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diff --git a/42689-0.txt b/42689-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c8612df --- /dev/null +++ b/42689-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6969 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42689 *** + +THE YOUNG CAVALIER + +[Frontispiece: _The next instant a pair of hands grasped the gunwale, +and the dripping head of a man appeared over the side._] + +THE +YOUNG CAVALIER + +A STORY OF THE CIVIL WARS + +BY +PERCY F. WESTERMAN +Author of "'Midst Arctic Perils," "Clinton's Quest" +"The Nameless Island," "The Young Cavalier" +"The Treasure of the Sacred Lake," etc. + +ILLUSTRATED BY GORDON BROWNE, R.I. + +London +C. Arthur Pearson Ltd. +Henrietta Street + +PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY +MORRISON AND GIBB LTD., LONDON AND EDINBURGH + + CONTENTS + CHAPTER + I. THE OUTBREAK OF CIVIL WAR + II. COLONEL NICHOLAS FIRESTONE + III. FRIEND OR FOE? + IV. THROUGH THE REBEL LINES + V. CONVOYING THE TREASURE + VI. EDGEHILL + VII. FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH + VIII. OUR ADVENTURE IN LOSTWITHIEL CHURCH + IX. MY MEETING WITH AN OLD FOE + X. ON BOARD THE "EMMA FARLEIGH" + XI. THE "HAPPY ADVENTURE" + XII. THE POWDER MINE + XIII. THE SIEGE OF ASHLEY CASTLE + XIV. SPIKING THE GUNS + XV. THE SECRET PASSAGE + XVI. WITHOUT THE WALLS OF CARISBROOKE + XVII. EXILED + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + The next instant a pair of hands grasped the gunwale, and the + dripping head of a man appeared over the side (Frontispiece) + + "I sprang into the sea" + + Colonel Firestone flung his arms about the man's waist, and + dragged him out of his saddle + + There was a yell of terror, and the robbers made a frantic effort + to rein in their steeds + + Seized by the arms and legs, the terrified rogue was hurled into + the river + + With undiminished speed the horse shot into space + + The darting rays fell on my face, and with a stifled cry of + terror the soldier turned to flee + + Ralph Granville and the pikeman were locked in an unyielding + embrace, and, before I could prevent the catastrophe, + Ralph was dragged through the embrasure and disappeared + +THE YOUNG CAVALIER + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE OUTBREAK OF CIVIL WAR + + +WELL shall I ever remember the last day of August in the year of +grace 1642. The shadow of war, and civil war to boot, lay heavily +over the length and breadth of the kingdom, and the usually peaceful +Isle of Wight was no exception to the rule. + +It was owing to this fact that I, Humphrey Markham, was compelled to +remain at school during the holidays instead of spending them, as was +my wont, at my father's castle of Ashley, which lies betwixt the +borders of Hamptonshire and Sussex, hard by the town of Petersfield. + +The call of duty had obliged my father to travel northward to attend +on the King's person, so that, much to my disappointment, I was +compelled to forego one of my twice-yearly visits to my home. + +Yet, fortunately for me, I was not alone in my "exile," as I was +tempted to call it. My closest companion, Ralph Granville, a nephew +of the staunch Royalist, Sir Bevil Granville, of the Duchy of +Cornwall, also remained at school for similar reasons, as did a score +or more of other scholars, and, thanks to the kindness of the +dominie, we were permitted a considerable amount of freedom, the only +condition being that we should be within gates every night ere +sundown. + +On that fateful day, Granville and I had left Newport early in the +morning, and had wandered far over the country towards the frowning +heights of St. Catherine's Down, and already the afternoon had far +advanced ere we gained the summit of Pan Down, a lofty ridge of chalk +that overlooks the capital of the Isle of Wight on its southern side. + +Before us lay the town of Newport, the golden rays of the setting sun +falling athwart the yellow sandstone of the tower of St. Thomas' +Church, and the red-tiled roofs that clustered densely around the +dominating edifice. Beyond we could trace the narrow, thread-like +estuary of the Medina, as it carved its way between the low hills to +join the blue waters of the Solent; while, on the far side, we could +see the dim outlines of the Hamptonshire coast, separated by the +broad expanse of Southampton Water, the tree-clad masses of the New +Forest contrasting vividly with the eastern portion of the bare ridge +of Portsdown. + +Away on our left rose the stern, grey outlines of Carisbrooke Castle, +the Royal banner hanging limply in the still air from the flagstaff +on the summit of the keep. + +"Dost think these rebellious knaves will fight?" asked Ralph. + +"Fight? Nay," I replied. "A slight bickering here and there, and all +signs of defiance to His Majesty will be stamped out with a heavy +hand." + +"I don't know about that. Some of the adherents of the Parliament +seem to be made of stern stuff. For my part, I think there will be +fighting, and much of it." + +"And what of it? The King has but to raise his hand, and loyal +gentlemen from all parts of the kingdom will flock to his banner, +even as my father has already done." + +"What will you do if war breaks out?" + +"Do? Why, make my way over to Hamptonshire find out where my father +is, and join him." + +"But, Humphrey, you are only fifteen! What can a lad of fifteen do?" + +"A lot when he makes up his mind," I replied, stoutly. "Besides, I am +as tall and as strong as many a lad of nineteen." + +"Be that as it may, we must look to the present," rejoined Granville. +"'Tis nearly sunset, and, if we want to ramble afield to-morrow, it +behoves us to hurry back to-night, for the dominie will surely forbid +us leave if we are late in returning. Ah! What's that?" + +We were already stepping briskly down the grassy slope, when a dull +booming reached our ears. Instinctively we paused, and, looking in +the direction of the sound, which continued without intermission, we +saw a thick, white cloud of smoke rising in the direction of +Portsmouth. + +"A salute!" exclaimed Granville. + +"A salute, forsooth!" I replied, contemptuously. "'Tis an irregular +discharge of ordnance. Mark my word, they have come to hand-grips! +But 'tis no good purpose to tarry here; possibly, in the town we'll +hear tidings." + +So saying, we resumed our rapid pace, and, gaining the level road at +the foot of the down, we made for Shide, which lay betwixt us and +Newport. + +Hardly had we reached the outskirts of the little village, when the +noise of an approaching cavalcade caused us to stop and look behind +us. + +Riding furiously, with loose rein, came a score or so of horsemen, +richly dressed, and armed with swords and pistols, their curls +floating behind them in disorder. + +Next came a lumbering chariot, drawn by six horses with outriders, +and within it we had a momentary glimpse of a lady, stern-faced, yet +handsome withal. + +The carriage was immediately followed by a number of bronzed and +bearded soldiers, accoutred with breastplates, steel helmets, leather +breeches, and jack boots, each man carrying a musquetoon on his hip, +a pair of pistols in his holsters, and a stout broadsword hanging +from a cross-belt of buff leather, which was counterbalanced by a +fully charged bandolier. + +We had barely time to flatten ourselves against the chalk bank at the +side of the road before the troop had passed us, leaving a thick +cloud of white dust, which hung motionless in the still air for +several minutes after they had disappeared along the road leading to +the castle of Carisbrooke. + +Wondering what might be the meaning of this swiftly moving cavalcade, +we resumed our steps towards the town of Newport; but hardly had we +come within sight of the market-place when we perceived, by the great +concourse of townsfolk present, that something untoward was taking +place. + +At this all thoughts of gaining the school gates before sunset +vanished out of our heads, and, by dint of pushing and edging between +the tightly packed masses of people, we succeeded in working our way +to the forefront of the crowd. + +Standing on a flight of stone steps outside a half-timbered house was +a tall, lean, ill-conditioned man, dressed in a sombre garb of +russet, set off only by a plain white linen collar and a buff +sword-belt, while his thin, pale face, disfigured by a wide, +thin-lipped mouth, long nose, and small black ferrety eyes, was +surmounted by a steeple-crowned hat, which, resting on a pair of +huge, projecting ears, almost concealed his close-cropped hair. + +"'Tis the mayor," whispered Ralph. "Hark! He talks rank sedition." + +"And will ye, my friends," exclaimed this worthy magistrate in a +thin, piping voice, "allow this man, Charles, to ride rough-shod over +your heads? Or will ye join with the people of England in putting +down this sink of iniquity in our midst? What of our ancient rights +and privileges--have they not been trodden in the dust and our +birthright sold by this son of Belial for a mess of pottage? Up! up! +I say, and join in the undoing of the tyrant. Where is this man +Charles? He hath fled--fled from the City of London, and no man +knoweth whither! News hath arrived that the trainbands have sided +with the Parliament, the seaports have declared for liberty and +freedom, and even now George Goring holds Portsmouth against the----" + +"Nay, Master Mayor," shouted a bull-lunged spectator. "Therein thou +art wrong. Goring hath declared for His Majesty King Charles, whom +God preserve; and even now thy foul rabble yap round the gates of +that town, afraid to venture therein!" + +Cheers and groans greeted this announcement, and for the moment the +traitorous mayor was taken aback. + +"How know you that this be true, Master Rich?" he asked suspiciously. + +"Considering I came hither but this morning, I am well prepared to +abide by what I have said," replied the interrupter boldly. "And I +tell thee, Mr. Mayor, what thou hast said shall be duly recorded +against thee, and within a week thy head will grace the tower of St. +Thomas." + +Upon this there was a considerable tumult, some siding with the +Royalist, though the majority upheld the mayor, till above the noise +came a hoarse, authoritative voice shouting: + +"Way! Way! I ride on affairs of State!" + +The crowd gave way right and left, and, urging a restive horse +through the press, a mail-clad man rode towards the spot where the +mayor stood. + +The new-comer was a heavy, thick-set man, with a bronzed face, +pointed beard, and an upturned moustache, while his iron-grey hair +was cut close to his massive head. + +He was bareheaded, his steel cap hanging from his saddle-bow, and his +buff-coat and breast-plate were flecked with dust, while his steaming +and foam-covered steed showed that he had not spared the spur. + +"The chief magistrate of the town of Newport?" he demanded curtly. + +"I am he, worthy sir," replied the mayor, all bravado having, for the +moment, left him. + +Without speaking, the messenger put on his steel cap, drew his sword, +and saluted the startled mayor; then, returning the weapon to its +scabbard with military smartness, he handed him a sealed packet. + +Tearing the seals, the mayor read the contents of the letter in +silence, and then looked at the messenger as if undecided as to his +reply. + +"Read! Read it aloud!" shouted the crowd, and, his courage slowly +returning, the mayor raised his hand for silence, and then began to +deliver the message in an almost inaudible voice. + +"Louder! Louder!" was the cry and the chief magistrate handed the +letter to the clerk, who stood at his elbow. + +"'His Majesty, having raised his standard at Nottingham, doth hereby +confer upon me authority to take active measures against rebels now +assembled within the Isle of Wight, that lieth within my +jurisdiction. I hereby order and request all loyal and liege subjects +of His Majesty to repair to the castle of Carisbrooke. His Majesty +hath desired it to be known that, should the emergency and the great +necessity to which he is driven beget any violation of law, he hopes +it shall be imputed to the authors of this war, and not to him, who +hath so earnestly laboured to preserve the peace of the kingdom. +--Signed, Portland, Governor of the Wight.'" + +A confused babel of cheers, shouts, and groans greeted the governor's +message, and the mayor, noting that hostile demonstrations held the +uppermost hand, spoke up: + +"You see, my friends, the perjurers of our liberty would have the +blame placed upon the Commons and the people of England. This is an +infamous lie." + +Then, turning to the messenger: + +"Tell His Grace of Portland that the townsfolk of Newport are +prepared to repair to Carisbrooke--but to wrest the castle from the +hands of the malignants." + +"Crop-eared hound!" exclaimed the messenger, whipping out his sword. +"Had I not been enjoined to deliver the message to the mayors of +Newtown and Yarmouth ere midnight, I would right willingly give my +life's blood to hew that head from off thy shoulders," and, drawing +his horse almost on its haunches, the Royalist wheeled, and rode +defiantly through the crowd, with head erect and drawn sword, none +offering to bar his passage. + +"Up, and smite the sons of Belial!" was the cry, and the more +timorous of the townsfolk began to make for their homes. + +"Yea, up and smite them, hip and thigh!" exclaimed the mayor. "News +has this moment reached my ears that the wife of this malignant, the +Earl of Portland, has taken refuge in Carisbrooke Castle, and has +vowed to hold it against the Parliament and the people of England. +Repair to your homes, arm yourselves, and assemble in the +market-place within an hour, and I'll warrant that before to-morrow's +sun hath set the castle will be in our hands." + +Rapidly the crowd dispersed, and once more the thought of returning +to school crossed our minds. It was now quite dark. + +"Ralph," I exclaimed resolutely, "I've made up my mind. I'm not going +back to school." + +"Not?" + +"No, I'm going to offer my services to the King. I can use a musket, +push a pike, or wield a sword as well as a good many men." + +"Then I'm with you," replied Granville. "But where shall we go?" + +"Ah, where?" I replied, for that question had not occurred to me. +"Either to the castle, or else make for home; I know my father would +place no obstacles in my way." + +"The castle gates may be already closed," objected Ralph. "And, on the +other hand, how are we to get across to the mainland? How much money +have you?" + +"Two shillings," I exclaimed ruefully. + +"And I have but a crown--hardly enough to pay for a boat to take us +over! Never mind, we'll decide which course to take, and lay our +plans accordingly. A spin of the coin will decide--heads, +Carisbrooke; tails, Ashley." + +The coin flashed dully, and, peering at in the darkness, we found +that His Majesty's effigy had fallen head downwards. "Home it is, +Ralph!" I exclaimed. "Then how do you propose to journey there?" + +"Thus, I mean to take a boat from the quay. Didst notice that +evil-looking villain close to your elbow, who did continually applaud +that arrant traitor, the mayor?" + +"Ay, 'twas Cripps, the boatman." + +"The same; though I wot not that you knew him. As he sides with the +enemy, for such they be now, since the King has raised his standard, +it matters not what we take of his, for I'll warrant he'll not +hesitate to help himself, should the castle be taken and sacked. +Therefore, I propose to take his largest boat, drop down the river, +and cross to the Hamptonshire shore, which we can easily do in a +matter of four or five hours. But, hist! We are still going straight +towards the school, and someone approaches. 'Tis the dominie!" + +In the excitement of discussing our plans we had unconsciously turned +our steps towards St. James' Street, and were already within a few +paces of the Grammar School. Hastily drawing into a low doorway, we +awaited in breathless silence the passing of our master, and it was +with mixed feelings of regret and relief that we saw the dim outlines +of his familiar figure shuffle noiselessly by, though so intent on +some abstruse proposition that, even had we been in the roadway, I +doubt whether he would have observed us. + +Dear old dominie, in spite of all his apparent severities! Little did +I think of the events in store for me ere I saw his stern yet kindly +features once again. + +"Then, concerning arms and provisions," continued Granville. + +"That I have given thought to. There's Sutton, the armourer of +Holyrood Street. He is well acquainted with my father, having served +under him before he set up for himself in the island, and he will +willingly provide us with the proper equipment. Let us hasten +thither, for, if I mistake not, 'twill be a busy night for him." + +A few minutes' walk brought us to the door of the armourer's shop. +Not a light was visible, and the windows were shuttered and heavily +barred. + +I knocked, and, after a little while, finding there was no reply, I +knocked louder. + +"Who's there?" exclaimed a deep voice. "And what d'ye lack?" + +"'Tis I, Humphrey Markham." + +"Lord love you, Master Markham! What brings you here this time o' +night? Wait but a moment, and I'll unbar the door." + +The door was cautiously opened, and, followed by Granville, I +entered. The old armourer, holding a candle lantern, ushered us into +an apartment which comprised both a shop and a living-room, but, +contrary to its usual appearance, the place was practically bare. + +The armourer was a short, broad-shouldered man, with massive, +muscular arms that ill matched a pair of short, thin legs, which, as +if unequal to bear the weight of his body, had assumed a bow-like +appearance; while his round, good-humoured face was partially covered +by a thick crop of raven-black hair, which surrounded a bald and +shiny pate. + +"Ah!" he exclaimed, with a ringing laugh, as he noticed my perplexed +glances at the almost empty room. "Looks a bit different to when you +were here last? Well, Will Sutton can read the signs of the times +pretty clearly, I can assure you. Knowing that the arms would be +taken in the name of the people, I sent them up to the castle +yester-night, and I hold Colonel Brett's receipt for them. Already +the mayor has sent thrice for them, but this time he's too late." + +"We're come here to get some arms, also," I announced. + +"You, Master Markham! What for?" + +"To fight with, I expect. We are on our way to join my father." + +"'Tis grave news," he remarked. "Though you are but young, the King +will require every man fit to bear arms, I trove. Still, I think I +have sufficient to equip both you and your companion." + +"Now, concerning the payment----" + +"Nay, never mind that," he interrupted. "I have little doubt but that +His Grace the Earl of Portland will well repay me for what I have +already delivered; if not, I know too well that your father will +recompense me for any slight service I can do for his son. Come this +way, and we'll see what can be done." + +So saying, he took the lantern and went upstairs, we following. + +From under a bed he, with the aid of our united efforts, dragged out +a heavy box, and, throwing back the lid, disclosed a store of +weapons. + +"Here, Master Markham, is a fine piece of steel," he exclaimed, +handing me a sword in a black scabbard of Spanish leather. "Draw it, +and try its temper." + +An indescribable feeling of pleasure possessed me as I handled the +blade, which, even in the dim candle-light, flashed like a thousand +diamonds. + +"Don't be afraid of it," said the armourer as I cautiously bent the +steel with my hands. "A better piece of steel was never welded. See!" + +And, taking the beautiful weapon from me, he bent the tempered blade +till the point touched the guard, letting it fly back to its natural +position. + +"'Tis just suited to your height and strength, Master Markham, for a +greater mistake cannot be made than to give a man a heavier sword +than he can profitably wield; and, moreover, I pray you, remember it +has a point. I'll show you what I mean." + +So saying, he placed a small cube of oak upon a heavy stool, and, +retaining the light weapon, he gave me a heavy broadsword. + +"Now, young master, mind the beam overhead, and make a shrewd stroke +at that junk of wood." + +Grasping the broadsword, I raised my arm till the point touched the +beam, then, putting all my strength into the blow, I struck at the +wooden block. The next instant the blade had sunk deep into the stool +on which the block had been standing; but, to my surprise, the block +itself was nowhere to be seen. + +"Well," asked the armourer, laughing, "where is the junk of oak?" + +"Truly, I know not, unless I have shorn it in two! My arm aches with +the force of the blow." + +"Did I not tell you that this weapon had a point?" he exclaimed, +producing the light sword, on which the cube was firmly fixed. "'Tis +what might have happened in actual fight. Whilst you were bringing +the heavy blade down I pinked the wood with the light one, and you +were not one whit the wiser. Now, take the weapon, and remember the +words they engrave on trusty blades, 'Never sheath me, save in +honour.' Here, too, is a sword for your friend, not quite so fine as +yours, but a goodly blade withal. And here are a brace of small +pistols apiece, with a score of charges in a waterproof case. How are +you going to cross over?" he added. + +In a few words I told him. + +"Capitally planned," he exclaimed. "Cripps, the waterman, was one of +those rogues who would have despoiled anybody of his stock. You know +the channel?" + +"Passably." + +"'Tis easy; keep well in the centre, and you'll not go far wrong. +'Twill be high water at one hour before midnight, but, when you get +to Cowes Castle, drop anchor and pretend to fish till you see the +tide making to the east'ard. A matter of five or six hours that'll +be; but 'twill be no use starting before, and then you'll have a fair +tide right the whole way over. What place do you make for?" + +"Portsmouth, I hope." + +"They say the place is assailed by the rebels, though perchance they +do not keep a strict blockade." A few more words of good advice, and +we took our leave of the kindly armourer, who also provided us with +food; then, walking boldly through the now deserted streets, we came +to the quay. