, and scatter ’em like leaves. You must learn to order us, sir, sharply. Mind, sir, it’smust!”“Very well,” said Roy.“Don’t you be afraid, sir; let us have your order sharp, whatever it is, and we’ll do it.”“Then don’t stand chattering there, sir!” cried Roy, fiercely. “Can’t you see those three men are waiting for you at the bottom of the tower? Forward!”“Ck!”It was an unspeakable ejaculation which came from the old soldier’s throat as he turned sharply and marched off to the men, chuckling to himself and shaking his shoulders as he went.“He’ll do,” he muttered; and then aloud, “Up with you, my lads!”Ben followed the men, and Roy came last, and, as he entered the door-way, he thought of the journey down to the powder-magazine, and felt a little shame at his nervousness.Then up and up past the two floors and on towards the roof. As he reached the door-way leading out on to the battlements, he stood in the gloomy interior, and looked along the roof of the untenanted portion towards the north-west tower, wondering what Master Pawson was doing.He was not left in doubt, for he could just see the secretary standing back from one of the narrow windows scanning the tower he was in, evidently having seen them enter, and watching to see what they were about to do.A bit of boyishness entered into Roy just then, brought about by the business he was upon and the work he had been engaged in.“I should like to startle him,” he said to himself, as he gave his mischievous thought play. “One might loadand train one of the guns, and fire the blank charge aimed just over his head. It would startle him.”The thought passed away directly, and he went up to the roof, where the four men were together upon the platform examining the two guns facing the embrasures.These were not quite so big as the two standing now beneath the gate-way, but, for the date, they were of a pretty good size, and having the wood-work of the mounting in excellent condition.“Well, how do they look?” Roy asked.“Better than I thought, sir. They’ll do. Only want a good cleaning. If you think a charge or two ought to be fired, sir, as was talked about, shall it be with one of these?”“If—yes; fire them both,” said Roy; and then he felt astonished at the fact that what he had imagined in mischief was really to be carried out.“Next order, sir?” said Ben, gazing in his captain’s face.“See to the other guns on the north-east and south-west towers.”“Yes, sir. What’s to be done with the two as was slung down when Master Pawson’s rooms was furnished?”“Sling them up again,” cried Roy, promptly. “It is necessary now.”Ben gave his leg a slap and looked his satisfaction.“Wouldn’t like the two big guns hoisted over the gate-way, sir, I s’pose?”“No, certainly not,” cried Roy; “they will be of more value to sweep the approach of the castle. I’ll have them kept there. Plenty of room to fire on each side of the drawbridge if it’s up, and the muzzles would run through the square openings in the portcullis.”Old Ben stared at him round eyed, and shook his head; then he chuckled softly, and, muttering to himself his former words, “He’ll do,” he led the men to the south-west tower, upon whose platform three brass guns were mounted, and then to the north-east, where there were three more.Twelve guns in all for the defence of the castle; but the question was, would the ammunition be of any use? Balls there were in abundance, for, in addition to piles standing pyramidally at the foot of each tower, half-covered now by flowers and shrubs, there were similar piles close to the carriage of each gun. But the vital force of the gun, the energy that should set the ball whizzing through the air, was the question, and to prove this, Ben asked for an order, and then walked with his young captain to the armoury, where he opened the great closet. One of the kegs was brought out and set down upon the broad oak table.“I’ve been thinking, sir, that perhaps it would be best to fire the big guns under the gate-way to-night.”“Why?” asked Roy.“Because we know their carriages are right, and I’m a bit doubtful about those upon the tower.”“Very well; try the powder in those.”“Yes, I hope I shall,” said Ben; “but I’m a bit scared, sir.”“What! about the danger of opening the keg?”“Tchah! no, sir. I can open that safely enough. It only means loosening the two hoops at the end, and then the heading will slip out. I mean this—the barrels have been down there no one knows how long, and what I want to know is, will it be powder after all?”“Not powder after all!” cried Roy in astonishment, as his active mind began to question what liquor it could be there that was stored up so carefully as if it were a treasure indeed.“I’m afraid it won’t be, sir—very much afraid.”“Then what do you think it is?”“Solid blocks o’ stony stuff, sir, I should say.”“But they don’t put stony stuff in kegs like these.”“No, sir, powder; but perhaps it has got damp with time and hardened so as it won’t be of any use.”“Not if it’s dried and ground up again.”“Don’t know, sir; can’t say; but we’ll soon see.” There was no hesitation shown. Ben tapped the two top hoops a little, and they soon grew loose and were worked up the staves; the top one withdrawn, and the next brought up into its place, having the wooden disc which formed the head free to be lifted out.“I thought so, sir,” said Ben with a sigh, as he looked in. “Just solid black, and nothing else.”He thumped the top of the contents with his knuckles, and then tapping the lower hoops they glided down and the staves fell apart, leaving a black block standing upon the table.“Oh, this is bad luck, sir! horribly bad luck!” groaned Ben. “We shall have to get some powder from somewhere, Plymouth or—yes, Bristol’s the most likely place.”“Fetch out the other keg, and open that, Ben,” said Roy. “To be sure, sir,” said Ben, and he turned to the closet and bore the second keg to the table. “If this is all right,” he went on, “there’s some hope for us, because we may find some more; but if it has gone bad from both sides it’s all over with us: we can only stand well on the towers and throw stones down at whoever comes.”Ben’s fingers were as busy as his tongue, and in a few minutes he had the head out of the second keg, looked in, and tapped it with his knuckles.“Just the same, sir, just the same.”“Look here, Ben! I’ll have one of these blocks chopped up, and then ground up fine, and we’ll try it with a musket.”“Good, sir! that’s the right thing to do; but after being wet once, I’m afraid it’ll fizz off now like a firework.”“You don’t know till you’ve tried, man. Now, let’s see: get an axe, sergeant.”“If I might ask your pardon, captain, axes aren’t the proper thing to break up a block of gunpowder. I should say a beetle or a mall was the thing.”“Well, get a mallet, then,” said Roy; and the old man went to his tools used for repairing the armour, carpentering, or any other odd jobs, and brought out a mallet, with which he was about to strike a tremendous blow in the middle of the block, when Roy checked him.“No, no!” he cried; “give it to me. I’ll knock a piece off the top edge.”Ben handed the mallet respectfully enough, but he shook his head as if he did not consider that handling mallets was correct for the castellan of the place; while raising the implement not without some shade of doubt as to whether an explosion might follow the blow, but reassuring himself as he remembered that the mallet was only wood, Roy brought it down on the top with a sharp rap, and then started back in dismay, for a piece like a fragment of black potsherd fell upon the table with a bang, and a stream of fine grains came flowing out of the great hole he had made, covering the hardened piece and running on like black sand.“Hurrah!” shouted Ben, excitedly; “they’re all right, sir. Just formed a cake outside, and the inside’s all safe and good. Twelve good brass guns, and plenty of powder. We’re ready for all the enemies the king has got in this part of the world. Now we’ll see for a couple of cartridges for the guns.”He fetched a couple of small bags, which he filled with the powder, and then, after putting back the unbroken keg-shaped block, as carefully cleared all the loose powder from the table, and placed that and the shape from which it had come in the oak closet, which he locked.“Powder’s powder, sir; so one has to take care,” he said. “Now for a touch port-fire, and we’ll try what sort of stuff it is.”Ben gave Roy a knowing look, and then from a drawer in the table he took a piece of prepared oakum such as was used for lowering into the pan of a freshly primed gun, stepped to a case in which were some old rammers, and declared himself ready to start, but hesitated and went to his tool-drawer again, out of which he routed a long thin spike.“Now I think we’re ready, sir,” he said, and they went out to where the men were waiting, and prepared to load the two guns under the gate tower.“These are only makeshifts,” said Ben, apologetically, as he indicated his rough cartridges; “but they’ll do to clear out the guns,” and he set them down in the door-way leading into the old guard-room.Then the long thin pin was tried in the touch-holes of both guns, and after a good deal of poking and drilling the orifices were cleared. Meanwhile, one of the troopers took the rammer Ben had brought out, inserted it at the muzzle, and found that it would only go in half-way. So a ragged stick was fetched, run in, twisted round and round, and withdrawn, dragging after it a wad of horsehair, cotton, hay, and feathers, while a succession of trials brought out more and more, the twisting round having a cleansing effect upon the bore of the gun as well.“Ah!” said Ben, solemnly, “them tomtits have had the guns all to themselves for a fine time. I shall have to make some tompions to keep them out.”Quite a heap of nest-building material was drawn out of the two guns, the first obtained being evidently of that season, while farther in it was old and decayed to a mere mouldy powder that might have been carried in by the industrious little birds a score of years before.At last all was declared clear. The bags of powder were thrust in, a wad of the cleanest hay from the heap followed, and one of the troopers rammed the charges home, with the result that the powder rose well in the touch-holes, and nothing remained to be done but to insert the lightly twisted pieces of touch-string and apply a light.“Better way than doing it with a red-hot poker, as some of us might like to stand back till the guns are proved,” said the old soldier, grimly. “One of you take that there to the kitchen and get a light,” he said, “to do for a port-fire.”He handed a piece of the prepared oakum to one of the men, who ran off with it, and directly after Roy stepped back quickly and hurried into the house.Ben said nothing, but he glanced after the boy with a fierce look, pursing up his lips, and then muttering to himself, his expression indicating the most profound disgust.Meanwhile, Roy ran into the private apartments of the castle, and made his way to the library; but Lady Royland was not there.Uttering an ejaculation full of impatience, the boy hurried into the withdrawing-room, where he had better fortune, for he found his mother waiting there as if she expected him.“You, my dear?” she said. “I was waiting here to see Master Pawson; he sent me a message to ask if I would see him on matters of importance. Do you know what he wishes to say?”“Well, I almost think I do, mother,” replied the boy.“Then you have come to meet him?”“No,” said the boy; “I didn’t know he had sent. I came to warn you not to be alarmed, for we are just going to fire.”Boom!A report like thunder made the casements rattle as if they were being dashed in. This was followed by an echoing roar, and then came a yelling cry as of some one in agony.“Oh, my boy, what has happened?” cried Lady Royland, starting from her chair, clapping her hands to her ears, and then sinking back palpitating in the nearest chair. “Run and see; something terrible must have occurred.”Roy had already dashed to the door, and he ran out and along to the great gate-way, where his mother’s words seemed to be verified, for, on reaching the spot where the gun which had been fired had run back a short distance, there was the knot of men half hidden by the smoke that was slowly rising, and in front of them, just below the portcullis, lay, apparently lifeless, the figure of Master Pawson, face downward upon the flags.“What have you done, Ben?” cried the boy.“Done? I never done it,” growled the man, fiercely. “You runned away; so I put the light to the gun myself, and then we all stood and waited, till all at wunst Master Pawson comes round the corner like. I dunno how he come there; and off goes the gun and down goes he.”Roy was already upon one knee, turning the secretary over on his back and examining him for the terrible injury he felt must have been received. But as Roy was proceeding to open his collar, he opened his eyes, sprang up into a sitting position, and then began to abuse the boy fiercely.“You did it on purpose,” he cried; “and it’s a mercy it did not kill me.”“Then you are not killed?” said Roy, dryly.“No; but I might have been. It was a cowardly thing to do.”“Ay, it were, Master Roy!” whispered Ben, turning upon him. “I thought you’d ha’ had heart enough to ha’ stood by us.”“What do you mean?” cried Roy, rising angrily.“Oh, you know, sir; sets such a bad example to the men.”“I don’t understand you; nor you neither, Master Pawson.”“It’s disgraceful; and Lady Royland shall put a stop to such monkey tricks.”“Powder-monkey tricks,” growled Ben.“Why, you don’t think I fired that gun on purpose, sir?”“No, I don’t think so,” cried Master Pawson, in his high-pitched, scolding tone; “I am quite sure, sir; and it is disgraceful.”“But I wasn’t here!”“You were there. I saw you with the men, pretending to clean the gun, while I was yonder watching the sunset and waiting for an answer to a message I had sent in to your mother, sir, when, as you saw me come round the corner, you fired.”“I did not, sir; for I was not there.”“Ay, that’s true enough, sir,” said Ben, bitterly; “he warn’t here.”“I don’t believe it,” cried Master Pawson, angrily, and his voice sounded like that of some angry woman. “It was a trick; and all this nonsense shall be put a stop to.”“You can believe it or not, sir,” said Roy, growing calmer as the secretary waxed more angry.“I shall speak to Lady Royland at once.”“Do, sir. She is waiting to see you; she was telling me so when the gun went off.”“Gun went off! And what business has a gun to go off here in this place?” cried the secretary, as he stood, now feeling himself all over and brushing the dust from off his velvet coat.“Only got the wind of the gun, sir,” said the corporal, quietly.“I was not speaking to you, my good man,” cried the secretary.“Bad plan to stand nigh the muzzle of a big gun when she’s going to be fired,” growled Ben, in a sententious voice, and the secretary turned upon him sharply.“And you, sir,” he cried; “how dare you let a boy play such antics? Do you know I heard the shot go by my face.”“Nay, sir; that I’ll say you didn’t,” growled Ben.“But I say I did, sir, with a fierce rush.”“One of the tomtits’ eggs, perhaps, sergeant,” said Roy, dryly. “I know I caught sight of one or two when the nest was rammed in.”The men all burst out laughing, and Master Pawson grew preternaturally calm.“Was that meant as an insult, Master Roy?” he said, turning towards him and speaking slowly, with his eyes half shut and an unpleasant, sneering smile upon his lips.“No, sir; as a joke,” replied Roy, gravely.“I thank you; but keep your jokes for the servants; try them upon the menials. Recollect that I am a gentleman, placed in authority over you by Sir Granby Royland as tutor and master, and, as I am in authority over you, I am in authority over all here. Have the goodness to recollect that.”He turned upon his heel and walked away, with the back of his doublet covered with scraps of hay from the tomtits’ nest, and Roy’s first inclination was to run after him to begin brushing him down.“But he’ll only think I want to insult him again,” said the boy to himself. “I wish I hadn’t said anything about the tomtits’ eggs, though.”“Shall I run after him, sir, and ask if I shall give him a brush down?” whispered Ben.“No; let him find it out. One of the maids will tell him, I dare say.”“But you should ha’ stopped by us when the gun was fired, Master Roy,” protested Ben. “I see them three chaps wink at each other, as much as to say, ‘He won’t stand fire,’ and it hurt me, sir, and seemed to be undoing all I did afore. I didn’t think it of you.”“I should like to kick you for thinking me such a coward,” cried Roy, fiercely, for his encounter with the secretary had set his temper on edge. “How dare you! You had no business to fire till I came back. I did not want my mother to hear the report without some warning.—Here, corporal, give me that light.”The man stepped up with it, and Roy took it out of his hand.“Going to fire this one, sir?” said Ben, eagerly.“Of course. Stand aside!” And Roy applied the sparkling port-fire to the bit of prepared oakum standing out of the touch-hole, with the result that it, too, began to sparkle and fume.“There,” he said; “I hope Master Pawson won’t come back and be frightened by this one.”He had hardly uttered the words when the secretary reappeared.“Where are all the servants?” he cried, angrily. “I want some one to come and brush my clothes.”“Stand aside!” shouted Ben. “She’ll run right back.”But the secretary did not understand what was meant, and turned haughtily upon the speaker, totally unconscious of the fact that he was exactly behind the breech of the piece, whose recoil might have produced fatal results.It was no time for uttering warnings, and Roy knew it. He glanced once at the tiny sparkling going on at the touch-hole of the gun, and sprang right at the secretary, driving him backward and falling heavily with him to the ground.It was none too soon, for the gun went off with a tremendous roar, leaping up from the paving and running back on its low wheels right over the spot where the secretary had just stood.“Guns is guns, and always was,” said Ben, very grimly; “and them as has to do with ’em wants to know all their little ways. I have know’d a man’s arm took off by the recoil, and, if you don’t take care, their breeches is as dangerous to them as fires ’em as is their muzzles.”“Hurt, sir?” cried Roy, offering his hand after gaining his own feet, ready to help the tutor to rise.Master Pawson made no reply, neither did he take the extended hand, but rose and walked away limping, going right down through the pleasaunce so as to reach his own room without having to pass through the corridor.“Bit rusty, I s’pose, sir,” said Ben, quietly.“I am afraid so, Ben,” was the reply. “But I don’t think there’s much doubt about the powder.”“Doubt, sir; why, it’s stronger than they makes now, or else it has got riper and better for keeping. We’re all right there.”“Yes, capital! but that report rings in my ears still.”“Ay, sir, a brass gun can ring as well as roar; but you won’t mind it after a few times.”“I don’t feel to mind it now,” said Roy, coolly.“Not you, sir,” whispered the old fellow. “And I beg your pardon, Master Roy, and you’ve done me, and yourself too, a lot of good. It would ha’ been horrid for the men to think you was scared. I never thought of frightening my lady with the row. Tell the lads to sponge the guns out with a bit o’ rag, and then we’ll run ’em back to their places again.”Roy gave the order, and then had the sentry changed at the gate, after which there was another duty to have performed,—that of raising the drawbridge.“No fear of any one forgetting and walking into the moat at night, is there, Ben?”“Well, no, sir; I think not,” said the old soldier, seriously. “You see, the bridge shuts up all the middle when it’s raised, and that makes it sure, while at those sides nobody could tumble in without trying to; so I don’t see no fear of that. Shall we haul her up, sir?”“Yes.” And giving the order, as soon as the guns were in place, he led the way up into the furnace-chamber, where two men seized each chain, and the ponderous structure slowly rose as the huge weights descended the stone-work tubes in which they hung, the difficulty of hoisting the bridge proving to be much lighter than at the former trial.“Come, sir, that’s safe. You won’t set sentries to-night?”“No, of course not,” said Roy; “that will be unnecessary till there is news of some enemy being near.”

