Chapter Twenty Three.

Chapter Twenty Three.Roy gets over his Fit.The dawn came, and Lady Royland still knelt by the couch where her son slept heavily. She did not stir till the sun rose, and then she rose softly to go to the narrow slit in the massive wall, reach as far as she could into the deep splay, and gaze out.She sighed, for far-away in the distance she could see mounted men with the sun flashing from their armour.She turned back, for she had learned all she wished to know—the enemy was still there; and, wondering what that day might bring forth, she went and sat down now by her son’s head to watch him as he slept.The time crept on with the sounds of the awakening household mingled with the clangour of the morning calls and the tramp of armed men floating in through the window; but the watcher did not stir till the door was opened, and a couple of the maids appeared, to start back in affright, after a wondering glance at the untouched meal upon the table, for Lady Royland rose quickly with a gesture to them to be silent.They crept away, and she followed to the door.“Prepare the breakfast in the library,” she said, and then returned to her seat.The clock chimed and struck again and again, but Roy did not wake; and at last one of the maids came and tapped very softly.“Breakfast is quite ready, my lady,” she whispered.“I am not coming till my son wakes,” replied Lady Royland. “Ask Master Pawson not to wait.”“He’s not down yet, my lady,” said the woman.“Very well: ask him not to wait when he does come. The gentlemen are weary after the troubles of a very anxious night.”The woman went away, and Lady Royland returned to her seat, to bend over her son again as he lay there breathing evenly, still plunged in his deep sleep; and then at its stated intervals, the clock in the gate-way chimed, and chimed, and struck, and struck again, to mark off the second hour before there was another tap at the door, and the maid announced in a whisper that Sergeant Martlet was asking for Captain Roy.“Send him here,” said her ladyship, “and bid him come in gently.”“Yes, my lady,” said the woman; “and, if you please, my lady, Master Pawson has just come down, and is having his breakfast.”“Very good,” said Lady Royland, coldly, and the maid retired.Five minutes later, the old soldier, fully armed, came softly to the door, was admitted, and stood upon the thick carpet, saluting his lady. She pointed to the couch, and a grim smile of satisfaction crossed the soldier’s deeply-lined face.“He was quite worn-out and exhausted,” said Lady Royland, in a whisper, as she crossed to where Ben stood,—“too faint and troubled with the cares and anxieties of this weary business even to eat.”“But he has slept, my lady?” whispered Ben.“Ever since.”“Let him sleep, then, till he wakes, and he’ll be right enough again.”“I hope so; but he was very low and despondent last night. He feels the responsibility of his position so much.”“Course he does, my lady. That’s his breed. His father always did. Used to make as much fuss over one of us as went down or got a wound as if we’d been his own children. But you let him sleep, my lady; he’ll be like a new man when he gets up. He’s a wonder, my lady; that he is.”“He was afraid that the men were disposed to smile at him because he is so young.”“I should just like to ketch one on ’em a-doing it,” growled Ben. “But it aren’t true, my lady,” he continued, excitedly. “They smiles when he comes up, o’ course, but it’s because he seems to do ’em good, and they can’t help it, they’re so pleased to see him. Why, if you’ll believe me, my lady, from Sir Granby’s corporal o’ dragoons down to Isaiah Wiggens, as got nigh upon drowned being pulled across the moat last night, my lady—”“Oh, how horrible!”“Horrid? Not it, my lady—begging your pardon. Sarve him right! Great big hulking lubberly chap like that, and not able to swim!”“But is he ill this morning?”“Not he, my lady. He was so roasted in the guard-room after, that he got up at daylight and went into the moat again ’s morning to begin to larn.”“But tell me, what news?”“They’re all padrolling us, my lady, same as they were last night. They got the oats from Farmer Raynes, and they think they’re going to starve us by stopping everything else from coming in; but we can afford to laugh at ’em for about three months; and at the end of that time, if Sir Granby don’t come and raise the siege, I’ve got an idee for trapping enough meat for the men.”“Indeed!”“Yes, my lady,” said Ben, with a grin. “Only to lower the drawbridge and hyste the portcullis, to let a whole court-yard-full ride in. Then drop the grating behind ’em, and they’re trapped. After that we can make ’em lay down their arms, turn ’em out, and keep their horses. They’ll do to feed the men. I’ve eaten horse, and Sir Granby too, at a pinch, and it aren’t so bad; but o’ course I’d rather have beef.”“Then there is nothing to fear for the present?”“Aren’t nothing to fear at all, past, present, or futur’, my lady, so don’t you be uncomfortable. And as for Master Roy, he needn’t go thinking no nonsense o’ that sort about the men, for they just worship him, all of ’em, and that’s the honest truth.”“I believe it, Martlet. Have you breakfasted this morning?”“Had a chunk o’ bread and a mug o’ milk, my lady.”“That is not enough for a busy man like you are. Sit down to that table, and eat.”“What, here, my lady! Oh, no, I couldn’t presume!”“Hush! Do not speak so loud,” said Lady Royland, smiling. “These are not times for standing upon ceremony, Martlet. We women cannot fight; but we can help in other ways, above all in attending to our brave defenders, and seeing that they have all that is necessary. And if the worst comes to the worst, and—”“Yes; I know what your ladyship means,” said the old soldier, for Lady Royland had paused, “and to be plain, the men have been talking a bit about that same, and what they were to do if they were hurt and no doctor here. I said—”It was the sergeant’s turn to be silent now, and he stopped as if the words would not come.“And what did you say?”“Well, my lady, I took the liberty of saying that your ladyship was training up the women, and that when one of us was lucky enough to get wounded in the service of his king and country, he’d be carried into one of the big rooms o’ the east side, as would be turned into a hospital, and there tied up and put to bed, and souped and jellied and pastied, and made so much of, that he’d be sorry for the poor comrades who were only working the guns and doing the fighting.”“You were quite right, Martlet,” said Lady Royland. “Tell the men that the wounded shall each be treated as if he were my own son.”“Begging your ladyship’s pardon, that’s just what I did tell ’em, only I put a few flourishes to it, and I won’t say it again, because it may make ’em rash and wanting to get wounded for the sake of being carried into the snug quarters, and—”“Sit down, Martlet, and eat,” said Lady Royland, pushing a chair towards the table.“With your ladyship’s permission, I’d rather cut off a bit o’ something, and go and sit on one of the guns to eat it, and look out too. I should enjoy it better.”“Do as you wish,” said Lady Royland. “There, take that fowl and loaf.”“Thank you kindly, my lady, and—Morning, Master Roy, sir. Had a good sleep?”For at that moment Roy sprang from the couch and looked excitedly round.“What is it?” he cried. “What’s the matter? Morning! Surely I have not—”“Yes, Roy, soundly and well, all night. Come, you must be ready for breakfast.”“Yes, yes, mother,” cried the boy, impatiently.—“But tell me, Ben—Oh, you ought not to have let me sleep all night. Here, what has happened?”“Nothing at all, sir, or I should have sent for you,” said the old soldier, who had taken out a handkerchief, given it a shake, and spread it upon the carpet, placed in it the roast chicken and loaf, sprinkled all liberally with salt, and now proceeded to tie the ends of the handkerchief across, to make a bundle. “They’re a-padrolling round and round, just as they have been all night, and keeping well out of gunshot. Wouldn’t like me to send a ball hopping along the ground to try the range, would you, sir?”“No, not unless they attack,” said Roy, quickly.“Thought you wouldn’t, sir, when I spoke.—Thank ye for this snack, my lady. I’ll go back now to the ramparts.—P’raps you’ll jyne me there, Master Roy, when you’ve had your breakfast. All’s well, sir; and them ten farmers are ready to stand on their heads with joy at getting through the enemy’s ranks.”“Ah! how was it?”“Only kept back by the sentries watching ’em; so they all went home as if they’d done work, and agreed to crawl to our place after dark, and creep to the gates.”“But no one was hurt?”“No, sir; nothing worse happened to ’em than a wetting in the moat, and that don’t count, because they were well wet before with crawling through the grass and damp ditches. See you in ’bout an hour’s time then, sir?”Roy nodded shortly, and the man left the room with his bundle; while Roy, uneasy still in mind, turned to his mother, who embraced him tenderly.“You will not be long, Roy, my dear?” she said. “I want my breakfast, too.”“But surely, mother, you have not been sitting up all night while I slept?”“Indeed, yes,” she said, merrily. “And many a time before last night, when you were a tiny thing and could not sleep. Last night you could, peacefully and well, to awake this morning strong mentally and bodily, to do your duty like my brave son.”Roy winced; but there was something in his mother’s look which told him that his words of the past night were as if uttered only to himself, and that the subject of their conversation must be buried in the past.“You will not be long?” said Lady Royland, as she went to the door.“No, mother; not above ten minutes. Quite enough for a soldier’s toilet,” he said, cheerily. And she nodded and went off; while he hurried to his own room, and after plunging his face in the fresh cold water felt such a healthy glow coming through his veins, that he was ready to wonder at the previous night’s depression.“What a glorious morning!” he muttered. “Couldn’t have been well last night.—Hope my mother didn’t think me stupid.—What a shame to let her sit up there all night!—Why, how hungry I do feel!—And only to think of our getting those fellows in quite safe after all.—Ha, ha, ha! how mad the enemy must have felt.”Roy was standing before a mirror combing his wet locks as he burst out into a hearty laugh, full of enjoyment; but he checked it directly, and stood staring at himself in wonder as the thoughts of the past night intruded, and he remained for a few moments puzzled to account for the change that a long rest had wrought in him.The next minute he was hurrying with his sword and belt under his arm to the breakfast-room, where he found his mother waiting, and Master Pawson, who looked very pale, in conversation with her.“Good-morning, Roy,” he said. “I congratulate you upon the accession to the strength of the garrison. The men are all in the highest spirits, and full of praise of the gallant way in which you drove the enemy back.”“Then I shall have to undeceive them, Master Pawson,” replied Roy, as he joined his mother at the table. “It was in the dark, and they could not see. All Ben Martlet’s doing from beginning to end.”“I’m afraid you are too modest,” said the secretary, smiling, as Roy began his breakfast with a splendid appetite. “And tell me,” he continued, anxiously—“I ought not to ask, perhaps, but I take such interest in the proceedings—you will not listen to any proposals for surrender, even on good terms, which may come from the enemy?”“What capital ham, mother,” said Roy. Then turning to the secretary: “I wouldn’t have listened to any proposals for surrender without those ten men, Master Pawson. When all the guns are disabled and the powder done, and nearly everybody wounded, I won’t surrender; for you’ll put on a helmet and back-piece then, and come and help the maids throw down stones upon their heads, and—yes, we shall have to use the machicolations then; but it shall be hot water for the enemy, not hot lead. The women can manage the boiling water better than the metal. Surrender! Bah! I say, sit down and have some more breakfast. I’m too busy to talk.”“Ah! what a spirit you have,” cried the secretary, with a look of admiration in the lad’s face. “But you are right. No surrender upon any terms; and if you talk much more like this, Roy, you will inspire me. I, too, shall want to fight, or at least help to load the guns.”“I hope you won’t,” thought Roy; “for I’d a great deal rather you would stop away.”Ten minutes later he was buckling on his sword, without a trace of the last night’s emotion visible on his countenance.“I’ll go down to the great gate,” said the secretary. “You will join me there?”“Yes, directly. But I say, Master Pawson, I hope you managed to make shift at your new bedroom.”“Don’t mention it. I shall be all right.—For the present, Lady Royland!” And the secretary left the room.“No surrender, Roy, my boy.”“No, mother; and—and—last night, I—”“Was tired out, and no wonder. No—hush! Not another word. Some day when all is at peace once more, I will reopen the subject in your father’s presence. Till then, it is our mutual confidence. There, go and show yourself to the men, and see how they will greet you on this bonnie, sunny day.”The boy hurried out with burning cheeks, and they seemed to scorch as he found his mother’s flower-beds trampled down, and the whole strength of the garrison on parade; for the moment he appeared, discipline seemed to be at an end, swords and muskets, adorned with steel caps, were waving in the air, while the flag flew out bravely from the great tower overhead, as if fluttered by the wind of the great hearty cheer which arose as he marched to the front, saluting as he went.“Ah!” he sighed to himself, as his blood seemed to effervesce, and a thrill ran through his nerves, “who could be a coward at a time like this?”

The dawn came, and Lady Royland still knelt by the couch where her son slept heavily. She did not stir till the sun rose, and then she rose softly to go to the narrow slit in the massive wall, reach as far as she could into the deep splay, and gaze out.