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +COLONEL NICHOLAS FIRESTONE + + +NEARLY a score of boats of various sizes were moored to the quay, +their outlines barely discernible against the placid surface of the +dark water. + +Handing my sword to my companion, I carefully lowered myself into the +nearest boat, and made my way slowly from one to the other, till I +found the one we sought. + +Fortunately, the oars had been left on board, and, what was more, a +small sail rolled round a short mast lay on the thwarts. The craft, +though barely fifteen feet in length, had plenty of beam, so that, +although cumbersome to row, it would doubtless prove an able boat +under sail. + +As I had had considerable experience in the art of managing a boat, +having frequently made short voyages with the fishermen during the +holidays, I had no misgivings as to the handling of this craft, +although Granville did not regard my capabilities in the same light +as I did. + +"Hasten," I whispered, fearful lest some belated passer-by might +overhear us; "jump in, and cast off that rope." + +It was the work of a few moments to stow the arms carefully away, +unfasten the rope that held the boat to the side of the quay, and to +push off. Then, by dint of slow and careful strokes, we urged the +heavy craft towards the centre of the channel, and pointed its bow in +the direction of Cowes. + +A few minutes' steady rowing sufficed to take us clear of the +buildings lining the quay, and, looking astern, our eyes becoming +more accustomed to the darkness, we could see the tower of St. +Thomas' Church standing out against the blackness of the night. + +Not a sound came from the town, save the occasional barking of a dog; +but in the direction of Carisbrooke a subdued roar, like the distant +sound of waves breaking on the shore, came faintly to our ears, and +from the summit of the keep we could discern the flare of the wood +fires as the garrison plied the cressets with more fuel. + +"They lie thick around the castle," remarked Ralph. "And spare not +their lungs though it seems that they have not yet opened the +attack." + +"No," I replied, "I can hear no sounds of ordnance. Perchance they +are afraid to attempt an escalade, for 'tis certain Colonel Brett +will not hesitate to fire on the rebels, should they draw nigh the +walls." + +After all, it was better for us that fate, or, rather, the spin of a +coin, decided against our throwing in our lot with the garrison of +Carisbrooke, for we afterwards learnt that there were but three days' +provisions, and but four small barrels of powder within the fortress, +the garrison of which was composed mostly of invalided and wounded +soldiers from the Scottish wars. So it came about that the valiant +Countess of Portland appeared on the ramparts with a lighted match in +her hand, and threatened to fire the first cannon on the rebels, and +to hold the castle to the last extremity, unless she and the garrison +were permitted to march out with all the honours of war. The rebels, +little knowing the weakness of the defenders, and probably glad of +the opportunity of foregoing the risk of combat, gladly agreed to the +Countess' terms, and on the following day the garrison retired in +good order to Yarmouth. + +The tide was now running out, yet, in spite of steady labouring at +the heavy oars, it was a matter of nearly two hours ere we reached +the mouth of the river, where the two castles of Cowes kept watch and +ward, though whether for or against the King we knew not. + +Mindful of the armourer's warning, we cast anchor close to the edge +of a mud-bank, and waited till the tide turned, for there was little +or no wind, so that 'twould have been a forlorn hope to attempt to +stem the adverse current. + +For over an hour, as it seemed (for we were unable to measure the +time), we lay thus, talking of the future, yet during that space +neither did the tide show signs of slackening, nor did the dawn +commence to show in the east. + +Suddenly, through the darkness, came the flashes of muskets, fired in +quick succession, and a babel of voices at no great distance, while a +bullet whistled above our heads, causing us to lie cowering under the +frail shelter of our boat's side. + +Other shots came at intervals, till at length the firing ceased, and +we summoned sufficient courage to sit up and look around. + +"What's amiss?" asked Granville. + +"Nay, I cannot tell," I replied, "unless it be that one of the +castles has been attempted." + +"The firing was too close for that," he rejoined. "Much too close to +my liking." + +"And mine also." + +We relapsed into silence, straining our ears for every sound. +Presently we heard above the confused noise of men's voices the +creaking of tackle and the sound of oars being thrown into a boat. + +"They are lowering a boat from some ship near at hand," I whispered. +"Quick, now! Get the fishing tackle, and cast the lines overboard, +or we are undone." + +Hastily we groped in the stern-locker for the lines; but, just as we +were about to make them ready, we heard a sullen splash in the water +close to our craft. + +The next instant a pair of hands grasped the gunwale, and the +dripping head of a man appeared over the side. + +I doubt who was the more confused--we, at the sudden apparition, or +the swimmer at the sight of two figures in what he had reasonably +thought to be an empty boat, for we had been both kneeling on the +bottom boards engaged in clearing the lines. + +"Hist!" he whispered. "If ye be true King's men, give me shelter." + +"Right willingly," I replied in a low voice, and, leaning over the +side so that the gunwale almost dipped, we seized the man's clothing +and helped him on board. + +"A sorry shelter, but one that doth not come amiss," he remarked, +noticing that our craft was entirely open. "I see a sail rolled up +yonder; cover me up, and, if ye bear any love for His Majesty, betray +me not. They will be looking for me here anon." + +It was no time for questions or explanations. The fugitive crept +underneath the forward thwarts and curled himself into a small +compass by the side of the mast, which we had already stepped in +order to lose no time when the tide changed. + +Quickly I unfurled the sail, and, tossing it over the thwart, I +noticed with considerable satisfaction that it fell in apparent and +natural disorder over the place where the man lay huddled up. + +Then, putting a brave face on the matter, we cast our lines and +waited. + +Before long we heard the sound of oars, and, rowing aimlessly hither +and thither, there came a large boat. In the bows stood a man holding +a lantern, which cast long reflections on the rippling waters, and no +doubt dazzled more than served him. + +"He's gone, sure enow, Baldwin," exclaimed a voice. "That first +volley must have settled him." + +"I was nearer than that at Newburn, and a whole platoon missed me," +was the scornful reply. "Pull more this way, I pray you." + +"Even if we had missed him," answered the other, "he had his +jack-boots on when he jumped overboard. Against the tide he can do +nothing." + +"Pull this way, I say again," interrupted the man with the lantern. +"I see a boat." + +In another moment the pursuers' craft rubbed alongside our boat, and +the light was flashed in our faces. + +"Who be you, young masters?" exclaimed the holder of the lantern +roughly. "And what are ye doing at this time o' night?" + +"Fishing, sir. We be come from Newport," I replied, imitating as well +as I could the tongue of the fisher-folk, though my heart was in my +mouth. + +"Didst see a man swimming?" + +"Nay," I replied truthfully enough, for the fugitive had finished +swimming the moment he had grasped the gunwale. "But we were sore +afraid of the shots." + +"What hast got under that sail?" he demanded suspiciously, holding +the lantern above his head and shortening a small pike which he held +in his right hand. + +"Shame on thee, Baldwin," exclaimed another man. "Wouldst spoil an +honest fisher-folk's sail with a pike thrust? Come on, let's away; we +are but losing time." + +The men released their hold of our gunwale, and their boat, drifting +rapidly with the tide, disappeared in the darkness, only the faint +glimmer of the lantern betraying their whereabouts. + +"They're gone," I whispered to the fugitive. + +"Yes, I know it," he replied; "but, with all due respect to you, I'll +tarry here longer, for I am in no mood to take to the waters again. +Canst put me ashore in a little while?" + +"Where would you land?" + +"It matters little, though I have a preference for the Hamptonshire +coast, if gold can work the oracle." + +"'Tis not a matter for payment," I replied with as much dignity as I +could command. "And if you're for the King, we'll gladly place you on +the nether shore, for, as fate would have it, we ourselves purpose +journeying to Portsmouth." + +"I perceive by your manner of speech that you are not fisher-folk," +he continued, "though I cannot judge by your appearance. +Nevertheless, I shall be heartily glad to stretch my cramped limbs +once more, and then we'll talk further on the matter." + +"Be careful that you do not raise your voice," I continued. "The +sound travels afar on the water, especially on a quiet night." + +"Ay," he assented, throwing off the sail and stretching his huge +legs, which were still encased in jack-boots, under the thwarts. "Now +I feel more at ease. Did I have but a pipe of stinging tobacco and a +jugful of strong waters I'd be content. But why do you wait here at +anchor?" + +"Till the tide turns." + +"Then a murrain on the tide, say I. Twice hath the tide treated me +scurvily. Once as we left the port of Cherbourg, and again off Hurst +Castle, where but for the force of the current I could easily have +swum ashore. Knowing that you have not betrayed me, I'll tell my +mission. Hast ever heard of Nick Firestone?" + +"I remember my father speaking highly of one Nicholas Firestone, who +gained great and honourable distinction in the Low Countries." + +"Great, I admit, but I must needs cavil at the honourable, though +'twas only when hard pressed that I had to think of a whole skin +before honour. And who is thy father?" + +"Sir Reginald Markham, of Ashley, in the county of Hamptonshire." + +"As good and brave a knight that ever set hand on hilt. And I'll +warrant his eye is as keen and his arm as strong as it was when he +and I fought side by side in the retreat from Rhé. Certes! A dozen +such as he and things would have gone far different in that miserable +affair." + +"And what of your mission?" I asked, curious to know what +circumstances had caused him to swim off to our boat. + +"I'll tell you. Upon my person, sealed, and proof against water, I +bear despatches in cipher from the King of France, to be delivered at +all costs to His Majesty, the purport being unknown to me, though I +know it is of inestimable value. Another trusted messenger, bearing a +duplicate, has left for Dover, and a third has sailed from Cherbourg +to Fowey. The last has the better chance, seeing that Cornwall is +ever devoted to His Majesty." + +"True, true, Master Firestone," exclaimed Granville, speaking to him +for the first time. + +"Then I take it you are of Cornish stock? I rejoice to hear it, +though I know not your name; but, at the same time, I would inform +you that I am Colonel, and not Master, Firestone." + +"And he is named Ralph Granville," I informed him. "But concerning +your perilous voyage?" + +"I left Cherbourg four days agone in the barque _Endeavour_, of +Lymington, and the first intimation of the inevitable rupture 'twixt +the King and his rebellious Parliament occurred in a rude fashion by +the Endeavour being boarded when off the Needles by the ship +_Bonaventure_, lately held by His Majesty, but recently seized by the +rebels, and forming part of the fleet that lay against Portsmouth." + +"Though we carried naught that might be reckoned as munitions of war, +some of the officers of the _Bonaventure_ recognised me, and, +thinking rightly that I was on the service of the King, they detained +me, searching my baggage and person for any documents. Therein they +were foiled, but how I'll explain anon. Finding nothing, they clapped +me in a close and dirty cabin on the _Bonaventure's_ main deck, +allowing me to take the air on deck every four hours." + +"At yester-midday the vessel came up under all sail through the +Solent Channel, and stood over so close to Hurst Castle that I hoped +to seize the chance of jumping overboard and swimming ashore; but so +strong flowed the tide, surpassing the trotting pace of a horse, that +the _Bonaventure_ was swept back and compelled to anchor in one of +the bays on the island shore." + +"With the turn of the tide we made the harbour of Cowes, and again +anchored for the night. Here I feigned sickness, and asked to be +brought up on deck, and, fortune favouring me, I sprang into the sea, +followed by a volley from the muskets of the soldiers on board, for, +to give the men credit, they stood more quickly to their pieces than +I expected." + +"It was a narrow escape, for one of the bullets grazed my hand, and +several splashed up the water all around; but, thanks to Providence, +I found myself swimming straight for your boat, and the rest you are +well acquainted with. But now, Master Markham, I perceive that the +tide runs but weakly, and the breeze is springing up. Actions, not +words, must prevail, for in another half an hour day will be +breaking." + +We immediately set about getting the boat under way, and, pulling up +the anchor, shipping the rudder, and hoisting sail, we slipped +quietly out of the harbour, and shaped a course in the direction +which we supposed Portsmouth to lie. + +While these preparations were going on, the dawn began to glimmer in +the east, and I could now see what our new companion was like, though +he still sprawled on the bottom boards, fearful lest he should be +seen from the _Bonaventure_, which we could dimly make out away +towards the western side of the harbour. + +Colonel Nicholas Firestone was now revealed in the person of a tall +and wiry-looking man, yet possessing a massive frame, which carried +little beyond bone and muscle. + +His face was thin, while a mass of deep wrinkles covered his cheeks +and forehead, which a short dark brown pointed beard, upturned +moustachios, shaggy eyebrows, and a thick crop of grizzled hair all +but concealed. He was soberly dressed, so that his apparel, which, +being wet, clung to his frame, gave no indication as to whether he +was for or against the Crown. + +[Illustration: _"I sprang into the sea."_] + +As far as we could judge, he was unarmed, but, strangely enough, his +feet were still encased in heavy riding boots and spurs. + +As we rounded the Castle Point the sun rose above the horizon a deep +red ball of fire, while the wind, which hitherto had been light, now +increased, causing the little craft to plunge and stagger as she +breasted the short, steep waves. + +Glancing astern, we saw the _Bonaventure_ still at anchor, though her +sails were shaken loose, ready to get under way. + +"'Twill be a good half-hour before she can follow, and, should the +breeze hold, as I think it will, we'll be well over to the opposite +shore ere then," remarked Colonel Firestone, raising himself slowly, +as if cramped by the long confinement, and awkwardly making his way +aft to the stern-sheets. "So it matters little whether they see us or +not, though, I doubt not, they have a perspective-glass or two +bearing this way." + +"There are several ships of war ahead," I exclaimed, pointing in the +direction of a number of dark objects standing out clearly against +the light almost on the skyline. + +"We must hug the shore closely and take our chance. A small craft +like this might escape notice." + +Even as Colonel Firestone spoke a cloud of smoke, followed by a +muffled report, sprang from one of the ships, and immediately the +firing became general. The attack upon the town of Portsmouth had +been renewed. + +From where we were the fortress was invisible, being hidden by a +long, low tongue of shingly beach, surmounted by a thick belt of +furze; but, judging by the direction of the sounds, we concluded that +Goring was offering a stubborn resistance. + +At length, with wind and tide, we rounded the intervening shore, and +the town came into full view. I knew the place but slightly, having +only passed through it on my journeys 'twist Ashley and Newport, but +Firestone showed that he was no stranger to the fortress. + +"The rebels press closely on all sides save the eastern," he +exclaimed. "Look, they have thrown up batteries on Gosport shore, +and by the smoke I perceive the northern side is assailed also. See +the Royalist batteries on the Platform--they are not backward, and +the Round Tower holds its own. Canst make out the tower of the church? +Is it afire, or have they mounted cannon therein?" + +"I cannot tell," I replied. "The smoke lies over all like a cloud, +though 'tis certain the town is afire in more places than one." + +"Ay, it is not to be expected that the town comes off scatheless. +Dost see that stone fortalice to the east of the town? 'Tis Southsea +Castle, which in truth is the key of the position. Betwixt it and the +Platform is a stretch of beach, whence, if we can effect a landing, +'tis but an easy matter to gain the postern." + +"Before so doing we must run the gauntlet of the rebel ships." + +"Ay, but perchance they'll be too busy to mind us." + +Bidding us lie down, the colonel took the helm, and, standing boldly +over towards the beach, we passed between the ships and the town +batteries, the shot flying thickly overhead, though, fortunately, as +both sides were firing at long range, the cannon-balls attained the +highest point in their trajectory above our heads, save a few that, +either by accident or design, fell unpleasantly close to us. + +We had arrived within half a mile or so of the beach when we saw that +the nearest warship had lowered a couple of boats, which started in +close pursuit of us. + +Without a moment's hesitation Nick Firestone called upon me to take +the tiller, and, grasping the heavy oars, he rowed strongly towards +the shore, the boat, under oars and sail, making a long wake astern. + +"They gain on us," he muttered. "Hast weapons on board?" + +"A brace of pistols apiece," I replied, telling Granville to produce +them from the stern-locker. + +"Handy enough at twenty paces," was his contemptuous remark, "though +they may serve to gain our end. Load all four, Master Granville, and +place them by my side." + +A stern chase is ever a long one, yet the two pursuing boats came on +apace, each urged by twelve rowers, whose efforts were encouraged by +their officers. + +Meanwhile the batteries ashore, seeing that something untoward was +happening, began to fire at our pursuers, though their aim was wild, +and bid fair to harm us as well as our foes. + +Suddenly a bullet struck our light mast, and, cutting through the +halyards, brought the sail down with a run. + +Uttering a fierce exclamation, Firestone tore away the folds of the +canvas that enveloped him, and, calling on me to keep the boat on her +course, resumed rowing, though I imagined it to be a forlorn hope, +for, glancing over my shoulder, I saw one of the rebels' boats was +but six lengths astern. + +Even as I looked a huge column of water sprang into the air, and fell +in a shower of spray to the accompaniment of a crashing and rending +of wood and shrieks and shouts of surprise and terror. A chance shot +from the batteries had wrought havoc with the leading boat, and her +crew were struggling in the water. + +The second boat made to the rescue, and at the same moment we saw a +troop of dragoons riding furiously along the shore from the +Castle--yet, though within easy range, they forbore to fire on their +discomfited foes. + +Another twenty strokes and our craft's forefoot grounded on the +beach. + +We were safe within the lines of the beleaguered fortress. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +FRIEND OR FOE? + + +SCRAMBLING awkwardly ashore, Colonel Firestone made straight for the +captain of the dragoons, while, having secured our arms, Granville +and I followed, leaving the boat to its fate. + +It was the first time we had seen our companion on dry land, and I +was struck by his peculiar gait as he shuffled his jack-booted feet +in a very indifferent manner of walking. + +The captain of dragoons, a slender, dandified man, looked with +mingled astonishment and amusement at the strange figure approaching +him. + +"Who are you, fellow, and what is your condition?" he demanded in an +affected drawl. + +"Why should I declare my name?" replied Firestone sternly, his voice +belying his appearance. "Sufficient it is to state that I am on the +King's service." + +"I am but doing my duty," rejoined the officer, though with +considerably less affectation. + +"Then do it. Conduct us to Colonel Goring. I am indebted to you for +your good services, Captain whatever your name may be, but I tell you +plainly I like not your style." + +"Chaloner is my name," said the other haughtily. + +"And mine, since you have so far unbended, is Nicholas Firestone, +holding His Majesty's commission as colonel. Perchance, Captain +Chaloner, my name is not wholly unfamiliar to you?" + +Instantly the other's manner underwent a complete change. + +"A thousand pardons," he exclaimed, "though, by the manner of your +arrival, I was misled." + +And, ordering three of his men to dismount, he offered their steeds +to Firestone, Granville, and me. + +By this time the rebel boat had picked up the crew of her unfortunate +consort, and, heavily laden, was slowly making her way back to the +nearest man-of-war, still under fire from the guns of the fortress. + +Meanwhile the troop had remounted, the three steedless dragoons were +told to follow without delay, and at the word of command the party +set off towards the town. + +Our road lay between the sea on the left hand and a large expanse of +furze-covered common on the right, with hardly a building to break +the deadly monotony of the landscape. As far as I could see, there +was not a natural piece of ground that was twenty feet above the +level of the sea. + +Before us rose the fortifications of Portsmouth, and as we drew +nearer we saw that the damage done by the rebels' shots was +considerable, the Gothic tower of the church and several of the +houses being very severely handled. + +The cannonade continued without intermission, several of the shots +from the ships ploughing the ground in front and behind us, and, +though neither Firestone nor the troopers paid the slightest +attention to them, Granville and I were considerably startled, while +Captain Chaloner was manifestly ill at ease. + +Outside the walls we dismounted, the dragoons holding the horses +under the shelter of a low bank of shingle, and, led by Chaloner, we +crossed a narrow wooden bridge and reached the postern. Here the +captain gave the countersign, and the next moment we were in the town +of Portsmouth. + +"Where is Colonel Goring, sirrah?" demanded Chaloner of a man who +wore the Governor's livery. + +"On his way to breakfast, sir." + +Upon this we directed our footsteps towards the Governor's house, +where, with little delay, we were ushered into Goring's presence. + +Although he professed great pleasure in meeting Colonel Firestone +once more, George Goring's delight seemed somewhat too effusive to be +genuine. Nevertheless, he gave orders for the paymaster to advance +twenty pounds to meet our present needs, and wrote out an order on an +armourer in St. Nicholas' Street to equip us with whatever weapons or +armour we required. + +"You must be our guest for some time to come, willing or unwilling," +he exclaimed, "for the force of the Parliament hems us in by land and +sea." + +"But I must needs hasten to the King's camp," remonstrated Firestone. + +"Then your wits must find a way, for a dog can scarce crawl out of +the town without being shot at. 'Tis a mystery how you managed to get +in." + +"Then I'll get out by the same means as I came in," replied our +friend stoutly. "But tell me, can you hold the town?" + +For answer Goring held up a large iron key which hung from his waist +by a strong chain. + +"Dost see this?" he asked pompously. "I swear 'fore God that as long +as I live the key, which is that of the Town Mount Gate, shall never +fall into the hands of the King's enemies." + +"Amen," replied Firestone piously. "But how goes the garrison? +Are the munitions and provisions like to last out?" + +"Powder and shot in plenty. Twelve hundred and fifty barrels of +powder lie in the Square Tower, and two hundred in the vaults of the +Town Mount; but of provisions we are sorely short. Witness my +breakfast, a piece of rusk bread and a herring. If you will do me the +honour, comrade, perchance we may find enough for us all." + +We were certainly nearly famished with hunger, and even a sorry meal +of bread and fish, washed down with ale, was welcome. + +Finally, the Governor dismissed us, saying that pressing work was +before him, and we filed out of his presence. + +At the door I happened to glance behind me, and to my surprise I saw +a waiting-man stealthily thrust a paper into Chaloner's hand; but, +treating the matter as of small moment, I soon forgot the incident. + +In the street we parted, the captain expressing his intention of +returning to his post, for he had been entrusted with the holding of +Southsea Castle, which Colonel Firestone had described as the key of +the position, while the colonel, Granville, and I repaired to a +lodging in Little Penny Lane. + +Tired with our exertions, though 'twas but eleven o'clock in the +morning, we retired and rested well till the following day. + +We were early abroad, for Colonel Firestone was anxious to obtain +proper arms and equipment on the strength of Goring's order. + +At the armourer's in St. Nicholas' Street he carefully selected a +stout and heavy broadsword, a pair of pistols, and a petronel, while +a breastplate, tassettes, and a steel cap with barrets completed his +soldierly equipment. + +Strangely enough, he still retained his salt-stained jackboots, +refusing the suggestion that a pair of Spanish riding-boots would +better suit his purpose. + +The armourer had no difficulty in fitting me with a breastplate and +steel cap, for my frame was as great as many a man's; but Granville's +slighter build was encased in a steel covering which fitted so +loosely that I could not refrain from jesting with him on the matter. + +"Never mind, Master Granville," said Firestone. "A few months' active +service and I'll warrant you'll fill it right enow." + +There was nothing about our appearance to mark us as cavaliers, save +our long hair, and I remarked this to Firestone. + +"Faith," he replied, "I am well aware of it, though 'tis a small +matter to conceal our locks under our steel caps. But, as 'tis +certain we must break away and join the King as soon as possible, +strategy must needs play its part." + +"And your plan----?" + +"Is to find a way out--how, I know not at present. The countryside +must be alive with these rebels, so that we must be prepared where +necessary to give and receive hard knocks. As your father, Sir +Reginald, is with the King, 'tis best to make for Ashley, gain +definite information, and then ride northwards as hard as we can +travel." + +"What think ye of Goring?" I asked boldly. + +He looked strangely at me for a moment, then replied + +"He is a vainglorious boaster. Already he has played the turncoat, +and, in spite of his brave words, I'll warrant he'll betray his trust +and Chaloner, who holds Southsea Castle, is no better." + +Thereupon I told him of the message stealthily conveyed by the +serving-man. + +"I would you had told me of this before, and I would have challenged +the young pup on the spot. Nevertheless, I'll mark him well, and at +the first sign of treachery I'll make him answer to the King with his +life." + +A few days after our arrival in the beleaguered town, Colonel +Firestone, who had been entrusted with the keeping of the postern by +which we had entered, returned to our lodgings after dark with a look +of intense excitement on his face. + +"You are both young, but active and fit to be trusted," he exclaimed. +"Art willing to adventure your lives in a hazardous service?" + +We both assented. + +"Then, hearken! My doubts concerning Goring's lukewarmness and +Chaloner's treachery are gaining ground. Did I not say that who holds +the castle commands the town? Yet Chaloner has withdrawn most of his +dragoons and quartered them in the town, where they are no better +than common musketeers! In the castle there are left but twenty +pikemen, five dragoons, and twenty musketeers, and, though the castle +is likely to be attempted at any time, Chaloner comes nightly into +the town to carouse with the Governor. Moreover, I saw him give a +missive to the same man who acts as servant at Goring's house, and I +feel certain that the man has left for the rebel lines." + +"Then what do you want us to do?" + +"I mean to return with Chaloner to the castle to-night, you +accompanying us. Then, should the rebels attempt an escalade, I'll +seize Chaloner if he play false, and hold the castle against them, +should the garrison stand by me." + +"And if not?" + +"Then I'll slay the traitor with my own hands, and in the darkness +we'll attempt a passage through the rebels' lines!" + +"And now," he continued, as he made ready his arms, "it wants but two +hours to midnight, yet in that time much remains to be done. Let us +be up and doing." + +"Yes," repeated Colonel Firestone, as he finished charging his +pistols, "it is time for us to be up and doing." + +So saying, he led the way from the house, and, keeping well in the +shadows, we traversed several side streets till we gained the +Landport Gate, hard by the Town Mount. Thence, after a few whispered +words with the guard, we passed through the gateway, crossed the +moat, and were soon in the flat, open country that lies without the +walls. + +A walk of less than half a mile brought us to a few deserted houses, +standing hard by a ruined windmill, for at the commencement of the +siege the inhabitants of Coleharbour, as this hamlet is called, had +abandoned their homes and taken refuge in the town. 'Twas well for +them that they did, for, being in the line of fire, the buildings had +already suffered from the batteries of both forces. + +Taking up our position in the angle of a partially demolished +outbuilding, we waited. Nor were we kept long in suspense, for +gliding stealthily along the road a cloaked figure loomed up in the +darkness. + +'Twas the man who had left for the rebel camp with some secret +message from the treacherous captain. + +"Now!" exclaimed the colonel, and, dashing out upon the startled man, +we bore him to the ground. + +In a few minutes he was bound and gagged, and left to await discovery +in the doorway of one of the houses, while we were speeding back to +the town with a written message to Captain Chaloner in our +possession. + +At the Landport Gate Firestone led us into a well-lighted room, where +we could examine the intercepted letter. Fortunately, it was not +sealed, but merely secured by a silken cord. + +"Ah!" exclaimed the colonel. "'Tis as plain as daylight: '_Before the +morning watch, I say; before the morning watch_.' Chaloner will +receive his message, but let him take heed." + +So saying, he refolded the missive, giving it to a pikeman to deliver +to Chaloner at the Governor's house. + +"Will he not want to know why his messenger has not delivered the +letter in person?" I asked. + +"Where wine is in the wit is out," replied Firestone oracularly. "But +now, to the postern! The hour is at hand!" + +Just before midnight we waited close to the postern for the faithless +captain, and, before a quarter of an hour had passed, two cloaked +figures, reeling with the effects of strong drink, staggered towards +us. + +"Hist! 'Tis Goring and Chaloner," whispered Firestone, dragging us +into a recess. + +Our companion had already given instructions to the guard, who, +turning out smartly, saluted their worthless Governor, Goring. + +"Fare thee well, Chaloner," said the latter unsteadily and with mock +sadness. "I feel that I'll not see thee to-morrow." + +It was a lengthy parting, but at length Goring returned towards his +quarters, while Chaloner, hardly able to return the salute of the +guard, staggered across the footbridge over the moat. + +Hardly had he gained the open ground when Firestone gave the signal, +and we followed, treading softly lest the captain should hear us +while still within hailing distance of the fortifications. + +It was a clear night, and we could distinctly see the lurching figure +of our quarry against the sky-line. Away at Spithead the stern +lanterns of the blockading ships glimmered like gigantic glow-worms, +while away to the north flickered the watch-fires of the rebels' +camp. + +When Chaloner had covered half the distance 'twixt the town and the +castle, Colonel Firestone increased his pace, and overtook the +drunkard. + +The captain showed no sign of alarm at our approach, merely stopping +and looking at us in a half-dazed manner, then resuming his +staggering gait. + +"Captain Chaloner, we bear you company to the castle to-night," +announced Firestone sternly. + +"Delighted, I'm sure," replied he, turning and extending his hand, +almost falling through the effort of standing still. + +Without replying, the colonel seized his shoulder in a vice-like +grip, and urged him towards the castle. + +At the gateway we were challenged by a sleepy pikeman, and Chaloner +mechanically giving the countersign, we gained the courtyard. Save +for the pikemen, the castle appeared to be deserted, the guns +standing unattended on their platforms, with neither match nor charge +at hand, while, from a small outbuilding, came sounds of revelry. + +Presently, from one of the embrasures, arose the dark, great-coated +figure of a man, and, descending by a stone staircase, the watcher +made towards us, producing a lantern from the folds of his cloak. At +least, then, one man was on the alert. + +"Who are you?" demanded Firestone. + +"Sergeant Lawson, sir." + +"Then take your captain to his quarters, and lock him in," continued +the colonel. "And turn out those rascals I hear yonder." + +Chaloner meekly submitted to be led away, and on his return the +sergeant expressed his fears that an attack was imminent. + +"What is to be done, sir," he exclaimed, "when the men are drunk and +full of insubordination, taking Captain Chaloner as their example? +Already the rebels are under arms, but whether they intend to attempt +the castle or the town I know not." + +Telling the sergeant to follow him, Firestone crossed over to the +soldiers' quarters, where, in all stages of drunkenness, the men lay +across the table or on the floor, heedless of their duty and +indifferent to their danger. + +Without a moment's hesitation, the colonel seized the nearest man, a +big, bull-necked dragoon, and with the least apparent effort flung +him headlong out into the open air. Another and another followed, but +the fourth, a pikeman, drew his sword. + +The next instant the weapon was flying across the room, and its owner +lying stunned upon the floor. Seeing they had a man to deal with, the +rest followed, forming up in the courtyard with more or less military +precision. + +They were immediately despatched to carry powder and shot to the +platforms, port fires were lighted, and the guns manned; yet our +leader knew that little reliance was to be placed upon the besotted +garrison, Sergeant Lawson being the only dependable man. + +"Listen, sergeant," exclaimed Colonel Firestone "How many horses are +there within the walls?" + +"Fifteen, sir." + +"I take it you are resolved to support us?" + +"To the death, sir." + +"Then see to it that four of the best horses are +saddled and tethered close to the gate." + +We then began a tour of the platform, the colonel admonishing the +semi-stupefied men, or, in some instances, appealing to their +loyalty, while he personally undertook the sighting of every piece of +ordnance, taking care that they were properly charged and primed. + +Hardly had these preparations been completed than the steady tramp of +armed men sounded through the darkness, and presently a line of +lighted matches gleamed along the entire landward front of the +castle. With quickening pulse I watched the approach of the +assailants, wondering dimly what the end would be, as I cast about a +musket, and made ready to fire. + +Then came the sounds of men's voices singing in a deep bass, and I +could distinguish the words of the 68th Psalm: + +"_Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered._" + +One of our men uttered come coarse jest, but our leader sternly +reproved him, and in silence we awaited the attack. + +Suddenly a voice hailed us from the rebel ranks: + +"Surrender to the forces of the Parliament of the Realm of England!" + +"We hold no parley with rebels!" shouted Colonel Firestone. "Another +step, and we open fire!" + +Hardly were the words out of his mouth than a raucous voice came from +a window of the keep. + +"Go away, men, go away." + +A shout of derisive laughter from the rebels greeted this speech of +the tipsy Chaloner. By the light of a port fire I could see our +leader biting his lip to conceal his anger. + +"Your reply?" demanded the rebel officer. + +"This!" shouted Firestone, and, seizing a match, he applied it to the +nearest cannon. + +A blinding flash and a deafening roar was succeeded by a hundred +spurts of flame from the darkness beneath us, and the next moment we +could hear the hurried tramp and the hoarse cries and shouts of the +assailants as they rushed forward to the attack. + +Hardly had the first scaling ladder been placed against the wall, +when our rascally garrison threw down their arms and bolted from the +platforms. + +In vain Firestone cut two down; panic had done its work, and, as the +heads of the first of the stormers appeared over the parapet, only +the colonel, Granville, Sergeant Lawson, and I remained. + +Seeing that resistance was useless, Firestone called on us to follow, +and, descending to the courtyard, we reached the tethered horses just +as the rebels, with shouts of triumph, were driving the +panic-stricken garrison into the keep. + +Cutting loose our steeds, we mounted, and, with sword and pistol, +rode slowly towards the gateway. Here the sergeant unbarred the door +and threw it suddenly open, and before the rebels, who were making +for the gateway, were aware of our intention, the drawbridge had +fallen with a run, and the four riders were urging their horses +through the dense mass of men. + +Taken by surprise, the musketeers, their pieces discharged and +unloaded, gave way right and left, and, although a few pikemen +amongst them tried to bar our way, our weight was irresistible. + +I have a dim recollection of shearing off the head of an opposing +pike, and seeing its holder's terror-stricken eyes, as he went down +beneath my horse's hoofs. There was a crackle of pistol-shots, a +flashing of steel, and we were through, tearing madly across the +broad expanse of common on our bid for safety! + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THROUGH THE REBEL LINES + + +We were by no means out of danger, for the whole of the Portsea +Island, save the small portion occupied by the town of Portsmouth, +was held by the rebels, and the difficulty was to avoid meeting any +straggling bands of soldiers before we could cross the narrow creek +that separates the island from the mainland. + +Drawing rein under the shelter of a thicket, we debated as to the +best course to pursue, Sergeant Lawson, owing to his long residence +in the castle, being well acquainted with the by-paths over the +eastern side of the island. + +Fortunately, none of us sustained serious hurt in the brief encounter +with our assailants, although Lawson's face bled freely from a slight +flesh wound in the cheek, and my left arm had received a heavy blow, +though at the time I was unaware of it. + +"We lack the countersign," quoth the sergeant. "Had we that +knowledge, we could well pass for members of Ridge's troop." + +"As we have it not, 'tis useless waiting here, for daylight will be +on us anon, and the precious time will have been wasted," said +Colonel Firestone. "Our horses seem fresh enough for fifty miles, so +lead on, sergeant, and we'll follow." + +After a time the common and marsh land gave place to a narrow lane, +running between tall hedges. Here we slackened down to a slow trot, +the sound of the horses' hoofs being muffled by the thick dust. + +Away on our right burned the watch-fires of one of the rebel +outposts, while at a greater distance on our left gleamed the lights +of the main rebel camp. + +At a cross-road Sergeant Lawson reined in his steed, and held up his +right hand in warning. We could distinguish the steady clatter of +hoofs. + +"How many think ye, sergeant?" + +"But one, sir." + +"Then bar his passage at all costs." + +Concealed behind the tall hedge, we waited in breathless suspense the +approach of the solitary rider, Firestone, Sergeant Lawson, and I +dismounting and giving the reins to Granville. + +Waiting till the horseman was almost within arm's length, we then +dashed forward. The colonel seized the stranger's bridle arm, whilst +Lawson gripped the reins of his steed. + +"Surrender yourself, or resist at your peril," hissed Firestone. + +For answer the man struck spurs to his horse, and attempted to draw a +pistol; but the colonel's sinewy arms were around his waist, and, +with a mighty heave, flung him out of the saddle, while the sergeant +assisted to hold him down, his iron fingers clutching at the throat +of the fallen man. + +'Twas a rebel without doubt, as, worn crosswise over his left +shoulder, was an orange scarf. Gamely he tried to free himself, till, +realising the helplessness of his position, he ceased his efforts and +lay motionless. + +"Of what regiment are ye?" demanded Firestone, thrusting forward his +grim face till it almost touched that of his prisoner. + +[Illustration: _Colonel Firestone flung his arms about the man's waist, +and dragged him out of his saddle._] + +"Colonel Garth's dragoons," was the reply. + +"And who holds the bridge at Hilsea?" + +"Ridge's regiment of foot." + +"And the countersign?" + +The prisoner made no reply, and Firestone repeated the question, +without result. + +"A charge from your bandolier, sergeant." + +Lawson handed a cartridge to the colonel, who, deliberately breaking +the paper, ostentatiously scattered the grains of powder over the +right knee of the prostrate man. + +"Make ready flint and steel, sergeant," said our leader. "Now, +sirrah," he added to his prisoner, "for the last time--the +countersign?" + +The man was still silent for a moment then he answered sullenly: + +"'The sword of Gideon.'" + +"Ah, we have it," explained Firestone. "Now, help me truss this man +up." + +A few moments sufficed to bind our prisoner, a gag being placed in +his mouth, while our leader tied his scarf over his own shoulders. +Lawson thereupon removed the man's pistols from his holsters, and +hobbled his horse. Our captive was lifted to the other side of the +hedge, and in high spirits we remounted and resumed our way. + +Hardly had we ridden two hundred yards, however, when, to our +surprise, we heard a shout followed by the sound of a galloping +horse. + +"A plague on the man!" exclaimed Firestone. + +"He has slipped his bonds, and has ridden to give the alarm. Ten +thousand countersigns will avail little, should he reach the bridge +before us!" + +Relentlessly we spurred our steeds, and, in a quarter of an hour, we +drew rein before Portsbridge. By the glow of a huge wood fire we +could see the motionless, yet alert, forms of the musketeers and +pikemen mounting guard, while the firelight flickered on the gaping +muzzles of a park of artillery. + +"'Twill