Very little more was done with the men that day, for, in spite of Roy’s spirited behaviour, he felt afterwards that Master Pawson had cast a damp upon the proceedings. Still, he knew that something must be done to counteract that sneering smile distributed among the men by the tutor; and upon his return to the rank he walked to and fro, and expressed his satisfaction at the promptitude they had displayed, and, after ordering them to assemble at nine the next morning, he dismissed them. For the messenger had returned with the village carpenter, who took one of the old capstan-bars for a pattern, and undertook to have half a dozen new ones of the strongest oak made by the next morning.

Then there was the greasing of the drawbridge chains and rollers to see to, and, when this was successfully done, Roy found to his satisfaction that the men could raise or lower it with, if not ease, at all events without much difficulty.

To the boy’s great delight, he found that the three troopers dropped into their places in the most easy manner, obeying his every order with alacrity and displaying all the readiness of well-drilled men. They began by assisting at once with the cleaning and easing of the drawbridge chains, one of them, after stripping off his coat, gorget, and cap, climbing the supports to apply the lubricant to the rollers from outside, where they needed it most; and when, that evening, Ben suggested that one of the guns standing in the pleasaunce should be examined, they made the servants stare by the deft way in which they helped him to handle the ponderous mass of metal, hitching on ropes and dragging it out from where it had lain half-covered with ivy to where it was now planted, so that it could be made to sweep the road-way approaching the bridge; the other one in the garden being afterwards treated in the same way.

“Well, yes, sir, they’re pretty heavy,” said the corporal, in answer to a compliment passed by Roy upon the ease with which the work had been done; “but it isn’t all strength that does it. It’s knack—the way of handling a thing and all putting your muscle into it together.”

“Ay, that’s it,” said Ben. “That’s what you see in a good charge. If it’s delivered in a scattering sort o’ way it may do good, but the chance is it won’t. But if the men ride on shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee, and then give point altogether—”

“Yes, as Sir Granby Royland’s regiment can,” said the corporal, proudly.

“Ay, and always did,” cried Ben, excitedly. “It takes something to stand against ’em.”

There was a dead silence then, and Roy’s heart beat fast, for the war spirit was getting hold of him tightly, for his eyes flashed, and his eagerness to go on with the preparations grew stronger every hour.

“Now, about these guns, sergeant?” he said.

Ben’s eyes twinkled as his rank was mentioned, and he gave his young master a grateful look.

“Well, sir,” he said, “they’ve been fast asleep in that garden all these years, with enough ivy over ’em to keep ’em warm in winter and the sun off ’em in summer; but, now they’ve been woke up, I believe they’ll bark as loudly and bite as well as any dogs of their size. If they’d been cast iron, I should have been for putting a very light charge in ’em and standing a good way off when they were fired, but, seeing as they’re regular good brass guns and not a bit worn, all they want is a good cleaning up, and then they’ll be fit to do their work like—like—well, sir, like guns. What do you say, corporal?”

“I say they’re a fine and sound pair o’ guns, sergeant, as’ll do their work. We should like a night’s rest first, but in the morning my two lads and me will give ’em a good scour up, and you won’t know ’em again.”

“Right! If the captain says yes, you shall; but I want to be with you—I’m armourer here.”

“Oh, of course, sergeant,” said the trooper. “Don’t you think we want to take your place.”

“I don’t, my lad,” said the old soldier, warmly; “and I’m only too glad to have three comrades out of the reg’lars to stand by me and help me to lick the recruits into shape.”

“Thank ye, sergeant,” said the man. “We four can soon do that. They’re the right stuff, and only want a bit o’ training.” Then, turning and saluting Roy respectfully, he went on: “Sir Granby give us all a talking-to, sir, and said he’d picked us out because we—I mean t’others—was the handiest fellows he knew in the regiment, and he hoped we’d do our best to get things in a good state of defence. And, of course, sir, we shall.”

The great, manly fellow spoke with a simple modesty that made Ben’s eyes sparkle, and he nodded his head and remained silent when the man had ended, but gave vent to his satisfaction by bringing his hand down heavily upon the trooper’s shoulder.

“We’ll see to the other guns now then,” said Roy.

“Yes, sir,” said Ben, promptly. “Forward there to the sou’-east tower.”

The three men marched off at once in the direction pointed out, and Ben stopped back for a moment or two to whisper to Roy, in a quick, vexed manner—

“Don’t go on saying we’ll do this next, or we’ll do that next, sir, as if you was asking a favour of us. You’re captain and castellan, as they calls him. You’re governor and everything, and you’ve got to order us to do things sharp, short, and strong.”