She sighed, for far-away in the distance she could see mounted men with the sun flashing from their armour.

She turned back, for she had learned all she wished to know—the enemy was still there; and, wondering what that day might bring forth, she went and sat down now by her son’s head to watch him as he slept.

The time crept on with the sounds of the awakening household mingled with the clangour of the morning calls and the tramp of armed men floating in through the window; but the watcher did not stir till the door was opened, and a couple of the maids appeared, to start back in affright, after a wondering glance at the untouched meal upon the table, for Lady Royland rose quickly with a gesture to them to be silent.

They crept away, and she followed to the door.

“Prepare the breakfast in the library,” she said, and then returned to her seat.

The clock chimed and struck again and again, but Roy did not wake; and at last one of the maids came and tapped very softly.

“Breakfast is quite ready, my lady,” she whispered.

“I am not coming till my son wakes,” replied Lady Royland. “Ask Master Pawson not to wait.”

“He’s not down yet, my lady,” said the woman.

“Very well: ask him not to wait when he does come. The gentlemen are weary after the troubles of a very anxious night.”

The woman went away, and Lady Royland returned to her seat, to bend over her son again as he lay there breathing evenly, still plunged in his deep sleep; and then at its stated intervals, the clock in the gate-way chimed, and chimed, and struck, and struck again, to mark off the second hour before there was another tap at the door, and the maid announced in a whisper that Sergeant Martlet was asking for Captain Roy.

“Send him here,” said her ladyship, “and bid him come in gently.”

“Yes, my lady,” said the woman; “and, if you please, my lady, Master Pawson has just come down, and is having his breakfast.”

“Very good,” said Lady Royland, coldly, and the maid retired.

Five minutes later, the old soldier, fully armed, came softly to the door, was admitted, and stood upon the thick carpet, saluting his lady. She pointed to the couch, and a grim smile of satisfaction crossed the soldier’s deeply-lined face.

“He was quite worn-out and exhausted,” said Lady Royland, in a whisper, as she crossed to where Ben stood,—“too faint and troubled with the cares and anxieties of this weary business even to eat.”

“But he has slept, my lady?” whispered Ben.

“Ever since.”

“Let him sleep, then, till he wakes, and he’ll be right enough again.”

“I hope so; but he was very low and despondent last night. He feels the responsibility of his position so much.”

“Course he does, my lady. That’s his breed. His father always did. Used to make as much fuss over one of us as went down or got a wound as if we’d been his own children. But you let him sleep, my lady; he’ll be like a new man when he gets up. He’s a wonder, my lady; that he is.”

“He was afraid that the men were disposed to smile at him because he is so young.”

“I should just like to ketch one on ’em a-doing it,” growled Ben. “But it aren’t true, my lady,” he continued, excitedly. “They smiles when he comes up, o’ course, but it’s because he seems to do ’em good, and they can’t help it, they’re so pleased to see him. Why, if you’ll believe me, my lady, from Sir Granby’s corporal o’ dragoons down to Isaiah Wiggens, as got nigh upon drowned being pulled across the moat last night, my lady—”

“Oh, how horrible!”

“Horrid? Not it, my lady—begging your pardon. Sarve him right! Great big hulking lubberly chap like that, and not able to swim!”

“But is he ill this morning?”

“Not he, my lady. He was so roasted in the guard-room after, that he got up at daylight and went into the moat again ’s morning to begin to larn.”

“But tell me, what news?”

“They’re all padrolling us, my lady, same as they were last night. They got the oats from Farmer Raynes, and they think they’re going to starve us by stopping everything else from coming in; but we can afford to laugh at ’em for about three months; and at the end of that time, if Sir Granby don’t come and raise the siege, I’ve got an idee for trapping enough meat for the men.”

“Indeed!”

“Yes, my lady,” said Ben, with a grin. “Only to lower the drawbridge and hyste the portcullis, to let a whole court-yard-full ride in. Then drop the grating behind ’em, and they’re trapped. After that we can make ’em lay down their arms, turn ’em out, and keep their horses. They’ll do to feed the men. I’ve eaten horse, and Sir Granby too, at a pinch, and it aren’t so bad; but o’ course I’d rather have beef.”

“Then there is nothing to fear for the present?”

“Aren’t nothing to fear at all, past, present, or futur’, my lady, so don’t you be uncomfortable. And as for Master Roy, he needn’t go thinking no nonsense o’ that sort about the men, for they just worship him, all of ’em, and that’s the honest truth.”

“I believe it, Martlet. Have you breakfasted this morning?”

“Had a chunk o’ bread and a mug o’ milk, my lady.”

“That is not enough for a busy man like you are. Sit down to that table, and eat.”

“What, here, my lady! Oh, no, I couldn’t presume!”

“Hush! Do not speak so loud,” said Lady Royland, smiling. “These are not times for standing upon ceremony, Martlet. We women cannot fight; but we can help in other ways, above all in attending to our brave defenders, and seeing that they have all that is necessary. And if the worst comes to the worst, and—”

“Yes; I know what your ladyship means,” said the old soldier, for Lady Royland had paused, “and to be plain, the men have been talking a bit about that same, and what they were to do if they were hurt and no doctor here. I said—”

It was the sergeant’s turn to be silent now, and he stopped as if the words would not come.

“And what did you say?”

“Well, my lady, I took the liberty of saying that your ladyship was training up the women, and that when one of us was lucky enough to get wounded in the service of his king and country, he’d be carried into one of the big rooms o’ the east side, as would be turned into a hospital, and there tied up and put to bed, and souped and jellied and pastied, and made so much of, that he’d be sorry for the poor comrades who were only working the guns and doing the fighting.”

“You were quite right, Martlet,” said Lady Royland. “Tell the men that the wounded shall each be treated as if he were my own son.”

“Begging your ladyship’s pardon, that’s just what I did tell ’em, only I put a few flourishes to it, and I won’t say it again, because it may make ’em rash and wanting to get wounded for the sake of being carried into the snug quarters, and—”

“Sit down, Martlet, and eat,” said Lady Royland, pushing a chair towards the table.

“With your ladyship’s permission, I’d rather cut off a bit o’ something, and go and sit on one of the guns to eat it, and look out too. I should enjoy it better.”

“Do as you wish,” said Lady Royland. “There, take that fowl and loaf.”

“Thank you kindly, my lady, and—Morning, Master Roy, sir. Had a good sleep?”

For at that moment Roy sprang from the couch and looked excitedly round.

“What is it?” he cried. “What’s the matter? Morning! Surely I have not—”

“Yes, Roy, soundly and well, all night. Come, you must be ready for breakfast.”

“Yes, yes, mother,” cried the boy, impatiently.—“But tell me, Ben—Oh, you ought not to have let me sleep all night. Here, what has happened?”

“Nothing at all, sir, or I should have sent for you,” said the old soldier, who had taken out a handkerchief, given it a shake, and spread it upon the carpet, placed in it the roast chicken and loaf, sprinkled all liberally with salt, and now proceeded to tie the ends of the handkerchief across, to make a bundle. “They’re a-padrolling round and round, just as they have been all night, and keeping well out of gunshot. Wouldn’t like me to send a ball hopping along the ground to try the range, would you, sir?”

“No, not unless they attack,” said Roy, quickly.

“Thought you wouldn’t, sir, when I spoke.—Thank ye for this snack, my lady. I’ll go back now to the ramparts.—P’raps you’ll jyne me there, Master Roy, when you’ve had your breakfast. All’s well, sir; and them ten farmers are ready to stand on their heads with joy at getting through the enemy’s ranks.”

“Ah! how was it?”

“Only kept back by the sentries watching ’em; so they all went home as if they’d done work, and agreed to crawl to our place after dark, and creep to the gates.”

“But no one was hurt?”

“No, sir; nothing worse happened to ’em than a wetting in the moat, and that don’t count, because they were well wet before with crawling through the grass and damp ditches. See you in ’bout an hour’s time then, sir?”

Roy nodded shortly, and the man left the room with his bundle; while Roy, uneasy still in mind, turned to his mother, who embraced him tenderly.

“You will not be long, Roy, my dear?” she said. “I want my breakfast, too.”

“But surely, mother, you have not been sitting up all night while I slept?”

“Indeed, yes,” she said, merrily. “And many a time before last night, when you were a tiny thing and could not sleep. Last night you could, peacefully and well, to awake this morning strong mentally and bodily, to do your duty like my brave son.”

Roy winced; but there was something in his mother’s look which told him that his words of the past night were as if uttered only to himself, and that the subject of their conversation must be buried in the past.

“You will not be long?” said Lady Royland, as she went to the door.

“No, mother; not above ten minutes. Quite enough for a soldier’s toilet,” he said, cheerily. And she nodded and went off; while he hurried to his own room, and after plunging his face in the fresh cold water felt such a healthy glow coming through his veins, that he was ready to wonder at the previous night’s depression.

“What a glorious morning!” he muttered. “Couldn’t have been well last night.—Hope my mother didn’t think me stupid.—What a shame to let her sit up there all night!—Why, how hungry I do feel!—And only to think of our getting those fellows in quite safe after all.—Ha, ha, ha! how mad the enemy must have felt.”

Roy was standing before a mirror combing his wet locks as he burst out into a hearty laugh, full of enjoyment; but he checked it directly, and stood staring at himself in wonder as the thoughts of the past night intruded, and he remained for a few moments puzzled to account for the change that a long rest had wrought in him.

The next minute he was hurrying with his sword and belt under his arm to the breakfast-room, where he found his mother waiting, and Master Pawson, who looked very pale, in conversation with her.

“Good-morning, Roy,” he said. “I congratulate you upon the accession to the strength of the garrison. The men are all in the highest spirits, and full of praise of the gallant way in which you drove the enemy back.”

“Then I shall have to undeceive them, Master Pawson,” replied Roy, as he joined his mother at the table. “It was in the dark, and they could not see. All Ben Martlet’s doing from beginning to end.”

“I’m afraid you are too modest,” said the secretary, smiling, as Roy began his breakfast with a splendid appetite. “And tell me,” he continued, anxiously—“I ought not to ask, perhaps, but I take such interest in the proceedings—you will not listen to any proposals for surrender, even on good terms, which may come from the enemy?”

“What capital ham, mother,” said Roy. Then turning to the secretary: “I wouldn’t have listened to any proposals for surrender without those ten men, Master Pawson. When all the guns are disabled and the powder done, and nearly everybody wounded, I won’t surrender; for you’ll put on a helmet and back-piece then, and come and help the maids throw down stones upon their heads, and—yes, we shall have to use the machicolations then; but it shall be hot water for the enemy, not hot lead. The women can manage the boiling water better than the metal. Surrender! Bah! I say, sit down and have some more breakfast. I’m too busy to talk.”

“Ah! what a spirit you have,” cried the secretary, with a look of admiration in the lad’s face. “But you are right. No surrender upon any terms; and if you talk much more like this, Roy, you will inspire me. I, too, shall want to fight, or at least help to load the guns.”

“I hope you won’t,” thought Roy; “for I’d a great deal rather you would stop away.”

Ten minutes later he was buckling on his sword, without a trace of the last night’s emotion visible on his countenance.

“I’ll go down to the great gate,” said the secretary. “You will join me there?”

“Yes, directly. But I say, Master Pawson, I hope you managed to make shift at your new bedroom.”

“Don’t mention it. I shall be all right.—For the present, Lady Royland!” And the secretary left the room.

“No surrender, Roy, my boy.”

“No, mother; and—and—last night, I—”

“Was tired out, and no wonder. No—hush! Not another word. Some day when all is at peace once more, I will reopen the subject in your father’s presence. Till then, it is our mutual confidence. There, go and show yourself to the men, and see how they will greet you on this bonnie, sunny day.”

The boy hurried out with burning cheeks, and they seemed to scorch as he found his mother’s flower-beds trampled down, and the whole strength of the garrison on parade; for the moment he appeared, discipline seemed to be at an end, swords and muskets, adorned with steel caps, were waving in the air, while the flag flew out bravely from the great tower overhead, as if fluttered by the wind of the great hearty cheer which arose as he marched to the front, saluting as he went.

“Ah!” he sighed to himself, as his blood seemed to effervesce, and a thrill ran through his nerves, “who could be a coward at a time like this?”