be touch and go, should the password be false," muttered the +colonel, and, loosening our swords in their scabbards, we trotted +daringly towards the outpost. + +The countersign satisfied the sentries, but, on gaining the far side +of the creek, an officer demanded who we were and what was our +business. + +"Captain Hosea Smith, and dragoons, of Garth's regiment, with +despatches for Colonel Voysey at Petersfield." + +"How fares our cause against the malignants?" + +"The castle has fallen." + +"The enemies of the Lord are as ripe corn before the sickle. Pass, +captain, and fare ye well." + +We lost no time in taking our departure, for already my quick ear +detected the sound of approaching horsemen along the distant +Portsmouth road; and barely had we left the outpost a hundred paces +behind us when a fierce hubbub arose from the Parliamentary troops, +while a musket-shot gave the alarm that something was amiss. + +"They'll be at our heels within five minutes," exclaimed Lawson. +"Ride straight for the hill!" + +Clattering through the sleeping village of Cosham, we turned aside +from the main road that leads to the City of London, and gained the +grassy sward, and I began to realise that our horses were slowly and +laboriously climbing a long and steep ascent. + +At the summit was a hard chalk road, and here we dismounted to rest +our weary steeds, and, throwing ourselves on the damp grass, we +listened intently for any sounds of pursuit. + +We were at a considerable height above the sea, for almost below us, +as it seemed, were the watch-fires of the rebel outpost at +Portsbridge, which we had ridden through but twenty minutes before. +The camp was in a state of uproar, men shouting, horses neighing, +while from the road below came the sounds of a body of horses rapidly +galloping in the direction they had supposed us to have taken. + +At length the day began to dawn, and, led by Sergeant Lawson, whose +knowledge of the country was surprising, we descended the hill by a +more gradual slope, keeping a safe distance from, but following the +general direction of, the London road. + +At intervals we passed several countrymen, who gazed at us with +open-mouthed astonishment, for as yet the horrors of this disastrous +civil war had not been brought home to them. The common hind still +ploughed his land or tended his sheep, careless of the affairs of the +kingdom, but before long the constant levy upon his crops, by +foragers of both sides, goaded the peasant into a state dangerous +both to Royalists and rebels. + +On emerging from a wood hard by the village of Catherington, I saw +before us a tall, grass-covered hill crowned by a windmill, and, to +my delight, I recognised a well-known landmark within sight of our +castle of Ashley. + +Boldly crossing the deserted highway, we rode through the village of +Chalton, every step of the way now being familiar, and, just as the +sun appeared above the downs, we came in sight of my ancestral home. + +Snugly ensconced between two lofty spurs of the South Downs, Ashley +Castle, though more of a dwelling than a fortress, was well able to +be put in a state of defence, and, in the absence of artillery, which +an enemy would be at great pains to draw over the rough hill-roads, +it could be relied upon to withstand a lengthy siege. + +Notwithstanding the early hour, the castle was astir, thick clouds of +smoke arising from the kitchen chimneys, while at the gate stood a +pikeman, his steel headpiece glittering in the rays of the sun. + +The drawbridge over the moat was raised, and, on our approach, there +was a rush of armed men to the walls, and, though the garrison +appeared but few in number, it was not lacking in watchfulness. + +Removing my steel cap, I waved it above my head, and, being instantly +recognised, the drawbridge slowly sank into position, and we passed +beneath the gateway, where my mother and sister were awaiting us. + +In a few words I introduced my companions, and explained the +circumstances of my home-coming, and, to my surprise, my mother +expressed her approval of my action in leaving Newport. + +Telling the grooms to take charge of our horses, and giving +directions for a meal to be spread, she led the way to the great +panelled hall. + +"You are just in time, Humphrey," she said. "In a few days a +wain-load of supplies for His Majesty leaves the castle, and ye can +bear it company." + +"Where is my father?" + +"With the King, but I wot not where that may be. Sir Reginald sent a +letter, which arrived here yesternight, asking for the supplies to be +sent to Oxford, though at the time of writing he was in camp at +Shrewsbury, whither the King had journeyed from Nottingham." + +"And what supplies are we sending, mother? Surely the King's army is +not in such need of food that it must needs be provisioned from +Ashley?" + +"Nay," she replied, with a sad smile. "Royalty needs, and loyalty +must. Look around the hall, Humphrey. The sideboard and yonder +shelves--dost notice the difference?" + +"They are bare," I exclaimed. "Where is the silver plate--the wassail +bowls and our silver-gilt chargers?" + +"Gone to the smelting-pot," replied my mother, in a tone of triumph +mingled with regret. "Fifty stout pikemen and twenty musketeers will +they provide!" + +After our repast, Granville and I went to the kitchen, where, in a +huge smelting-pot, the remains of our family plate were at molten +heat, old Giles, the butler, having been appointed founder, a task +which he performed as if brought up to it from his youth, although +many were the sighs he gave as the rich vessels, over which he had +spent much care, vanished into the pot. + +On the flagged floor were moulds of sand and clay, into which the +molten metal was ladled, for it was necessary, in view of the dangers +of the road, to convey the silver in as compact a form as possible. + +With the exception of Wat, the pikeman who was on guard at the +drawbridge on our arrival, and a lad of about fifteen years of age, +the whole of our male servants, twenty in all, remaining in the +castle, were over sixty years of age, for the able-bodied men my +father had taken with him. Nevertheless, such was the faithfulness +and devotion of these servants that, in spite of their years, they +were ready to defend the castle to the last extremity, should things +come to the worst. + +From the kitchen we made our way towards the tower, for Ralph had +expressed a wish to be shown the whole of the castle. + +Passing through the great hall, we saw Colonel Firestone sitting in a +high-backed chair, one slippered foot resting on a stool, while the +other, still cased in his worn and stained jack-boot, was thrust out +as stiff as a ramrod. He was smoking, blowing huge clouds of tobacco +smoke that surrounded him like a shroud; but, seeing us, he removed +his pipe and called me by name. + +"I would fain journey with the waggon," said he, "for 'tis safer, and +I'll warrant that my despatches will reach His Majesty before those +messengers who attempt to pass through Dover and Fowey. That +excellent lady, your mother, hath commended you to my care, and, by +your conduct of yester-night, I wish for no better charges. For the +present, then, we'll be comrades three." + +Both Granville and I were delighted with the news; but, on leaving +the apartment, my companion remarked, "Didst notice anything strange +about Colonel Firestone?" + +"In what way?" + +"Why, his jack-boot. Methinks he sleeps in it, for never have I seen +him without it," said my friend. + +"Perchance, like many a veteran, he feels at ease only when booted +and spurred; still, he is a fine old soldier, and a right worthy +gentleman." + +Through the picture gallery we passed, giving but slight heed to the +portraits of my ancestors, and, on gaining the leads, we found that +four culverins and two small pieces of brass ordnance had been +carried thither from the armoury and placed so as to command the +approach to the gateway. At the south-western angle of the building +stood the tower, which is entered by a narrow doorway from the roof, +on which we were standing. + +A spiral staircase of forty-five steps brought us to the summit, +whence a magnificent view over a tract of well-wooded country +extended southwards, terminating with a glimpse of the sea, but on +the other quarters the tall outlines of the beautiful South Downs +restricted the outlook. + +"What a fine home you have, Humphrey," exclaimed Granville +enthusiastically. "Is the castle very old?" + +"This part is," I replied. "There are dungeons underneath, and secret +passages all over the place, though the entrance to the secret +passages is built up. The hall and the guest-chambers are new, my +grandsire having had them built less than fifty years ago, on his +return from Hispaniola." + +"And Ashley Castle will belong to you some day?" + +"I suppose so," I replied carelessly, for I had hardly before given +thought to the matter. + +"And those dungeons and passages--how I should like to explore them!" + +"We may some day, but the present important matters leave no time for +that," I answered, little thinking the service those secret passages +were to render in times to come. + +Several days passed in active preparations for our journey. The +smelting of the silver had been completed, our field equipment +provided, and a great part of the time was spent in martial +exercises, Colonel Firestone and the sergeant devoting great +attention in teaching us the use of the broadsword, with which weapon +we became quite proficient. + +On the day previous to that fixed for our departure, news arrived +that Portsmouth had fallen, and we learned of the manner in which +Colonel Goring had fulfilled his boasting promise. + +On the morrow, after the capture of Southsea Castle, the rebels +turned the guns upon the town, whereupon the Governor threatened to +fire the magazine, and level every building in the place by the +explosion. It was, no doubt, an idle threat, but Goring hoped to +excuse his conduct by such empty bragging. + +In the end the rebels agreed to terms of honourable surrender, the +garrison being permitted to march out with drums beating, matches +lighted, and colours flying, while Goring was allowed to take ship +for the Low Countries. + +Then it was that he took the key of the Town Mount magazine, the same +that he had shown us, and cast it into the sea, thereby redeeming his +plighted word. + +Very bitter was Colonel Firestone when he heard the news, vowing that +he would denounce Goring to his Royal master, and expressing his +intention of being the means of having the traitorous Chaloner +hanged, should he fall within his clutches. + +But it was no time for revengeful thoughts, for the time had come +when immediate action was required on our part to carry out the task +of conveying the treasure from the castle to the Royal camp. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CONVOYING THE TREASURE + + +THE morning of our departure dawned grey and misty, while a keen, +damp wind stirred the tree-tops, though it was not sufficient to +disperse the wreaths of vapour that obliterated every object beyond +the distance of a few yards from us. + +The waggon stood in the courtyard, four powerful dray horses being +already harnessed to it. The silver bars were compactly stowed away +in the bottom of the wain, covered by a layer of straw. On this were +placed a number of articles intended for my father's and our own +personal use, including an air bed, my sire having mentioned that the +effects of a hard bed on the ground had begun to show in the nature +of rheumatism. + +This contrivance had but lately been introduced, and, in the words of +the worthy Richard Royston, in his treatise on fortification, "it is +blown up to bear its owner from the damp and unwholesome humidity of +the earth, the which I call a 'ventilet,' signifying a bed of wind." + +Above the chattels came another load of straw, hiding everything, +while a tarpaulin protected the contents from the rain. + +Colonel Firestone was to play the part of a country yeoman, wearing a +plain buff coat over his armour, though he carried his sword and +pistols openly, for it was the custom, nay, a necessity, for +travellers to go armed when making far journeys. + +Roger, the waggoner, had pistols close at hand in the cart, though I +had my doubts, as did the colonel, whether his natural stupidity and +timidity would ever be overcome should we be molested; but Walter, the +pikeman, who rode within the waggon, was made of sterner stuff, and +could be relied upon in a tight place. + +Granville and I, together with Sergeant Lawson, all soberly clad and +armed, were to ride at some distance behind the waggon, so as to +present the appearance of a party of travellers having no interest in +the convoy and we had agreed, when putting up for the night, to treat +Colonel Firestone as a chance acquaintance, so as to disarm any +suspicions which the presence of a body of armed men would give rise +to. + +The final farewells were said, and the gates were thrown open. Then, +with a dull rumble, the waggon lumbered over the lowered drawbridge, +and our journey to the King's camp at Oxford had begun. + +Directly we struck the highway we took up the order agreed upon; but +so slow was the pace that Granville and I exercised our steeds by +galloping over the green sward which bordered the road on either +side, though keeping well within sight of our precious charge. + +Up the tedious ascent of Butser Hill the waggon crawled at a snail's +pace. At frequent intervals parties of horsemen passed us, either +bound for London, or else making towards Portsmouth, and, though most +of them were undoubtedly rebels, they hindered us not, though many +were the sour and distrustful glances they shot at us. + +Hard by the town of Petersfield the waggon turned oft to the left, to +avoid the town, which, rumour said, was full of the Parliamentary +troops, and, moreover, the inhabitants of Ashley Castle were well +known to the countryside. + +Winchester was, we learned, in the hands of the Royalists, and +thither we directed our way, intending to cross the downs to Newbury, +and so on to Oxford, our only fear being that we should fall in with +the Parliamentarians marching to join the Earl of Essex. + +It was nearly sunset ere the waggon turned in under the archway of +the King's Head, and a quarter of an hour later Granville and I +galloped up, followed by Lawson. + +Granville and I having arrived at the inn, I demanded in an imperious +voice accommodation for the night, asking at the same time whether +there were other travellers staying there? + +"None save a country gentleman and a merchant from Southampton," +replied the landlord. "Right worthy company you'll find them, sirs." + +"I hope so, too," I replied, and, dismissing the sergeant, for whom +lodging was provided above the stables, Granville and I joined the +colonel, keeping up the pretence by craving the liberty of +introducing ourselves to him and to the merchant of Southampton, who +gave his name as Henry Cutler. + +The latter was a keen-eyed, black-browed man, with pale, thin +features, and lank, raven hair. His dress was rich and even gaudy, +while his long, white fingers were loaded with rings. + +The conversation flagged somewhat till Firestone called for a bottle +of Canary, and presently the colonel and the merchant were trying to +outvie each other by telling tales of their adventures both at home +and in the countries of western and southern Europe. + +"I do perceive that ye are Royalists and honest men," remarked the +merchant, fixing his keen eyes on us each in turn. "Therefore, I'll +take ye into my confidence, an ye be willing." + +"I will not promise you that I'll take you into mine," replied +Firestone bluntly. + +"I do not ask it," continued the other carelessly. "I can read most +persons' minds like an open book. For example, you, young sirs, are +journeying to give your personal services to His Majesty. And you, +sir, are an old soldier, who also is on the same errand?" + +"How knowest thou that?" inquired the colonel, with considerable +amazement. + +"Never mind," replied the other, with a slight smile. "But, that +being so, why should we not travel together? I am taking a present to +His Majesty, which will, I trove, relieve him of all anxiety +regarding money matters. To be brief, I tell you, in confidence, I +possess the secret of the philosopher's stone, concerning which so +many wise men have laboured in vain." + +"What!" exclaimed Firestone, "canst convert base metal into gold and +silver?" + +"Ay, and I'll prove it forthwith," replied the merchant calmly. +Producing a small glass bottle from his pocket, he held it up for our +inspection. + +"'Tis not a stone, but a powder that works the marvel," he continued. +"The secret thereof was bestowed upon me by Master Hans Oest, the +world-known alchemist of Antwerp. See, here is a piece of lead. Take +and examine it carefully, lest you say it is not base metal." + +The piece of lead was eagerly handed round, the colonel cutting it +with a knife to make certain that there was no deception about it. + +"With this powder, lead becomes silver; silver becomes gold, though +its virtues cannot produce gold from lead, through the medium of +silver. I see an earthenware platter yonder; wouldst mind handing it +to me?" + +In breathless silence we watched the merchant place the bar of lead +on the platter and carefully sprinkle a small quantity of the powder +upon it. + +With a taper, he applied a light to the powder, and immediately there +appeared a fierce blue light which dazzled our eyes, and a thick +yellowish smoke that made us gasp for breath. + +The light disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving us blinking +in the sudden change from the brilliant glare to the semi-darkness of +the room; but, when our eyes grew accustomed to the change, there, on +the plate, lay a bar of pure silver! + +"And now, concerning the conversion of silver into gold?" asked +Colonel Firestone. + +"Ah, I have excited thy curiosity, then?" + +"I would see the whole business through." + +"Then ye shall, though, by necessity, it takes longer than doth the +production of silver. Hast any silver articles upon your person?" + +"None, save a crown or two." + +"Silver, if tarnished, doth not lend itself to the action of the +powder," continued Master Cutler, looking at the dull coins which the +colonel had produced. "I see a silver tankard yonder. I'll take +liberties with it, for, without doubt, our host will not object. But +one important thing must be seen to. Hast gold on thy person?" + +"A small sum," replied our companion. + +"And you, sir?" + +"Ten broad pieces," I replied. + +"And you?" + +"Five," said Granville. + +"Then take them away, and leave them in your sleeping places, for +'tis impossible to create gold where gold is already present." + +So, acting on these instructions, we obediently placed our money, +some fifty pounds in all, upon a table in one of the other rooms, and +returned eagerly to see the marvellous effects of the Antwerp +alchemist's powder. + +"I read your thoughts, sir," remarked the merchant to Firestone on +our return. "Do you not think that by craft I changed the lead bar +for a like one of silver hidden in my sleeve?" + +"Ay, I did," replied the colonel bluntly and truthfully. "But now I +know that 'tis impossible to have a tankard of that size concealed +about your person." + +"I will be frank with you, and entrust some of the precious powder +into your keeping, and, lest ye think that I am a common charlatan, +I'll absent myself from your company for a while. But, mark well +these directions. Gold, of necessity, takes longer to produce than +silver; therefore, when the powder is sprinkled on yonder tankard, +and fire applied, count from one up to three hundred, exercising +faith and patience in the counting thereof. I'll stand just without +the door, and await your summons." + +Bowing gravely, Master Cutler left the room, closing the door +carefully behind him. + +"He seems fair and above board," remarked the colonel. "Come on, +let's to work." + +The tankard was placed in the centre of the table, and Colonel +Firestone proceeded to scatter the grains of powder on its broad rim, +and on the bottom of the bowl. + +"Forty good ounces of solid gold will not be amiss," he said +meditatively. "By my faith, I see no reason why, considering the good +cause, our waggon-load of silver should not reach His Majesty in the +form of virgin gold." + +I applied a light to the powder, and, as it spluttered, flared up, +and smoked villainously, the colonel counted in a slow, sonorous +voice. + +Before he had finished fifty the room was full of dense, choking +vapour, and the powder was nearly consumed, yet there were no signs +of the expected change. + +At a hundred the flame had died out, leaving only the candlelight +shining dimly through a dense yellow fog, so that we could not see +whether the silver was in a state of transition or not. + +At three hundred the colonel was well-nigh stifled, an his voice +reduced to a mere croak. Lifting up the tankard, he bore it close to +the candelabra and examined it carefully. Then he burst into a loud, +hearty laugh. + +"Come in, Master Cutler; come in, and see the result of our +handiwork," he shouted. "Your powder has played ye false this time!" + +There was no reply. Simultaneously, our jaws dropped in amazed +disappointment, whilst the colonel dashed to the door and flung it +open. + +Master Henry Cutler had vanished! + +With vague suspicion in our minds, we rushed towards our room, but, +before we had covered half the length of the darkened corridor, I +tripped over a bar of wood, which had been placed there by design, +and fell headlong, Granville and Colonel Firestone joining me company +in a struggling heap on the floor. + +Hastily regaining our feet, we burst into the bedroom. + +Our worst fears were realised, for our gold had likewise vanished. +"Fool! Dolt that I am," shouted the colonel furiously; "could I but +lay hands on the rogue!" + +Alarmed by the noise, the landlord appeared, while in the street a +crowd of citizens