“But I don’t want to bully you all, Ben,” cried Roy.

“Nobody wants you to, sir. You can’t be bullying a man when you’re ordering him sharply to do what’s right. Of course, if you ask us in your civil way to do a thing, we shall do it, but it aren’t correct.”

“I’ll try differently, Ben.”

“Sergeant, sir!”

“Ser-geant,” said Roy. “But it’s all so new yet, I can’t quite realise it. And, of course, I’m so young to be ordering big men about.”

“You’ve the right to do it, sir, and that’s everything. Now, just suppose the enemy was in front playing up ruination and destruction, and your father was going to charge ’em with his regiment of tough dragoons, do you think he’d say, ‘Now, my men, I want you to—or I’d like you to attack those rapscallions yonder’? Not he. He’d just say a word to the trumpeter, there’d be a note or two blown, and away we’d go at a walk; another blast, and we should trot; then another, and away we should be at ’em like a whirlwind, and scatter ’em like leaves. You must learn to order us, sir, sharply. Mind, sir, it’smust!”

“Very well,” said Roy.

“Don’t you be afraid, sir; let us have your order sharp, whatever it is, and we’ll do it.”

“Then don’t stand chattering there, sir!” cried Roy, fiercely. “Can’t you see those three men are waiting for you at the bottom of the tower? Forward!”

“Ck!”

It was an unspeakable ejaculation which came from the old soldier’s throat as he turned sharply and marched off to the men, chuckling to himself and shaking his shoulders as he went.

“He’ll do,” he muttered; and then aloud, “Up with you, my lads!”

Ben followed the men, and Roy came last, and, as he entered the door-way, he thought of the journey down to the powder-magazine, and felt a little shame at his nervousness.

Then up and up past the two floors and on towards the roof. As he reached the door-way leading out on to the battlements, he stood in the gloomy interior, and looked along the roof of the untenanted portion towards the north-west tower, wondering what Master Pawson was doing.

He was not left in doubt, for he could just see the secretary standing back from one of the narrow windows scanning the tower he was in, evidently having seen them enter, and watching to see what they were about to do.

A bit of boyishness entered into Roy just then, brought about by the business he was upon and the work he had been engaged in.

“I should like to startle him,” he said to himself, as he gave his mischievous thought play. “One might loadand train one of the guns, and fire the blank charge aimed just over his head. It would startle him.”

The thought passed away directly, and he went up to the roof, where the four men were together upon the platform examining the two guns facing the embrasures.

These were not quite so big as the two standing now beneath the gate-way, but, for the date, they were of a pretty good size, and having the wood-work of the mounting in excellent condition.

“Well, how do they look?” Roy asked.

“Better than I thought, sir. They’ll do. Only want a good cleaning. If you think a charge or two ought to be fired, sir, as was talked about, shall it be with one of these?”

“If—yes; fire them both,” said Roy; and then he felt astonished at the fact that what he had imagined in mischief was really to be carried out.

“Next order, sir?” said Ben, gazing in his captain’s face.

“See to the other guns on the north-east and south-west towers.”

“Yes, sir. What’s to be done with the two as was slung down when Master Pawson’s rooms was furnished?”

“Sling them up again,” cried Roy, promptly. “It is necessary now.”

Ben gave his leg a slap and looked his satisfaction.

“Wouldn’t like the two big guns hoisted over the gate-way, sir, I s’pose?”

“No, certainly not,” cried Roy; “they will be of more value to sweep the approach of the castle. I’ll have them kept there. Plenty of room to fire on each side of the drawbridge if it’s up, and the muzzles would run through the square openings in the portcullis.”

Old Ben stared at him round eyed, and shook his head; then he chuckled softly, and, muttering to himself his former words, “He’ll do,” he led the men to the south-west tower, upon whose platform three brass guns were mounted, and then to the north-east, where there were three more.

Twelve guns in all for the defence of the castle; but the question was, would the ammunition be of any use? Balls there were in abundance, for, in addition to piles standing pyramidally at the foot of each tower, half-covered now by flowers and shrubs, there were similar piles close to the carriage of each gun. But the vital force of the gun, the energy that should set the ball whizzing through the air, was the question, and to prove this, Ben asked for an order, and then walked with his young captain to the armoury, where he opened the great closet. One of the kegs was brought out and set down upon the broad oak table.

“I’ve been thinking, sir, that perhaps it would be best to fire the big guns under the gate-way to-night.”

“Why?” asked Roy.

“Because we know their carriages are right, and I’m a bit doubtful about those upon the tower.”

“Very well; try the powder in those.”

“Yes, I hope I shall,” said Ben; “but I’m a bit scared, sir.”

“What! about the danger of opening the keg?”

“Tchah! no, sir. I can open that safely enough. It only means loosening the two hoops at the end, and then the heading will slip out. I mean this—the barrels have been down there no one knows how long, and what I want to know is, will it be powder after all?”

“Not powder after all!” cried Roy in astonishment, as his active mind began to question what liquor it could be there that was stored up so carefully as if it were a treasure indeed.

“I’m afraid it won’t be, sir—very much afraid.”

“Then what do you think it is?”

“Solid blocks o’ stony stuff, sir, I should say.”

“But they don’t put stony stuff in kegs like these.”

“No, sir, powder; but perhaps it has got damp with time and hardened so as it won’t be of any use.”

“Not if it’s dried and ground up again.”

“Don’t know, sir; can’t say; but we’ll soon see.” There was no hesitation shown. Ben tapped the two top hoops a little, and they soon grew loose and were worked up the staves; the top one withdrawn, and the next brought up into its place, having the wooden disc which formed the head free to be lifted out.

“I thought so, sir,” said Ben with a sigh, as he looked in. “Just solid black, and nothing else.”

He thumped the top of the contents with his knuckles, and then tapping the lower hoops they glided down and the staves fell apart, leaving a black block standing upon the table.

“Oh, this is bad luck, sir! horribly bad luck!” groaned Ben. “We shall have to get some powder from somewhere, Plymouth or—yes, Bristol’s the most likely place.”

“Fetch out the other keg, and open that, Ben,” said Roy. “To be sure, sir,” said Ben, and he turned to the closet and bore the second keg to the table. “If this is all right,” he went on, “there’s some hope for us, because we may find some more; but if it has gone bad from both sides it’s all over with us: we can only stand well on the towers and throw stones down at whoever comes.”

Ben’s fingers were as busy as his tongue, and in a few minutes he had the head out of the second keg, looked in, and tapped it with his knuckles.

“Just the same, sir, just the same.”

“Look here, Ben! I’ll have one of these blocks chopped up, and then ground up fine, and we’ll try it with a musket.”

“Good, sir! that’s the right thing to do; but after being wet once, I’m afraid it’ll fizz off now like a firework.”

“You don’t know till you’ve tried, man. Now, let’s see: get an axe, sergeant.”

“If I might ask your pardon, captain, axes aren’t the proper thing to break up a block of gunpowder. I should say a beetle or a mall was the thing.”

“Well, get a mallet, then,” said Roy; and the old man went to his tools used for repairing the armour, carpentering, or any other odd jobs, and brought out a mallet, with which he was about to strike a tremendous blow in the middle of the block, when Roy checked him.

“No, no!” he cried; “give it to me. I’ll knock a piece off the top edge.”

Ben handed the mallet respectfully enough, but he shook his head as if he did not consider that handling mallets was correct for the castellan of the place; while raising the implement not without some shade of doubt as to whether an explosion might follow the blow, but reassuring himself as he remembered that the mallet was only wood, Roy brought it down on the top with a sharp rap, and then started back in dismay, for a piece like a fragment of black potsherd fell upon the table with a bang, and a stream of fine grains came flowing out of the great hole he had made, covering the hardened piece and running on like black sand.

“Hurrah!” shouted Ben, excitedly; “they’re all right, sir. Just formed a cake outside, and the inside’s all safe and good. Twelve good brass guns, and plenty of powder. We’re ready for all the enemies the king has got in this part of the world. Now we’ll see for a couple of cartridges for the guns.”

He fetched a couple of small bags, which he filled with the powder, and then, after putting back the unbroken keg-shaped block, as carefully cleared all the loose powder from the table, and placed that and the shape from which it had come in the oak closet, which he locked.

“Powder’s powder, sir; so one has to take care,” he said. “Now for a touch port-fire, and we’ll try what sort of stuff it is.”

Ben gave Roy a knowing look, and then from a drawer in the table he took a piece of prepared oakum such as was used for lowering into the pan of a freshly primed gun, stepped to a case in which were some old rammers, and declared himself ready to start, but hesitated and went to his tool-drawer again, out of which he routed a long thin spike.

“Now I think we’re ready, sir,” he said, and they went out to where the men were waiting, and prepared to load the two guns under the gate tower.

“These are only makeshifts,” said Ben, apologetically, as he indicated his rough cartridges; “but they’ll do to clear out the guns,” and he set them down in the door-way leading into the old guard-room.

Then the long thin pin was tried in the touch-holes of both guns, and after a good deal of poking and drilling the orifices were cleared. Meanwhile, one of the troopers took the rammer Ben had brought out, inserted it at the muzzle, and found that it would only go in half-way. So a ragged stick was fetched, run in, twisted round and round, and withdrawn, dragging after it a wad of horsehair, cotton, hay, and feathers, while a succession of trials brought out more and more, the twisting round having a cleansing effect upon the bore of the gun as well.

“Ah!” said Ben, solemnly, “them tomtits have had the guns all to themselves for a fine time. I shall have to make some tompions to keep them out.”

Quite a heap of nest-building material was drawn out of the two guns, the first obtained being evidently of that season, while farther in it was old and decayed to a mere mouldy powder that might have been carried in by the industrious little birds a score of years before.

At last all was declared clear. The bags of powder were thrust in, a wad of the cleanest hay from the heap followed, and one of the troopers rammed the charges home, with the result that the powder rose well in the touch-holes, and nothing remained to be done but to insert the lightly twisted pieces of touch-string and apply a light.

“Better way than doing it with a red-hot poker, as some of us might like to stand back till the guns are proved,” said the old soldier, grimly. “One of you take that there to the kitchen and get a light,” he said, “to do for a port-fire.”

He handed a piece of the prepared oakum to one of the men, who ran off with it, and directly after Roy stepped back quickly and hurried into the house.

Ben said nothing, but he glanced after the boy with a fierce look, pursing up his lips, and then muttering to himself, his expression indicating the most profound disgust.

Meanwhile, Roy ran into the private apartments of the castle, and made his way to the library; but Lady Royland was not there.

Uttering an ejaculation full of impatience, the boy hurried into the withdrawing-room, where he had better fortune, for he found his mother waiting there as if she expected him.

“You, my dear?” she said. “I was waiting here to see Master Pawson; he sent me a message to ask if I would see him on matters of importance. Do you know what he wishes to say?”

“Well, I almost think I do, mother,” replied the boy.

“Then you have come to meet him?”

“No,” said the boy; “I didn’t know he had sent. I came to warn you not to be alarmed, for we are just going to fire.”

Boom!

A report like thunder made the casements rattle as if they were being dashed in. This was followed by an echoing roar, and then came a yelling cry as of some one in agony.

