The Young Castellan Part 43

"Three, sir."

"Only two fired."

"No. My piece wouldn't go."

"Are you reloaded?"

"Yes, sir."

"Be ready."

"They're coming on again, sir. He's rallied 'em," growled Ben; "but we shall be ready for 'em when they come."

Meanwhile, the sound of splashing and swimming came up from the moat, accompanied by a good many spluttering and choking noises, and now heads were dimly made out approaching the bank of the moat below.

"How many are there of you across?" said Roy.

"Eight of us, sir," came up in a panting voice; "we're going back for the other two."

"Who are--how many?"

"Four on us, sir," said one man; "they're hiding in the reeds. Can't swim."

"Can you bring them across?"

"Yes, sir. We did bring three as couldn't take a stroke, and they're down here half drowned."

"That's a loy," said a gruff voice; "I aren't: on'y full o' water."

The men lowered themselves into the moat again, and began to swim back, but just as they were nearly across, there came the thudding sound of horses pa.s.sing along at a trot, and a rush of men towards the edge of the moat.

"Fire!" shouted Roy; and over the swimmers' heads a ragged volley tore, the flashes cutting the darkness, and once more, in spite of angry curses and yelled-out orders, horse and man were driven to the right-about, all save about a dozen, who came right on to the edge of the moat.

"Surrender!" roared a voice, as there was a quick splashing among the reeds below the bank. Then a shot was fired from a pistol, followed by another; but the men summoned to surrender had done so to their comrades, who whispered to them to trust themselves to their strong arms, two of the swimmers taking a non-swimmer between them, and bringing him across in safety to the rest, crouching upon the narrow strip of bank beneath the walls.

Another volley sent the attacking party back into the darkness, and a brief colloquy took place.

"All safe?" cried Roy.

"Yes, sir, and as wet as wet," came up in answer.

"Fall in, then, and quick march for the sally-port," cried Roy; and the men tramped round by the north-west tower, along beneath the western rampart, turned the southern corner, and were admitted by the little sally-port beside the portcullis, where, bedraggled as they were, they received a tremendous hand-shaking and a roar of cheers.

In half an hour the missing men were in dry clothes, ready to recount their adventures. The enemy had retired to a distance to continue their night patrol of the place; while the men upon the ramparts were reduced to the regular watch, and those off duty were being addressed by Ben, who sarcastically lectured them upon what he called their modesty.

"When the captain gives the order to fire," he said, "you're all to pull trigger together, and every man not to let his comrade fire first for good manners."

But here Roy interposed.

"No more to-night, sergeant," he said, firmly. "We are all fresh to our work. But I thank you all for the brave and manly way in which you have shown what you can do. This has been a grand night's work: your ten comrades safely brought in, and the enemy sent to the right-about. The sergeant has been finding fault, but he is as proud of you all as I am.

Come, Martlet, what do you say?"

"Might ha' done better, captain," replied the old fellow, gruffly. "But it warn't so bad. Wait a few days, though, and we'll show you something better than that.--What do you say, lads?"

The answer was a hearty cheer, which was repeated, and was still echoing through the place, when Roy, thrilling still with the excitement of the past hour, made his way towards his mother's room to fully set her mind at rest with his last good news.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

BUT ALL'S WELL.

Lady Royland was surrounded by the trembling women of the household, who, scared by the firing, had sought her to find comfort and relief.

"What! the ten men safely brought in!" she cried, as her son hastened to tell his tidings. "And no one hurt?"

"No one on our side, mother," said Roy, meaningly; "I cannot answer for those across the moat."

"Our ten poor fellows here in safety," cried Lady Royland, once again.

"Oh, Roy, my boy, this is good news indeed! But you must be faint and exhausted. Come in the dining-room. I have something ready for you.-- There, you have nothing to fear now," she said, addressing the women; "but one of you had better go and tell Master Pawson that we are ready to sup."

The women went out, some of them still trembling and hysterical, and all white and scared of aspect.

As soon as the door was closed, Lady Royland caught her son's hand.

"Eight of us women," she said, with a forced laugh: "eight, and of no use whatever; only ready to huddle together like so many sheep scared by some little dog; when, if we were men, we could be of so much help.

There, come along; you look quite white. You are doing too much. For my sake, take care."

Roy nodded and smiled, and followed his mother into the dining-room, where with loving care she had prepared everything for him, and made it attractive and tempting, so that it should be a relief to the harsh realities of the warlike preparations with which the boy was now mixed up.

"You must eat a good supper, Roy, and then go and have a long night's rest."

"Impossible, mother," he said, faintly; "must go and visit the men's posts from time to time."

"No," said Lady Royland, firmly, as she unbuckled her son's sword-belt, and laid it and the heavy weapon upon a couch.

There was a tap at the door directly after, and one of the maids came back.

"If you please, my lady, I've been knocking ever so long at Master Pawson's door, and he doesn't answer. We think he has gone to bed."

"Surely not. He must be in the upper chamber arranging about the things being removed."

"No, my lady; that was all done a long time ago. It was finished before the fighting began, for he wouldn't have nothing but his bed and washstand brought down. The men had to take most of the other things right down in the black cellar place underneath, so as to clear the chamber."

"But did you ask the men on guard if they had seen him?"

"Yes, my lady; they say he shut himself up in his room."

"That will do. Never mind," said Lady Royland, dismissing the maid.--"Now, Roy, I am going to keep you company, and--oh, my boy! what is it? Ah! You are hurt!"