The Young Castellan: A Tale of the English Civil War

  CHAPTER TWELVE.

  GUNS AND NO POWDER?

  Very little more was done with the men that day, for, in spite of Roy'sspirited behaviour, he felt afterwards that Master Pawson had cast adamp upon the proceedings. Still, he knew that something must be doneto counteract that sneering smile distributed among the men by thetutor; and upon his return to the rank he walked to and fro, andexpressed his satisfaction at the promptitude they had displayed, and,after ordering them to assemble at nine the next morning, he dismissedthem. For the messenger had returned with the village carpenter, whotook one of the old capstan-bars for a pattern, and undertook to havehalf a dozen new ones of the strongest oak made by the next morning.

  Then there was the greasing of the drawbridge chains and rollers to seeto, and, when this was successfully done, Roy found to his satisfactionthat the men could raise or lower it with, if not ease, at all eventswithout much difficulty.

  To the boy's great delight, he found that the three troopers droppedinto their places in the most easy manner, obeying his every order withalacrity and displaying all the readiness of well-drilled men. Theybegan by assisting at once with the cleaning and easing of thedrawbridge chains, one of them, after stripping off his coat, gorget,and cap, climbing the supports to apply the lubricant to the rollersfrom outside, where they needed it most; and when, that evening, Bensuggested that one of the guns standing in the pleasaunce should beexamined, they made the servants stare by the deft way in which theyhelped him to handle the ponderous mass of metal, hitching on ropes anddragging it out from where it had lain half-covered with ivy to where itwas now planted, so that it could be made to sweep the road-wayapproaching the bridge; the other one in the garden being afterwardstreated in the same way.

  "Well, yes, sir, they're pretty heavy," said the corporal, in answer toa compliment passed by Roy upon the ease with which the work had beendone; "but it isn't all strength that does it. It's knack--the way ofhandling a thing and all putting your muscle into it together."

  "Ay, that's it," said Ben. "That's what you see in a good charge. Ifit's delivered in a scattering sort o' way it may do good, but thechance is it won't. But if the men ride on shoulder to shoulder andknee to knee, and then give point altogether--"

  "Yes, as Sir Granby Royland's regiment can," said the corporal, proudly.

  "Ay, and always did," cried Ben, excitedly. "It takes something tostand against 'em."

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

  "Now, about these guns, sergeant?" he said.

  Ben's eyes twinkled as his rank was mentioned, and he gave his youngmaster a grateful look.

  "Well, sir," he said, "they've been fast asleep in that garden all theseyears, with enough ivy over 'em to keep 'em warm in winter and the sunoff 'em in summer; but, now they've been woke up, I believe they'll barkas loudly and bite as well as any dogs of their size. If they'd beencast iron, I should have been for putting a very light charge in 'em andstanding a good way off when they were fired, but, seeing as they'reregular good brass guns and not a bit worn, all they want is a goodcleaning up, and then they'll be fit to do their work like--like--well,sir, like guns. What do you say, corporal?"

  "I say they're a fine and sound pair o' guns, sergeant, as'll do theirwork. We should like a night's rest first, but in the morning my twolads and me will give 'em a good scour up, and you won't know 'emagain."

  "Right! If the captain says yes, you shall; but I want to be with you--I'm armourer here."

  "Oh, of course, sergeant," said the trooper. "Don't you think we wantto take your place."

  "I don't, my lad," said the old soldier, warmly; "and I'm only too gladto have three comrades out of the reg'lars to stand by me and help me tolick the recruits into shape."

  "Thank ye, sergeant," said the man. "We four can soon do that. They'rethe right stuff, and only want a bit o' training." Then, turning andsaluting Roy respectfully, he went on: "Sir Granby give us all atalking-to, sir, and said he'd picked us out because we--I meant'others--was the handiest fellows he knew in the regiment, and he hopedwe'd do our best to get things in a good state of defence. And, ofcourse, sir, we shall."

  The great, manly fellow spoke with a simple modesty that made Ben's eyessparkle, and he nodded his head and remained silent when the man hadended, but gave vent to his satisfaction by bringing his hand downheavily upon the trooper's shoulder.

  "We'll see to the other guns now then," said Roy.

  "Yes, sir," said Ben, promptly. "Forward there to the sou'-east tower."

  The three men marched off at once in the direction pointed out, and Benstopped back for a moment or two to whisper to Roy, in a quick, vexedmanner--

  "Don't go on saying we'll do this next, or we'll do that next, sir, asif you was asking a favour of us. You're captain and castellan, as theycalls him. You're governor and everything, and you've got to order usto do things sharp, short, and strong."

  "But I don't want to bully you all, Ben," cried Roy.

  "Nobody wants you to, sir. You can't be bullying a man when you'reordering him sharply to do what's right. Of course, if you ask us inyour civil way to do a thing, we shall do it, but it aren't correct."

  "I'll try differently, Ben."

  "Sergeant, sir!"