“Oh, my boy, what has happened?” cried Lady Royland, starting from her chair, clapping her hands to her ears, and then sinking back palpitating in the nearest chair. “Run and see; something terrible must have occurred.”

Roy had already dashed to the door, and he ran out and along to the great gate-way, where his mother’s words seemed to be verified, for, on reaching the spot where the gun which had been fired had run back a short distance, there was the knot of men half hidden by the smoke that was slowly rising, and in front of them, just below the portcullis, lay, apparently lifeless, the figure of Master Pawson, face downward upon the flags.

“What have you done, Ben?” cried the boy.

“Done? I never done it,” growled the man, fiercely. “You runned away; so I put the light to the gun myself, and then we all stood and waited, till all at wunst Master Pawson comes round the corner like. I dunno how he come there; and off goes the gun and down goes he.”

Roy was already upon one knee, turning the secretary over on his back and examining him for the terrible injury he felt must have been received. But as Roy was proceeding to open his collar, he opened his eyes, sprang up into a sitting position, and then began to abuse the boy fiercely.

“You did it on purpose,” he cried; “and it’s a mercy it did not kill me.”

“Then you are not killed?” said Roy, dryly.

“No; but I might have been. It was a cowardly thing to do.”

“Ay, it were, Master Roy!” whispered Ben, turning upon him. “I thought you’d ha’ had heart enough to ha’ stood by us.”

“What do you mean?” cried Roy, rising angrily.

“Oh, you know, sir; sets such a bad example to the men.”

“I don’t understand you; nor you neither, Master Pawson.”

“It’s disgraceful; and Lady Royland shall put a stop to such monkey tricks.”

“Powder-monkey tricks,” growled Ben.

“Why, you don’t think I fired that gun on purpose, sir?”

“No, I don’t think so,” cried Master Pawson, in his high-pitched, scolding tone; “I am quite sure, sir; and it is disgraceful.”

“But I wasn’t here!”

“You were there. I saw you with the men, pretending to clean the gun, while I was yonder watching the sunset and waiting for an answer to a message I had sent in to your mother, sir, when, as you saw me come round the corner, you fired.”

“I did not, sir; for I was not there.”

“Ay, that’s true enough, sir,” said Ben, bitterly; “he warn’t here.”

“I don’t believe it,” cried Master Pawson, angrily, and his voice sounded like that of some angry woman. “It was a trick; and all this nonsense shall be put a stop to.”

“You can believe it or not, sir,” said Roy, growing calmer as the secretary waxed more angry.

“I shall speak to Lady Royland at once.”

“Do, sir. She is waiting to see you; she was telling me so when the gun went off.”

“Gun went off! And what business has a gun to go off here in this place?” cried the secretary, as he stood, now feeling himself all over and brushing the dust from off his velvet coat.

“Only got the wind of the gun, sir,” said the corporal, quietly.

“I was not speaking to you, my good man,” cried the secretary.

“Bad plan to stand nigh the muzzle of a big gun when she’s going to be fired,” growled Ben, in a sententious voice, and the secretary turned upon him sharply.

“And you, sir,” he cried; “how dare you let a boy play such antics? Do you know I heard the shot go by my face.”

“Nay, sir; that I’ll say you didn’t,” growled Ben.

“But I say I did, sir, with a fierce rush.”

“One of the tomtits’ eggs, perhaps, sergeant,” said Roy, dryly. “I know I caught sight of one or two when the nest was rammed in.”

The men all burst out laughing, and Master Pawson grew preternaturally calm.

“Was that meant as an insult, Master Roy?” he said, turning towards him and speaking slowly, with his eyes half shut and an unpleasant, sneering smile upon his lips.

“No, sir; as a joke,” replied Roy, gravely.

“I thank you; but keep your jokes for the servants; try them upon the menials. Recollect that I am a gentleman, placed in authority over you by Sir Granby Royland as tutor and master, and, as I am in authority over you, I am in authority over all here. Have the goodness to recollect that.”

He turned upon his heel and walked away, with the back of his doublet covered with scraps of hay from the tomtits’ nest, and Roy’s first inclination was to run after him to begin brushing him down.

“But he’ll only think I want to insult him again,” said the boy to himself. “I wish I hadn’t said anything about the tomtits’ eggs, though.”

“Shall I run after him, sir, and ask if I shall give him a brush down?” whispered Ben.

“No; let him find it out. One of the maids will tell him, I dare say.”

“But you should ha’ stopped by us when the gun was fired, Master Roy,” protested Ben. “I see them three chaps wink at each other, as much as to say, ‘He won’t stand fire,’ and it hurt me, sir, and seemed to be undoing all I did afore. I didn’t think it of you.”

“I should like to kick you for thinking me such a coward,” cried Roy, fiercely, for his encounter with the secretary had set his temper on edge. “How dare you! You had no business to fire till I came back. I did not want my mother to hear the report without some warning.—Here, corporal, give me that light.”

The man stepped up with it, and Roy took it out of his hand.

“Going to fire this one, sir?” said Ben, eagerly.

“Of course. Stand aside!” And Roy applied the sparkling port-fire to the bit of prepared oakum standing out of the touch-hole, with the result that it, too, began to sparkle and fume.

“There,” he said; “I hope Master Pawson won’t come back and be frightened by this one.”

He had hardly uttered the words when the secretary reappeared.

“Where are all the servants?” he cried, angrily. “I want some one to come and brush my clothes.”

“Stand aside!” shouted Ben. “She’ll run right back.”

But the secretary did not understand what was meant, and turned haughtily upon the speaker, totally unconscious of the fact that he was exactly behind the breech of the piece, whose recoil might have produced fatal results.

It was no time for uttering warnings, and Roy knew it. He glanced once at the tiny sparkling going on at the touch-hole of the gun, and sprang right at the secretary, driving him backward and falling heavily with him to the ground.

It was none too soon, for the gun went off with a tremendous roar, leaping up from the paving and running back on its low wheels right over the spot where the secretary had just stood.

“Guns is guns, and always was,” said Ben, very grimly; “and them as has to do with ’em wants to know all their little ways. I have know’d a man’s arm took off by the recoil, and, if you don’t take care, their breeches is as dangerous to them as fires ’em as is their muzzles.”

“Hurt, sir?” cried Roy, offering his hand after gaining his own feet, ready to help the tutor to rise.

Master Pawson made no reply, neither did he take the extended hand, but rose and walked away limping, going right down through the pleasaunce so as to reach his own room without having to pass through the corridor.

“Bit rusty, I s’pose, sir,” said Ben, quietly.

“I am afraid so, Ben,” was the reply. “But I don’t think there’s much doubt about the powder.”

“Doubt, sir; why, it’s stronger than they makes now, or else it has got riper and better for keeping. We’re all right there.”

“Yes, capital! but that report rings in my ears still.”

“Ay, sir, a brass gun can ring as well as roar; but you won’t mind it after a few times.”

“I don’t feel to mind it now,” said Roy, coolly.

“Not you, sir,” whispered the old fellow. “And I beg your pardon, Master Roy, and you’ve done me, and yourself too, a lot of good. It would ha’ been horrid for the men to think you was scared. I never thought of frightening my lady with the row. Tell the lads to sponge the guns out with a bit o’ rag, and then we’ll run ’em back to their places again.”

Roy gave the order, and then had the sentry changed at the gate, after which there was another duty to have performed,—that of raising the drawbridge.

“No fear of any one forgetting and walking into the moat at night, is there, Ben?”

“Well, no, sir; I think not,” said the old soldier, seriously. “You see, the bridge shuts up all the middle when it’s raised, and that makes it sure, while at those sides nobody could tumble in without trying to; so I don’t see no fear of that. Shall we haul her up, sir?”

“Yes.” And giving the order, as soon as the guns were in place, he led the way up into the furnace-chamber, where two men seized each chain, and the ponderous structure slowly rose as the huge weights descended the stone-work tubes in which they hung, the difficulty of hoisting the bridge proving to be much lighter than at the former trial.

“Come, sir, that’s safe. You won’t set sentries to-night?”

“No, of course not,” said Roy; “that will be unnecessary till there is news of some enemy being near.”