Chapter Twenty Four.Ben Martlet is very full of Doubts.That day matters remained unchanged, save that only about a fourth of the enemy were visible, there being mounted men stationed at intervals upon the higher portions of the country round the castle, where they could command a view of all the approaches; but towards evening these men were relieved, and strong bodies appeared, but not for purposes of attack, merely to draw in and take up stations at closer distances before recommencing what Ben called “padrolling.” Meanwhile, drilling went on busily, and the arrangements were advanced for the proper service of the guns.A quiet, uninterrupted night succeeded, Roy having arranged with Ben to divide the post-visiting with him and the corporal, who was now looked upon as the third officer in command.Roy saw but little of Master Pawson that evening. The secretary had been very busy about the place all the day, and, making the excuse of weariness after vainly trying to keep his eyes open, he retired early.Two more days passed in the same way, valuable days to the garrison, which went on with gun and sword practice from morn till night, and rapidly approached a condition in which they would be able to give a good account of themselves before the enemy.On the afternoon of the fourth day, it was evident that a change was taking place, for the head of a column of infantry became visible, probably the men for whom the officer in command had been waiting.Roy hurried to the top of the gate tower with Ben, and the secretary followed, and was the first to point out that behind the regiment of infantry, horses were visible—led horses; and no one was surprised, when the infantry opened out a little, to see that four heavy guns were being laboriously dragged along the rough country lane, a road-way ill fitted to bear the pressure of the wheels with their burden.“They mean business now,” said Roy, who felt as if something was compressing his heart.“Oy, sir,” said Ben, coolly; “they’ll knock up an earthwork before morning, and set the guns in a position for battering the gate-way.”“But you will not surrender, Roy?” said the secretary, excitedly.“Not I,” said Roy. “I told you so before.”“Not him, sir,” said old Ben. “Let ’em batter. Them guns won’t be heavy enough to hurt the tower and walls more than to send chips of stone flying.”“What about the drawbridge, Ben?”“Oh, they can’t hurt that, sir, because you’ll give orders to lower that down and hoist the portculley.”“Rather tempting for them to make a rush, Ben.”“Tchah, sir! We shall be keeping a good watch, and up and down bridge and portcullis would be, long before they could get up to ’em. I s’pose, sir, you’ll make sure that old Jenks doesn’t go across to his gate-house.”“Of course.”“And I s’pose, sir, you’ll have the two big guns hoisted up on to the great tower now: we could easily dismount ’em and do that. They’ll be handier up there now, and very awkward for them as works the guns in their earthwork.”“Yes, I shall order that to be done at once,” said Roy, with a comical look at his Mentor—one which Ben refused to see.“And then, sir,” he continued, “there’s that there earthwork as’ll stop half the shot they send in through the gate-way, and send a lot of ’em flying right up over the towers.”“What earthwork?”“Well, sir, that one as you’re going to start as soon as it’s getting dark. Ground’s pretty soft for working, and we’ve got plenty of timber. I s’pose you’ll reg’larly fill up Jenks’s gate-way, and leave quite a deep ditch behind it on our side.”“Why not on their side, Ben?” said Roy, sharply.“Why, of course, sir; I seemed to fancy this side; but t’other’s better, and all the earth we throw out of the ditch goes on the front and top in a slope, eh?”“Yes, of course; and turns the balls upward.”“Not many on ’em will go up, sir. Ground’ll be too soft. They’ll just plump in there and stop; and so much the better for Royland Towers.”As they watched attentively, they found that the horses were halted, and the guns drawn right in front of the castle gate, but at the distance of quite half a mile. There the men seemed to be bivouacking; and the smoke of several fires rose slowly in the air.No more time was lost: the gunners were summoned, ropes got ready, some heavy beams were hoisted up to the platform of the gate tower, and, under the guidance of Ben and the corporal, a rough kind of crane was fitted up; and after the guns had been dismounted, the carriages were hoisted and placed in position behind the embrasures.The heavier task was to come; but Ben and the three troopers seemed to master every difficulty, carefully securing the guns with ingenious knots of the ropes; and at last the word was given to hoist.The hemp stretched and strained, and as the first gun rose a little from the ground, it seemed to Roy as if the strands must give way, and he ordered every one to stand well aside. Ben smiled.“No fear of that, sir,” he whispered. “Those are the toughest of hemp, those ropes, and as the length gets shorter, the strain grows less. Steady, my lads! a little at a time.”The hauling went on till the first gun was level with the top of the battlements, when there was a clever bit of management with a big wooden bar or two handled by the troopers on the roof, and the first gun was easily dropped right upon its carriage.“One,” said Roy, with a sigh of relief, for he was in constant dread of an accident.“Ay, sir; and it will be two directly; and I wish it was three for the enemy’s sake.”The second gun was hoisted, and mounted rapidly, thanks to the trained skill of the four regular soldiers; while the men from the mill who helped looked on with profound admiration, though they were pretty clever at moving stones.Discipline was relaxed over this manual labour, with the consequence that Sam Donny’s tongue began to run rather freely, a certain intimacy having existed in the past between Roy and the miller’s man connected with the demand and supply of meal-worms for catching and feeding nightingales, which came about as far west as the castle and no farther.“Beat us chaps to ’a done that, Master Roy,” he said.“Captain Roy,” growled Ben.“Ay. Forgetted,” said the man. “T’other seems so nat’ral. Beat us chaps, Captain Roy. We’m as strong as them, but they’ve got a way a handling they brass guns as seems to come nat’ral to ’em like. But if they’ll come to the mill, we’ll show ’em something along o’ flour-sacks, and the grinding-stones as’ll make ’em stare. Every man to his trade.”“Well, you’re a soldier now, Sam Donny, and you must learn to handle guns as well as you handle sacks of flour.”“We will, master—I mean cap’n. I should just like me and my mates to have the letting o’ them guns down again. May we, sir?”“No. Absurd.”“But we’d get ’em up again, sir.”“Wait till the enemy have gone,” said Roy, “and then we’ll see.”A portion of the afternoon was devoted to taking up the necessary ammunition and re-arranging the top platform they had to prepare for the guns; and just at dusk, after the sentinels had been doubled, a strong party stood in the gate-way, armed with shovel and pick, waiting for the bridge to be lowered. Another party had a number of beams; and, lastly, already drawn up, stood a guard prepared to watch over the safety of the workers, and hand them weapons for their defence, if, perchance, they were seen by the enemy, and an attempt made to rush in.But no sign was given to warn the parliamentarians, and Roy and the secretary stood on the platform of the great gate-way, watching the enemy, till, in the dim light, a body of men marched to the front, halted a quarter of a mile from the gate; a large square was rapidly marked out with pegs, and then an order seemed to be given, for the party began at once to dig and throw up a breastwork, evidently for the shelter of their guns.Master Pawson watched everything eagerly, and kept on pointing out what was going on, while Roy leaned upon one of the guns, saying, “I’ve been wondering whether these guns will carry as far as that work they are making—I mean so as to hit hard.”“They think they will not,” said the secretary, “and have placed their battery just out of reach.”“How do you know?” said Roy, sharply.“I—oh, of course, I don’t know,” said Master Pawson; “it is only what I judge from seeing them make their battery there.”“Oh, I see,” said Roy, quietly. And he thought no more of the remark just then. He waited till the figures of the men digging grew more and more indistinct, and then quite invisible from where they stood; and he was just about to descend, when the sergeant joined them, to say, respectfully—“We’re all ready, sir, and I’ve got some more poles and planks out of the wood-house.”“Then we’ll start at once,” said Roy; “but I’ll have these guns manned at once to cover our working-party.”Ben coughed.“You don’t think that’s right?” said Roy, quickly.“Well, sir, I wouldn’t have presumed to interfere with my commanding officer’s orders ’fore any one else. But—”“Now don’t talk nonsense, Ben,” said Roy, warmly. “There’s no one here but Master Pawson, who is as anxious about preserving the place as we are.”“Indeed, I am,” said the secretary, earnestly.“So don’t let’s have any of that silly ceremony. I wish you wouldn’t pretend to believe I was so conceited.”“I don’t, captain,” said Ben, abruptly; “only want you to see when you’re wrong.”“Then speak out at once. Now then; you don’t think it worth while to man these guns now?”“No, sir. If they hear us at work, and attack, we’ve got to retreat over the bridge fast as we can, and get it hoisted. Say you’ve got these guns manned and loaded, a shot or two might check the attacking party; but how in the dark are we to know when it is best to fire? How are we to take aim? And what’s to prevent our hitting friends instead of enemies.”“Fire high, over their heads.”“That’s wasting two good charges for the sake of making a noise. I don’t think I’d trouble about them to-night, sir.”“No; you’re right.—Eh, Master Pawson?” said Roy.“I don’t much understand these things,” said the secretary; “but it sounds the more sensible idea. You’re not offended by my speaking out?”“No; but I soon shall be if you all treat me as if I thought of nothing but dressing up as a soldier, and wanting to have my own way over matters where I’m wrong. Come along, down.”Roy led the way down through the corner turret, Master Pawson following and Ben coming last; while, as they wound round the narrow spiral, the secretary turned his head to whisper—“He’ll make a splendid officer, Martlet.”The only reply he obtained was a very hog-like grunt; then Ben spoke to himself:“I wish to goodness you were along o’ the enemy, or anywhere but here; you’re supposed to be a friend, but somehow I can’t never feel as if you are one. My cantank’rousness, I s’pose. Not being a scholard like you, maybe. Anyhow, though, I’m more use just now than you are; not but what that’s easy, for you aren’t none at all.”By this time they were down in the gate-way once more, where the portcullis was raised as silently as possible in the darkness, the bridge lowered, and the heavily laden working-party, followed by their guard marched slowly and silently out; a second strong guard was posted at the far end of the bridge to cover the retreat if one should have to be made—these last being under the command of the corporal; and Master Pawson volunteered in a whisper to stay with the men. Roy acquiesced, feeling rather glad to be without his company.Next a halt was called, and all listened as they gazed out in the darkness in the direction of the enemy. Then feeling how commanding a position the latter had in the possession of their horsemen to act as scouts, and who might approach very near unseen, and discover the plans of the night, Roy gave orders for the guard at the end of the bridge to advance two men, to station them as sentries at equal distances, to keep in touch with the working-party.“Fiddler’s right,” growled Ben, to himself. “He will make a splendid officer one of these days.”The next minute the work was silently begun, the guard being thrown out in a half-moon formation in front of the outer gate-way which covered the bridge.Ben’s plans were very simple. He had the heaviest beams they had brought stretched across the gate-way, as high as they could reach overhead, and propped against the masonry on either side with shorter beams; then poles, planks, and fagots were stretched in a slope from the ground to the crossing timbers, so as to make a scarp; and, as soon as this was done, shovel and pick were set to work to dig a deep wide ditch, the earth from which was thrown up over the wood; while men on either side filled baskets and carried their loads to pile upon the slope as well.It was roughly done work, but every shovelful added to the strength of the bank, which rapidly grew in thickness as the hours glided on, the workers being relieved from time to time to do duty as guards, while the guard took their turn at shovelling and filling.There was no halting, the men having refreshments served out to them by Roy’s forethought as they were relieved; and so the work went on till towards dawn, when a couple of men were strengthening the bank from behind with short pieces of wood wedged up against the crossbeams, as the weight of the earth began to make them bend.“You’ll have to set a party to work by daylight, filling up on this side, Master Roy,” said Ben, quietly. “If we heap up earth and turf here, it will be the best support, and a regular trap for all their balls.”“I begin to fear that as soon as they begin to fire they will batter it all to pieces, Ben.”“Dessay they’ll damage it a bit, sir; but if they do, we must mend it; and every night we work, we can get it stronger and more earthy. Nothing like soil to swallow balls. Of course it’s no use as a defence, because the enemy could come round either end; but it’ll do what’s wanted, sir—stop the shot from hitting the bridge-chains and smashing through the grating. Hello! what’s that?”Thatwas a challenge, followed by a shot, and the rush of feet as the sentries thrown out ran back. This was followed by the trampling of hoofs, and the shouting of orders, as a small body of horse made a dash at the working-party, sweeping by the gate, but only to be received by a scattered volley as they were dimly seen riding out of the black darkness and disappearing again. But not without coming to the closest of close quarters, for there was the clashing noise of swords striking against steel, and, in the brief time occupied by their passing, blows were returned amidst angry shouting, and several dull thuds told that the blows had taken effect on horse or man.It was merely the work of moments, the charge having been delivered from the left by a party of mounted men who had evidently been reconnoitring along by the edge of the moat, and came up at a slow walk unheard by the sentries on the walls. Then, finding the working-party before them, they had charged and galloped clear.Roy fully expected another attack, for which he was now well prepared, the workers having seized their weapons; but all was still, and he was arguing with himself as to whether it would not be as well to work on till daybreak, when a voice from out of the darkness said, faintly—“Will some ’un come and lend me a hand?”“Sam Donny!” cried Roy, and, in company with Ben, he ran forward for quite forty yards before they came upon the man lying prone upon the earth.“Why, Sam!” cried Roy; “are you hurt?”“Well, it’s only a scratch, sir; but it do hurt, and it’s a-bleeding like hooroar. One on ’em chopped at me with his sword. I’d only got a pick, you see; but I hit at him with that, and somehow it got stuck, and I was dragged ever so far before I had to let go. He’s got the pick in his big saddle, I think. But I’ll pay for it, sir, or get you a new one.”“Never mind the pick, Sam. Where are you hurt?”“Oh, down here, on my right leg, sir. He made a big cut at me; but I’ll know my gen’leman again. I’ll have a sword next time and pay him back; and so I tell him.” Ben was down upon his knees, busy with a scarf, binding the wound firmly, a faint suggestion of the coming day making his task easier; and, summoning help, a rough litter was formed of a plank, and the wounded man rapidly carried in over the bridge.That brought the defensive operations to an end, for Roy withdrew his men into the castle, and the daylight showed their rough work, which pretty well secured the gate-way; but it also displayed the work of the enemy, who had constructed a well-shaped earthwork, out of whose embrasures peered a couple of big guns.The rapidly increasing light, too, showed something more, for about a couple of hundred yards from the outworks, a horse, saddled and bridled, lay upon its side, quite dead; for the terrible stroke the miller’s man had delivered with his pickaxe had struck into the horse’s spine.