  "Ser-_geant_," said Roy. "But it's all so new yet, I can't quiterealise it. And, of course, I'm so young to be ordering big men about."

  "You've the right to do it, sir, and that's everything. Now, justsuppose the enemy was in front playing up ruination and destruction, andyour father was going to charge 'em with his regiment of tough dragoons,do you think he'd say, `Now, my men, I want you to--or I'd like you toattack those rapscallions yonder'? Not he. He'd just say a word to thetrumpeter, there'd be a note or two blown, and away we'd go at a walk;another blast, and we should trot; then another, and away we should beat 'em like a whirlwind, and scatter 'em like leaves. You must learn toorder us, sir, sharply. Mind, sir, it's _must_!"

  "Very well," said Roy.

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

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

  "Ck!"

  It was an unspeakable ejaculation which came from the old soldier'sthroat as he turned sharply and marched off to the men, chuckling tohimself and shaking his shoulders as he went.

  "He'll do," he muttered; and then aloud, "Up with you, my lads!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 
"Well, how do they look?" Roy asked.

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

  "If--yes; fire them both," said Roy; and then he felt astonished at thefact that what he had imagined in mischief was really to be carried out.

  "Next order, sir?" said Ben, gazing in his captain's face.

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

  "Yes, sir. What's to be done with the two as was slung down when MasterPawson's rooms was furnished?"

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

  Ben gave his leg a slap and looked his satisfaction.

  "Wouldn't like the two big guns hoisted over the gate-way, sir, Is'pose?"

  "No, certainly not," cried Roy; "they will be of more value to sweep theapproach of the castle. I'll have them kept there. Plenty of room tofire on each side of the drawbridge if it's up, and the muzzles wouldrun through the square openings in the portcullis."

  Old Ben stared at him round eyed, and shook his head; then he chuckledsoftly, and, muttering to himself his former words, "He'll do," he ledthe men to the south-west tower, upon whose platform three brass gunswere mounted, and then to the north-east, where there were three more.

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

  "I've been thinking, sir, that perhaps it would be best to fire the bigguns under the gate-way to-night."

  "Why?" asked Roy.

  "Because we know their carriages are right, and I'm a bit doubtful aboutthose upon the tower."

  "Very well; try the powder in those."

  "Yes, I hope I shall," said Ben; "but I'm a bit scared, sir."

  "What! about the danger of opening the keg?"

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

  "Not powder after all!" cried Roy in astonishment, as his active mindbegan to question what liquor it could be there that was stored up socarefully as if it were a treasure indeed.

  "I'm afraid it won't be, sir--very much afraid."

  "Then what do you think it is?"

  "Solid blocks o' stony stuff, sir, I should say."

  "But they don't put stony stuff in kegs like these."

  "No, sir, powder; but perhaps it has got damp with time and hardened soas it won't be of any use."

  "Not if it's dried and ground up again."

  "Don't know, sir; can't say; but we'll soon see." There was nohesitation shown. Ben tapped the two top hoops a little, and they soongrew loose and were worked up the staves; the top one withdrawn, and thenext brought up into its place, having the wooden disc which formed thehead free to be lifted out.

  "I thought so, sir," said Ben with a sigh, as he looked in. "Just solidblack, and nothing else."

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

  "Oh, this is bad luck, sir! horribly bad luck!" groaned Ben. "We shallhave to get some powder from somewhere, Plymouth or--yes, Bristol's themost likely place."

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

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

  "Just the same, sir, just the same."

  "Look here, Ben! I'll have one of these blocks chopped up, and thenground up fine, and we'll try it with a musket."

  "Good, sir! that's the right thing to do; but after being wet once, I'mafraid it'll fizz off now like a firework."

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

  "If I might ask your pardon, captain, axes aren't the proper thing tobreak up a block of gunpowder. I should say a beetle or a mall was thething."

  "Well, get a mallet, then," said Roy; and the old man went to his toolsused for repairing the armour, carpentering, or any other odd jobs, andbrought out a mallet, with which he was about to strike a tremendousblow in the middle of the block, when Roy checked him.

  "No, no!" he cried; "give it to me. I'll knock a piece off the topedge."

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

  "Hurrah!" shouted Ben, excitedly; "they're all right, sir. Just formeda cake outside, and the inside's all safe and good. Twelve good brassguns, and plenty of powder. We're ready for all the enemies the kinghas got in this part of the world. Now we'll see for a couple ofcartridges for the guns."

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

  "Powder's powder, sir; so one has to take care," he said. "Now for atouch port-fire, and we'll try what sort of stuff it is."

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

  "Now I think we're ready, sir," he said, and they went out to where themen were waiting, and prepared to load the two guns under the gatetower.

  "These are only makeshifts," said Ben, apologetically, as he indicatedhis rough cartridges; "but they'll do to clear out the guns," and he setthem down in the door-way leading into the old guard-room.