Chapter Thirteen.The Coming of Recruits.The next morning the carpenter was there with the capstan bars soon after the bridge was lowered; and upon these being tried, after the capstans and pulleys had been well greased, the portcullis was lowered and raised several times with the greatest facility, each time becoming more easy to move, while old Ben’s eyes glistened, and he worked as if all these preparations for the defence of the place, with the possible shedding of blood and loss of life, had suddenly added a delightful zest to his existence.But he was not alone in this, for Roy found a strange exhilaration in his new position. There was something so novel in everything, and try how he would, it was hard to keep down a feeling of vanity, especially when he came upon his mother busily preparing a scarf for him to wear.“For me?” he said. “Oh, mother! it’s too fine.”“Not at all,” she said, quietly. “Your men will like to see their leader look striking.”“Ah, well,” he replied, “I can’t wear it while there is so much dirty work to do.”“That will be done by the men. Roy, my boy, you must rise to your position, and give orders more for things to be done.”“That’s what old Ben says, and I am trying; but it’s hard work while everything is so new, and—”“And what?”“It seems as if Master—Oh, no; it’s too paltry to be talked about.”“Tell me what it is, and I will be the judge.”“Well, you know how poor Master Pawson was upset with the firing?”“Yes; and he ought to be very grateful to you for saving his life. Has he not thanked you?”“No; unless looking sneeringly at everything I do is thanking me. That makes it seem so hard to put on a showy thing like that. He’ll only laugh at it.”“Master Pawson is not behaving well,” said Lady Royland, coldly. “He actually had the impertinence to speak to me last night about the preparations, and objected to the men being taken from their work.”“Said it was absurd?”“Yes; those were his words, Roy, and I was compelled to silence him. He told me he was sure that if Sir Granby knew how utterly unlikely it was for any of the disaffected people to come into this neighbourhood he would immediately cancel the orders, and, under the circumstances, he could not refrain from advising me to act according to his advice.”“And what was his advice, mother?”“To put a stop to the foolish preparations, which could only bring ridicule upon all here.”“He said something of the kind to me; more than I told you.”“Why did you not tell me all?”“Because it seemed so paltry.”“Nothing is too paltry when we have so much at stake, Roy.”“And was that the end of it?”“No, my boy; he made me indignant by his presumption, and I told him to remember who he was.”“What did he say to that?”“Begged my pardon humbly, and said that perhaps I was right, and that he would do everything he could to help me in this painful situation. I am glad he has spoken out and forced me to be plain. Now he will keep his place.”“Yes, he will now,” said Roy. “I know what he felt; of course he was annoyed at my taking the lead, after his going out leaving me only his pupil, and coming back to find me seeming to do exactly as I pleased. But I must go, mother, for there is such a lot to do. Don’t ask me to begin wearing silk and gold and feathers yet, though, please.”Lady Royland smiled proudly as she kissed her son, and Roy hurried back to his lieutenant, who was anxiously expecting him.“Farmer Raynes has come over, sir, to see you. Wanted to know what the guns were fired for.”“Where is he?”“Yonder, sir, watching the corporal drill the men.”Roy went to the gate-way, where the trooper was busy at work drilling the men in the use of their firelocks, adding to his verbal instructions the examples of the two soldiers who came with him, these falling in just in front, and executing every order in the carriage of the piece, loading and firing, so that the servants could more easily understand.“Morning, Master Roy,” said the farmer, stepping out of the guard-room door-way. “Heard the guns last night, and couldn’t make out where the noise come from. Found out this morning, though, and run over. Mean fighting, then, if they come here?”“Certainly,” said Roy. “My father sent word for us to be prepared. I was going to send for you this morning. I want your men and you to come in, and be ready in case you are wanted.”“Parson Meldew came and had a long talk with me day before yesterday, sir, and he told me that whatever I did I was to stay peacefully at home, mind my crops, and not interfere at all. But if I did, I was not to side with the king.”“He dared to tell you that?” cried Roy.“Not quite in those words, sir, but he meant it.”“Oh, if he wasn’t a clerk, I’d say something,” cried Roy; “but what did you say?”“Nothing, sir; I only laughed.”“And do you mean to stay at home and do what he told you?”“Of course, sir, unless there’s some fighting comes on, and then I suppose we shall have to begin.”“Against the king?”“I’m going to fight for my good old landlord, Master Roy, the best man I know. He always stood my friend in hard times, and if he sends word I am to, why, here I be with ten stout fellows, only you’ll have to drill us all, same as you’re doing with these here, unless pitchforks and flails will do; we can handle them.”“Shake hands, Master Raynes,” cried Roy; “I want you and the men to come and drill every day in the mornings, and I want you to bring us in as much wheat, oats, and flour as we can store up. You must buy when you have not plenty, for we must be ready in case we are attacked.”“What do you say to me going round and buying up all the ham and bacon and salt pork I can get, sir?”“Yes, certainly,” cried Roy. “My mother will supply the money.”“Oh, that’s all right enough, sir,” said the farmer. “But of course you don’t want us to come and live in the place until there’s real trouble.”“Certainly not. Give half your time to getting ready for troubles, and the other half to the farm.”“I see, sir. Ah, morning, Master Pawson. Wild times these.”“Terrible, Master Raynes, terrible,” said the secretary, coming up. “Are you going to be drilled too?”Roy glanced sharply round, but the secretary spoke earnestly, and with no suggestion of a sneer.“Yes, sir, me and my men must come and support my landlord, spite of all that Parson Meldew may say.”“Does he object?”“Yes, sir; and pretty strongly, too. If I was him, I don’t think I should say quite so much, for he may be hearing of it again.”“But I hope all we hear is but exaggerated rumour, Master Raynes, for everybody’s sake. If it were half so bad as you all say, I don’t know what would happen.”“Ah well, sir, nothing shall happen here if me and my lads can prevent it. There, I won’t waste time. The lads shall be over here in a couple of hours, Master Roy, and I’ll be getting off to market.”The farmer went away, and Roy felt comparatively happy with his tutor, for Master Pawson seemed to have put aside the petty feeling of annoyance, and to wish to let the trouble over the firing be quite forgotten, so careful was he about avoiding any allusion to the guns.“I can’t help,” he said, smiling; “only to look on. I was never meant for a fighting man. What a change, though, you seem to be producing, Roy.”This was sufficient to make Roy, with his natural boyish frankness, begin talking freely about his plans, for he was growing enthusiastic, and he even began to ask the secretary’s opinion about two or three minor matters.“Oh, don’t ask me,” said his companion, laughing, and with an air of protest; “you might just as well expect me to begin wearing armour. No. You must do all the defending if trouble does come, and I beg you will give particular orders to your men-at-arms to take the greatest care of the secretary, for you must not have him hurt. I suppose, then, that there will be no more studies for the present?”“No, not for the present,” said Roy, rather importantly; “I have so much to do.”“Very well, man o’ war; the man o’ peace will go back to his music and his books, but if you want me to do anything that I can do, send for me at once.”Master Pawson put his hands behind him and walked thoughtfully through the garden towards the door-way leading to the ramparts, and from thence to the north-west tower, by the green grass and flowers seeming to him a more attractive way than through the long corridor and past the occupied rooms; while Roy made for the armoury, which seemed to be his study now. Ben was there, busy, and he looked up and nodded. “Master Pawson’s soon settled down then, sir?” he said.“Oh, yes, Ben; he’s good-tempered enough now.”“Good job for him, sir. Can’t have quarrelling in a garrison. I began to think he was going to mutiny outright, and if he’d shown his teeth any more, I suppose I should have had to remind him that there were some deep, dark dungeons underground as a first dose, and the stone gallows up at the far corner of the ramparts for the very worst cases.”“But do you think that stone bar thing was ever used for executing people?”“Sure of it, sir; and there’s the opening underneath leading down to that square patch beneath the walls.”“But it may have been to hoist food or other things up during a siege.”“Ah, it may have been, sir,” said Ben, grimly; “but I don’t quite see why they should have chosen to make it just over the bit of a patch of ground between the walls and the moat where you couldn’t get the forage to without a boat, and when there were a gate-way and bridge. ’Sides, too, why should they pick the old burying-place of the castle?”“But that was not the old burying-place, surely, Ben?”“You ask Dick Grey, gardener, what he found when her ladyship wanted the ivy planted there to cover that bit o’ wall. It was full of ’em.”Roy shuddered.“That’s so, sir. I expect in the old fighting days they used to bury ’em there; and as it’s just under that there gallows, why, of course, it was used for traitors or spies as well. That reminds me, sir, as a lot of that ivy ought to be cut away. We don’t want any one to make a ladder of it for getting into the place.”“Leave it for the present. It could be torn down in an hour if there was any need.”“Ay, sir, that’s the way you take it over such things. That there garden ought to be turned into a drilling-ground; you know it ought.”“If there does come any need for it, the garden can go,” said Roy, “but not until the very last.”“That’s right, sir. Only, if we’re besieged, it will have to go. Now, let me see—that makes nine buff coats, and one more’s ten, for Farmer Raynes’s lot. Ought to give the farmer something a bit smarter, oughtn’t I, as he’ll expect to be a sergeant, won’t he?”“He’ll like to be over his men.”“But, you see, he’s a big one, and there’s a buff coat would suit him exact. I’ll tell you what, sir, if he has the same as the others, and a scarf, and a feather in his cap, he’ll be satisfied.”“I should say so, Ben.”“Then scarf and feather it shall be, sir. I’ll have all their arms and things ready for to-night; then they can have ’em in the morning when they come, and it’ll put all them straw-whopping fellows in a good temper, and make ’em easy to drill. I want to pick out so many fellows for the big guns that we must have some more in soon. But it’s better to go gently. Saves a lot of confusion.”“What’s the next thing to do, Ben?”“Everything, sir. Powder-bags to fill. Stores to get in. We must have a new flag. Place cleared out for garrison quarters. Something done to the two old guard-rooms on each side of the gate. We’ve months of work to do, sir, try how we may, but we’re going to do it, Master Roy, and—Oh,” continued the old fellow, pausing for a few moments in his task of taking down belts and swords to lay one on each buff coat below the steel caps just set out ready, “there’s that other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”“What other thing, Ben?”“I was up atop of the great tower this morning.”“I know. I saw you there.”“I was looking at the furnace and thinking that must be touched up a bit, and a good supply of wood and charcoal carried to it. There is plenty of lead at the foot of the north-east tower.”“Ugh! We don’t want to do any of those barbarous things, Ben; they’re too horrible. Fancy pouring molten lead down on people’s heads.”“We don’t want to pour no molten lead down on people’s heads, sir,” protested the old soldier. “All we says to ’em is, we’ve got a whole lot of hot silver soup up here, and we shall pour it down on you if you come hanging about our place, and trying to get in. Let ’em stop away, and then they won’t be hurt.”“But it’s too horrible, Ben. I will not have that got ready.”“Very well, sir. I don’t know that it much matters, for they’ve got to cross the moat first, and I don’t think we’ll let ’em do that. The only way the enemy will get in here will be through traitors in the camp.”“And we shall not have any of them, Ben.”“Hope not, sir.”“So if we are to fight, let it be in a fair, manly, chivalrous way.”“Yes, sir, and hang all spies and traitors.”“Don’t let’s imagine that such people are possible,” said Roy. “But was that what you wanted to talk about, sergeant?”“No, captain, it wasn’t. I got thinking this morning, as I was looking round for weak points in our defences, that there’s the old tale about that there underground passage; the little chapel on the hill made me think of it first.”“But do you believe it’s possible, Ben?”“Not knowing, sir, can’t say. But I tell you what I do say: there’s nothing like taking care. Don’t do to leave a hole in a sand-bag if it’s ever so small. So as soon as we’ve got a little more ship-shape and our garrison beginning to grow, let’s you and me get a lantern some night, and have a good look to see if there is such a rat’s hole.”“Of course; yes.”“Keep it quiet, sir, except to her ladyship. There may be such a place, for in the good old times there were a great many curious doings, and it would be a fine one to have a way in and out when the enemy thought they’d got people shut up closely, and was going to starve ’em out; and them able to bring in more men, and sacks of corn, and pigs and ducks and geese and chickens, and laughing at the enemy all the time.”“We must see, Ben; and I want you, as soon as the farmer’s party are settling down, to go and try about more men.”“I say, sir, aren’t it strange as none of the gentry hasn’t been over?”“Too soon, perhaps, Ben.”“Perhaps so, sir; but I can’t help fancying everybody about here don’t think quite the same as we do.”“Not on the king’s side? Oh, nonsense!”“Hope it is, sir,” said the old fellow, thoughtfully inspecting and drawing one of the swords; “but there, we shall see. Bad for some of ’em if they are agen us, or I’m much mistook.”

The next morning the carpenter was there with the capstan bars soon after the bridge was lowered; and upon these being tried, after the capstans and pulleys had been well greased, the portcullis was lowered and raised several times with the greatest facility, each time becoming more easy to move, while old Ben’s eyes glistened, and he worked as if all these preparations for the defence of the place, with the possible shedding of blood and loss of life, had suddenly added a delightful zest to his existence.

But he was not alone in this, for Roy found a strange exhilaration in his new position. There was something so novel in everything, and try how he would, it was hard to keep down a feeling of vanity, especially when he came upon his mother busily preparing a scarf for him to wear.

“For me?” he said. “Oh, mother! it’s too fine.”

“Not at all,” she said, quietly. “Your men will like to see their leader look striking.”

“Ah, well,” he replied, “I can’t wear it while there is so much dirty work to do.”

“That will be done by the men. Roy, my boy, you must rise to your position, and give orders more for things to be done.”

“That’s what old Ben says, and I am trying; but it’s hard work while everything is so new, and—”

“And what?”

“It seems as if Master—Oh, no; it’s too paltry to be talked about.”

“Tell me what it is, and I will be the judge.”

“Well, you know how poor Master Pawson was upset with the firing?”

“Yes; and he ought to be very grateful to you for saving his life. Has he not thanked you?”

“No; unless looking sneeringly at everything I do is thanking me. That makes it seem so hard to put on a showy thing like that. He’ll only laugh at it.”

“Master Pawson is not behaving well,” said Lady Royland, coldly. “He actually had the impertinence to speak to me last night about the preparations, and objected to the men being taken from their work.”