That day matters remained unchanged, save that only about a fourth of the enemy were visible, there being mounted men stationed at intervals upon the higher portions of the country round the castle, where they could command a view of all the approaches; but towards evening these men were relieved, and strong bodies appeared, but not for purposes of attack, merely to draw in and take up stations at closer distances before recommencing what Ben called “padrolling.” Meanwhile, drilling went on busily, and the arrangements were advanced for the proper service of the guns.

A quiet, uninterrupted night succeeded, Roy having arranged with Ben to divide the post-visiting with him and the corporal, who was now looked upon as the third officer in command.

Roy saw but little of Master Pawson that evening. The secretary had been very busy about the place all the day, and, making the excuse of weariness after vainly trying to keep his eyes open, he retired early.

Two more days passed in the same way, valuable days to the garrison, which went on with gun and sword practice from morn till night, and rapidly approached a condition in which they would be able to give a good account of themselves before the enemy.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, it was evident that a change was taking place, for the head of a column of infantry became visible, probably the men for whom the officer in command had been waiting.

Roy hurried to the top of the gate tower with Ben, and the secretary followed, and was the first to point out that behind the regiment of infantry, horses were visible—led horses; and no one was surprised, when the infantry opened out a little, to see that four heavy guns were being laboriously dragged along the rough country lane, a road-way ill fitted to bear the pressure of the wheels with their burden.

“They mean business now,” said Roy, who felt as if something was compressing his heart.

“Oy, sir,” said Ben, coolly; “they’ll knock up an earthwork before morning, and set the guns in a position for battering the gate-way.”

“But you will not surrender, Roy?” said the secretary, excitedly.

“Not I,” said Roy. “I told you so before.”

“Not him, sir,” said old Ben. “Let ’em batter. Them guns won’t be heavy enough to hurt the tower and walls more than to send chips of stone flying.”

“What about the drawbridge, Ben?”

“Oh, they can’t hurt that, sir, because you’ll give orders to lower that down and hoist the portculley.”

“Rather tempting for them to make a rush, Ben.”

“Tchah, sir! We shall be keeping a good watch, and up and down bridge and portcullis would be, long before they could get up to ’em. I s’pose, sir, you’ll make sure that old Jenks doesn’t go across to his gate-house.”

“Of course.”

“And I s’pose, sir, you’ll have the two big guns hoisted up on to the great tower now: we could easily dismount ’em and do that. They’ll be handier up there now, and very awkward for them as works the guns in their earthwork.”

“Yes, I shall order that to be done at once,” said Roy, with a comical look at his Mentor—one which Ben refused to see.

“And then, sir,” he continued, “there’s that there earthwork as’ll stop half the shot they send in through the gate-way, and send a lot of ’em flying right up over the towers.”

“What earthwork?”

“Well, sir, that one as you’re going to start as soon as it’s getting dark. Ground’s pretty soft for working, and we’ve got plenty of timber. I s’pose you’ll reg’larly fill up Jenks’s gate-way, and leave quite a deep ditch behind it on our side.”

“Why not on their side, Ben?” said Roy, sharply.

“Why, of course, sir; I seemed to fancy this side; but t’other’s better, and all the earth we throw out of the ditch goes on the front and top in a slope, eh?”

“Yes, of course; and turns the balls upward.”

“Not many on ’em will go up, sir. Ground’ll be too soft. They’ll just plump in there and stop; and so much the better for Royland Towers.”

As they watched attentively, they found that the horses were halted, and the guns drawn right in front of the castle gate, but at the distance of quite half a mile. There the men seemed to be bivouacking; and the smoke of several fires rose slowly in the air.

No more time was lost: the gunners were summoned, ropes got ready, some heavy beams were hoisted up to the platform of the gate tower, and, under the guidance of Ben and the corporal, a rough kind of crane was fitted up; and after the guns had been dismounted, the carriages were hoisted and placed in position behind the embrasures.

The heavier task was to come; but Ben and the three troopers seemed to master every difficulty, carefully securing the guns with ingenious knots of the ropes; and at last the word was given to hoist.

The hemp stretched and strained, and as the first gun rose a little from the ground, it seemed to Roy as if the strands must give way, and he ordered every one to stand well aside. Ben smiled.

“No fear of that, sir,” he whispered. “Those are the toughest of hemp, those ropes, and as the length gets shorter, the strain grows less. Steady, my lads! a little at a time.”

The hauling went on till the first gun was level with the top of the battlements, when there was a clever bit of management with a big wooden bar or two handled by the troopers on the roof, and the first gun was easily dropped right upon its carriage.

“One,” said Roy, with a sigh of relief, for he was in constant dread of an accident.

“Ay, sir; and it will be two directly; and I wish it was three for the enemy’s sake.”

The second gun was hoisted, and mounted rapidly, thanks to the trained skill of the four regular soldiers; while the men from the mill who helped looked on with profound admiration, though they were pretty clever at moving stones.

Discipline was relaxed over this manual labour, with the consequence that Sam Donny’s tongue began to run rather freely, a certain intimacy having existed in the past between Roy and the miller’s man connected with the demand and supply of meal-worms for catching and feeding nightingales, which came about as far west as the castle and no farther.

“Beat us chaps to ’a done that, Master Roy,” he said.

“Captain Roy,” growled Ben.

“Ay. Forgetted,” said the man. “T’other seems so nat’ral. Beat us chaps, Captain Roy. We’m as strong as them, but they’ve got a way a handling they brass guns as seems to come nat’ral to ’em like. But if they’ll come to the mill, we’ll show ’em something along o’ flour-sacks, and the grinding-stones as’ll make ’em stare. Every man to his trade.”

“Well, you’re a soldier now, Sam Donny, and you must learn to handle guns as well as you handle sacks of flour.”

“We will, master—I mean cap’n. I should just like me and my mates to have the letting o’ them guns down again. May we, sir?”

“No. Absurd.”

“But we’d get ’em up again, sir.”

“Wait till the enemy have gone,” said Roy, “and then we’ll see.”

A portion of the afternoon was devoted to taking up the necessary ammunition and re-arranging the top platform they had to prepare for the guns; and just at dusk, after the sentinels had been doubled, a strong party stood in the gate-way, armed with shovel and pick, waiting for the bridge to be lowered. Another party had a number of beams; and, lastly, already drawn up, stood a guard prepared to watch over the safety of the workers, and hand them weapons for their defence, if, perchance, they were seen by the enemy, and an attempt made to rush in.

But no sign was given to warn the parliamentarians, and Roy and the secretary stood on the platform of the great gate-way, watching the enemy, till, in the dim light, a body of men marched to the front, halted a quarter of a mile from the gate; a large square was rapidly marked out with pegs, and then an order seemed to be given, for the party began at once to dig and throw up a breastwork, evidently for the shelter of their guns.

Master Pawson watched everything eagerly, and kept on pointing out what was going on, while Roy leaned upon one of the guns, saying, “I’ve been wondering whether these guns will carry as far as that work they are making—I mean so as to hit hard.”

“They think they will not,” said the secretary, “and have placed their battery just out of reach.”

“How do you know?” said Roy, sharply.

“I—oh, of course, I don’t know,” said Master Pawson; “it is only what I judge from seeing them make their battery there.”

“Oh, I see,” said Roy, quietly. And he thought no more of the remark just then. He waited till the figures of the men digging grew more and more indistinct, and then quite invisible from where they stood; and he was just about to descend, when the sergeant joined them, to say, respectfully—

“We’re all ready, sir, and I’ve got some more poles and planks out of the wood-house.”

“Then we’ll start at once,” said Roy; “but I’ll have these guns manned at once to cover our working-party.”

Ben coughed.

“You don’t think that’s right?” said Roy, quickly.

“Well, sir, I wouldn’t have presumed to interfere with my commanding officer’s orders ’fore any one else. But—”

“Now don’t talk nonsense, Ben,” said Roy, warmly. “There’s no one here but Master Pawson, who is as anxious about preserving the place as we are.”

“Indeed, I am,” said the secretary, earnestly.

“So don’t let’s have any of that silly ceremony. I wish you wouldn’t pretend to believe I was so conceited.”

“I don’t, captain,” said Ben, abruptly; “only want you to see when you’re wrong.”

“Then speak out at once. Now then; you don’t think it worth while to man these guns now?”

“No, sir. If they hear us at work, and attack, we’ve got to retreat over the bridge fast as we can, and get it hoisted. Say you’ve got these guns manned and loaded, a shot or two might check the attacking party; but how in the dark are we to know when it is best to fire? How are we to take aim? And what’s to prevent our hitting friends instead of enemies.”

“Fire high, over their heads.”

“That’s wasting two good charges for the sake of making a noise. I don’t think I’d trouble about them to-night, sir.”

“No; you’re right.—Eh, Master Pawson?” said Roy.

“I don’t much understand these things,” said the secretary; “but it sounds the more sensible idea. You’re not offended by my speaking out?”

“No; but I soon shall be if you all treat me as if I thought of nothing but dressing up as a soldier, and wanting to have my own way over matters where I’m wrong. Come along, down.”

Roy led the way down through the corner turret, Master Pawson following and Ben coming last; while, as they wound round the narrow spiral, the secretary turned his head to whisper—

“He’ll make a splendid officer, Martlet.”

The only reply he obtained was a very hog-like grunt; then Ben spoke to himself:

“I wish to goodness you were along o’ the enemy, or anywhere but here; you’re supposed to be a friend, but somehow I can’t never feel as if you are one. My cantank’rousness, I s’pose. Not being a scholard like you, maybe. Anyhow, though, I’m more use just now than you are; not but what that’s easy, for you aren’t none at all.”

By this time they were down in the gate-way once more, where the portcullis was raised as silently as possible in the darkness, the bridge lowered, and the heavily laden working-party, followed by their guard marched slowly and silently out; a second strong guard was posted at the far end of the bridge to cover the retreat if one should have to be made—these last being under the command of the corporal; and Master Pawson volunteered in a whisper to stay with the men. Roy acquiesced, feeling rather glad to be without his company.

Next a halt was called, and all listened as they gazed out in the darkness in the direction of the enemy. Then feeling how commanding a position the latter had in the possession of their horsemen to act as scouts, and who might approach very near unseen, and discover the plans of the night, Roy gave orders for the guard at the end of the bridge to advance two men, to station them as sentries at equal distances, to keep in touch with the working-party.

“Fiddler’s right,” growled Ben, to himself. “He will make a splendid officer one of these days.”

The next minute the work was silently begun, the guard being thrown out in a half-moon formation in front of the outer gate-way which covered the bridge.