collected, thinking, by reason of the dense cloud +of smoke that poured from the house, that a fire had broken out. + +By our foolish simplicity our host's silver tankard was spoiled, our +money had been stolen, and the thief had got clear away in the +confusion. And next morning, in order to pay for our accommodation +and the damage done, we were obliged to take a bar of silver from the +waggon and sell it at a third of its value to a rascally silversmith. +So, lighter in pocket, yet improved in wisdom, we resumed our +journey. + +Over the extensive down towards Whitchurch our progress was tediously +slow, so that Granville and I rode on ahead with Sergeant Lawson, +keeping, as usual, to the grass by the roadside. For some distance +there was not a tree to break the deadly monotony of the landscape +but at length we came in sight of a small clump of firs hard by the +highway. + +Here we were compelled to take to the road again, and barely had our +horses' hoofs struck the hard ground than there came a shout for +help. + +Without a moment's hesitation, Sergeant Lawson set spurs to his +horse, and, dropping the reins and drawing sword and pistol, dashed +towards the wood, guiding his steed solely by his knees. We followed, +sword in hand, and as we gained the edge of the clump of firs we +heard the sound of heavy bodies crashing through the brushwood on the +farther side. + +Bound to the tree trunk was a man, his head bleeding from the effects +of a blow from a bludgeon, and his pockets turned inside out. At his +feet lay the pieces of a broken sword, while, a short distance away, +a horse was tethered to a branch. + +[Illustration: _There was a yell of terror, and the robbers made a +frantic effort to rein in their steeds._] + +With a couple of swift strokes of his sword, the sergeant severed the +ropes that bound the luckless stranger; then, calling on us to +follow, he urged his horse through the grove in pursuit of the man's +assailants. + +The latter had already gained possession of their horses, and were +riding at break-neck pace across the open country. There were but two +of them, well mounted and lightly clad, while we were encumbered with +armour, and were riding heavy cavalry horses. Nevertheless, we held +them in hot pursuit, neither gaining nor losing perceptibly. + +After a while we straggled somewhat, I being well in front, Lawson a +hundred yards or more behind, and Granville still farther away, while +the two highwaymen kept closely together. At length I found myself +gaining on them, and, in the excitement of the chase, I forgot the +peril I was running, for they could well afford to turn and attack me +before the sergeant came up. + +At intervals I saw them turn their crape-covered faces and glance at +me over their shoulders, till suddenly they both wheeled, whipped out +pistols, and fired. + +They missed, though I felt the bullets whizz past my head and, unable +to rein in my horse, I felt myself being carried straight towards the +two robbers, who, drawing hangers, waited my approach. + +When within a few paces they hurled their discharged weapons full at +my head, one grazing the top of my steel cap, while the other I +turned aside with my sword. + +Whether I liked it or not, I had to close, and, turning slightly, I +avoided passing between them, as they had intended. Our blades met +without effect; then, on succeeding in drawing in my horse, I found +that the Villains had resumed their flight, but in a slightly +different direction to their previous course, and that this incident +had enabled Lawson to gain considerably. + +My senses were cooled by the encounter, so, permitting the sergeant +to overtake me, we rode in company, regardless of Ralph, who was +still floundering along a quarter of a mile behind, our eyes fixed +upon the two fugitives. + +Suddenly we heard a yell of terror, and saw a frantic effort on the +part of the robbers to pull in their steeds. For a brief moment it +seemed as if the horses were sliding on their haunches, their riders +leaning back till we could see the tips of their noses above their +black masks as they tore at the animals' reins. Another instant and +they had disappeared, and it was only the greater stretch of +intervening ground that saved us from a similar fate. + +Hastily dismounting, we cautiously approached the place where the +villains had disappeared, and, to our horror, we found that they had +fallen down an unfenced pit, the like of which abound in the chalk +downs of the south of England, their presence being almost invisible +even at a close distance, save to a trained eye. + +Looking over the treacherous edge, we saw a mangled heap of +motionless men and horses at the bottom of the pit. + +"It has saved us a dirty business," remarked the sergeant grimly, +"for, had we taken them alive, 'twould have meant a long wait at the +nearest town when we had handed them over to the authorities." + +"Are they killed?" I asked. + +"Ay," replied he. "'Tis certain they were strangers in this part, and +knew not the existence of this pitfall." + +"We can do no good staying here," I observed as Granville rode up, +spent and breathless with his exertion. "Let's make our way back to +the road." + +It was a long ride, for in the excitement of the pursuit time and +distance had been ignored, but, on regaining the highway, we found +that Colonel Firestone and the man we had rescued in timely fashion +were engaged in wordy strife, the latter having possessed himself of +his horse. + +After tendering his thanks at our opportune arrival, the stranger +exclaimed, "I see ye are all birds of a feather, and, in accordance +with the times, we should now be flying at each other's throats. But +I rejoice, in spite of party strife, that Englishmen are still +willing to help one another in adversity." + +"But you have not proved to me that you are in the right," said the +colonel courteously. + +"Neither can I convince you that you are in the wrong," replied the +other. "Like the rest of the nation, you have your opinion, and I +have mine, though, I trove, we need not go the length of forcing our +opinions at the sword's point, especially as you are the stronger." + +"Nay, I bear ye no ill-will," exclaimed Colonel Firestone, "and these +gentlemen are only too pleased to render you a slight service." + +"Which at some time I may be able to repay," replied the Roundhead. +"My name is Dawe, captain in Waller's troop; with your permission, +I'll bear you company to Whitchurch, till we are clear of this +robber-infested country." + +In spite of his antagonistic principles, Captain Dawe proved to be a +level-headed and well-bred man, far different from most of the rebel +officers whom I met in after times, though, as we rode together, he +talked on military matters with little reserve, whereby our leader, +with well-feigned disinterestedness, gained much information as to +the disposition and strength of the rebels in the field. + +However, his presence saved us from an unpleasant incident at +Whitchurch, where we encountered a company of rebel foot, marching +towards Andover and Salisbury, for, on declaring himself and showing +his commission to the captain of the soldiers, they refrained from +searching our waggon. + +Here we parted, Captain Dawe setting out for the west by the same +road as the rebel foot were going, while we pursued our way northward +towards Newbury, where we halted for the night. + +The following day we arrived at Oxford without further incident, and, +duly handing over the treasure to the officer in charge of the Royal +treasury, we awaited definite information of the Royal Army before +setting out to join the King's forces in the field. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +EDGEHILL + + +DURING our stay at Oxford various reports and rumours reached us +concerning the position of the King's forces, and at length definite +information was brought that the Royalists were marching from +Shrewsbury to give battle to the Earl of Essex, who was supposed to +be retiring to prevent the King's advance on the rebel City of +London. + +Colonel Firestone deemed it impracticable to attempt to join the +Royal camp with the rebels lying betwixt it and us; so we were forced +to remain in galling inactivity till the road northward should be +free of the enemy. + +Early one morning a spent and mud-stained horseman drew in his jaded +steed at Carfax, and immediately the news spread that the King had +gained Banbury, thus putting himself between the rebels and London, +while a battle was imminent on the following day. + +Without a moment's delay we set out for the Royal camp, our party +consisting of Colonel Firestone, Granville, and myself, with Sergeant +Lawson and Wat in attendance, while two spare horses carried our +baggage. + +Two hours' hard riding brought us in sight of the town of Banbury, +outside of which were the tents of the Royalists. On reporting +ourselves to Prince Rupert--for we were to be attached to his troop +of horse--we were shown to a tent and told to rest, yet to hold +ourselves in instant readiness for an attack on the rebel forces. + +But rest for us was an impossibility. Granville wandered about the +lines, to see whether any of his Cornish relatives were serving in +the Prince's cavalry, while I naturally wished to see my father as +soon as possible, though I was told that Sir Reginald Markham was +away on special service, and would not return to the camp before +nightfall. + +Colonel Firestone wished to hand his precious documents personally to +the King; I never saw the papers, and often wondered where he kept +them; and, on being informed that His Majesty was not within the +camp, and that his whereabouts were to be kept secret, the colonel's +disappointment was most marked. + +He was resolved, like many other officers, to fight under Rupert's +standard as an ordinary gentleman, and, seeing that it was impossible +to approach His Majesty, he spent the time writing, reading +pocket-books on military matters, and overhauling his weapons. + +Just as the sun was setting, a small band of horsemen dashed into the +camp, and, dismounting, made their way to the Prince's tent, and one +of the party I knew full well. It was my father. + +"Wait a moment, Humphrey," exclaimed Colonel Firestone, "and I'll go +with you. Your sire will not be long with the Prince, I trove." + +Together we made our way through the press of roystering soldiers, +till we reached the tent, where two armed troopers kept guard over +Prince Rupert's person, and in less than five minutes my father +reappeared. + +He greeted me with great affection, commending my loyal resolution in +throwing in my lot with the King's forces, assuring me that there +were many youths of gentle birth who were also in the field. + +"And hest not a word of welcome for an old comrade?" exclaimed my +companion. + +"Nay, I know you not," replied my father, looking steadfastly into +the colonel's face. Then, after a pause, he exclaimed: + +"Why, 'tis Nick Firestone!" + +"The same," replied the colonel, wringing my father's hand. "Have I +changed so much that my old companion-in-arms cannot call me to name? +How is it with thee?" + +"A man may change much in a score years," said my father, "but, +thanks to an active life, I feel as strong and as well as in the dark +days of 'twenty-seven, save that my legs are somewhat cramped with +rheumatism, though my arm is as strong as of yore. Where lies your +tent?" he asked. + +"Next but one to your own, sir," I replied. "At least, that is what I +have been told." + +"'Tis well," he replied, "for twelve hours in the saddle is apt to +give one a keen hunger, to say nothing of an aching frame." + +"I have brought an air bed for you from home," I exclaimed. + +"An air what, forsooth?" asked my father. + +I hastened to explain the nature of this admirable contrivance as +given by worthy Master Royston, and, on arriving at our lines, I sent +Lawson to get the novel article from the baggage. + +We talked till late in the evening, my parent plying me with +questions concerning affairs at home, and telling us of the events of +the last few weeks. + +"Dost know that, according to the rebel order, Ashley Castle no +longer belongs to the Markhams?" asked my father. + +"Nay, sir," I replied. "What dost thou mean; is it a jest?" + +"Hardly a jest, Humphrey. Only yester-night we surprised a rebel +despatch-bearer on the road near Stratford, and amongst other papers +was a list of manors and castles to be bestowed by the Parliament on +their chief supporters, and amongst the places named was mine own +castle." + +"And on whom is it bestowed?" + +"On one Captain Chaloner." + +"Captain Chaloner!" exclaimed Firestone. "Why, 'tis the man who +allowed the rebels to seize Southsea Castle, the same who was hand in +glove with the turncoat, Goring." + +"He's to gain possession of Ashley Castle first," rejoined my father +grimly; "and 'tis certain that, so long as my wife keeps watch and +ward, no doubly-dyed rebel will set foot over my threshold--but how +came Portsmouth to fall, considering it was well fortified and +supplied with munition of war?" + +We thereupon had to tell my father the events that led to Goring's +feeble and faint-hearted pretence of holding the town for the King, +and, at the story of Chaloner's treacherous incapacity, my parent +shook his fist in impotent rage. + +At length it was time for us to retire to our own tent, and, having +inflated the air-bed for my father's use by means of a pump, we bade +him good night. + +Late into the night sounds of revelry disturbed the camp, men gaming +or singing in uproarious discord, till gradually the babel died away, +and silence reigned over the sleeping town of tents, broken only by +the frequent voices of the sentries on guard without the lines. + +It was my first experience of camp life, and sleep seemed a stranger to +me. The hard ground found out the weak places in my anatomy, till my +shoulder-blades and hips were sore and aching, for as yet I knew +nothing of the old campaigners' trick of hollowing out the earth to +accommodate these protuberances and I lay and longed for the dawn. + +Suddenly an alarm echoed through the stillness of the night, and +instantly the camp was alive with men rushing hither and thither. + +Our tent turned out to a man, and, putting on our steel caps, and +buckling on our sword-belts as we ran, we formed up in an irregular +line outside the camp, in expectation of a sudden attack, yet, though +an outpost of musketeers discharged their weapons, there came no +answering volley from the supposed enemy. + +Nor was the alarm confined to our lines, for, on our left, the +musketeers of Sir Jacob Ashley's infantry were also formed up with +matches lighted, and on our right the cannoniers under Sir John +Heyden were advancing their ordnance to meet the attack. + +In the midst of the confusion a tall, dark figure mounted on a +restive horse rode towards us, followed by a body of cavalry. + +It was Prince Rupert. + +"Back to your tents, gentlemen!" he shouted, and it seemed that his +voice was broken with suppressed laughter. "'Tis but a false alarm!" + +And ere long the whole camp knew the cause of the sudden uproar--my +father's air-bed had burst, and, finding himself flung all of a heap +on the ground, he had imagined, being roused from sleep, that the +rebels were upon us, and had raised the shout that roused the camp! + +Daylight found the camp astir, for, with the knowledge that the +rebels were within ten miles of us, excitement ran high. For my part, +I must confess the principal thought that ran uppermost in my mind +was not that of the coming conflict, but a vague uneasiness as to +what was happening at home--whether that traitorous villain, +Chaloner, had actually made an attempt to secure Ashley Manor, +illegally bestowed upon him by the very side he had professed to +abhor. + +Firestone, on his part, was in a state of feverish anxiety, for, +though, like an old soldier, he was longing for the clash of arms, he +was burning with impatience to deliver his despatches personally to +His Majesty, this being the express injunction laid upon him ere he +quitted the French court. + +But again his hopes were thwarted, for the King had, we now learned, +gone overnight to sleep at Nellthorpe House, and, up to the actual +moment of the army taking up a battle formation, he had not put in an +appearance, as a council was being held in the town of Banbury. It +was considerably after midday ere we received orders to march, and, +on gaining the brow of a steep hill, I saw the rebel host in close +array on the plains beneath us. + +Presently I heard the dull boom of a cannon away on our left, +followed by a heavy fire, to which the rebels answered, though not so +vigorously. + +But we were not left long in that suspense which is so trying to the +nerves of a soldier, for Prince Rupert, standing in his stirrups, +waved his sword for our cavalry to advance. + +Prince Rupert having given the signal for the cavalry to advance, I +set my teeth tightly, spurred my steed, and joined in the charge, +being in the second rank, with Firestone on my left and my father on +my right. + +Before us lay the dense serried masses of Essex's cavalry, but, to my +surprise, just before the trumpets sounded the charge, a whole troop +of the enemy suddenly rode towards us with signs of friendship. +Wheeling by our right, they fell in with our cavalry, and at once +prepared to charge their former comrades. + +This troop, I afterwards learned, were Sir Faithful Fortescue's +troopers, who had but recently returned from Ireland; but, being +unable to make their way to the Royal camp, had feigned to throw in +their lot with the rebels until a favourable opportunity occurred to +declare themselves openly. + +The next instant we were launched at full gallop upon the rebel +cavalry, and of what happened during the next few moments I have but +a dim recollection. It was cut, thrust, and parry. Men went down, +still striking madly at their assailants, whilst riderless horses +added to the confusion; but I knew that we had the best of the +struggle, because we were ever advancing. + +Suddenly Firestone's horse plunged violently and fell on its knees, +while its rider, slipping from off his saddle, rolled over, vainly +endeavouring to throw himself clear of his floundering steed. + +At that moment one of the rebel dragoons, a veritable Anak, received +a cut in the face, and, half blinded and maddened by the pain, he +slashed furiously right and left. + +I wheeled to escape the resistless sweep of his sword, and, to my +horror, I saw the weapon bury itself in Colonel Firestone's leg, +shearing through jack-boot, limb, and even the saddle. + +The next instant I was urged onward by the rush of the combatants, +and, much as I desired to, I was unable to help my luckless comrade. +In a few minutes the rebel cavalry had broken and were in hot flight, +while at their heels came our triumphant troopers, slashing and +hewing at the fugitives without mercy. + +In the excitement of the pursuit time and distance were forgotten, +till at length, breathless and triumphant, our cavalry gave up the +chase, re-formed, and prepared to return to that part of the field of +battle where, by the sound of heavy firing, we knew the contest still +raged furiously. + +Before this was done, however, we were assailed by a body of rebel +horse, which, launching itself on our rearguard, played havoc till +driven off by superior numbers. + +When at length we regained our former position we were confronted by +a solid phalanx of pikemen and musketeers, who presented such a +redoubtable appearance that Prince Rupert hesitated to order a fresh +charge. So with an occasional cannonade the battle ended just as +night drew in upon the scene. + +"Hast seen Colonel Firestone?" asked Granville, as he wiped his +dust-and blood-stained face with a handkerchief of delicate cambric. + +"Down yonder, I fear," I replied sadly, indicating the darkening +plain on which the indistinct forms of the fallen could still be +seen. "I saw him hurled from his horse with his leg shorn off at a +single blow." + +"Perchance he still lives." + +"But I could scarcely believe that. He is more likely to have bled to +death," said I. "Be that as it may, however, we'll make an effort to +find him." + +And, giving our horses in charge of a camp follower, we sought out +Sergeant Lawson, who willingly agreed to accompany us. + +Bending as we went--for the enemy's matches still glimmered in +readiness to open fire--we cautiously made our way over the ground in +the direction clearly indicated by the slain who fell during our +brilliant charge. + +Here and there maimed horses still kicked and writhed in agony, while +at intervals a man would implore our pity and help, though most of +the slightly wounded had managed to regain the shelter of our lines. +At length we came upon a confused jumble of men and horses, and +pinned down by the weight of his dead charger lay our hapless friend. + +By our combined efforts we managed to extricate his body from beneath +the animal, and to our great surprise and intense delight the brave +colonel opened his eyes. + +A brief examination showed that his right leg had been cleanly hewn +through, the upper part of his boot still remaining over his knee; +but again with infinite surprise I noticed that there was no trace of +blood, and the next instant the truth flashed across my mind. + +Colonel Nicholas Firestone had a wooden leg! + +Stooping down, Lawson grasped the colonel under his arms, while +Granville lifted his remaining leg, and cautiously we began our +perilous journey back to the camp; but hardly had we gone a few paces +when Firestone whispered: + +"Bring the pieces with you, Humphrey. My severed leg, I mean, for +'tis of much consequence that this be done." + +Wondering what he meant, yet loth to thwart what I took to be the +whim of a half-dazed man, I returned, picked up the severed boot with +its wooden contents, and overtook my comrades, and half an hour later +we were safely within the Royal lines. + +Here, with considerable difficulty, we procured a rough litter, and, +placing our