Crown and Sceptre Part 105

"Hist!" whispered Samson; "hear that, sir?"

"Yes; they are asleep."

"No, sir; that behind us?"

"No."

"Listen."

Fred listened intently, and his hand went to the hilt of his sword, for, sure enough, there was the sound of steps coming slowly and cautiously, and as if he who made them listened, along the pa.s.sage from the direction of the lake.

"Some one tracking us," said Fred, with his lips to his follower's ear.

"Stand aside. Don't strike. Let him enter, and then we must seize and gag him when I say '_Now_!'"

A pressure of Samson's ear against his lips told of his acquiescence, and they stood, one on each side of the arched opening, waiting as the steps came nearer, apparently more and more cautiously, till the stairway was reached, against which whoever it was stumbled slightly, and then ascended with many pauses, and stepped right inside the vault, breathing heavily, and seeming to listen.

"What shall I do?" thought Fred. "Seize him, or what?"

"Master Fred--Master Fred, do say '_Now_', or our chance is gone," said Samson to himself; and as if this was communicated to the young officer by some peculiar sense, he was drawing in his breath previous to giving the word and dashing at their tracker, when a low, piteous voice said half aloud--

"Gone, or he has forgotten us. What shall--"

"Don't you talk like that o' Master Fred, sir," cried Samson, in indignant tones.

"Scar!" cried Fred; and he threw his arms round his boyhood's companion, who uttered a low sigh, and would have sunk to the stony floor but for Fred's support.

"Samson."

"Well, sir, what did he mean by scaring us and talking like that?"

"Have you been outside?"

"No," said Scarlett, in a low, hesitating voice. "I was ill and feverish. I went to the end to get some water, and I think I must have fallen down and slept. I have not slept much, and it has been so long and dark, and I thought you had forsaken us."

"Forsaken you!" cried Fred, reproachfully. "But your father--and Nat?"

"I hardly know; they seem to have done nothing but sleep."

"Don't talk now. Rouse them at once. You must escape."

"Escape? Where?"

"I have provided the refuge for you. Horses are waiting in front of the Hall. Now, let's try and get them out at once."

"In front of the Hall?" said Scarlett, whose weakness seemed to be chased away by his old friend's words.

"Yes."

"Fred, we can get down from the oak chamber into the ruins. A piece of the wall has fallen. Will not that be a better way?"

"Of course," cried Fred. "Then wake them at once."

This was done, and the news of the coming of help conveyed to Sir G.o.dfrey and his man, who rose with pain to their feet; but it soon became evident that the former could not stir a step, though Nat declared he could walk anywhere, and nearly fell on trying to cross the vault.

"It is of no use," said Scarlett; "but I thank you, Fred Forrester, and I can never call you enemy again."

"No," said Sir G.o.dfrey, piteously. "I am too weak to stir; but G.o.d bless you, my brave, true boy--never our enemy again."

"Look ye here," said a gruff voice, "I don't know nothing 'bout no other way, so you've got to show me or lead me. I'll hold a strap in my teeth, and some one can lead me by that. What you've got to do, Master Fred, is to set Sir G.o.dfrey well on my back, and I can carry him anywhere. Never mind about that brother o' mine. Chuck him down in any corner, if he won't walk. I aren't going to carry him."

Nat uttered a low grunt, and muttered something out of the darkness about kicking, as, after a vain protest, Sir G.o.dfrey was helped on to Samson's back, the st.u.r.dy fellow stooping down, and then rising up with a bit of a laugh.

"Dessay him I was named after was pretty strong; but he couldn't ha'

carried you, sir, any better than that."

"My brave-hearted fellow!" said Sir G.o.dfrey, faintly; and he set his teeth hard to keep back a moan of pain.

"Now, then," said Samson, "what sort of a way is it?"

"Just like that we came," said Fred, quickly as he drew Nat's arm over his shoulder.

"Then I don't want no leading," said Samson; "some one go first, and I can feel my way with my ears."

"Go first, Scar," whispered Fred. "Don't speak; only tell him when you reach the stairs. Now, forward!"

"Forward it is, gen'lemen. March! Never mind about that Nat. Got him all right, Master Fred?"

There was a low chuckle by Fred's ear that sounded like one of Samson's, as he answered--"Yes. Go on."

"Go on it is, gen'lemen; give the old donkey the spur, if he won't go."

The long pa.s.sage was slowly traversed, and then began the toilsome ascent of the stairs leading to the oak chamber, poor Nat being very feeble, and Fred's task hard; but the top was reached at last, and the soft fresh night air blew freely upon the rescuers' heated brows, as, under Scarlett's guidance, they crossed the little room to the corner where the wall had fallen away.

Here greater difficulties began in the getting down to the level of the ground floor, stones giving way, and the darkness adding to the difficulty. Once there was quite a little avalanche of calcined material; but perseverance won, and all stood safely at last on the trampled lawn in front of the ruined Hall.

"Shall we let them rest here for a bit?" whispered Fred.

"No, Master Fred, sir; they must rest on the horses' backs. Come on; they're not fifty yards away."

A low whinny from one of the faithful beasts followed this speech, and the party listened in dread that the sound might have been heard.

"Come on, sir," whispered Samson; "heard or no, now's our time;" and he walked quickly to where the horses were tethered, with the others close behind. "Now, sir," he said in a whisper, "I've got to get you on that horse. If you can put a leg over, do. If you can't--"

Answer came in the shape of a brave effort on Sir G.o.dfrey's part, and the next instant he was sitting erect on the horse's back.

"Hooroar!" whispered Samson. "Now t'other one. Foot in my hands like a lady. Nat, old chap. Ready? Up you go. That's brave. Yah! I forgot as we was enemies. Come along. You lead him, Master Fred, as you would bring him along."

"Can you walk all right, Scar?" whispered Fred.