CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
BEN MARTLET IS VERY FULL OF DOUBTS.
That day matters remained unchanged, save that only about a fourth ofthe enemy were visible, there being mounted men stationed at intervalsupon the higher portions of the country round the castle, where theycould command a view of all the approaches; but towards evening thesemen were relieved, and strong bodies appeared, but not for purposes ofattack, merely to draw in and take up stations at closer distancesbefore recommencing what Ben called "padrolling." Meanwhile, drillingwent on busily, and the arrangements were advanced for the properservice of the guns.
A quiet, uninterrupted night succeeded, Roy having arranged with Ben todivide the post-visiting with him and the corporal, who was now lookedupon as the third officer in command.
Roy saw but little of Master Pawson that evening. The secretary hadbeen very busy about the place all the day, and, making the excuse ofweariness 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, andrapidly approached a condition in which they would be able to give agood account of themselves before the enemy.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, it was evident that a change wastaking 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 secretaryfollowed, and was the first to point out that behind the regiment ofinfantry, horses were visible--led horses; and no one was surprised,when the infantry opened out a little, to see that four heavy guns werebeing laboriously dragged along the rough country lane, a road-way illfitted to bear the pressure of the wheels with their burden.
"They mean business now," said Roy, who felt as if something wascompressing his heart.
"Oy, sir," said Ben, coolly; "they'll knock up an earthwork beforemorning, 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 beheavy enough to hurt the tower and walls more than to send chips ofstone flying."
"What about the drawbridge, Ben?"
"Oh, they can't hurt that, sir, because you'll give orders to lower thatdown 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 bridgeand portcullis would be, long before they could get up to 'em. Is'pose, sir, you'll make sure that old Jenks doesn't go across to hisgate-house."
"Of course."
"And I s'pose, sir, you'll have the two big guns hoisted up on to thegreat tower now: we could easily dismount 'em and do that. They'll behandier up there now, and very awkward for them as works the guns intheir earthwork."
"Yes, I shall order that to be done at once," said Roy, with a comicallook at his Mentor--one which Ben refused to see.
"And then, sir," he continued, "there's that there earthwork as'll stophalf the shot they send in through the gate-way, and send a lot of 'emflying right up over the towers."
"What earthwork?"
"Well, sir, that one as you're going to start as soon as it's gettingdark. 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 adeep 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 ina 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 justplump in there and stop; and so much the better for Royland Towers."
As they watched attentively, they found that the horses were halted, andthe guns drawn right in front of the castle gate, but at the distance ofquite half a mile. There the men seemed to be bivouacking; and thesmoke of several fires rose slowly in the air.
No more time was lost: the gunners were summoned, ropes got ready, someheavy 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 wasfitted up; and after the guns had been dismounted, the carriages werehoisted and placed in position behind the embrasures.
The heavier task was to come; but Ben and the three troopers seemed tomaster every difficulty, carefully securing the guns with ingeniousknots 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 fromthe ground, it seemed to Roy as if the strands must give way, and heordered 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 thebattlements, when there was a clever bit of management with a big woodenbar or two handled by the troopers on the roof, and the first gun waseasily dropped right upon its carriage.
"One," said Roy, with a sigh of relief, for he was in constant dread ofan accident.
"Ay, sir; and it will be two directly; and I wish it was three for theenemy's sake."
The second gun was hoisted, and mounted rapidly, thanks to the trainedskill of the four regular soldiers; while the men from the mill whohelped looked on with profound admiration, though they were prettyclever at moving stones.
Discipline was relaxed over this manual labour, with the consequencethat Sam Donny's tongue began to run rather freely, a certain intimacyhaving existed in the past between Roy and the miller's man connectedwith the demand and supply of meal-worms for catching and feedingnightingales, 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 uschaps, Captain Roy. We'm as strong as them, but they've got a way ahandling they brass guns as seems to come nat'ral to 'em like. But ifthey'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 handleguns as well as you handle sacks of flour."
"We will, master--I mean cap'n. I should just like me and my mates tohave 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 necessaryammunition and re-arranging the top platform they had to prepare for theguns; and just at dusk, after the sentinels had been doubled, a strongparty stood in the gate-way, armed with shovel and pick, waiting for thebridge 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 theworkers, and hand them weapons for their defence, if, perchance, theywere seen by the enemy, and an attempt made to rush in.
But no sign was given to warn the parliamentarians, and Roy and thesecretary stood on the platform of the great gate-way, watching theenemy, 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 rapidlymarked out with pegs, and then an order seemed to be given, for theparty began at once to dig and throw up a breastwork, evidently for theshelter of their guns.
Master Pawson watched everything eagerly, and kept on pointing out whatwas going on, while Roy leaned upon one of the guns, saying, "I've beenwondering whether these guns will carry as far as that work they aremaking--I mean so as to hit ha
rd."
"They think they will not," said the secretary, "and have placed theirbattery 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 Ijudge from seeing them make their battery there."
"Oh, I see," said Roy, quietly. And he thought no more of the remarkjust then. He waited till the figures of the men digging grew more andmore indistinct, and then quite invisible from where they stood; and hewas 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 ofthe wood-house."