Ben’s plans were very simple. He had the heaviest beams they had brought stretched across the gate-way, as high as they could reach overhead, and propped against the masonry on either side with shorter beams; then poles, planks, and fagots were stretched in a slope from the ground to the crossing timbers, so as to make a scarp; and, as soon as this was done, shovel and pick were set to work to dig a deep wide ditch, the earth from which was thrown up over the wood; while men on either side filled baskets and carried their loads to pile upon the slope as well.

It was roughly done work, but every shovelful added to the strength of the bank, which rapidly grew in thickness as the hours glided on, the workers being relieved from time to time to do duty as guards, while the guard took their turn at shovelling and filling.

There was no halting, the men having refreshments served out to them by Roy’s forethought as they were relieved; and so the work went on till towards dawn, when a couple of men were strengthening the bank from behind with short pieces of wood wedged up against the crossbeams, as the weight of the earth began to make them bend.

“You’ll have to set a party to work by daylight, filling up on this side, Master Roy,” said Ben, quietly. “If we heap up earth and turf here, it will be the best support, and a regular trap for all their balls.”

“I begin to fear that as soon as they begin to fire they will batter it all to pieces, Ben.”

“Dessay they’ll damage it a bit, sir; but if they do, we must mend it; and every night we work, we can get it stronger and more earthy. Nothing like soil to swallow balls. Of course it’s no use as a defence, because the enemy could come round either end; but it’ll do what’s wanted, sir—stop the shot from hitting the bridge-chains and smashing through the grating. Hello! what’s that?”

Thatwas a challenge, followed by a shot, and the rush of feet as the sentries thrown out ran back. This was followed by the trampling of hoofs, and the shouting of orders, as a small body of horse made a dash at the working-party, sweeping by the gate, but only to be received by a scattered volley as they were dimly seen riding out of the black darkness and disappearing again. But not without coming to the closest of close quarters, for there was the clashing noise of swords striking against steel, and, in the brief time occupied by their passing, blows were returned amidst angry shouting, and several dull thuds told that the blows had taken effect on horse or man.

It was merely the work of moments, the charge having been delivered from the left by a party of mounted men who had evidently been reconnoitring along by the edge of the moat, and came up at a slow walk unheard by the sentries on the walls. Then, finding the working-party before them, they had charged and galloped clear.

Roy fully expected another attack, for which he was now well prepared, the workers having seized their weapons; but all was still, and he was arguing with himself as to whether it would not be as well to work on till daybreak, when a voice from out of the darkness said, faintly—

“Will some ’un come and lend me a hand?”

“Sam Donny!” cried Roy, and, in company with Ben, he ran forward for quite forty yards before they came upon the man lying prone upon the earth.

“Why, Sam!” cried Roy; “are you hurt?”

“Well, it’s only a scratch, sir; but it do hurt, and it’s a-bleeding like hooroar. One on ’em chopped at me with his sword. I’d only got a pick, you see; but I hit at him with that, and somehow it got stuck, and I was dragged ever so far before I had to let go. He’s got the pick in his big saddle, I think. But I’ll pay for it, sir, or get you a new one.”

“Never mind the pick, Sam. Where are you hurt?”

“Oh, down here, on my right leg, sir. He made a big cut at me; but I’ll know my gen’leman again. I’ll have a sword next time and pay him back; and so I tell him.” Ben was down upon his knees, busy with a scarf, binding the wound firmly, a faint suggestion of the coming day making his task easier; and, summoning help, a rough litter was formed of a plank, and the wounded man rapidly carried in over the bridge.

That brought the defensive operations to an end, for Roy withdrew his men into the castle, and the daylight showed their rough work, which pretty well secured the gate-way; but it also displayed the work of the enemy, who had constructed a well-shaped earthwork, out of whose embrasures peered a couple of big guns.

The rapidly increasing light, too, showed something more, for about a couple of hundred yards from the outworks, a horse, saddled and bridled, lay upon its side, quite dead; for the terrible stroke the miller’s man had delivered with his pickaxe had struck into the horse’s spine.

Chapter Twenty Five.Lady Royland turns Nurse.Roy was face to face with the first of the stern realities of war, as he hurried into the long chamber beneath the eastern rampart, which Lady Royland had set apart for the use of any of the men who might, she said, “turn ill.”Poor Sam Donny had fainted away before he reached the hospital-room, and upon Roy entering, eager to render assistance, it was to find himself forestalled by Lady Royland, who, with the old housekeeper, attended to the wounded man.Lady Royland hurried to her son, as he appeared at the door.“No,” she said, firmly, “not now: leave this to us. It is our duty.”“But, mother, do you understand?” protested Roy.“Better, perhaps, than any one here,” she replied. “Go to your duties; but come by-and-by to see how the poor fellow is. It will cheer him.”Roy could not refuse to obey the order, and hurried back to meet Ben on the way to the sufferer’s side.“Not go in?” said the sergeant. “Her ladyship says so? Oh, very well—then of course it is all right.”“But I feel so anxious,” said Roy; “my mother is not a chirurgeon.”“More aren’t we, Master Roy; but she’s what’s just as good—a splendid nurse. So’s old Grey’s wife; so Sam Donny’s in clover. I was being a bit anxious about him, for fear Master Pawson was doing the doctoring, and I’d rather trust myself.”“But the wound—the terrible wound?” cried Roy.“Tchah! Nothing terrible about that, captain. Just a clean sword-cut. You’ve cut your finger many a time, haven’t you?”“Of course.”“Well, did you want a doctor? No; you had it tied up tightly, and left it alone. Then it grew together again!”“Yes, yes, yes,” cried Roy, impatiently. “But this was a terrible slash on the poor fellow’s thigh. You saw how horribly it bled.”“Come, Master Roy, we’re both soldiers, and we mustn’t talk like this. I saw his leg bleed, and stopped it, but it wasn’t horrible. Leg’s only like a big finger, and a strong healthy chap soon grows together again. You mustn’t take any notice of a few cuts. They’re nothing. What we’ve got to mind is the cannon-balls. Now a wound from one of them is terrible, because you see they don’t cut clean, but break bones and do all kinds of mischief. Well, we mustn’t talk away here, but see to the men, and get ready for what’s to come.”“Do you think they’ll attack us to-day?”“Yes, sir; and as soon as they’ve finished their two-gun battery. Now, by rights, we ought to go and destroy that work, and spike their guns; but they’ve got the advantage of us with all that horse, and if we tried they’d cut us up before we could get at it. Only chance is to try and do it at night, if we can’t dismount the guns with ours.”A hasty breakfast was eaten, and then the sergeant went up to the newly mounted guns on the top of the square tower, where Roy promised to join him as soon as he had been to visit the wounded man.“Tell him I mean to come as soon as I can, my lad,” said Ben, “but it won’t do him any good for me to come now. Wounded man’s best left alone till he gets over his touch of fever. But tell him I’m sorry he’s down, and that I shall very much miss my best gunner. It’ll please him, and it’s quite true.”Roy nodded, and in due time went to the hospital-room, where he tapped lightly, and the door was opened by the old housekeeper, who looked rather pale; but Lady Royland, who was seated by the wounded man’s bedside, rose and came to her son.“Yes,” she said; “go and speak to him; but don’t stay many minutes, for he must not talk much. A few words from you, though, will do him good.”Roy glanced towards the bed, which was close to one of the windows looking out on the court-yard garden, and he could see that the man was watching him intently.“Go to him. I’ll leave you and come back when I think you have been here long enough.”The door closed behind Lady Royland and her old assistant as Roy made for the couch, expecting to see a painful sight of agony and terror; but, as he approached, the man’s countenance expanded into a broad grin.“Don’t be hard on a poor fellow, captain,” he said, just as Roy was ready with a prepared speech about being sorry to see the man in so grievous a condition.“Hard upon you, Sam! What for?”“Sneaking out o’ all the fun like this here! ’Taren’t my fault, you know. I didn’t want to stop in bed; but my lady says I must, and that she’ll report me to you if I don’t obey orders. I say, let me get up, sir. It’s just foolishness me lying here.”“Foolishness! What! with that bad wound?”“Bad, sir? Why, you don’t call that bad. If he’d cut my head off, I’d ha’ said it was.”“How?” cried Roy, unable to repress a smile.“How, sir? Why—oh! o’ course not. Didn’t think o’ that; I s’pose I couldn’t then. But I say, Master Roy, sir—I mean cap’n, I’m just ashamed o’ myself letting her ladyship wait on the likes o’ me!”“Why should you be, Sam? Haven’t you been risking your life to defend us?”“Me? No, sir, not as I knows on,” said the man, staring.“Well, I do know; and now you are not to talk.”“Oh, sir! If I’m to be here I must talk.”“You must not, Sam. There, I came to see how you were.”“Quite well, thank ye kindly, sir.”“You are not. You have a bad wound.”“But I aren’t, Master Roy. It’s on’y a bit cut; and I want to have a stick and come up on the tower in case we have to work that gun.”“If you want to help to work that gun again, Sam, you will have to lie still and let your wound heal.”“Master Roy!—I mean oh, cap’n—it’s worse than the wound to hear that.”“We can’t help it. Tell me, are you in much pain?”“Oh, it hurts a bit, sir; but if I was busy I should forget that, and—”Crash!—Boom!A strange breaking sound, and the rattling of the windows as a heavy report followed directly after, and Roy sprang from the chair he had taken by the wounded man’s couch.“On’y hark, sir—that was my gun atop o’ the gate tower begun firing, and me not there.”“Be patient, Sam,” cried Roy, excitedly. “It was not one of our guns, but the enemy’s, and the fight has begun in earnest. Good-bye, and lie still.”He was half across the room as he said this, and the door opened to admit Lady Royland, looking deadly pale.“Roy, my boy,” she cried, in a low, pained voice, as she caught his hands; “they are firing.”“Yes, mother; and so will we,” cried the lad, excitedly.“You—you will not expose yourself rashly,” she whispered; “you will take care?”“I’m going to try not to do anything foolish, mother,” he said; “but I must be with the men.”She clung to him wildly, and her lips trembled as she tried to speak; but no words came, and Roy bent forward, kissed her, and tried to withdraw his hands, but they were too tightly held.Boom! came another report following closely upon a peculiar whizzing sound, apparently over the open window.“Another gun from the enemy, and we’re doing nothing,” said Roy, impatiently. “Mother, don’t stop me; they will think I’m afraid. I must be with the men.”Lady Royland drew a deep breath, and her face became fixed and firm once more, though the pallor seemed intensified.“Yes,” she said, quickly, as she threw her arms about her son for a brief embrace; “you must be with your men, Roy. Go, and remember my prayers are with you always. Good-bye!”“Just for a while,” he cried. “You shall soon have news of how we are going on.”

Roy was face to face with the first of the stern realities of war, as he hurried into the long chamber beneath the eastern rampart, which Lady Royland had set apart for the use of any of the men who might, she said, “turn ill.”

Poor Sam Donny had fainted away before he reached the hospital-room, and upon Roy entering, eager to render assistance, it was to find himself forestalled by Lady Royland, who, with the old housekeeper, attended to the wounded man.

Lady Royland hurried to her son, as he appeared at the door.

“No,” she said, firmly, “not now: leave this to us. It is our duty.”

“But, mother, do you understand?” protested Roy.

“Better, perhaps, than any one here,” she replied. “Go to your duties; but come by-and-by to see how the poor fellow is. It will cheer him.”

Roy could not refuse to obey the order, and hurried back to meet Ben on the way to the sufferer’s side.

“Not go in?” said the sergeant. “Her ladyship says so? Oh, very well—then of course it is all right.”

“But I feel so anxious,” said Roy; “my mother is not a chirurgeon.”

“More aren’t we, Master Roy; but she’s what’s just as good—a splendid nurse. So’s old Grey’s wife; so Sam Donny’s in clover. I was being a bit anxious about him, for fear Master Pawson was doing the doctoring, and I’d rather trust myself.”

“But the wound—the terrible wound?” cried Roy.

“Tchah! Nothing terrible about that, captain. Just a clean sword-cut. You’ve cut your finger many a time, haven’t you?”

“Of course.”

“Well, did you want a doctor? No; you had it tied up tightly, and left it alone. Then it grew together again!”

“Yes, yes, yes,” cried Roy, impatiently. “But this was a terrible slash on the poor fellow’s thigh. You saw how horribly it bled.”