wounded friend upon it, we bore him towards the camp, in +company with a constant stream of burdens, for the most part far +sadder than our own. + +As we approached I noticed a group of officers standing in a +respectful attitude at a short distance from a slender, heavily +cloaked figure. Instinct told me it was our Sovereign, who, having by +his courage inspired his troops to fight a brilliant though +indecisive action, was not slow in sympathising with those who had +fallen in his cause. + +"'Tis the King," I whispered to our wounded companion. + +"Then hand me my severed leg," he rejoined with astonishing +imperativeness. + +My surprise prevented me from asking the reason, and without a word I +did as he requested. + +As the litter approached His Majesty, I noticed Firestone feverishly +employed in taking the remains of his wooden leg from the encasing +leather boot, and, having done this, he began to unscrew a portion of +the limb. A few turns and the leg came apart, disclosing a cavity, +from which the colonel drew a lightly rolled packet of papers. + +"Art badly hurt?" asked His Majesty, as the glimmer of a lantern fell +upon the figure in the stretcher. + +"No, sire," replied Firestone cheerfully. "'Tis not a case for the +surgeon; a carpenter will suffice." + +"How so, sirrah?" exclaimed the King with astonishment. + +In a few words Colonel Firestone explained the circumstances, and +handed the precious despatches to His Majesty. + +Tearing open the covering, the King called for the lantern to be +brought nearer to enable him to read the contents, and by the feeble +light I saw his clear-cut features brighten as he perused the +message. + +"Gentlemen," he explained, addressing the officers in attendance, "we +have just received an important and encouraging message from our +cousin of France, but of this more anon. But why didst thou risk +these papers in the battlefield instead of handing them to us?" he +added, addressing Colonel Firestone. + +"Acting under direct orders, sire," he replied, "that these +despatches were to be given only into Your Majesty's hands." + +"And yet with these in your possession you risked your life and these +despatches on the battlefield?" + +"My life is my own, and I chose to risk it in Your Majesty's cause," +replied Firestone stoutly. "But as for the papers, I took precautions +to ensure them reaching Your Majesty's hands should I have fallen." + +"We'll not ask a gallant soldier to explain the matter," said the +King, "for 'tis certain his arrangements were well made. The fact +remains that he has performed his mission to our satisfaction, a +matter which we will bear in mind." + +And, motioning the stretcher-bearers to proceed, the King returned +the colonel's salute and directed his attention to the next arrival +of that seemingly endless procession. + +Having seen our charge safely within his tent, we sent for a +carpenter to replace his severed stump, a task which, though roughly +performed, the colonel considered satisfactory. But the severe +shaking he received by his fall prevented his taking the field again +that night, and we were compelled to leave him and again take our +place in the line of battle. + +All that night and during the next day we lay under arms, both sides +facing each other, yet refraining from exchanging shots, and as +evening drew in we were greatly surprised and not a little delighted +to see the rebel army withdrawing in the direction of Warwick. + +The approach of winter necessitated both armies going into winter +quarters, and, having obtained permission to withdraw, my father, +accompanied by Colonel Firestone and myself, determined to return +to Ashley, while Ralph Granville set out for his Cornish home. + +He and I were sorry indeed to part company, and, sure enough, there +came times, of which you are now to hear, when I could have done well +with so trusty a friend at my right hand. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH + + +ASHLEY CASTLE presented its wonted appearance as my father and I +approached it on our return journey. + +The banner of the Markhams still proudly floated over the tower, the +drawbridge was still guarded by a pikeman in the Markham livery, and +the smoke still floated upwards from the kitchen chimneys in the keen +autumnal air. + +"Heaven be praised!" exclaimed my father, raising his plumed hat, and +I knew that a great load had been lifted from his mind--a burden +which I felt hardly less deeply than did he. + +The warm-hearted greeting over, we eagerly asked for tidings +concerning the renegade, Captain Chaloner, but on this matter we +could not obtain any information, for, although it was known that the +rebel captain had had the castle bestowed upon him by the Parliament, +he had taken no active steps to secure possession of it. + +Relying on the loyal support of his tenantry, my father knew that +there was little chance of a surprise, yet he in no wise relaxed his +vigilance. + +Every available firearm was carefully examined, barrels of powder +bought and stored in the capacious cellars, while piles of shot were +placed in readiness by the side of the small pieces of ordnance on +the leads of the hall. Vast quantities of imperishable provisions +were collected, and an additional well was sunk within the inner +courtyard, so that our water supply was assured. + +Yet our preparations were seemingly in vain. Many months passed, and +still no rebel Chaloner appeared to press his claim, while my father, +owing to his increasing infirmities, was compelled, much against his +will, to remain at home instead of giving his services to His Majesty +in the field. + +Colonel Firestone, however, had taken part in the affairs of +Chalgrove Field and Newbury, and from time to time news came from him +concerning the progress of the fearful civil war. + +At length, in the month of May, 1644, the colonel himself arrived at +Ashley Castle with the news that he was on his way, by Royal command, +to take part in the operations in the west against the rebels under +the Earl of Essex, and, at the colonel's suggestion, my father +consented to let me go with him, greatly to my satisfaction. + +Two years had made a great difference in my appearance. Although but +very little taller, I had increased in girth, being broad-chested and +full-limbed, while few would believe that I was but seventeen years +of age. Thanks to clean-living and plenty of exercise in martial and +open-air pursuits, I was strong, muscular, and active, yet withal +(though I say it) I was of sound judgment, quick to act, and blessed +with no small stock of intelligence. + +It was a long journey by way of Winchester, Salisbury, and Exeter, +but with little adventure we crossed the Tamar at a place called +Calstock, and reached the Duchy of Cornwall. + +It was nearly night when we reached this village, a collection of +stone-built cottages rising in tiers from the west side of the river, +which here describes a magnificent curve between lofty banks of +tree-clad hills. + +Our arrival caused no little stir amongst the villagers, for armed +men were comparatively scarce in the neighbourhood, as the troops of +either party, who were continually pouring into the Duchy, usually +entered by the road betwixt Tavistock and Callington, or else between +Plymouth and Saltash. + +"Is there a decent and well-conducted inn hereabouts?" asked my +companion, addressing a red-haired fellow in a grey smock. + +"What do 'ee say?" replied the countryman, scratching his poll in +obvious perplexity. + +"An inn, dolt! An inn." + +"There be one up yonder," said the man in a singsong voice. "'E be +called the King's 'Ead, if 'ee be for the King, and the Stamford +Arms, if 'ee be for the Parleymun. It be no worry to we, anyway." + +"Let's try the King's Head," I remarked. "Though 'tis to be hoped +that those who dub it after the Earl of Stamford may be not present." + +"So be it," replied my companion, and riding up to the door of the +inn, we dismounted and knocked. + +From within came the sound of many voices engaged in lively +conversation, and, finding that our summons was unanswered, Firestone +pushed open the door and entered. + +At the end of a stone passage was another door, partly opened, and to +our surprise a well-known voice was heard: + +"This, gentlemen, fully demonstrates the sovereign virtues possessed +by my inimitable powder, of which I am agreeable to sell small +portions at the price of one penny--one penny only, I say. Each +portion capable of acting on four ounces of lead. 'Tis only in the +goodness of my heart that I offer this priceless powder to His +Majesty's subjects, and----" + +"'Tis the arrogant rogue who bested us at Winchester!" I whispered. + +"Ay! I knew it the moment I heard his voice. Listen." + +"I ask no man to buy," continued the huckster. "'Tis to be regarded +as a gift--no, sir, it must not be used under an hour, being but this +evening made up--as a gift, I repeat; but to prevent an injudicious +distribution, I am compelled to ask but one penny for this small +quantity. I have demonstrated its powers to you, as I have done +before princes of the blood, knights and gentlemen in London, York, +Lincoln, Norwich, Exeter----" + +"And Winchester, you rogue!" exclaimed the colonel, bursting into the +room. "Where are our fifty pounds in gold?" + +The self-styled merchant of Southampton was terrified at the sight of +our sudden appearance. His knees smote together, his jaw dropped, and +his lank, raven hair almost stood upright. + +Gripping his shoulder, I forced him against the wall, and, thrusting +back his sleeve, we discovered a cube of lead similar in shape to the +one of silver which still lay on the table. Seeing the deception, the +crowd, who had regarded us with little favour, began to cast +imprecations on the impostor. + +"We'll have this on account," said Colonel Firestone, pocketing the +silver. "And now turn out his purse." + +Eleven pounds in gold and over a pound in silver and copper were +shaken out on the table, the wretched man making no resistance. + +"Thirty-eight pounds to the had. What say you, sirrah?" demanded the +colonel sternly. "Is it the hangman at Bodmin, where perchance +thou'lt be cropped by the ears and branded on the face, and finish by +dangling at the end of a stout hempen rope? What say you, I repeat?" + +The wretch had sunk on his knees, mumbling incoherently. Suddenly he +whipped out a long knife from the folds of his boot and lunged +viciously, like a cornered rat, at the colonel. But ere the blow +struck home I kicked the weapon from his grasp, sending it spinning +to the low, raftered ceiling, where it stuck and vibrated with the +force of its ascent. + +"Wouldst add attempted murder to the list of your accomplishments?" +asked Firestone contemptuously. "'Tis a pity we cannot waste time to +see thee spinning round at the end of a halter, but we must needs +take the law into our own hands. Canst swim?" + +The man shook his head. + +"Then up with him and cast him into the river," continued my +companion, addressing the surrounding throng. + +Eager hands seized the wretched purveyor of quack powders and bore +him towards the river, Firestone and I following at the heels of the +crowd. + +"Shall us tie a stoane round the neck of he?" asked one of the +villagers. + +"Hither, my friend," replied Firestone, and as the man came nearer he +continued in a low voice, inaudible to the miserable rogue: "We do +not mean to kill the man, Get ready a rope to throw to him. And canst +swim?" + +"Ay," replied the villager. "Only the other day they gave I a jar o' +small beer for swimmin' from Morwell'm----" + +"Then I'll give you another if you have to go in and fetch him out; +but don't go in, mind you, unless I give you word." + +At the edge of the river was a small stone quay, below which the +water flowed gently, only a few feet from the top of the wharf, it +being nearly high tide. It was nearly dark, but the other bank was +just discernible. + +The men who had been cheated out of their hard-earned spending money +entered into the punishment of the rascal with a will. Seized by the +arms and legs by half a dozen lusty quarrymen, the terrified rogue +was swung to and fro for a few seconds, his screams for mercy adding +to the zest of his tormentors. Then, to the accompaniment of a loud +shout, the men hurled him far into the river, where he disappeared +with a heavy splash. + +"He must be dead. He sank like a stone," I exclaimed, after what +seemed to me a long interval. + +"We've overdone it," shouted the colonel excitedly. "Quick, you; +after him. Perchance he was winded by the fall," he added to the man +who had boasted of his swimming prowess. + +But before the man could throw off his heavy boots, the lank black +hair of the Southampton merchant--as he termed himself, though +falsely, as we knew too well--appeared above the surface, half-way +across the stream, and with astonishing swiftness he struck out for +the opposite shore. + +"Why, the villain has cheated us again," I exclaimed. "See, he swims +well." + +"Try him with your pistols, sir," said the host of the inn. + +"Nay, let him go, for he deserves it by his cunning," replied +Firestone, and in silence we saw his dim outline draw itself from the +water, and, rat-like, slink to cover in the shelter of the woods. + +We returned to the inn, where Colonel Firestone repaid the men who +had been duped by the rascal's ingenuity, out of the remaining money, +retaining the leather purse as a trophy of the encounter, while our +popularity was further assured by our host being ordered to broach a +barrel of old ale at our expense, and till late in the night the +simple countrymen sat carousing, singing quaint songs in their +strange dialect, in blissful disregard of the fact that nearly the +whole kingdom was torn asunder by civil war. + +Next morning we were up betimes, and amid the cheers of the +villagers, who had gathered to wish us good-speed, we resumed our +journey westward, intending to reach Tregetty Castle, the Granvilles' +home, before sunset. + +Barely had we gone a couple of miles when the road, which was little +better than a narrow lane, descended abruptly into a deep and dark +valley, the pine trees throwing a sombre shade over our path. + +Suddenly three horsemen appeared, reining in their horses to bar our +path. There was no mistaking their intentions, and by their buff +coats, iron caps, and clean-shaven visages we knew them to be +Roundheads. + +"Straight at them!" exclaimed Firestone, drawing sword and pistol, +while I followed his example; but ere we could close, their numbers +were increased by nearly a score. + +Wheeling our horses, we essayed flight, but at the same moment a +swarm of dismounted men leapt from the banks in our rear. We were +hopelessly trapped. + +Resistance was useless, and in a moment the troopers were upon us. We +were deprived of our weapons, and rough hands seized us, binding our +arms tightly behind our backs, while with many ribald jests at the +hapless malignants they urged our horses in the same direction that +we had been going. + +But before we emerged from the valley the troopers halted, save a +sergeant, who disappeared by a narrow path on the left-hand side of +the lane. In a few minutes he returned, accompanied by two of the +rebel officers, and with an involuntary exclamation of surprise and +dismay I recognised one of them to be the traitor, Captain Chaloner. + +Close behind him, his face distorted with a malevolent grin, was +another acquaintance, Master Henry Cutler, the Southampton "merchant," +whom, but a few hours previously, we had seen swimming across the +Tamar. + +"You have them securely, I hope, sergeant?" said Chaloner, rubbing +his gloved hands in evident enjoyment. + +"Safely bound, eh?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"'Tis well. Now, sirrahs, what have you to say for yourselves? +Malignants and robbers to boot, ye are arrested in the name of the +Parliament of England and charged with robbing with violence this +man, Henry Cutler. What have ye to say?" + +"My purse! My purse!" exclaimed the huckster, producing his leather +bag from the colonel's pocket. "See, sir, this proves my story. My +papers are still in it." + +"They are guilty beyond doubt," replied Chaloner, "e'en though they +speak not a word. Hi! Bring hither the halters!" he shouted to a +trooper. + +Without delay a noose was placed round each of our necks, while +another trooper climbed to the lowermost branch of a pine tree that +overgrew the road. + +After one or two attempts he caught the ends of the ropes, passed +them over the bough, and let the free end fall to the ground. Five or +six men grasped each rope and awaited the signal to haul us, kicking +and struggling in our death agonies, from the backs of our horses. + +In those awful moments my senses were completely numbed. I was dimly +conscious only of the noise of the trickling stream and the notes of +the feathered songsters overhead. Even this ignominious ending by +being hanged did not seem to trouble me, for I understood in a +measure the meaning of the words, "The bitterness of death is past." +What I could not quite understand was the fact that our executioners +delayed their work. + +Then, above the babbling of the stream, I heard the sound of horses +rapidly approaching, and, the mist clearing before our eyes, I saw a +knot of Parliamentary officers gallop up. + +"What's this? Who commands this troop?" demanded the senior officer, +a tall, thin, yet not unpleasant-looking man, whose clear-cut +features were partly hidden by a heavy bristling moustache and a tuft +of hair on his chin. + +"I, sir, Captain Chaloner," replied that worthy, saluting with his +drawn sword. + +"Then pray explain the circumstances of this summary act; are these +prisoners of war?" + +"They are malignants, murderers, and highway robbers to boot," said +Chaloner. + +"Nay, sir, 'tis false," interjected Colonel Firestone. "We are +soldiers of His Majesty, 'tis true, but neither murderers nor +highwaymen. I look to you, sir, to protect us from the indignity of +being strung up without the chance of a word in our defence." + +"I will go further into the matter anon," said the Roundhead officer. +"Captain Chaloner, where is the rendezvous of your troop?" + +"At the town of Lostwithiel, sir." + +"Then take your prisoners thither. I hold you responsible for their +safety and custody. Be assured," he added, addressing us, "that you +will have a fair and impartial trial. If found guilty of robbery, on +my solemn word I'll have you strung up as a warning to others; if +not. I must needs keep you as prisoners of war." + +Chaloner again saluted as his superior and his officers rode off; +then, scowling blankly with ill-concealed hatred, he ordered his +troop to fall in, and, with Firestone and I still bound in their +midst, the Roundheads set off at a trot towards their headquarters. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OUR ADVENTURE IN LOSTWITHIEL CHURCH + + +THE troopers kept up their rapid pace, as if anxious to reach the +shelter afforded by Lostwithiel without delay, and as we proceeded +the nature of their anxiety became apparent. + +A burly dragoon rode between us, sternly checking any attempt at +conversation, while the sergeant, who had possessed himself of my +sword--the gift of the armourer at Newport--placed a couple of men, +armed with petronels, immediately behind us, giving them orders to +shoot us through the head at the first sign of an attempt to escape. + +This order was, I felt certain, given to the sergeant by Chaloner, +who would have been only too glad to get us out of the way, knowing +that we were acquainted with his past treachery, and also because he +was aware of the fact that I was the son of Sir Reginald Markham, who +still held Ashley, in spite of the Parliamentarian mandate bestowing +it upon the renegade. + +Long before midday we had passed through Liskeard, where the +inhabitants were manifestly in sympathy with us, though overawed by +the menaces of Chaloner's troopers. + +About four miles beyond the town we came to the fork roads, where one +road leads to Bodmin and the other to Lostwithiel, and hardly had we +proceeded a hundred yards along the latter when two dragoons, who had +been riding some distance ahead, came back at a gallop with the +intelligence that a troop of malignant cavalry were drawn up beyond +the brow of the hill. + +My spirits rose at the thought of a rescue, though, at the same time, +it occurred to me that, should an affray take place, Chaloner would +have no scruples in shooting us, and putting the blame on the bullets +of our friends. + +The Roundheads lost no time in preparing to receive the threatened +attack. The dragoons dismounted, one man in every three being told +off to hold the reins of their comrades' horses. We were sent to the +rear under guard, while the soldiers vigorously plied their swords, +cutting down brushwood and small branches of trees which they placed +across the road to render more difficult the charge of their +opponents. + +In a few moments we saw the cavalry appear, and, drawing up against +the sky-line, they halted, while their leaders trotted slowly +forward, as if to reconnoitre the Roundheads' position. + +Apparently, however, the Cornish Royal troops thought the numbers of +their enemies too great to attempt an onslaught, for, greatly to my +disappointment, the horsemen wheeled and retired, amidst the ironical +laughter and gibes of our captors. + +But the Roundheads had reckoned too lightly with their enemies, for +shortly afterwards the Royalists appeared in our rear, opening a +steady fire at long range. + +Chaloner was manifestly ill at ease, and, as usual, his craven spirit +showed itself in its true colours. With the opening of the rearguard +action he took his place at the head of the troop, exhorting them to +increase their pace till their progress was little better than a +flight. + +On our part, Colonel Firestone and I were subjected to the awkward +predicament of being under the fire of our own party, the bullets +whistling unpleasantly above our heads. Although several of the +dragoons essayed to make a stand, their pursuers drove them back with +the loss of three killed and five wounded, till at length the chase +ended at Lostwithiel Bridge, by the timely arrival of a strong body +of musketeers from the Roundhead stronghold. + +Here Chaloner handed us over to a captain of pikemen, who conducted +us to the church, where, still bound, we were placed in a corner of +the sacred edifice under a strong guard. + +The floor of the nave was strewn with straw, some twenty or more +horses being stabled here, while gathered in small groups were the +rough soldiery, polishing their arms.