"Then we'll start at once," said Roy; "but I'll have these guns mannedat 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 commandingofficer's orders 'fore any one else. But--"
"Now don't talk nonsense, Ben," said Roy, warmly. "There's no one herebut Master Pawson, who is as anxious about preserving the place as weare."
"Indeed, I am," said the secretary, earnestly.
"So don't let's have any of that silly ceremony. I wish you wouldn'tpretend to believe I was so conceited."
"I don't, captain," said Ben, abruptly; "only want you to see whenyou're wrong."
"Then speak out at once. Now then; you don't think it worth while toman these guns now?"
"No, sir. If they hear us at work, and attack, we've got to retreatover the bridge fast as we can, and get it hoisted. Say you've gotthese guns manned and loaded, a shot or two might check the attackingparty; but how in the dark are we to know when it is best to fire? Howare we to take aim? And what's to prevent our hitting friends insteadof enemies."
"Fire high, over their heads."
"That's wasting two good charges for the sake of making a noise. Idon'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 itsounds 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 ofnothing but dressing up as a soldier, and wanting to have my own wayover matters where I'm wrong. Come along, down."
Roy led the way down through the corner turret, Master Pawson followingand Ben coming last; while, as they wound round the narrow spiral, thesecretary 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 tohimself:
"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 youare 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 whatthat's easy, for you aren't none at all."
By this time they were down in the gate-way once more, where theportcullis was raised as silently as possible in the darkness, thebridge lowered, and the heavily laden working-party, followed by theirguard marched slowly and silently out; a second strong guard was postedat the far end of the bridge to cover the retreat if one should have tobe made--these last being under the command of the corporal; and MasterPawson 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 thedarkness in the direction of the enemy. Then feeling how commanding aposition the latter had in the possession of their horsemen to act asscouts, and who might approach very near unseen, and discover the plansof the night, Roy gave orders for the guard at the end of the bridge toadvance two men, to station them as sentries at equal distances, to keepin touch with the working-party.
"Fiddler's right," growled Ben, to himself. "He will make a splendidofficer one of these days."
The next minute the work was silently begun, the guard being thrown outin a half-moon formation in front of the outer gate-way which coveredthe bridge.
Ben's plans were very simple. He had the heaviest beams they hadbrought stretched across the gate-way, as high as they could reachoverhead, and propped against the masonry on either side with shorterbeams; then poles, planks, and fagots were stretched in a slope from theground to the crossing timbers, so as to make a scarp; and, as soon asthis was done, shovel and pick were set to work to dig a deep wideditch, the earth from which was thrown up over the wood; while men oneither side filled baskets and carried their loads to pile upon theslope as well.
It was roughly done work, but every shovelful added to the strength ofthe bank, which rapidly grew in thickness as the hours glided on, theworkers being relieved from time to time to do duty as guards, while theguard took their turn at shovelling and filling.
There was no halting, the men having refreshments served out to them byRoy's forethought as they were relieved; and so the work went on tilltowards dawn, when a couple of men were strengthening the bank frombehind with short pieces of wood wedged up against the crossbeams, asthe weight of the earth began to make them bend.
"You'll have to set a party to work by daylight, filling up on thisside, Master Roy," said Ben, quietly. "If we heap up earth and turfhere, it will be the best support, and a regular trap for all theirballs."
"I begin to fear that as soon as they begin to fire they will batter itall 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'swanted, sir--stop the shot from hitting the bridge-chains and smashingthrough the grating. Hello! what's that?"
_That_ was a challenge, followed by a shot, and the rush of feet as thesentries thrown out ran back. This was followed by the trampling ofhoofs, and the shouting of orders, as a small body of horse made a dashat the working-party, sweeping by the gate, but only to be received by ascattered volley as they were dimly seen riding out of the blackdarkness and disappearing again. But not without coming to the closestof close quarters, for there was the clashing noise of swords strikingagainst steel, and, in the brief time occupied by their passing, blowswere returned amidst angry shouting, and several dull thuds told thatthe blows had taken effect on horse or man.
It was merely the work of moments, the charge having been delivered fromthe left by a party of mounted men who had evidently been reconnoitringalong by the edge of the moat, and came up at a slow walk unheard by thesentries 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 wasarguing with himself as to whether it would not be as well to work ontill 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 forquite forty yards before they came upon the man lying prone upon theearth.
"Why, Sam!" cried Roy; "are you hurt?"
"Well, it's only a scratch, sir; but it do hurt, and it's a-bleedinglike hooroar. One on 'em chopped at me with his sword. I'd only got apick, you see; but I hit at him with that, and somehow it got stuck, andI was dragged ever so far before I had to let go. He's got the pick inhis big saddle, I think. But I'll pay for it, sir, or get you a newone."
"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'llknow 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 makinghis task easier; and, summoning help, a
rough litter was formed of aplank, and the wounded man rapidly carried in over the bridge.
That brought the defensive operations to an end, for Roy withdrew hismen into the castle, and the daylight showed their rough work, whichpretty well secured the gate-way; but it also displayed the work of theenemy, who had constructed a well-shaped earthwork, out of whoseembrasures peered a couple of big guns.
The rapidly increasing light, too, showed something more, for about acouple of hundred yards from the outworks, a horse, saddled and bridled,lay upon its side, quite dead; for the terrible stroke the miller's manhad delivered with his pickaxe had struck into the horse's spine.