“Said it was absurd?”

“Yes; those were his words, Roy, and I was compelled to silence him. He told me he was sure that if Sir Granby knew how utterly unlikely it was for any of the disaffected people to come into this neighbourhood he would immediately cancel the orders, and, under the circumstances, he could not refrain from advising me to act according to his advice.”

“And what was his advice, mother?”

“To put a stop to the foolish preparations, which could only bring ridicule upon all here.”

“He said something of the kind to me; more than I told you.”

“Why did you not tell me all?”

“Because it seemed so paltry.”

“Nothing is too paltry when we have so much at stake, Roy.”

“And was that the end of it?”

“No, my boy; he made me indignant by his presumption, and I told him to remember who he was.”

“What did he say to that?”

“Begged my pardon humbly, and said that perhaps I was right, and that he would do everything he could to help me in this painful situation. I am glad he has spoken out and forced me to be plain. Now he will keep his place.”

“Yes, he will now,” said Roy. “I know what he felt; of course he was annoyed at my taking the lead, after his going out leaving me only his pupil, and coming back to find me seeming to do exactly as I pleased. But I must go, mother, for there is such a lot to do. Don’t ask me to begin wearing silk and gold and feathers yet, though, please.”

Lady Royland smiled proudly as she kissed her son, and Roy hurried back to his lieutenant, who was anxiously expecting him.

“Farmer Raynes has come over, sir, to see you. Wanted to know what the guns were fired for.”

“Where is he?”

“Yonder, sir, watching the corporal drill the men.”

Roy went to the gate-way, where the trooper was busy at work drilling the men in the use of their firelocks, adding to his verbal instructions the examples of the two soldiers who came with him, these falling in just in front, and executing every order in the carriage of the piece, loading and firing, so that the servants could more easily understand.

“Morning, Master Roy,” said the farmer, stepping out of the guard-room door-way. “Heard the guns last night, and couldn’t make out where the noise come from. Found out this morning, though, and run over. Mean fighting, then, if they come here?”

“Certainly,” said Roy. “My father sent word for us to be prepared. I was going to send for you this morning. I want your men and you to come in, and be ready in case you are wanted.”

“Parson Meldew came and had a long talk with me day before yesterday, sir, and he told me that whatever I did I was to stay peacefully at home, mind my crops, and not interfere at all. But if I did, I was not to side with the king.”

“He dared to tell you that?” cried Roy.

“Not quite in those words, sir, but he meant it.”

“Oh, if he wasn’t a clerk, I’d say something,” cried Roy; “but what did you say?”

“Nothing, sir; I only laughed.”

“And do you mean to stay at home and do what he told you?”

“Of course, sir, unless there’s some fighting comes on, and then I suppose we shall have to begin.”

“Against the king?”

“I’m going to fight for my good old landlord, Master Roy, the best man I know. He always stood my friend in hard times, and if he sends word I am to, why, here I be with ten stout fellows, only you’ll have to drill us all, same as you’re doing with these here, unless pitchforks and flails will do; we can handle them.”

“Shake hands, Master Raynes,” cried Roy; “I want you and the men to come and drill every day in the mornings, and I want you to bring us in as much wheat, oats, and flour as we can store up. You must buy when you have not plenty, for we must be ready in case we are attacked.”

“What do you say to me going round and buying up all the ham and bacon and salt pork I can get, sir?”

“Yes, certainly,” cried Roy. “My mother will supply the money.”

“Oh, that’s all right enough, sir,” said the farmer. “But of course you don’t want us to come and live in the place until there’s real trouble.”

“Certainly not. Give half your time to getting ready for troubles, and the other half to the farm.”

“I see, sir. Ah, morning, Master Pawson. Wild times these.”

“Terrible, Master Raynes, terrible,” said the secretary, coming up. “Are you going to be drilled too?”

Roy glanced sharply round, but the secretary spoke earnestly, and with no suggestion of a sneer.

“Yes, sir, me and my men must come and support my landlord, spite of all that Parson Meldew may say.”

“Does he object?”

“Yes, sir; and pretty strongly, too. If I was him, I don’t think I should say quite so much, for he may be hearing of it again.”

“But I hope all we hear is but exaggerated rumour, Master Raynes, for everybody’s sake. If it were half so bad as you all say, I don’t know what would happen.”

“Ah well, sir, nothing shall happen here if me and my lads can prevent it. There, I won’t waste time. The lads shall be over here in a couple of hours, Master Roy, and I’ll be getting off to market.”

The farmer went away, and Roy felt comparatively happy with his tutor, for Master Pawson seemed to have put aside the petty feeling of annoyance, and to wish to let the trouble over the firing be quite forgotten, so careful was he about avoiding any allusion to the guns.

“I can’t help,” he said, smiling; “only to look on. I was never meant for a fighting man. What a change, though, you seem to be producing, Roy.”

This was sufficient to make Roy, with his natural boyish frankness, begin talking freely about his plans, for he was growing enthusiastic, and he even began to ask the secretary’s opinion about two or three minor matters.

“Oh, don’t ask me,” said his companion, laughing, and with an air of protest; “you might just as well expect me to begin wearing armour. No. You must do all the defending if trouble does come, and I beg you will give particular orders to your men-at-arms to take the greatest care of the secretary, for you must not have him hurt. I suppose, then, that there will be no more studies for the present?”

“No, not for the present,” said Roy, rather importantly; “I have so much to do.”

“Very well, man o’ war; the man o’ peace will go back to his music and his books, but if you want me to do anything that I can do, send for me at once.”

Master Pawson put his hands behind him and walked thoughtfully through the garden towards the door-way leading to the ramparts, and from thence to the north-west tower, by the green grass and flowers seeming to him a more attractive way than through the long corridor and past the occupied rooms; while Roy made for the armoury, which seemed to be his study now. Ben was there, busy, and he looked up and nodded. “Master Pawson’s soon settled down then, sir?” he said.

“Oh, yes, Ben; he’s good-tempered enough now.”

“Good job for him, sir. Can’t have quarrelling in a garrison. I began to think he was going to mutiny outright, and if he’d shown his teeth any more, I suppose I should have had to remind him that there were some deep, dark dungeons underground as a first dose, and the stone gallows up at the far corner of the ramparts for the very worst cases.”

“But do you think that stone bar thing was ever used for executing people?”

“Sure of it, sir; and there’s the opening underneath leading down to that square patch beneath the walls.”

“But it may have been to hoist food or other things up during a siege.”

“Ah, it may have been, sir,” said Ben, grimly; “but I don’t quite see why they should have chosen to make it just over the bit of a patch of ground between the walls and the moat where you couldn’t get the forage to without a boat, and when there were a gate-way and bridge. ’Sides, too, why should they pick the old burying-place of the castle?”

“But that was not the old burying-place, surely, Ben?”

“You ask Dick Grey, gardener, what he found when her ladyship wanted the ivy planted there to cover that bit o’ wall. It was full of ’em.”

Roy shuddered.

“That’s so, sir. I expect in the old fighting days they used to bury ’em there; and as it’s just under that there gallows, why, of course, it was used for traitors or spies as well. That reminds me, sir, as a lot of that ivy ought to be cut away. We don’t want any one to make a ladder of it for getting into the place.”

“Leave it for the present. It could be torn down in an hour if there was any need.”

“Ay, sir, that’s the way you take it over such things. That there garden ought to be turned into a drilling-ground; you know it ought.”

“If there does come any need for it, the garden can go,” said Roy, “but not until the very last.”

“That’s right, sir. Only, if we’re besieged, it will have to go. Now, let me see—that makes nine buff coats, and one more’s ten, for Farmer Raynes’s lot. Ought to give the farmer something a bit smarter, oughtn’t I, as he’ll expect to be a sergeant, won’t he?”

“He’ll like to be over his men.”

“But, you see, he’s a big one, and there’s a buff coat would suit him exact. I’ll tell you what, sir, if he has the same as the others, and a scarf, and a feather in his cap, he’ll be satisfied.”

“I should say so, Ben.”

“Then scarf and feather it shall be, sir. I’ll have all their arms and things ready for to-night; then they can have ’em in the morning when they come, and it’ll put all them straw-whopping fellows in a good temper, and make ’em easy to drill. I want to pick out so many fellows for the big guns that we must have some more in soon. But it’s better to go gently. Saves a lot of confusion.”

“What’s the next thing to do, Ben?”

“Everything, sir. Powder-bags to fill. Stores to get in. We must have a new flag. Place cleared out for garrison quarters. Something done to the two old guard-rooms on each side of the gate. We’ve months of work to do, sir, try how we may, but we’re going to do it, Master Roy, and—Oh,” continued the old fellow, pausing for a few moments in his task of taking down belts and swords to lay one on each buff coat below the steel caps just set out ready, “there’s that other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What other thing, Ben?”

“I was up atop of the great tower this morning.”

“I know. I saw you there.”

“I was looking at the furnace and thinking that must be touched up a bit, and a good supply of wood and charcoal carried to it. There is plenty of lead at the foot of the north-east tower.”

“Ugh! We don’t want to do any of those barbarous things, Ben; they’re too horrible. Fancy pouring molten lead down on people’s heads.”

“We don’t want to pour no molten lead down on people’s heads, sir,” protested the old soldier. “All we says to ’em is, we’ve got a whole lot of hot silver soup up here, and we shall pour it down on you if you come hanging about our place, and trying to get in. Let ’em stop away, and then they won’t be hurt.”

“But it’s too horrible, Ben. I will not have that got ready.”

“Very well, sir. I don’t know that it much matters, for they’ve got to cross the moat first, and I don’t think we’ll let ’em do that. The only way the enemy will get in here will be through traitors in the camp.”

“And we shall not have any of them, Ben.”

“Hope not, sir.”

“So if we are to fight, let it be in a fair, manly, chivalrous way.”

“Yes, sir, and hang all spies and traitors.”

“Don’t let’s imagine that such people are possible,” said Roy. “But was that what you wanted to talk about, sergeant?”

“No, captain, it wasn’t. I got thinking this morning, as I was looking round for weak points in our defences, that there’s the old tale about that there underground passage; the little chapel on the hill made me think of it first.”

“But do you believe it’s possible, Ben?”

“Not knowing, sir, can’t say. But I tell you what I do say: there’s nothing like taking care. Don’t do to leave a hole in a sand-bag if it’s ever so small. So as soon as we’ve got a little more ship-shape and our garrison beginning to grow, let’s you and me get a lantern some night, and have a good look to see if there is such a rat’s hole.”

“Of course; yes.”

“Keep it quiet, sir, except to her ladyship. There may be such a place, for in the good old times there were a great many curious doings, and it would be a fine one to have a way in and out when the enemy thought they’d got people shut up closely, and was going to starve ’em out; and them able to bring in more men, and sacks of corn, and pigs and ducks and geese and chickens, and laughing at the enemy all the time.”

“We must see, Ben; and I want you, as soon as the farmer’s party are settling down, to go and try about more men.”

“I say, sir, aren’t it strange as none of the gentry hasn’t been over?”

“Too soon, perhaps, Ben.”

“Perhaps so, sir; but I can’t help fancying everybody about here don’t think quite the same as we do.”

“Not on the king’s side? Oh, nonsense!”