“Come, Master Roy, we’re both soldiers, and we mustn’t talk like this. I saw his leg bleed, and stopped it, but it wasn’t horrible. Leg’s only like a big finger, and a strong healthy chap soon grows together again. You mustn’t take any notice of a few cuts. They’re nothing. What we’ve got to mind is the cannon-balls. Now a wound from one of them is terrible, because you see they don’t cut clean, but break bones and do all kinds of mischief. Well, we mustn’t talk away here, but see to the men, and get ready for what’s to come.”

“Do you think they’ll attack us to-day?”

“Yes, sir; and as soon as they’ve finished their two-gun battery. Now, by rights, we ought to go and destroy that work, and spike their guns; but they’ve got the advantage of us with all that horse, and if we tried they’d cut us up before we could get at it. Only chance is to try and do it at night, if we can’t dismount the guns with ours.”

A hasty breakfast was eaten, and then the sergeant went up to the newly mounted guns on the top of the square tower, where Roy promised to join him as soon as he had been to visit the wounded man.

“Tell him I mean to come as soon as I can, my lad,” said Ben, “but it won’t do him any good for me to come now. Wounded man’s best left alone till he gets over his touch of fever. But tell him I’m sorry he’s down, and that I shall very much miss my best gunner. It’ll please him, and it’s quite true.”

Roy nodded, and in due time went to the hospital-room, where he tapped lightly, and the door was opened by the old housekeeper, who looked rather pale; but Lady Royland, who was seated by the wounded man’s bedside, rose and came to her son.

“Yes,” she said; “go and speak to him; but don’t stay many minutes, for he must not talk much. A few words from you, though, will do him good.”

Roy glanced towards the bed, which was close to one of the windows looking out on the court-yard garden, and he could see that the man was watching him intently.

“Go to him. I’ll leave you and come back when I think you have been here long enough.”

The door closed behind Lady Royland and her old assistant as Roy made for the couch, expecting to see a painful sight of agony and terror; but, as he approached, the man’s countenance expanded into a broad grin.

“Don’t be hard on a poor fellow, captain,” he said, just as Roy was ready with a prepared speech about being sorry to see the man in so grievous a condition.

“Hard upon you, Sam! What for?”

“Sneaking out o’ all the fun like this here! ’Taren’t my fault, you know. I didn’t want to stop in bed; but my lady says I must, and that she’ll report me to you if I don’t obey orders. I say, let me get up, sir. It’s just foolishness me lying here.”

“Foolishness! What! with that bad wound?”

“Bad, sir? Why, you don’t call that bad. If he’d cut my head off, I’d ha’ said it was.”

“How?” cried Roy, unable to repress a smile.

“How, sir? Why—oh! o’ course not. Didn’t think o’ that; I s’pose I couldn’t then. But I say, Master Roy, sir—I mean cap’n, I’m just ashamed o’ myself letting her ladyship wait on the likes o’ me!”

“Why should you be, Sam? Haven’t you been risking your life to defend us?”

“Me? No, sir, not as I knows on,” said the man, staring.

“Well, I do know; and now you are not to talk.”

“Oh, sir! If I’m to be here I must talk.”

“You must not, Sam. There, I came to see how you were.”

“Quite well, thank ye kindly, sir.”

“You are not. You have a bad wound.”

“But I aren’t, Master Roy. It’s on’y a bit cut; and I want to have a stick and come up on the tower in case we have to work that gun.”

“If you want to help to work that gun again, Sam, you will have to lie still and let your wound heal.”

“Master Roy!—I mean oh, cap’n—it’s worse than the wound to hear that.”

“We can’t help it. Tell me, are you in much pain?”

“Oh, it hurts a bit, sir; but if I was busy I should forget that, and—”

Crash!—Boom!

A strange breaking sound, and the rattling of the windows as a heavy report followed directly after, and Roy sprang from the chair he had taken by the wounded man’s couch.

“On’y hark, sir—that was my gun atop o’ the gate tower begun firing, and me not there.”

“Be patient, Sam,” cried Roy, excitedly. “It was not one of our guns, but the enemy’s, and the fight has begun in earnest. Good-bye, and lie still.”

He was half across the room as he said this, and the door opened to admit Lady Royland, looking deadly pale.

“Roy, my boy,” she cried, in a low, pained voice, as she caught his hands; “they are firing.”

“Yes, mother; and so will we,” cried the lad, excitedly.

“You—you will not expose yourself rashly,” she whispered; “you will take care?”

“I’m going to try not to do anything foolish, mother,” he said; “but I must be with the men.”

She clung to him wildly, and her lips trembled as she tried to speak; but no words came, and Roy bent forward, kissed her, and tried to withdraw his hands, but they were too tightly held.

Boom! came another report following closely upon a peculiar whizzing sound, apparently over the open window.

“Another gun from the enemy, and we’re doing nothing,” said Roy, impatiently. “Mother, don’t stop me; they will think I’m afraid. I must be with the men.”

Lady Royland drew a deep breath, and her face became fixed and firm once more, though the pallor seemed intensified.

“Yes,” she said, quickly, as she threw her arms about her son for a brief embrace; “you must be with your men, Roy. Go, and remember my prayers are with you always. Good-bye!”

“Just for a while,” he cried. “You shall soon have news of how we are going on.”