[1] + +Presently there entered an officer, whom I recognised in a moment. It +was Captain Dawe, the man we had befriended when attacked by robbers +near Whitchurch, and the recognition was mutual, though the Roundhead +captain placed his finger meaningly on his mouth. + +"Why are these men trussed up in this fashion?" he demanded. + +"By Captain Chaloner's orders, sir," replied one of the men who +mounted guard over us. + +"'Tis unduly harsh. Cast off those ropes. Have they been questioned?" + +"I know not, sir." + +"Then stand aside while I obtain information of the malignant +forces." + +Our bonds were unfastened, and we stood upright, glad to stretch our +cramped limbs. + +"More I dare not do," said Captain Dawe in a low tone. "But seize the +first chance of escape, for 'tis certain this Captain Chaloner is +intent on your deaths. Your outposts are in possession of Restormel +Castle. Dost know where it lieth?" + +"No," I replied. + +"But a mile and a half from the north gate. Gain it, and all will be +well, for I foresee that we are sore beset by your troops. To-night, +perchance, I'll try to make your way still easier, but till +then--farewell." + +Our benefactor went out, while our guards resumed their places, one +having brought us some food, which we ate with avidity, having been +without refreshment since early morning. Then, making ourselves as +comfortable as the hard oak pews would permit, we feigned sleep. + +Immediately after Captain Dawe's departure a scene of rioting began, +ending in an uproar that filled me with disgust. + +"Can we sit here idle, and gaze upon this vile work?" I whispered +fiercely to my companion, for I was beside myself with fury. + +"Not I," replied Firestone. + +"Then let's fall upon them," I exclaimed in a low voice. + +The next instant I had pushed aside our guards and sprung on the pew, +the colonel following almost as quickly, in spite of his wooden leg. + +Before the noisy fellows could grasp the meaning of our sudden +onslaught, I had seized the leading spirit by the throat. With an +almost superhuman effort, I dashed his head against the font, the +stonework stopping his blasphemy for the time being. + +Firestone served another in a similar manner, and, as if by mutual +agreement, we dashed towards the doorway leading to the tower. Up the +spiral staircase we flew, and, before the first of the astonished +rebels had grasped the situation, we had gained the wooden ladder +leading to the belfry. + +In another moment we had drawn the wooden ladder up after us, and lay +breathless and panting, yet safe for the present, upon the floor of +the steeple. + +Anon we heard growls of the soldiers, who, having reached the top of +the stone staircase, had found the ladder removed. + +"On your head be the blame, Hosea Standfast," exclaimed one of the +troopers. + +"Nay, why on mine?" replied another. "You were told off to keep watch +and ward as well as I." + +"A truce to your bickering," interrupted a third, "and help to get +your men down. Send a messenger to Captain Chaloner, and inform him +of the circumstances." + +"Cannot we secure them without the captain knowing aught of the +matter?" asked the first speaker. "Try, but I'll warrant the rogues +will sit tight," replied the third man, evidently a corporal of +horse. + +Threats, persuasions, and entreaties met with no results, for, +intoxicated with the success of our attempt, we laughed at the +discomfited soldiers, till at last one of them reluctantly departed, +to inform the renegade, Captain Chaloner, of our escapade, and in a +very short time that infuriated officer made his appearance, +accompanied by a file of musketeers. + +"I'll fetch you down," he exclaimed, and immediately ordered the +musketeers to make ready their pieces. + +Peering cautiously over the edge of the trap-door, I could see the +men lighting their matches, and casting about to load. Observing +these preparations, I assisted Colonel Firestone to clamber astride +the top of a large bell, while I followed his example, for, though +the stout oak planking of the belfry floor might not be proof against +the bullets, it was certain that the huge metal cylinders would form +ample protection. + +We had not long to wait before a musket was fired, the report making +a prodigious noise, while the bullet struck the floor with a dull, +heavy thud. + +The next shot passed between a crevice in the rough timbers, and hit +the lip of the bell, which gave forth a resonant ring. + +The intermittent fusillade continued for about ten minutes, and, +although the bells were struck at least a dozen times, we came off +unscathed, keeping up a running fire of derisive remarks at the +enraged captain and his impotent musketeers. + +"I'll have you yet," shouted the renegade, beside himself with fury, +and, ordering his men to follow, he led the way down the spiral +staircase. + +"I wonder what he intends to do next?" I remarked to my companion, as +we stepped from our unsteady perches and gained the floor. + +"He'll stop at nothing," replied the colonel. "But we'll know soon +enough. In the meantime haul up those ropes, for methinks we'll have +need of them ere long." + +We pulled up the bell-ropes as far as the knots for the ringers' +hands would allow, then set laboriously to work to chafe through the +stout hempen cords by the edge of one of the bells. We had barely +sawn through three ropes, and detached their other ends from the +massive wheels, when we heard the noise of scuffling feet hastily +making the way up the worn steps of the spiral staircase, accompanied +by the unmistakable rustle of straw. + +[Illustration: _Seized by the arms and legs, the terrified rogue was +hurled into the river._] + +"They are going to burn us out," I exclaimed. + +"Trying to, you should say," replied Firestone. "Unless they actually +set fire to the steeple, which Heaven forfend, we can laugh at them." + +Piling a heap of straw and hay on the stone floor of the tower +immediately below the trap-door of the belfry, the rebels called on +us once more to come down. + +The only reply was a piece of wood, small 'tis true, but thrown with +unerring aim. It caught one of the soldiers fairly on the top of his +bare head, for he had removed his steel cap, and, with a yell of +pain, he dashed for the doorway of the spiral staircase, not knowing +in his fright whether he had been shot at or not. + +Coming into violent contact with another man who was bringing up some +more straw, the twain fell in a confused heap, and we could hear them +bumping and jolting down the narrow steps. + +"Capitally done, Humphrey!" exclaimed the colonel. "Had we but a +goodly store of missiles, we could hold them at bay." + +"Which we have not, unfortunately," I rejoined. + +Experience had taught the rebels a lesson, for, having donned the +steel cap, another soldier set match to the heap of straw, and the +next instant a pillar of flame shot upwards, the fiery tongues +actually licking the sides of the trap-door, by which we were lying. + +But to destroy us by fire was not their object, for one of the men +soused the fiercely-burning mass with water. The clear flame gave +place to a dense column of blinding smoke, and in a few seconds we +were choking and coughing furiously. Firestone gripped me by the +shoulder, and, forcing our way through the smoke, we reached a little +doorway in one of the hexagonal sides of the steeple, which gave +access to a narrow platform surrounded by a parapet. + +Here we stood, once more in God's good sunshine, half blinded and +suffocated. Drawing in the pure air to our smoke-laden lungs, we had +no thoughts for anything but the delights of the life-restoring +atmosphere, till the thud of a bullet on the stonework close to our +heads warned us that our enemies had expected our appearance, and +were firing at us from the street. + +Instinctively we dropped behind the parapet, lying in the lead +gutters, still taking in copious draughts of air, while from the +doorway through which we had emerged came thick columns of smoke. + +Bullets still pattered thickly against the stonework of the steeple, +while, in addition to the reports of the muskets, the hoarse shouts +of the baulked rebels added to the din. + +After a while we plucked up courage, and, raising ourselves +cautiously, we looked over the edge of the parapet. + +In spite of our danger, we could not help admiring the prospect. +Bathed in the slanting rays of the setting sun, the town of +Lostwithiel and the surrounding country made a delightful picture, +that, were it not for the presence of the rebels, would have been +typical of an English countryside. + +On the east beyond the red-tiled roofs of the timbered houses we +could see the road by which we had come, looking like a white thread +amidst the dense masses of dark green foliage and the lighter tints +of the well-laden fields. Across the silver thread that showed the +course of the Foy stream was the old stone bridge, its townward end +closed by a rough barricade, through the gaps of which were four +pieces of ordnance trained to command the road. + +Here were strong parties of pikemen and musketeers supporting the +gunners, while, on the north side of the town, the rebels were +actively engaged in throwing up earthworks. Further up the valley, on +the low hills to the left, we could discern a small castle, on which +a flag hung motionless in the still air. + +"Canst make out yonder standard?" asked Firestone, indicating the +flag. + +"Nay, 'tis o'er far," I replied. + +"It must be the castle of Restormel, of which Captain Dawe spoke. +That being so, 'tis the standard of the Hoptons that flies over it." + +"The rebels are in a great state of activity," he continued, "and, +judging by their defence works, I trove that they expect an attack. +But we must keep an eye on the trap-door, lest the rogues make an +attack under cover of the smoke." + +By this time the fire had died out, and, though the atmosphere within +the belfry was charged with choking fumes, we could breathe with but +little difficulty. Looking down, we saw the lower room was deserted, +and the ominous silence filled us with misgivings. + +The sun had set, and twilight was drawing in apace. Thirst and hunger +began to make their presence felt, and in desperation I suggested to +Firestone that, when it grew dark, we should descend by means of the +bell-ropes knotted together, and take the risk of capture rather than +starve where we were. + +"Yes," he replied shortly. "We can but try." + +We immediately set about unfastening the remaining ropes, out of +which we made one stout rope of double thickness, sufficiently long +to reach the ground. + +The oppressive silence still continued, although from the church +itself came the discordant sounds of the lawless soldiery. + +"Hist! Someone comes!" I whispered, as the now familiar noise of +footsteps stumbling up the spiral staircase became audible. + +"For the last time, dogs!" came Chaloner's voice--"will you give +yourselves up?" + +"This is not Southsea Castle," I replied sneeringly. "We do not give +up without sufficient cause." + +"Then take the consequences," replied the renegade. "For a barrel of +powder is even now placed underneath the tower, and in five minutes +you will be blown skywards. Fare ye well, and a pleasant journey!" + +And, with a mocking laugh, he disappeared. + +The horror of the situation held us spell-bound. + +Here we were eighty feet above the ground, with a barrel of powder +ready to burst asunder the very foundations of the tower, while above +us was a mass of stone another seventy feet in height, or +thereabouts, which, at the moment of the explosion, would crumble, +collapse, and bury us beneath its stupendous weight. + +Nor was escape possible, for the churchyard was filled with rebels, +and we knew full well that to accept Chaloner's offer of surrender +was to deliberately throw away our lives, seeing that the man would +have had us shot in cold blood under the plea of armed resistance. +Colonel Firestone was the first to recover his composure. + +"Perchance, 'tis but an idle threat," he exclaimed. "Yet, even if +they fire the powder, its effects may not be so disastrous as they +think. I call to mind the springing of a mine at the causeway of Rhé, +when those nearest escaped nearly scot-free, and the greatest damage +was done by the falling stones on the Frenchmen, who caused the +explosion. Nevertheless, if we are to die, let's get to the open air +once more." + +Taking the ropes with us, we made our way out on to the parapet. + +It was now dark. But few lights twinkled in the houses of the town, +though the watch-fires of the troops surrounded Lostwithiel like a +circle of glimmering points of light. Looking straight down, we could +distinguish the heads and shoulders of the troops in and around the +churchyard. + +"Why not lower ourselves on to the roof of the nave?" I exclaimed. + +"The idea seems good," replied Firestone, and we immediately ran +round the leads to the opposite side of the tower. Twenty feet below +was the ridge of the tiled roof that sloped down on either side to a +parapeted gutterway. + +"Fools we were not to have thought of this before," exclaimed the +colonel. "Quick! Make fast the rope round this piece of stonework. +Once we gain the roof, we are safe." + +The rope was secured but, just as I was about to clamber over the +edge, there was a glimmer of a match on the farthest end of the roof, +then a flash, and a loud report, and a bullet whizzed past our heads. + +"The rogues have done us!" muttered the colonel. "They have placed +musketeers on the roof to shoot us down." + +Hastily crouching behind the sheltering stonework, we drew up the +rope and waited, in dead silence, for the threatened catastrophe. + +In obedience to an order, there was a hasty stampede on the part of +the rebels from the church, and, in our anxiety, we imagined we could +hear the spluttering of the slow-match. + +Regardless of the possibility of being shot at, Colonel Firestone +stood erect and defiant, his figure showing clearly against the +starlit sky. + +"God save the King, and confusion to all his enemies!" he shouted, +receiving in reply a chorus of ribald jests and laughter. + +"Stand firm, Humphrey," he exclaimed, gripping my hand. "'Tis soon +over, if 'tis to be." + +Silence had now fallen upon the crowd of rebels and townsfolk, the +former eager to see the result of their vile work, the latter, +doubtless filled with grief at the wanton destruction of their +venerable edifice, which for nearly four hundred years had been the +pride of this Cornish borough. + +Suddenly the massive tower shook like a leaf. There was a blinding +flash, a deafening roar, a cloud of sulphurous smoke, followed by the +rattle of hundreds of pieces of stonework. Gasping and nearly blinded +and deafened by the explosion, I could not for a minute grasp the +fact that I was still alive. Gradually it dawned upon me that I was +not injured, and that, moreover, I was still on the tower. Then I +stretched out my hand, and, to my delight, I gripped that of Colonel +Firestone. + +"Art hurt, Humphrey?" + +"Nay, I think not--only shaken. And how is it with you?" + +"Little the worse. We must brace ourselves together, for now is our +time. Canst slide down the rope?" + +"I hope so." + +"Then explore the roof of the nave, for 'tis certain the men have +taken themselves away ere the explosion. I must needs stay here to +cover your retreat if needful, and also to guard against an attempt +by the trap-door. We need not fear for lack of missiles, I take it." +In truth the parapet was littered with broken tiles, each of which +would make an effective impression if hurled at a man's head. + +I swung myself over the ledge and descended the rope. At length one +foot touched the roof, and instinctively I put out my other to gain a +footing, but, to my surprise, there was a gaping hole. I had lighted +upon one of the massive oaken rafters of the nave, for the explosion +had stripped the whole of the tiles off the roof close to its +junction with the tower. + +Even as I looked down the evil-smelling smoke was still filtering +through the ragged gaps between the beams. Men with torches and +lanterns were already pouring into the building. + +Fortunately for us, the effects of the explosion had followed the +line of least resistance. The massive outer walls of the tower had +withstood the shock, but a thin wall separating it from the nave had +been blown into the church, and, as I said before, the roof had borne +the brunt of the catastrophe. + +Steadying myself by the rope I walked cautiously down the beam, till +I gained the lead-lined parapet. Here I made fast the rope, and +proceeded on my tour of inspection, keeping a careful watch lest any +of the rebels should have remained on guard on the leads. + +At length I neared the part above the east window, when suddenly I +stumbled over the body of a man. It was one of the rebels who had +fired at us on our previous attempt to descend. He still lived, +having been only stunned by a fragment of flying masonry that had +caught him on the right temple. + +Just then I heard men's voices. A detachment of rebels was coming up +to the roof by means of a ladder. Retracing my footsteps, I paused +but for a moment to relieve the senseless soldier of his musket and +bandolier; then, seizing the rope, I swung myself back to where my +comrade was anxiously awaiting me. + +"Is it safe to make the attempt?" he asked. + +"Nay, the rebels are even now on the roofs. Listen!" + +I showed him the musket I had gained possession of, whereat he +expressed great approval. + +"We must needs wait till the small hours of the morning," he +continued. "And the best way to forget one's hunger is to gain sleep. +I'll take the first watch, so the sooner you fall asleep the quicker +you'll forget your troubles." + +So saying, he took the musket, loaded and primed it, and sat down at +the edge of the trap-door. For my part I lay down on the dust-covered +floor of the belfry, and, worn out by hunger, fatigue, and +excitement, I fell into a dreamless slumber. + +I was awakened by Firestone shaking me by the shoulder. + +"Time to be up and doing," he exclaimed. + +It was broad daylight, and the sun's rays played strongly upon the +blackened stonework of the tower, and across the gaping rafters of +the roof of the nave. + +"Why did you not waken me before?" I asked reproachfully, for the +colonel presented a sorry appearance; his gaunt features were drawn +with hunger, his face blackened with smoke and dirt, and his, clothes +smothered with dust and particles of charcoal. + +"You wanted rest more than I," he replied, with a grim smile. "A few +hours' vigil makes but little difference to a war-worn veteran. But +see!" he added, holding up an arrow for my inspection. + +At first I thought the rebels had resorted to this bygone instrument +of offence in the hope that its noiseless flight might have taken us +unawares. Its point was blunted, but whether by design or by reason +of its striking the stonework I knew not. + +"'Twas shot by a friendly hand," continued Colonel Firestone. "Here +is a paper that was folded round the shaft." + +Taking the scrap of paper, I saw written in a scrawling hand: "_Be o +goode cheere, for the rebells are leaving Listithiel this day._" + +"I would be fuller of good cheer had I a square meal!" replied I, +dolefully, as a savoury smell was wafted to our nostrils. + +We looked cautiously over the parapet. Through the shattered roof we +could see the floor of the church, where several of the rebels were +engaged in cooking their food in large iron cauldrons suspended from +rough tripods, the fires being fed with pieces of oak, which the +troopers had relentlessly hacked from the pews. The soldier whom I +had found insensible in the gutterway had been removed, but the fork +of his musket still remained. Soldiers were busily engaged in +clearing away the mass of rubble that blocked the entrance to the +spiral staircase leading to the tower, so it was evident that they +had not despaired of taking us--a further proof of the vindictiveness +of the renegade Chaloner. + +Could I gain possession of the musketeer's rest before the passage +was cleared, a means would be at our disposal whereby we could obtain +much-needed food; so, descending by the rope, I reached the shelter +of the parapet of the nave, and immediately secured the instrument +left behind by the wounded sentinel. + +It was about five feet in length, made of wrought iron, and +terminated in a double prong. + +Requesting the colonel to throw me a length of rope, of which, +fortunately, we had plenty, I bent the rest into the form of a large +hook. To this I secured one end of the rope, then, leaning cautiously +along one of the beams, I slowly lowered my improvised fishing tackle +down into the interior of the church. + +To my delight, none of the soldiers noticed the descent of the hook, +owing possibly to the smoke, and by dint of careful manoeuvring I +succeeded in hooking a large iron pot that, full of savoury stew, was +boiling over a brisk fire. + +The next instant, amid the shouts of the astonished and enraged +rebels, pot and tripod were being rapidly drawn upwards; but ere I +could secure my prize, a musket-shot pierced the bottom of the +vessel, tearing a ragged hole. By the time I had unhooked the pot +nearly the whole of the precious contents had escaped, but Colonel +Firestone and I had the great satisfaction of breaking our fast by +making a sorry meal from the sticky mixture that still adhered to the +sides of the