“Hope it is, sir,” said the old fellow, thoughtfully inspecting and drawing one of the swords; “but there, we shall see. Bad for some of ’em if they are agen us, or I’m much mistook.”

Chapter Fourteen.Master Pawson shows his Colours.As the time glided on, no further communication arrived from Sir Granby, and Lady Royland and her son began to realise more and more that they were shut off in a part of England where the king’s friends were few and far between, while those who remained true felt themselves so outnumbered by their neighbours that they dared not display their principles.Letters had been sent round by Lady Royland to several of the gentry residing at different places, asking for help if it were needed, and at the same time offering the castle as a sanctuary and rallying-point.One answer which was received will suffice to show the general feeling of the district.The letter was brought in while Lady Royland and her son were seated at breakfast, and the servant-maid stated that it had been left with old Jenkin, at the gate, by a messenger the old man did not know, but who said that there was no reply needed.A letter was sufficient to throw Roy’s mother into a state of agitation, eager as she was for news from her lord, and she eagerly tore it open, read it with a sigh, and passed it on to her son.Roy took it as eagerly and began reading it aloud.It was very brief, and was written in a peculiar hand that was not familiar.“Take counsel with yourself as to what you are doing. A great change is coming over the country, for the king’s cause is undoubtedly lost. Many who respect the old family of Royland, and would help if they dared, feel that it is unwise to fly in the face of the new power, and to go in opposition to the people, who in all directions are declaring against the king. All who respect Dame Royland join in advising her to cease the show of resistance she is making, and to settle down quietly, ready to accept the fresh position, for resistance must mean destruction. Pause before it is too late.—From an old friend.”“Well,” said Lady Royland, as her son read the letter through twice, “what do you think of that, Roy?”“That the man who wrote it must be a coward.”“It explains why we have not had more offers of help, my boy. I have felt for days past that there must be something very wrong. We are, it seems, becoming isolated in an enemy’s country, and so as to secure our safety, I am advised to lay down my arms, and turn over my allegiance to the new government, whatever it may be. That is what the letter advises.”“Yes, but who wrote it?” cried Roy.“It is evidently written by one person acting for others, and explains why my letters to gentlemen who I should have thought would have been ready to help me have remained unanswered.”“Then we are to have no more help?”“None, save that which we have secured from the village, and of course from the tenants on our estate. What do you think, Roy? If I resist, we shall, from our weakness, in all probability be beaten, and the new government will confiscate your father’s property here; while, if we settle down to an ignoble peace—”“They’ll perhaps seize upon the estate all the same.”“Then you would resist, my boy?” said Lady Royland, watching her son’s face closely.“Resist, mother?” he cried, indignantly; “why, of course. After what father said, it is our duty to shut ourselves up here, hoist the king’s flag, and show the cowards who sent that letter that we’re going to fight as long as there’s a tower left in the old place.”“Then you would advise me to go against everything that is said in that letter?”“Pah!” cried the boy, with a look of disgust. “I wonder you can ask me such a question, mother.”Roy had risen from the table, and with his face scarlet was walking up and down the room.“I asked you because I wanted to see what your real feelings were, my boy,” said Lady Royland, going to him to lay her hands on his shoulder and look proudly in his face. “Roy, my boy, if I followed the advice of that contemptible time-serving letter, I should feel that I was proving false to the brave men who have gathered round us at my call, to my husband, and my king; lastly, my boy, to you. Give up? You know how I shuddered at the thought of war; how it was my prayer that you should not follow your father’s career; but when duty called, Roy, I cast all my fears behind, and stood forward ready to do or die. No, Roy! not while we have a shot left to fire, a strong hand to raise! Let those who will seek for safety in this base submission to the rebel powers: we will show them that a woman and a boy can be faithful to the end. That for the letter and its cowardly advice,” she cried, tearing it disdainfully to pieces. “We have but one thought here, Roy, and the old walls shall echo it as long as the stones will stand—God save the king!”Roy leaped upon one of the chairs, drew his sword and waved it round his head, roaring out, with all his might, “God save the king!” And directly after there was a hurried step at the door, which was thrown open, and the electric excitement in the lad’s breast was discharged as if he had received a touch from a rod.For the maid-servant appeared, looked at him in astonishment, and said, “Did you call, Master Roy?”The boy got down, and sheathed his sword, babbling out something, and his mother smilingly said—“No; you were not called.”“I beg pardon, my lady,” said the woman, and she retired.“Oh, I say, mother!” faltered Roy; “how stupid I must have seemed!”“I did not think so,” said Lady Royland, smiling.“But it looked as if I were acting.”“Go on acting so, then, my son,” said his mother, proudly; “we need not study what people think.”“Here’s Master Pawson,” whispered Roy, quickly. “Go back to your chair, mother.”Roy went to his own, and Lady Royland slowly followed his example, as the secretary, after passing the window, entered the room.“I beg pardon,” he said, “for being so late. Good-morning, Lady Royland; good-morning, Roy. I slept so dreadfully soundly.”“You need not apologise, Master Pawson,” said the lady, gravely; and she noted that his quick eyes had rested upon the fragments of the torn-up letter scattered about the room, where she had tossed them contemptuously. “You are looking at the letter I received this morning.”“A letter?” he cried, eagerly; “from Sir Granby?”“No,” said Lady Royland, with a sigh which she could not restrain; “it is from close at hand—from some of our neighbours. I wish I had kept it for you to see.”“Not bad news, I hope,” he said, looking pale.“Yes; very bad news,” said Lady Royland. “I have been waiting for days—it is right that you should know—hoping to get promises of help from the different friends we have round, but till now the answer to my appeal has been silence. This morning they gave me their reason for not replying.”“May I ask from whom you have heard?”“I cannot tell you,” said Lady Royland; “the letter is signed ‘a friend,’ and it advocates total surrender to the rebellious power of which we hear so much.”“But you will not surrender, Lady Royland?”“Surrender? No!” cried Roy. “Never!”“That is right,” said the secretary, flushing a little.“No; I shall not surrender,” said Lady Royland, firmly; “but as it means that we are becoming isolated, and are doomed to stand alone, I feel it my duty to speak plainly to you, Master Pawson.”He turned very pale again, and his eyes glanced restlessly from one to the other.“I hope—I trust,” he faltered, “that I have not done anything more to incur your displeasure, Lady Royland.”“No, Master Pawson, nothing; on the other hand, I have to thank you for the brave way in which for some days past you have mastered your dislike to the proceedings here, and helped my son to advance my objects.”“I—I have only tried to do my duty,” he said, flushing again.“Still, I cannot disguise from myself, Master Pawson, that dangers are gathering around us fast, and that it is my duty to relieve you of a position which must be growing intolerable.”“I—I do not understand your ladyship,” he said, looking at her wonderingly.“Let me explain, then. I feel that I have no right, Master Pawson, to keep you here. I think, then, that while there is the opportunity, and before you are compromised in any way, you should sever your connection here and go.”“Ah! I see what your ladyship means now,” he said, drawing a deep breath as if of relief, and looking firmly in Roy’s searching eyes. “Go away before any one of importance comes and makes a demand for the surrender of the castle.”“That is what I do mean.”“Yes, exactly,” said the secretary, thoughtfully; “and when the troubles are over, and the king has chastised all these insolent people who have risen against him, and, lastly, when I meet Sir Granby Royland, and he asks me why I deserted his wife and son in their emergency, what can I say?”Lady Royland was silent for a few moments, and her eyes rested in a softened manner upon the secretary’s face.“Say,” she said at last, and her voice sounded a little husky, “that it was my wish that you should go, for I did not desire that any one but I should be compromised.”“Thank you, Lady Royland,” said the secretary, quietly; and as he spoke, Roy felt his dislike to the man increasing moment by moment up to a certain point. “And, of course,” he said, “I must require money for travelling and to make my way back to London.”“That you shall be properly supplied with, of course, Master Pawson.”“Thank you again, Lady Royland,” he said, as he went on calmly with his breakfast; “it is very good of you, and when I require it, I will ask.”“Better that it should be done at once, sir,” Lady Royland said, firmly, “and that you should go.”“And leave you and Master Roy here to your fate!”“We can protect ourselves, sir.”“You must forgive me for being so slow over my breakfast, Master Roy,” said the secretary, smiling in the lad’s disgust-filled face. “I see you are impatient to go, but I am talking so much.”“Oh, eat a good breakfast,” said Roy, now he was thus appealed to, “for the last—”“Oh, no! not by a great many,” said Master Pawson, smiling. “I like the dear old castle far too well, and I hope to have many a long year of happy days in it. It is very good of you, Lady Royland; but I hope I can do my duty to Sir Granby like a man. You judge me by what I said at the beginning of these preparations. I thought then that I was right. I did not believe we should be interfered with here; but I see now that I was wrong, and I am ready to help you heart and soul. Do you think I could go away at a time like this? Why, I should never forgive myself—never. It is impossible, Lady Royland; now isn’t it, Roy? I’m not a fighting man; nature never meant me for anything but music and books, but I’m not such a contemptible coward as all that. When the enemy comes and begins firing, I may be induced to go somewhere that I thinkissafe; but go away? No, I could never hold up my head again.”“Master Pawson,” cried Roy, excitedly, springing from his seat, “do you mean this?”“Mean it, Roy?” said the secretary. “Why, of course. I promised Sir Granby to do my duty by his dame and his son, and according to the best of my powers. I’m going to do it, and—Well, that’s a very nice raised pie.”“Here, I want to beg your pardon, Master Pawson, for all kinds of unpleasant thoughts about you,” cried Roy, going round to the secretary and holding out his hand, which the other took and held.“Do you?” he said, laughing. “Oh, no, there’s no need. Boys generally quarrel mentally with their teachers just out of want of knowledge. I know. You’ve called me old Pawson many a time—now, haven’t you?—and said I was fat and soft and stupid, eh?”The lad did not answer, but looked scarlet.“That’s all right, Roy. I’m old enough to understand a little about human nature. Don’t you think I mind what a boy says or does in a fit of spleen. We shall understand one another better as time goes on.”Then turning to Lady Royland, who stood there flushed and with her eyes humid, he said, with grave respect, “I thank you, madam. It is only what I should have expected from one of your good, considerate nature, and I shall never forget it.—There, Roy,” he said, “I am going back to my room, and shall always be there when you want me. I stay there because I fear to be in the way, but I’ll come and do anything you wish if I can be useful. But, please,” he added, with a comical look of appeal, “don’t ask me to buckle on a sword, to come and fight, nor yet to fire guns. I should be sure to shut my eyes when I pulled the trigger, and waste the charge. Good-morning; I’m sorry I was so late.”He made as if to go, but paused as Lady Royland took a step or two forward and held out her hand, which he took and kissed respectfully.“Thank you, Master Pawson,” she said, with her voice low from emotion; “you have made everything seem brighter to us than it has looked for days. I feel now that the world is not so cowardly and cruel as this letter makes out that it was. I thank you. Sir Granby shall know of your noble conduct, and—”“No, no! please don’t say any more now,” cried the secretary, hurriedly; and he hastened to quit the room.“I am glad,” cried Roy, as the door was closed.“Glad!” exclaimed Lady Royland; “and I am sorry, Roy, that we should have been so ready to misjudge.”