Chapter Twenty Six.Going under Fire.Roy ran out of the room, leaving the old housekeeper, who was waiting outside, to close the door, and dashed down the few stairs and out into the court-yard, where the greater part of their little force was drawn up on either side of the gate-way, looking very serious and troubled; but as soon as he appeared they burst into a cheer, to which Roy answered by waving his hand.“The game has begun,” he cried.“Yes, sir,” said one of the troopers, who with Farmer Raynes was in command of the men; “first shot struck the tower full, and splintered down some stone. Better mind how you cross the gate-way.”“Yes,” said Roy, quickly; “I will.” And he ran across to the door-way at the foot of the big spiral, reaching it just as a shot came whizzing overhead, and a heavy report followed.“Third, and not one from us,” muttered Roy, as he hurried up the stairway to reach the platform at the top, and found Ben Martlet and the troop-corporal from his father’s regiment, each busy with one of the guns, arranging wedges under the breeches, and assisted by the men told off to work each piece, while two more now came to the turret door-way, bearing fresh charges ready when wanted.Ben looked up and smiled grimly as Roy appeared, and the boy cried, excitedly—“Three shots from them, and you doing nothing.”Rush!—Boom!Roy ducked down his head, for the rushing noise seemed to be close over him; and as he raised it again, flushing with shame and glancing sharply round to see what impression his flinching had made on the men around, Ben said, quietly—“Four, sir; and you see on’y one hit us; the earthwork has thrown all the others upward. That last one was nigh to a hundred foot overhead.”“A hundred feet! and I flinched,” thought Roy. “But why don’t you fire?” he cried, aloud.“Thought I’d wait for you, sir, and that you’d like the first shot.”“Yes, of course,” cried the boy, excitedly.“And we haven’t wasted time, sir; corp’ral and me’s been pretty busy, getting what we thinks about the right depression of the muzzles, for you see we’re a good height up here. I don’t know that we shall be right, but we can soon get the range; and if you’ll begin now, sir, I’d like you to try my gun first.”“Ready!” cried Roy, whose heart began to thump heavily.“Like to take a squint along her, sir, first?” said Ben.“No; I’ll trust to your aim.”“Then, stand fast there!” cried Ben; and taking the port-fire from the man who held it, he presented it to the young castellan, who glanced at the earthwork, where he could see men busy, and a couple of squadrons of troopers drawn up some distance back on either side; and then, setting his teeth hard, he let the sparkling fuse fall softly on the touch-hole of the gun.There was a flash, a great ball of smoke, the gun rushed backward, and the report seemed to stun Roy, whose ears rang, and a strange singing noise filled his head.Ben said a few words, and leaned over the battlement, sheltering his eyes to watch the effect of the shot, as the smoke rose and began to spread. Then he turned and shouted something; but what it was Roy could not hear, neither could he catch a word that was uttered by the trooper-corporal, though the movement of his lips suggested that he was speaking.“Can’t hear you,” shouted Roy, as loudly as he could; and the man smiled, and pointed to the port-fire and the second gun.That was clear enough to understand; so Roy took a couple of steps towards the breech, and as the men stood drawn up in regular form on either side, he once more touched the priming.Another flash, puff, and deafening roar, which he heard quite plainly; and oddly enough it seemed to have had the effect of restoring his ears to their customary state, for, in spite of the tremendous singing and cracking going on, he heard the order given to the men to stop the vents, sponge, and begin to reload.“Just a shade more up,” said Ben; “and yours wants a bit more than mine, corporal.—See where the shot hit, sir?”“I? No,” said Roy.“Both on ’em just in front of their works, and covered ’em with earth and stones. They all bolted out. Look, they’re coming back again, and they’ll give us something directly.”“Yes,” said the corporal, as the men went on loading; “and those shots have shown ’em what we can do. Look, sir.”“Why, they’re drawing off those two troops of horse.”“Yes, sir,” said the corporal; “and if Sir Granby Royland had been in command they’d never have been there.”“No,” said Ben, with his lips pinched together; “we could have bowled over two or three of ’em with the guns, but I thought the captain would like to have a try at the earthwork first.—For they’re not soldiers, Master Roy.—Are they, corporal?”The trooper laughed.“Just a mob of men scratched together, and put into jerkins and headpieces, and with swords stuck in their fisties. Why, there aren’t many of ’em as can ride,” continued Ben.The thought occurred to Roy that his own garrison was composed of extremely raw material, but he said nothing, and Ben went grumbling on:“I don’t say but what they could be made into decent soldiers in time; but they don’t seem to have anybody much over them.”Just then a couple of shots were fired by the enemy, one of which struck the tower with a tremendous crash, sending splinters of stone flying, and a tiny cloud of dust rose slowly. The other shot went whizzing overhead.“I wouldn’t get looking over the edge, Master Roy, sir,” whispered Ben. “Some of those chips of stone might give you an ugly scratch. But that just shows what I say’s right. They haven’t got the right man there or he’d soon change things. You see they’ve brought up their guns with orders to batter down our drawbridge and smash the portcullis, thinking they’ll make you surrender. Don’t seem to come into their thick heads that if they did manage to smash the bridge, they’d be no nearer to us than before, because we should soon pile up a good breastwork, and pitch every man back into the moat who swam across. But, as I was going to say, they’ve got their orders to batter down the bridge, and they keep at it. We’ve been hit up here, but only by accident; they never fired straight at us. Now, if you were in command out there, sir, you’d do something different.”“I should fire straight up here, Ben, and try to silence these guns.”“Of course you would, sir; just as you’re going to silence theirs.”“And the sooner the better, Ben. They’re nearly ready again.”“Are they, sir? I can’t see. My eyes are not so young as yours. Well, we’re quite ready; and if you orders, we’re going to give it ’em in earnest.”“Go on, then,” said Roy, “and see if you can’t stop their firing.”Ben smiled grimly, and bent down to regulate the aim he took, while the same was done with the other gun. The result was that the corporal’s shot went right through the embrasure of the piece to the left, while Ben’s went over.As the smoke cleared away, a scene of confusion was visible; but the gun on the right was fired directly after, and the shot plunged into the bank of earth raised the previous night.“Ah!” grumbled Ben; “you’ve got the best gun, my lad; there must be a twist in mine, for she throws high.”“Like to change?” said the corporal.“No. I’m going to get used to mine and make her work better.”Shot after shot was fired from the gate tower, the men warming to their work, and the results were very varied; for, in spite of the care exercised and the rivalry between Ben and the corporal, the clumsily cast balls varied greatly in their courses, so that at the end of an hour’s firing very little mischief was done on either side. The enemy had had their earthen parapet a good deal knocked about, and some men had been injured; but all the advantage they had obtained was the battering down of some scraps of stone, which lay about the front of the great gate-way.“Soon clear that away with a broom,” growled Ben; “but I’m a bit disappointed over these guns, captain. We ought from up here to have knocked theirs off the carriages by this time.”“We shall do it yet,” said Roy; and during the next few shots he himself laid the guns, taking the most careful aim.“As I said afore, your eyes are younger and better than mine, Master Roy, but you don’t shoot any more true.—Hullo! what are they doing there?”He looked earnestly at the battery, where the men seemed to be extra busy, and at a solid mass of troops marching on from some hundreds of yards behind, straight for the castle.“They’re never mad enough to come and deliver an assault; are they, corp’ral?” cried Ben, excitedly.“Seems like it, sergeant.”Ben turned to Roy with an inquiring look, and he nodded.“Do what you think best,” he said.What Ben thought best was to withdraw the great wedge which depressed the muzzle of his gun, the corporal doing the same; and then, after a careful aim-taking, both pieces roared out a salute to the coming infantry, which was marching forward in steady array.The balls went skipping along after striking the ground a hundred yards or so beyond the enemy’s battery, and, ricochetting, darted right for the solid moving mass of men. The effect was ludicrous, for in an instant they could be seen from the tower to be in a terrible state of confusion, breaking and running in all directions, and, as it were, melting away.“First time they’ve ever faced cannon-ball,” said Ben, with a smile. “I’ve seen better men than they after more training do the same. They won’t do it next time, though.”As far as could be seen, few people were hurt; but the shots had their effect, for the men, as they were restored to something like order, were marched back behind a patch of woodland, and the duel between the two pairs of guns was recommenced with a couple of shots from the battery, both of which struck the tower high up.“Aha!” cried Ben, with another of his grim smiles; “got tired, then.”“Does not seem like it, Ben,” said Roy.“Tired of plumping balls into our earthwork, and doing what they ought to have begun with.—Come, corporal, it’s time we did better.”“Let’s do it, then,” said the man, sternly.“Look here, Master Roy,” said Ben, in a low tone; “they’ve just sent out two parties of horse to right and left, and it strikes me they’re going to try something on the other side of us when they meet. Will you take a round of the ramparts, and see as all’s right, and keep the lads on the lookout?”“Let me fire these two shots first,” said Roy.He fired both guns, and there was a tremendous mass of earth sent flying; but that seemed to be the only mischief done; and then as Ben superintended the reloading, which began to be carried out now with a fair amount of speed, he said, in a low tone—“Now, capt’n, will you take a look round? You ought to be everywhere at once now.”At that moment a shot just grazed one of the crenelles, and hurtled away close overhead, making the men wince, as it gave them a better idea of the enemy’s powers than they had had before.“Yes, that’s why you want me to go, Ben,” whispered Roy. “You think it is getting dangerous here. Thank you; I’ll stay. I daresay the men are all right.”“Well, sir, I did think something of the kind; but it’s real truth. You ought to be everywhere, and you must really give a look round and tell ’em to fire at any of the enemy who come too near, specially at the troops of horse; it’ll teach ’em to keep their distance.”Another shot struck the tower, and the splinters of stone rattled down, making Roy hesitate to leave. But he felt that the old sergeant was right, and, descending to the ramparts, he visited the south-west tower, where the men in charge of the guns awaited orders to join in the fray. Then the north-west tower was reached, and here Roy encountered Master Pawson.“I am glad you’ve come,” he cried. “There’s a strong body of horse gathering over at the foot of the hill to the north.”“Whereabouts?” said Roy, hurrying through. “Anywhere near the old ruins?”“Ruins? ruins?” said the secretary, looking at him in a peculiar manner. “Ah, I see now: you mean those old stones on the top. No; they are on the level ground below. Hadn’t we better fire?”“As soon as they come within reach, send a ball at them. Let the gun be well elevated, so as to fire over their heads. We want to scare them off, and not to destroy.”As he spoke, Roy ascended with the secretary to the platform, and there, well within range, saw a strong squadron of horse approaching; while Roy’s keen eyes detected a flash or two as of the sun from steel in amongst the trees at the foot of the hill.“They have infantry there,” he said. “And these horse must be coming to feel their way for them, and to see if we are prepared.”The men at the guns watched their young captain eagerly; and as soon as he gave orders for one of the guns to be used as he had directed, he was obeyed with an alacrity which showed how eager the people were to join in the fray commenced on the other side of the castle.A shot soon went whizzing overhead, and caused a general movement among the horsemen; but they steadied again, and advanced. Upon a second shot being fired directly with the muzzle depressed, a little cloud of dust was seen to rise in front of the advancing squadron, which was suddenly thrown into confusion; and directly after the body of cavalry divided into two and began to retire, leaving an unfortunate horse struggling upon the ground; while after a close scrutiny Roy made out the fact that two men were riding upon one horse in the rear of the right-hand troop.The men on the tower gave a loud cheer, trifling as their success had been, and were eager to fire again; but Roy was content to show the enemy that the defenders were well prepared let them advance where they would, for he knew that the slaying of a few men by a lucky shot would not have much influence on his success.He stayed till the men had disappeared beyond the trees on the hill slope; and then, enjoining watchfulness, completed his visit to the other towers, descended to report how matters were progressing to his mother, who announced that her patient slept, and lastly hurried back to where the enemy were pounding away at the gate-way, and Ben and his men steadily replying.“Hurt?” he cried excitedly, as he saw that one of the men had a rough bandage about his arm. “You had better go below at once.”“What! for that, sir?” said the man, staring; “it’s only a scratch from a bit of stone.”The injury was very slight; but during Roy’s absence the enemy had managed to send one shot so truly that it had struck the front corner of the embrasure of the corporal’s gun, and splintered away a great piece of the stone, many fragments still lying about on the platform.“Yes, sir; they’re shooting better than we are, or their guns are more true. Our powder’s good, old as it is; but it doesn’t matter how carefully we aim, we can never tell to a foot or two where the shot will hit. They won’t go where we want ’em.”“Well, theirs will not either, Ben,” said Roy, “or they would have done more mischief to us than this.”“That’s true, sir,” grumbled the old soldier; “and after all said and done, I don’t think much of big guns. If you could get ’em close up to the end of a ridgement, and the men would stand still, you could bowl a lot of ’em over like skittles; but there’s a lot of waste going on with this sort of firing, and if it warn’t for the show we make, and which keeps ’em off, we might as well sit down and smoke our pipes, and watch where the balls went that they send.”“But you must keep on, Ben. You may have a lucky shot yet.”“Oh, we aren’t done so very badly since you went, sir! Soon as they’d done that bit o’ damage to the top there, as’ll cost Sir Granby a lot o’ money to repair, the corporal sent ’em an answer which made ’em carry away four men to the rear.”“Killed?” said Roy, excitedly.“Ah! that’s more than we can say, sir. They didn’t send us word. He’s got the best gun, you see, sir; and I don’t take so well to this sort of work. I want a good horse between my knees, and your father ahead of me to lead. Why, if he was here with his ridgement, he’d take us along like a big brush, and sweep this mob o’ rebels off the country, as clean as one of the maids would do it with a broom. I say, sir; try your luck. The men like to see you have a shot or two. You boys are so lucky.”Roy tried and tried again as the day wore on, and the duel between tower and battery went on, but tried in vain. The men were relieved, and the fresh relay kept up a steady fire, shot for shot with the enemy; but nothing was done beyond knocking the earth up in all directions; while as fast as the face of the battery was injured, they could see spades and baskets at work, and the earth was replaced by more. A demonstration was made by the enemy on the sides of the castle, as if to try what was to be expected there; but a shot or two from the corner towers forced the horsemen to retire; and night was approaching fast when Ben and the corporal relieved the men who had been firing all the afternoon, and Roy was with them just as the old soldier took aim for his first shot.“I’ve given her an extra charge of powder, sir,” he said. “I’d ha’ give her a double dose, on’y it would be a pity to burst her. Like to run your eye along before she’s fired, sir?”“No; you try this time, Ben.”As Roy spoke, there was a tremendous crash, followed by the report of the enemy’s gun; and the rattling down of the splintered stone told how heavy the impact of the shot had been.“More damage,” growled Ben. “They’re a-shooting ever so much better than us, corporal.”The next minute he applied the port-fire, and the gun sprang back, as a tremendous report followed.“Made her kick quite savage, sir,” said Ben, with a chuckle. “She says it’s more powder than she likes.”He stepped to the embrasure as the smoke slowly rose, and gazed out at the enemy’s battery.“Come and look, Master Roy,” he said, with a grim smile.—“I say, corporal, that’s one to me.”The men raised a tremendous cheer, for plainly enough seen in the dim evening light, the interior of the battery was in confusion; and as the smoke quite cleared away, they saw that one of the guns was lying several feet back behind the shattered carriage, and at right angles to its former position.“Give ’em yours now, my lad,” growled Ben; and the corporal fired; but his shot went right over the battery and struck up the earth twenty yards behind.“Depress the muzzle, man!” cried Roy.“I did, sir, more than usual,” said the corporal, rather sulkily.“Yes, sir,” said Ben; “he’s a better gunner than me. Mine was on’y a bit o’ luck, for I raised mine this time.”While the guns were being reloaded, Roy and his lieutenant watched the proceedings in the battery, waiting to withdraw when the enemy seemed to be about to fire.But no further shot was sent roaring and whizzing against the tower, and, night falling, it soon became impossible to see what was going on.

Roy ran out of the room, leaving the old housekeeper, who was waiting outside, to close the door, and dashed down the few stairs and out into the court-yard, where the greater part of their little force was drawn up on either side of the gate-way, looking very serious and troubled; but as soon as he appeared they burst into a cheer, to which Roy answered by waving his hand.

“The game has begun,” he cried.

“Yes, sir,” said one of the troopers, who with Farmer Raynes was in command of the men; “first shot struck the tower full, and splintered down some stone. Better mind how you cross the gate-way.”

“Yes,” said Roy, quickly; “I will.” And he ran across to the door-way at the foot of the big spiral, reaching it just as a shot came whizzing overhead, and a heavy report followed.

“Third, and not one from us,” muttered Roy, as he hurried up the stairway to reach the platform at the top, and found Ben Martlet and the troop-corporal from his father’s regiment, each busy with one of the guns, arranging wedges under the breeches, and assisted by the men told off to work each piece, while two more now came to the turret door-way, bearing fresh charges ready when wanted.

Ben looked up and smiled grimly as Roy appeared, and the boy cried, excitedly—

“Three shots from them, and you doing nothing.”

Rush!—Boom!

Roy ducked down his head, for the rushing noise seemed to be close over him; and as he raised it again, flushing with shame and glancing sharply round to see what impression his flinching had made on the men around, Ben said, quietly—

“Four, sir; and you see on’y one hit us; the earthwork has thrown all the others upward. That last one was nigh to a hundred foot overhead.”

“A hundred feet! and I flinched,” thought Roy. “But why don’t you fire?” he cried, aloud.

“Thought I’d wait for you, sir, and that you’d like the first shot.”

“Yes, of course,” cried the boy, excitedly.

“And we haven’t wasted time, sir; corp’ral and me’s been pretty busy, getting what we thinks about the right depression of the muzzles, for you see we’re a good height up here. I don’t know that we shall be right, but we can soon get the range; and if you’ll begin now, sir, I’d like you to try my gun first.”

“Ready!” cried Roy, whose heart began to thump heavily.

“Like to take a squint along her, sir, first?” said Ben.

“No; I’ll trust to your aim.”

“Then, stand fast there!” cried Ben; and taking the port-fire from the man who held it, he presented it to the young castellan, who glanced at the earthwork, where he could see men busy, and a couple of squadrons of troopers drawn up some distance back on either side; and then, setting his teeth hard, he let the sparkling fuse fall softly on the touch-hole of the gun.

There was a flash, a great ball of smoke, the gun rushed backward, and the report seemed to stun Roy, whose ears rang, and a strange singing noise filled his head.

Ben said a few words, and leaned over the battlement, sheltering his eyes to watch the effect of the shot, as the smoke rose and began to spread. Then he turned and shouted something; but what it was Roy could not hear, neither could he catch a word that was uttered by the trooper-corporal, though the movement of his lips suggested that he was speaking.

“Can’t hear you,” shouted Roy, as loudly as he could; and the man smiled, and pointed to the port-fire and the second gun.

That was clear enough to understand; so Roy took a couple of steps towards the breech, and as the men stood drawn up in regular form on either side, he once more touched the priming.

Another flash, puff, and deafening roar, which he heard quite plainly; and oddly enough it seemed to have had the effect of restoring his ears to their customary state, for, in spite of the tremendous singing and cracking going on, he heard the order given to the men to stop the vents, sponge, and begin to reload.

“Just a shade more up,” said Ben; “and yours wants a bit more than mine, corporal.—See where the shot hit, sir?”

“I? No,” said Roy.

“Both on ’em just in front of their works, and covered ’em with earth and stones. They all bolted out. Look, they’re coming back again, and they’ll give us something directly.”

“Yes,” said the corporal, as the men went on loading; “and those shots have shown ’em what we can do. Look, sir.”

“Why, they’re drawing off those two troops of horse.”