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

  "Ah!" said Ben, solemnly, "them tomtits have had the guns all tothemselves for a fine time. I shall have to make some tompions to keepthem out."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  "Well, I almost think I do, mother," replied the boy.

  "Then you have come to meet him?"

  "No," said the boy; "I didn't know he had sent. I came to warn you notto be alarmed, for we are just going to fire."

  _Boom_!

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

  "Oh, my boy, what has happened?" cried Lady Royland, starting from herchair, clapping her hands to her ears, and then sinking back palpitatingin the nearest chair. "Run and see; something terrible must haveoccurred."

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

  "What have you done, Ben?" cried the boy.

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

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

  "You did it on purpose," he cried; "and it's a mercy it did not killme."

  "Then you are not killed?" said Roy, dryly.

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

  "Ay, it were, Master Roy!" whispered Ben, turning upon him. "I thoughtyou'd ha' had heart enough to ha' stood by us."

  "What do you mean?" cried Roy, rising angrily.

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

  "I don't understand you; nor you neither, Master Pawson."

  "It's disgraceful; and Lady Royland shall put a stop to such monkeytricks."

  "Powder-monkey tricks," growled Ben.

  "Why, you don't think I fired that gun on purpose, sir?"

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

  "But I wasn't here!"

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

  "I did not, sir; for I was not there."

  "Ay, that's true enough, sir," said Ben, bitterly; "he warn't here."

  "I don't believe it," cried Master Pawson, angrily, and his voicesounded like that of some angry woman. "It was a trick; and all thisnonsense shall be put a stop to."

  "You can believe it or not, sir," said Roy, growing calmer as thesecretary waxed more angry.

  "I shall speak to Lady Royland at once."

  "Do, sir. She is waiting to see you; she was telling me so when the gunwent off."

  "Gun went off! And what business has a gun to go off here in thisplace?" cried the secretary, as he stood, now feeling himself all overand brushing the dust from off his velvet coat.

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

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

  "Bad plan to stand nigh the muzzle of a big gun when she's going to befired," growled Ben, in a sententious voice, and the secretary turnedupon him sharply.

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

  "Nay, sir; that I'll say you didn't," growled Ben.

  "But I say I did, sir, with a fierce rush."

  "One of the tomtits' eggs, perhaps, sergeant," said Roy, dryly. "I knowI caught sight of one or two when the nest was rammed in."

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

  "Was that meant as an insult, Master Roy?" he said, turning towards himand speaking slowly, with his eyes half shut and an unpleasant, sneeringsmile upon his lips.

  "No, sir; as a joke," replied Roy, gravely.

  "I thank you; but keep your jokes for the servants; try them upon themenials. Recollect that I am a gentleman, placed in authority over youby Sir Granby Royland as tutor and master, and, as I am in authorityover you, I am in authority over all here. Have the goodness torecollect that."

  He turned upon his heel and walked away, with the back of his doubletcovered with scraps of hay from the tomtits' nest, and Roy's firstinclination was to run after him to begin brushing him down.

  "But he'll only think I want to insult him again," said the boy tohimself. "I wish I hadn't said anything about the tomtits' eggs,though."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  "There," he said; "I hope Master Pawson won't come back and befrightened by this one."

  He had hardly uttered the words when the secretary reappeared.

  "Where are all the servants?" he cried, angrily. "I want some one tocome and brush my clothes."

  "Stand aside!" shouted Ben. "She'll run right back."

  But the secretary did not understand what was meant, and turnedhaughtily upon the speaker, totally unconscious of the fact that he wasexactly behind the breech of the piece, whose recoil might have producedfatal r
esults.

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

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

  "Guns is guns, and always was," said Ben, very grimly; "and them as hasto do with 'em wants to know all their little ways. I have know'd aman's arm took off by the recoil, and, if you don't take care, theirbreeches is as dangerous to them as fires 'em as is their muzzles."

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

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

  "Bit rusty, I s'pose, sir," said Ben, quietly.

  "I am afraid so, Ben," was the reply. "But I don't think there's muchdoubt about the powder."

  "Doubt, sir; why, it's stronger than they makes now, or else it has gotriper and better for keeping. We're all right there."

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

  "Ay, sir, a brass gun can ring as well as roar; but you won't mind itafter a few times."

  "I don't feel to mind it now," said Roy, coolly.

  "Not you, sir," whispered the old fellow. "And I beg your pardon,Master Roy, and you've done me, and yourself too, a lot of good. Itwould ha' been horrid for the men to think you was scared. I neverthought of frightening my lady with the row. Tell the lads to spongethe guns out with a bit o' rag, and then we'll run 'em back to theirplaces again."

  Roy gave the order, and then had the sentry changed at the gate, afterwhich there was another duty to have performed,--that of raising thedrawbridge.

  "No fear of any one forgetting and walking into the moat at night, isthere, Ben?"

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

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

  "Come, sir, that's safe. You won't set sentries to-night?"

  "No, of course not," said Roy; "that will be unnecessary till there isnews of some enemy being near."