As the time glided on, no further communication arrived from Sir Granby, and Lady Royland and her son began to realise more and more that they were shut off in a part of England where the king’s friends were few and far between, while those who remained true felt themselves so outnumbered by their neighbours that they dared not display their principles.

Letters had been sent round by Lady Royland to several of the gentry residing at different places, asking for help if it were needed, and at the same time offering the castle as a sanctuary and rallying-point.

One answer which was received will suffice to show the general feeling of the district.

The letter was brought in while Lady Royland and her son were seated at breakfast, and the servant-maid stated that it had been left with old Jenkin, at the gate, by a messenger the old man did not know, but who said that there was no reply needed.

A letter was sufficient to throw Roy’s mother into a state of agitation, eager as she was for news from her lord, and she eagerly tore it open, read it with a sigh, and passed it on to her son.

Roy took it as eagerly and began reading it aloud.

It was very brief, and was written in a peculiar hand that was not familiar.

“Take counsel with yourself as to what you are doing. A great change is coming over the country, for the king’s cause is undoubtedly lost. Many who respect the old family of Royland, and would help if they dared, feel that it is unwise to fly in the face of the new power, and to go in opposition to the people, who in all directions are declaring against the king. All who respect Dame Royland join in advising her to cease the show of resistance she is making, and to settle down quietly, ready to accept the fresh position, for resistance must mean destruction. Pause before it is too late.—From an old friend.”

“Well,” said Lady Royland, as her son read the letter through twice, “what do you think of that, Roy?”

“That the man who wrote it must be a coward.”

“It explains why we have not had more offers of help, my boy. I have felt for days past that there must be something very wrong. We are, it seems, becoming isolated in an enemy’s country, and so as to secure our safety, I am advised to lay down my arms, and turn over my allegiance to the new government, whatever it may be. That is what the letter advises.”

“Yes, but who wrote it?” cried Roy.

“It is evidently written by one person acting for others, and explains why my letters to gentlemen who I should have thought would have been ready to help me have remained unanswered.”

“Then we are to have no more help?”

“None, save that which we have secured from the village, and of course from the tenants on our estate. What do you think, Roy? If I resist, we shall, from our weakness, in all probability be beaten, and the new government will confiscate your father’s property here; while, if we settle down to an ignoble peace—”

“They’ll perhaps seize upon the estate all the same.”

“Then you would resist, my boy?” said Lady Royland, watching her son’s face closely.

“Resist, mother?” he cried, indignantly; “why, of course. After what father said, it is our duty to shut ourselves up here, hoist the king’s flag, and show the cowards who sent that letter that we’re going to fight as long as there’s a tower left in the old place.”

“Then you would advise me to go against everything that is said in that letter?”

“Pah!” cried the boy, with a look of disgust. “I wonder you can ask me such a question, mother.”

Roy had risen from the table, and with his face scarlet was walking up and down the room.

“I asked you because I wanted to see what your real feelings were, my boy,” said Lady Royland, going to him to lay her hands on his shoulder and look proudly in his face. “Roy, my boy, if I followed the advice of that contemptible time-serving letter, I should feel that I was proving false to the brave men who have gathered round us at my call, to my husband, and my king; lastly, my boy, to you. Give up? You know how I shuddered at the thought of war; how it was my prayer that you should not follow your father’s career; but when duty called, Roy, I cast all my fears behind, and stood forward ready to do or die. No, Roy! not while we have a shot left to fire, a strong hand to raise! Let those who will seek for safety in this base submission to the rebel powers: we will show them that a woman and a boy can be faithful to the end. That for the letter and its cowardly advice,” she cried, tearing it disdainfully to pieces. “We have but one thought here, Roy, and the old walls shall echo it as long as the stones will stand—God save the king!”

Roy leaped upon one of the chairs, drew his sword and waved it round his head, roaring out, with all his might, “God save the king!” And directly after there was a hurried step at the door, which was thrown open, and the electric excitement in the lad’s breast was discharged as if he had received a touch from a rod.

For the maid-servant appeared, looked at him in astonishment, and said, “Did you call, Master Roy?”

The boy got down, and sheathed his sword, babbling out something, and his mother smilingly said—

“No; you were not called.”

“I beg pardon, my lady,” said the woman, and she retired.

“Oh, I say, mother!” faltered Roy; “how stupid I must have seemed!”

“I did not think so,” said Lady Royland, smiling.

“But it looked as if I were acting.”

“Go on acting so, then, my son,” said his mother, proudly; “we need not study what people think.”

“Here’s Master Pawson,” whispered Roy, quickly. “Go back to your chair, mother.”

Roy went to his own, and Lady Royland slowly followed his example, as the secretary, after passing the window, entered the room.

“I beg pardon,” he said, “for being so late. Good-morning, Lady Royland; good-morning, Roy. I slept so dreadfully soundly.”

“You need not apologise, Master Pawson,” said the lady, gravely; and she noted that his quick eyes had rested upon the fragments of the torn-up letter scattered about the room, where she had tossed them contemptuously. “You are looking at the letter I received this morning.”

“A letter?” he cried, eagerly; “from Sir Granby?”

“No,” said Lady Royland, with a sigh which she could not restrain; “it is from close at hand—from some of our neighbours. I wish I had kept it for you to see.”

“Not bad news, I hope,” he said, looking pale.

“Yes; very bad news,” said Lady Royland. “I have been waiting for days—it is right that you should know—hoping to get promises of help from the different friends we have round, but till now the answer to my appeal has been silence. This morning they gave me their reason for not replying.”

“May I ask from whom you have heard?”

“I cannot tell you,” said Lady Royland; “the letter is signed ‘a friend,’ and it advocates total surrender to the rebellious power of which we hear so much.”

“But you will not surrender, Lady Royland?”

“Surrender? No!” cried Roy. “Never!”

“That is right,” said the secretary, flushing a little.

“No; I shall not surrender,” said Lady Royland, firmly; “but as it means that we are becoming isolated, and are doomed to stand alone, I feel it my duty to speak plainly to you, Master Pawson.”

He turned very pale again, and his eyes glanced restlessly from one to the other.

“I hope—I trust,” he faltered, “that I have not done anything more to incur your displeasure, Lady Royland.”

“No, Master Pawson, nothing; on the other hand, I have to thank you for the brave way in which for some days past you have mastered your dislike to the proceedings here, and helped my son to advance my objects.”

“I—I have only tried to do my duty,” he said, flushing again.

“Still, I cannot disguise from myself, Master Pawson, that dangers are gathering around us fast, and that it is my duty to relieve you of a position which must be growing intolerable.”

“I—I do not understand your ladyship,” he said, looking at her wonderingly.

“Let me explain, then. I feel that I have no right, Master Pawson, to keep you here. I think, then, that while there is the opportunity, and before you are compromised in any way, you should sever your connection here and go.”

“Ah! I see what your ladyship means now,” he said, drawing a deep breath as if of relief, and looking firmly in Roy’s searching eyes. “Go away before any one of importance comes and makes a demand for the surrender of the castle.”

“That is what I do mean.”

“Yes, exactly,” said the secretary, thoughtfully; “and when the troubles are over, and the king has chastised all these insolent people who have risen against him, and, lastly, when I meet Sir Granby Royland, and he asks me why I deserted his wife and son in their emergency, what can I say?”

Lady Royland was silent for a few moments, and her eyes rested in a softened manner upon the secretary’s face.

“Say,” she said at last, and her voice sounded a little husky, “that it was my wish that you should go, for I did not desire that any one but I should be compromised.”

“Thank you, Lady Royland,” said the secretary, quietly; and as he spoke, Roy felt his dislike to the man increasing moment by moment up to a certain point. “And, of course,” he said, “I must require money for travelling and to make my way back to London.”

“That you shall be properly supplied with, of course, Master Pawson.”

“Thank you again, Lady Royland,” he said, as he went on calmly with his breakfast; “it is very good of you, and when I require it, I will ask.”

“Better that it should be done at once, sir,” Lady Royland said, firmly, “and that you should go.”

“And leave you and Master Roy here to your fate!”

“We can protect ourselves, sir.”

“You must forgive me for being so slow over my breakfast, Master Roy,” said the secretary, smiling in the lad’s disgust-filled face. “I see you are impatient to go, but I am talking so much.”

“Oh, eat a good breakfast,” said Roy, now he was thus appealed to, “for the last—”

“Oh, no! not by a great many,” said Master Pawson, smiling. “I like the dear old castle far too well, and I hope to have many a long year of happy days in it. It is very good of you, Lady Royland; but I hope I can do my duty to Sir Granby like a man. You judge me by what I said at the beginning of these preparations. I thought then that I was right. I did not believe we should be interfered with here; but I see now that I was wrong, and I am ready to help you heart and soul. Do you think I could go away at a time like this? Why, I should never forgive myself—never. It is impossible, Lady Royland; now isn’t it, Roy? I’m not a fighting man; nature never meant me for anything but music and books, but I’m not such a contemptible coward as all that. When the enemy comes and begins firing, I may be induced to go somewhere that I thinkissafe; but go away? No, I could never hold up my head again.”

“Master Pawson,” cried Roy, excitedly, springing from his seat, “do you mean this?”

“Mean it, Roy?” said the secretary. “Why, of course. I promised Sir Granby to do my duty by his dame and his son, and according to the best of my powers. I’m going to do it, and—Well, that’s a very nice raised pie.”

“Here, I want to beg your pardon, Master Pawson, for all kinds of unpleasant thoughts about you,” cried Roy, going round to the secretary and holding out his hand, which the other took and held.

“Do you?” he said, laughing. “Oh, no, there’s no need. Boys generally quarrel mentally with their teachers just out of want of knowledge. I know. You’ve called me old Pawson many a time—now, haven’t you?—and said I was fat and soft and stupid, eh?”

The lad did not answer, but looked scarlet.

“That’s all right, Roy. I’m old enough to understand a little about human nature. Don’t you think I mind what a boy says or does in a fit of spleen. We shall understand one another better as time goes on.”

Then turning to Lady Royland, who stood there flushed and with her eyes humid, he said, with grave respect, “I thank you, madam. It is only what I should have expected from one of your good, considerate nature, and I shall never forget it.—There, Roy,” he said, “I am going back to my room, and shall always be there when you want me. I stay there because I fear to be in the way, but I’ll come and do anything you wish if I can be useful. But, please,” he added, with a comical look of appeal, “don’t ask me to buckle on a sword, to come and fight, nor yet to fire guns. I should be sure to shut my eyes when I pulled the trigger, and waste the charge. Good-morning; I’m sorry I was so late.”

He made as if to go, but paused as Lady Royland took a step or two forward and held out her hand, which he took and kissed respectfully.

“Thank you, Master Pawson,” she said, with her voice low from emotion; “you have made everything seem brighter to us than it has looked for days. I feel now that the world is not so cowardly and cruel as this letter makes out that it was. I thank you. Sir Granby shall know of your noble conduct, and—”

“No, no! please don’t say any more now,” cried the secretary, hurriedly; and he hastened to quit the room.

“I am glad,” cried Roy, as the door was closed.

“Glad!” exclaimed Lady Royland; “and I am sorry, Roy, that we should have been so ready to misjudge.”

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