“Yes, sir,” said the corporal; “and if Sir Granby Royland had been in command they’d never have been there.”

“No,” said Ben, with his lips pinched together; “we could have bowled over two or three of ’em with the guns, but I thought the captain would like to have a try at the earthwork first.—For they’re not soldiers, Master Roy.—Are they, corporal?”

The trooper laughed.

“Just a mob of men scratched together, and put into jerkins and headpieces, and with swords stuck in their fisties. Why, there aren’t many of ’em as can ride,” continued Ben.

The thought occurred to Roy that his own garrison was composed of extremely raw material, but he said nothing, and Ben went grumbling on:

“I don’t say but what they could be made into decent soldiers in time; but they don’t seem to have anybody much over them.”

Just then a couple of shots were fired by the enemy, one of which struck the tower with a tremendous crash, sending splinters of stone flying, and a tiny cloud of dust rose slowly. The other shot went whizzing overhead.

“I wouldn’t get looking over the edge, Master Roy, sir,” whispered Ben. “Some of those chips of stone might give you an ugly scratch. But that just shows what I say’s right. They haven’t got the right man there or he’d soon change things. You see they’ve brought up their guns with orders to batter down our drawbridge and smash the portcullis, thinking they’ll make you surrender. Don’t seem to come into their thick heads that if they did manage to smash the bridge, they’d be no nearer to us than before, because we should soon pile up a good breastwork, and pitch every man back into the moat who swam across. But, as I was going to say, they’ve got their orders to batter down the bridge, and they keep at it. We’ve been hit up here, but only by accident; they never fired straight at us. Now, if you were in command out there, sir, you’d do something different.”

“I should fire straight up here, Ben, and try to silence these guns.”

“Of course you would, sir; just as you’re going to silence theirs.”

“And the sooner the better, Ben. They’re nearly ready again.”

“Are they, sir? I can’t see. My eyes are not so young as yours. Well, we’re quite ready; and if you orders, we’re going to give it ’em in earnest.”

“Go on, then,” said Roy, “and see if you can’t stop their firing.”

Ben smiled grimly, and bent down to regulate the aim he took, while the same was done with the other gun. The result was that the corporal’s shot went right through the embrasure of the piece to the left, while Ben’s went over.

As the smoke cleared away, a scene of confusion was visible; but the gun on the right was fired directly after, and the shot plunged into the bank of earth raised the previous night.

“Ah!” grumbled Ben; “you’ve got the best gun, my lad; there must be a twist in mine, for she throws high.”

“Like to change?” said the corporal.

“No. I’m going to get used to mine and make her work better.”

Shot after shot was fired from the gate tower, the men warming to their work, and the results were very varied; for, in spite of the care exercised and the rivalry between Ben and the corporal, the clumsily cast balls varied greatly in their courses, so that at the end of an hour’s firing very little mischief was done on either side. The enemy had had their earthen parapet a good deal knocked about, and some men had been injured; but all the advantage they had obtained was the battering down of some scraps of stone, which lay about the front of the great gate-way.

“Soon clear that away with a broom,” growled Ben; “but I’m a bit disappointed over these guns, captain. We ought from up here to have knocked theirs off the carriages by this time.”

“We shall do it yet,” said Roy; and during the next few shots he himself laid the guns, taking the most careful aim.

“As I said afore, your eyes are younger and better than mine, Master Roy, but you don’t shoot any more true.—Hullo! what are they doing there?”

He looked earnestly at the battery, where the men seemed to be extra busy, and at a solid mass of troops marching on from some hundreds of yards behind, straight for the castle.

“They’re never mad enough to come and deliver an assault; are they, corp’ral?” cried Ben, excitedly.

“Seems like it, sergeant.”

Ben turned to Roy with an inquiring look, and he nodded.

“Do what you think best,” he said.

What Ben thought best was to withdraw the great wedge which depressed the muzzle of his gun, the corporal doing the same; and then, after a careful aim-taking, both pieces roared out a salute to the coming infantry, which was marching forward in steady array.

The balls went skipping along after striking the ground a hundred yards or so beyond the enemy’s battery, and, ricochetting, darted right for the solid moving mass of men. The effect was ludicrous, for in an instant they could be seen from the tower to be in a terrible state of confusion, breaking and running in all directions, and, as it were, melting away.

“First time they’ve ever faced cannon-ball,” said Ben, with a smile. “I’ve seen better men than they after more training do the same. They won’t do it next time, though.”

As far as could be seen, few people were hurt; but the shots had their effect, for the men, as they were restored to something like order, were marched back behind a patch of woodland, and the duel between the two pairs of guns was recommenced with a couple of shots from the battery, both of which struck the tower high up.

“Aha!” cried Ben, with another of his grim smiles; “got tired, then.”

“Does not seem like it, Ben,” said Roy.

“Tired of plumping balls into our earthwork, and doing what they ought to have begun with.—Come, corporal, it’s time we did better.”

“Let’s do it, then,” said the man, sternly.

“Look here, Master Roy,” said Ben, in a low tone; “they’ve just sent out two parties of horse to right and left, and it strikes me they’re going to try something on the other side of us when they meet. Will you take a round of the ramparts, and see as all’s right, and keep the lads on the lookout?”

“Let me fire these two shots first,” said Roy.

He fired both guns, and there was a tremendous mass of earth sent flying; but that seemed to be the only mischief done; and then as Ben superintended the reloading, which began to be carried out now with a fair amount of speed, he said, in a low tone—

“Now, capt’n, will you take a look round? You ought to be everywhere at once now.”

At that moment a shot just grazed one of the crenelles, and hurtled away close overhead, making the men wince, as it gave them a better idea of the enemy’s powers than they had had before.

“Yes, that’s why you want me to go, Ben,” whispered Roy. “You think it is getting dangerous here. Thank you; I’ll stay. I daresay the men are all right.”

“Well, sir, I did think something of the kind; but it’s real truth. You ought to be everywhere, and you must really give a look round and tell ’em to fire at any of the enemy who come too near, specially at the troops of horse; it’ll teach ’em to keep their distance.”

Another shot struck the tower, and the splinters of stone rattled down, making Roy hesitate to leave. But he felt that the old sergeant was right, and, descending to the ramparts, he visited the south-west tower, where the men in charge of the guns awaited orders to join in the fray. Then the north-west tower was reached, and here Roy encountered Master Pawson.

“I am glad you’ve come,” he cried. “There’s a strong body of horse gathering over at the foot of the hill to the north.”

“Whereabouts?” said Roy, hurrying through. “Anywhere near the old ruins?”

“Ruins? ruins?” said the secretary, looking at him in a peculiar manner. “Ah, I see now: you mean those old stones on the top. No; they are on the level ground below. Hadn’t we better fire?”

“As soon as they come within reach, send a ball at them. Let the gun be well elevated, so as to fire over their heads. We want to scare them off, and not to destroy.”

As he spoke, Roy ascended with the secretary to the platform, and there, well within range, saw a strong squadron of horse approaching; while Roy’s keen eyes detected a flash or two as of the sun from steel in amongst the trees at the foot of the hill.

“They have infantry there,” he said. “And these horse must be coming to feel their way for them, and to see if we are prepared.”

The men at the guns watched their young captain eagerly; and as soon as he gave orders for one of the guns to be used as he had directed, he was obeyed with an alacrity which showed how eager the people were to join in the fray commenced on the other side of the castle.

A shot soon went whizzing overhead, and caused a general movement among the horsemen; but they steadied again, and advanced. Upon a second shot being fired directly with the muzzle depressed, a little cloud of dust was seen to rise in front of the advancing squadron, which was suddenly thrown into confusion; and directly after the body of cavalry divided into two and began to retire, leaving an unfortunate horse struggling upon the ground; while after a close scrutiny Roy made out the fact that two men were riding upon one horse in the rear of the right-hand troop.

The men on the tower gave a loud cheer, trifling as their success had been, and were eager to fire again; but Roy was content to show the enemy that the defenders were well prepared let them advance where they would, for he knew that the slaying of a few men by a lucky shot would not have much influence on his success.

He stayed till the men had disappeared beyond the trees on the hill slope; and then, enjoining watchfulness, completed his visit to the other towers, descended to report how matters were progressing to his mother, who announced that her patient slept, and lastly hurried back to where the enemy were pounding away at the gate-way, and Ben and his men steadily replying.

“Hurt?” he cried excitedly, as he saw that one of the men had a rough bandage about his arm. “You had better go below at once.”

“What! for that, sir?” said the man, staring; “it’s only a scratch from a bit of stone.”

The injury was very slight; but during Roy’s absence the enemy had managed to send one shot so truly that it had struck the front corner of the embrasure of the corporal’s gun, and splintered away a great piece of the stone, many fragments still lying about on the platform.

“Yes, sir; they’re shooting better than we are, or their guns are more true. Our powder’s good, old as it is; but it doesn’t matter how carefully we aim, we can never tell to a foot or two where the shot will hit. They won’t go where we want ’em.”

“Well, theirs will not either, Ben,” said Roy, “or they would have done more mischief to us than this.”

“That’s true, sir,” grumbled the old soldier; “and after all said and done, I don’t think much of big guns. If you could get ’em close up to the end of a ridgement, and the men would stand still, you could bowl a lot of ’em over like skittles; but there’s a lot of waste going on with this sort of firing, and if it warn’t for the show we make, and which keeps ’em off, we might as well sit down and smoke our pipes, and watch where the balls went that they send.”

“But you must keep on, Ben. You may have a lucky shot yet.”

“Oh, we aren’t done so very badly since you went, sir! Soon as they’d done that bit o’ damage to the top there, as’ll cost Sir Granby a lot o’ money to repair, the corporal sent ’em an answer which made ’em carry away four men to the rear.”

“Killed?” said Roy, excitedly.

“Ah! that’s more than we can say, sir. They didn’t send us word. He’s got the best gun, you see, sir; and I don’t take so well to this sort of work. I want a good horse between my knees, and your father ahead of me to lead. Why, if he was here with his ridgement, he’d take us along like a big brush, and sweep this mob o’ rebels off the country, as clean as one of the maids would do it with a broom. I say, sir; try your luck. The men like to see you have a shot or two. You boys are so lucky.”

Roy tried and tried again as the day wore on, and the duel between tower and battery went on, but tried in vain. The men were relieved, and the fresh relay kept up a steady fire, shot for shot with the enemy; but nothing was done beyond knocking the earth up in all directions; while as fast as the face of the battery was injured, they could see spades and baskets at work, and the earth was replaced by more. A demonstration was made by the enemy on the sides of the castle, as if to try what was to be expected there; but a shot or two from the corner towers forced the horsemen to retire; and night was approaching fast when Ben and the corporal relieved the men who had been firing all the afternoon, and Roy was with them just as the old soldier took aim for his first shot.

“I’ve given her an extra charge of powder, sir,” he said. “I’d ha’ give her a double dose, on’y it would be a pity to burst her. Like to run your eye along before she’s fired, sir?”

“No; you try this time, Ben.”

As Roy spoke, there was a tremendous crash, followed by the report of the enemy’s gun; and the rattling down of the splintered stone told how heavy the impact of the shot had been.

“More damage,” growled Ben. “They’re a-shooting ever so much better than us, corporal.”

The next minute he applied the port-fire, and the gun sprang back, as a tremendous report followed.

“Made her kick quite savage, sir,” said Ben, with a chuckle. “She says it’s more powder than she likes.”

He stepped to the embrasure as the smoke slowly rose, and gazed out at the enemy’s battery.

“Come and look, Master Roy,” he said, with a grim smile.—“I say, corporal, that’s one to me.”

The men raised a tremendous cheer, for plainly enough seen in the dim evening light, the interior of the battery was in confusion; and as the smoke quite cleared away, they saw that one of the guns was lying several feet back behind the shattered carriage, and at right angles to its former position.

“Give ’em yours now, my lad,” growled Ben; and the corporal fired; but his shot went right over the battery and struck up the earth twenty yards behind.

“Depress the muzzle, man!” cried Roy.

“I did, sir, more than usual,” said the corporal, rather sulkily.

“Yes, sir,” said Ben; “he’s a better gunner than me. Mine was on’y a bit o’ luck, for I raised mine this time.”

While the guns were being reloaded, Roy and his lieutenant watched the proceedings in the battery, waiting to withdraw when the enemy seemed to be about to fire.

But no further shot was sent roaring and whizzing against the tower, and, night falling, it soon became impossible to see what was going on.

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