utensil. + +Later on, though still in the early morning, we could discern large +bodies of troops pouring into the town from the direction of +Liskeard, and 'twas evident that the rebels had met with a reverse. + +But we had no time to observe what was going on outside the town, for +our own lives were in jeopardy. + +Having cleared away the rubbish that obstructed the staircase, the +musketeers, with fierce shouts, began the ascent. + +"Stand to it," exclaimed Firestone, encouragingly, as a bullet +whizzed close to my head. "Can we but hold our own for another five +minutes, all will be well!" + +"Shall we open fire on them?" I asked, making ready with the musket I +had taken from the insensible man on the roof. + +"Nay," replied the colonel. "Keep them in ignorance of the fact that +we possess a weapon. Then, if the rebel Chaloner appears, I'll put a +bullet through his traitorous head." + +But the musketeers contented themselves by firing several volleys up +through the floor of the belfry, which, however, as we took the same +precaution as heretofore, did us no harm. After a while they went +down again, leaving a soldier on guard. + +We kept perfectly quiet, so that, evidently thinking we were without +the steeple, the man relaxed his vigilance, and, seating himself in a +low wooden chair, he drew a portion of a loaf and some cheese from +his pocket. + +Following this he produced a pipe and a metal box of tobacco, and, +after looking from the food to the tobacco with evident indecision, +he leant back in the chair, stretched his limbs, and gave a terrific +yawn. + +I could see Firestone's eyes fixed longingly on the tobacco, while I +looked with equal avidity upon the bread and cheese. In a moment my +mind was made up. Holding up the end of the rope to my companion, who +nodded knowingly, I gathered myself up at the edge of the trap-door +and made ready to spring. + +I alighted fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the unsuspecting +rebel. He fell backwards in one direction, I in another; but I was +instantly on my feet, and, seizing the man's musket, prepared to stun +him should he offer resistance. But he lay motionless whether the +fall had killed him or merely deprived him of his senses, I knew not. + +Gathering up the food, tobacco, and pipe, and hitching the end of the +rope round the man's musket, I swarmed up to our place of refuge, and +drew up the weapon. + +Hardly had I done so when the rest of the party, alarmed by the +noise, rushed up the stairs, only to find to their mystification the +senseless body of their comrade. + +The sight of the muzzles of the two muskets caused them to beat a +hasty retreat, although we suffered them to remove the body of their +luckless fellow-soldier. + +Assured of no further molestation in this direction, we went out on +to the leads, and found that at that very moment an attack was being +made upon the rebel position, both sides keeping up a continuous +artillery fire, though the defence was conducted in a spiritless +manner that promised a speedy release from our captivity. + +We shared the captured food, and the colonel filled the pipe, which +fortunately had been unused, lighting it with a portion of the +slow-match obtained with the bandolier we had previously taken. + +Suddenly my companion pointed to a company of men forming up in the +churchyard. + +"There he is--there's that villain Chaloner," he exclaimed, and, +starting to his feet, he seized and levelled his musket. But as he +applied a match I struck up the piece, and the bullet went singing +over the house-tops. + +The colonel turned on me, livid with anger. + +"Why this foolishness?" he demanded. + +"We are not assassins," I replied. + +"That man with his treachery has placed himself without the pale," he +retorted. "Therefore I am justified in shooting him like a dog. Mark +my words, Humphrey, you'll rue the day you made me miss my aim." + +"Nevertheless, 'tis a craven act to shoot a man unawares. I, too, +have an account to settle with Chaloner, and with more cause than you +have, I trove; but Heaven forfend that I strike him after the manner +of a hired assassin." + +Happily, Firestone soon regained his accustomed composure, and, after +reloading his piece, we watched the progress of the assault. + +A ring of smoke encircled the town, for the cavaliers had drawn a +cordon round it, and already their advanced works were within +musket-shot of the bridge, whence the cannon behind the bridge kept +up a steady fire on the attackers. + +It was low tide, and the river ran but an insignificant stream, +barely two feet in depth beneath the arches. Even as we looked we +heard a flourish of trumpets, and with a wild, irresistible rush a +squadron of Royalist cavalry, with loose rein and flowing mane, +charged headlong for the bridge as only our horsemen can charge. + +Saddles were emptied, but, regardless of the losses, the attackers +deployed right and left, plunged into the river, and the next instant +the barricade was charged in the rear, and the gunners cut down or +made prisoners. + +The horsemen were ably seconded by a strong body of Cornish pikemen +and musketeers, and, the guns being turned to command the principal +approach to the bridge, the town was at the mercy of the Royal +troops. + +There was a roll of drums, and, bearing a white flag, a rebel officer +rode from the headquarters of the Parliamentarian army towards the +Royal lines. + +"They are treating for terms," exclaimed the colonel. "While the +armistice lasts, there's no reason why we should not try to take +advantage of it." + +And without let or hindrance we did indeed descend the tower, pass +through the now deserted church, and gain the street. Soon we were +safely within the outposts of the Royal army. + +We were immediately taken to a tent, where the Royalist officers were +engaged in drafting out the terms of capitulation, and, thinking we +might be of service to them, they asked us for an account of our +adventure. + +"Chaloner, say you? Chaloner, the renegade?" + +"The same, sir," replied Firestone. + +"Mark him down. Mark him down, scrivener," exclaimed one of the +officers, addressing a scribe who was laboriously writing out the +terms of surrender at a roughly constructed table. + +"Him we must have at any price. Let me think. His name will be third. +There's the rebel Colonel Hobbs, formerly a waggoner, who ruthlessly +burned Pentillie; the ex-miller, Captain Gale, who unlawfully strung +up five of our men at Looe; and the traitor Chaloner. The other +officers we will suffer to depart on parole." + +While the clerk's quill pen was scratching and spluttering over the +parchment, the officer turned to us once more. + +"You were on the way to join the Cornish army. What regiment did you +intend serving in?" + +"In Sir Bevil Granville's." + +"In Sir Bevil Granville's? But I grieve to say Sir Bevil is dead, and +the regiment well-nigh cut to pieces at Cropredy Bridge." + +"And his son----" + +"Sir Ralph Granville, as he must now be styled, has joined his sorry +remnant to the command of Sir Ralph Hopton." + +"Then under Sir Ralph Hopton will suit us." + +"'Tis well. Malpas!" he shouted to a sergeant who was on guard +without the tent. "Conduct these gentlemen to the camp of Sir Ralph +Hopton, for, methinks, rest and refreshment will not come amiss. Fare +ye well." + +With a salute we left the staff-officer's tent, and, under the +guidance of the sergeant, we were taken to a spot where a triple Line +of weather-worn tents and rough huts of boughs and bushes marked the +temporary camp of the redoubtable Royalist. + +Here we were hospitably received, for, though in common with most of +the cavaliers, there was scarcely a gold piece to be found amongst a +score of them, such was their devotion to His Majesty, both in +personal service and gifts of money, they gave us plenty to eat and +insisted on our going to sleep. + +When I woke up I found, to my joy, Ralph Granville sitting at my +side. A complete change of apparel and a serviceable equipment of +armour and weapons were placed at our disposal, which, I afterwards +learnt, were contributed from the joint store of this particular +company. + +"How goes it with you, Ralph?" I exclaimed, wringing my friend's +hand. + +"Passably," he replied, "though 'tis but the fortune of war." + +"I heard of your father's gallant end." + +"Ay. My father and twenty-two of our tenantry fell before Waller's +pikes, and now I have just heard that our house at Tregetty has been +burnt to the ground, so nothing remains but my sword." + +I hardly knew what to reply. For all I knew I might even now be in a +similar position. Ashley Castle might be razed to the ground, and my +parents dead beneath its ruins. It was, as Ralph had observed, the +fortune of war, and we had but to look around and see the devastating +effects of this struggle, in which Englishmen were flying at each +other's throats. + +Further conversation was interrupted by the trumpets sounding the +assembly, and, mounting our chargers--two passable horses which had +belonged to two cavaliers who had fallen in the charge on Lostwithiel +Bridge--Firestone and I took our places in the ranks of our new +comrades, Granville being my left-hand man. + +Everyone was in high spirits, for the articles of capitulation had +been accepted by the rebels, and we were even now on our way to +witness the surrender of the Parliamentary army of the west. + +Other regiments had preceded us, and by the time we crossed the old +bridge once more, this time in the midst of a troop of horse with +standards flying, and not as prisoners in the centre of a body of +sour-faced Roundheads, the greater part of the King's army was drawn +up in a long double line. + +Our troop formed up facing the church, and as I looked up at the +smoke-blackened tower and shattered roof I could not help wondering +how near we had been to death, and how Providence had safely guided +us through perils innumerable. + +My reveries were cut short by a roll of drums, followed by a hoarse +order, which was taken up all along the double line by the company +commanders. Instantly the swords of the cavalry flew from their +scabbards, while the pikemen stood to their pikes and musketeers +shouldered their pieces. + +The march of the surrendered army was about to begin. + +[1] It must be borne in mind that Humphrey Markham's narrative deals +with the Civil War from the standpoint of an ardent young Royalist. +Both sides were doubtless guilty of many excesses. + +[Illustration: _With undiminished speed the horse shot into space._] + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +MY MEETING WITH AN OLD FOE + + +FOR over an hour a continuous stream of men in soiled buff coats +passed in more or less military precision. Their arms, save those of +the officers, had been piled or stacked, their colours handed over, +and their cannons, most of which they themselves had spiked, were +already parked and placed under a strong guard. + +In many instances the men were still suffering from wounds, bandaged +heads and limbs in slings being numerous. + +The completeness of the surrender was, however, marred by the fact +that on the previous night the rebel Earl of Essex had escaped from +the town and taken boat to Fowey, whence, we afterwards learnt, a +brig had conveyed him to Plymouth. + +Nor was the renegade Chaloner to be found amongst the prisoners, much +to the Royal commander's disappointment; whether he were dead or +alive no one knew. The other two rebel officers, Hobbs and Gale, +against whom serious counts were proved, had already been strung up +in front of the Shire Hall. + +Sixty of the common rank and file alone were retained, and under a +strong guard these were compelled to cleanse out the dishallowed +church and to restore it, as far as possible, to its former +condition. + +Directly the surrender was completed, the troops were dismissed, +precautions being taken against a surprise, though 'twas evident that +the rebellion in this part of Cornwall had been stamped out. + +As soon as we were at liberty Colonel Firestone and I turned our +horses over to the care of a camp follower, and made our way to the +place where the rebels' arms had been given up, for I was anxious to +regain my sword, while my companion was equally solicitous on behalf +of his own weapons. + +As we passed by the Shire Hall, before which the bodies of the two +rebel officers still swung to the gaze of a curious throng of +soldiers and townsfolk, we saw the crowd being parted by a body of +armed men, who had great difficulty in preventing the infuriated +townspeople from tearing a prisoner from their midst, while shouts +and threats filled the air. + +Planting ourselves firmly in the midst of the crowd, so that the +armed guard would pass within a few feet of us, we jostled with the +surging mass, till at length we could see the features of the +prisoner. + +Instinctively an exclamation of surprise burst from my lips. Stripped +of coat and doublet, his face cut and bruised and stained with dried +blood and dirt, was--not Chaloner, but the so-called Southampton +"merchant," the charlatan Cutler! + +Half dead with fear, his legs hardly able to support his trembling +body, the wretched man was urged onwards by his guards, as, with his +hands pressed to his ears as if to shut out the threats and +execrations of the crowd, he was marched towards the provost's +quarters. + +"What has he done?" I asked, laying a detaining hand on the shoulder +of a dragoon who, carrying the trickster's torn coat, was following +the guards. + +"Done?" he replied. "Dost know the villain?" + +"I know that he has done us more than once," I replied grimly. + +"I trove he'll do you no more, for he'll dance at the end of a rope +within the hour," said the soldier, preparing to move on. "For he has +been caught in the act of robbing the dead." + +"Then we've seen the last of Master Cutler," remarked my companion as +we resumed our way. "At least, unless we see his body gracing a +gallows." + +Upon arriving at the ground where the arms of the surrendered army +had been deposited, we were somewhat dismayed at the magnitude of our +task; but upon our applying to the camp marshal for permission to try +and recover our weapons, that officer was able to inform us of the +probable place where Chaloner's dragoons had stacked their arms. + +Muskets had been piled in a military manner, but stands of pikes, +swords, pistols, breastplates, morions, Swedish feathers, and other +arms of offence and defence lay heaped in indescribable disorder. + +For over an hour we searched without success, till I suggested that +we might question some of the prisoners who had been retained to +clean out the church, and, my comrade falling in with the idea, we +returned to the scene of our recent adventures. + +After a short conversation with the captain of the guard, an officer +of Hopton's troop, with whom Firestone was acquainted, we entered the +building. + +"There's our man," exclaimed the colonel, pointing to the sergeant of +dragoons who had so brutally used us on the day of our capture by +Chaloner. + +"Come hither, sirrah," said Firestone, and the man, now thoroughly +frightened, obeyed. + +"What did you do with our arms when your men mishandled us?" + +"I know not," stammered the man. + +"Think again," continued my companion, "or we must needs refresh your +failing memory." + +"I know not," repeated the sergeant. + +"Two rebels even now dance at the end of a rope outside the Shire +Hall," remarked Firestone in a dry, casual sort of voice. "They +murdered their prisoners and burnt the houses of loyal Cornishmen; +methinks I know of a third who ill-treated men having the misfortune +to fall into his hands." + +"I did but carry out mine orders," replied the dragoon. + +"Brutality is not necessary to the obedience of orders," snapped +Firestone. "Come, now, say where our arms were placed, or the provost +will have speech with you, with the great possibility of the gallows +to finish up with. Now, sirrah, what say you?" + +"They were sold at Liskeard." + +"To whom?" + +"To the host of the 'Stag.'" + +"For how much?" + +"A barrel of cider." + +"You rascal!" shouted Firestone, shaking his fist in the man's face. +"You rascal! To sell the arms of two loyal gentlemen for a barrel of +cider. Get back to your work, you prick-eared rebel, lest I forget +myself." + +And, wild with rage, my comrade stalked out of the building. + +For my part my indignation was almost as great, and I resolved at the +earliest opportunity to regain possession of my sword, the gift of +the armourer of Newport. However, as the countryside was overrun with +the remnants of the surrendered army, it was deemed wise to defer the +journey for a few days at least. + +One morning, however, I was seized with a sudden impulse to ride +alone over to Liskeard, a distance of twelve miles, and to offer a +reasonable sum to the innkeeper for the weapons, or, failing to +obtain them in this manner, to threaten him with a visit from our men +for illegal trafficking with rebels; and, having executed my mission, +the result would be a pleasant surprise to Nick Firestone. + +It was after midday ere I obtained the necessary permission from the +provost to leave the camp, and, having made an excuse to my comrade, +I saddled my horse and rode off. + +This animal was not the one I had ridden from home, neither was it +the passable nag that I had had given me on joining Hopton's camp, +but a powerful black charger which I bought immediately after the +surrender of the rebel army, and was, in consequence, ignorant of its +temper. + +In under two hours I arrived at Liskeard, where I found the host of +the "Stag" most amenable to my request, and, protesting that he had +been compelled to take my sword and a brace of pistols belonging to +Firestone in payment for the cider, he handed them over in +consideration of the sum of a crown--a far less amount than I had +expected to have had to pay. + +Delighted with the success of my mission, I had refreshment, and +afterwards set out on my journey back to the camp. But I had barely +covered half the distance when my horse began to show symptoms of +restlessness, and before I was fully aware of the fact, it suddenly +plunged, bounded forward, and, regardless of my effort to retain it, +tore headlong over the dusty road. + +Thinking it would soon tire itself out, and consoling myself that I +was still going in the direction of the camp, I let the creature have +a loose rein, till at length it suddenly turned, cleared a low stone +wall with a bound, and headed across a field. + +Now I sought to rein in the frantic animal, but in vain. Across +country it tore, till it reached a wild tract of open country two +miles from the highway, and, sinking to its knees in a marsh, I was +able to leap from the saddle. + +Tugging at the exhausted creature's reins, I succeeded in extricating +it from the bog-land; then, loth to take further risk, I walked it in +the direction from which I had come. + +At length I espied a stone hut, or hovel, from which a thin column of +smoke was rising. In the excitement of my wild ride I had failed to +notice it before. As I drew nearer I saw that at one time it must +have been an ancient British cromlech, a massive slab of granite +resting upon two uprights. A rough wall of stone had converted the +cromlech into a rude dwelling, and here apparently human beings +existed. Door there was none, a gap in the wall serving that purpose. + +The soft, springy turf deadened the sound of my approach, and, +gaining the entrance, I stooped down and peered within, having tied +up my horse to a thorn bush, and taken the precaution of holding one +of my pistols in my hand. + +In front of the fire a hare was roasting on a rough spit, while the +smoke and the sudden change from the glare of the sunlight made it +impossible to distinguish things clearly. Lying on the ground was a +man. He was fast asleep, and even my voice failed to rouse him. The +floor of this singular dwelling had been excavated to a depth of +about two feet below the surface of the ground outside, so that there +was a height of nearly seven feet between the floor and the roof of +solid rock. + +I stepped within and stirred the sleeper with my foot. + +With a sudden start he awoke and jumped to his feet. It was Captain +Chaloner! + +It was Captain Chaloner, in spite of his scared face, unkempt hair +and beard, his torn and travel-stained clothes. Doubtless he thought +that a troop of horse stood without. + +"Yield yourself, Captain Chaloner," I exclaimed, holding up my cocked +pistol. + +"I yield," he replied, without hesitation, somewhat to my +discomfiture, for I knew not where I was, neither did he know that I +was alone, so what was I to do with my prisoner? + +"Make ready to go," I continued, "for we must needs journey to +Lostwithiel." + +"Promise me that your men will not harm me," he said imploringly, +whereat I unthinkingly informed him that there was no one without. + +"Then on what authority do you arrest me?" he exclaimed, with a +sudden change of tone. + +"The authority of right and might," I replied, showing him the pistol +once more. "You must needs walk five paces ahead of me, and at the +first sign of escape I shoot you down." + +"What must needs be," he rejoined. "But, Master Markham, consider a +moment. I am of opinion that the matter of Ashley Castle being +bestowed upon me is the cause of your hatred towards me, though I +swear it was not through my asking." + +"You are right, though I'll not believe you did not ask it to be +conferred upon you." + +"Then why seek my life?" + +"I do not seek your life, although by doing my duty I have little +doubt but that you'll be hanged for your treachery. Had I not struck +up the barrel of a musket, you would certainly have been shot down +from the tower of Lostwithiel Church when you tried your utmost to +burn or blow us up." + +"Good lad! Good lad!" sneered Chaloner. "I thank you for the +service." + +"And now make ready," I continued, ignoring his insolent manner. "For +'tis late in the afternoon, and we must needs be in camp ere sunset." + +"Since you are alone, Master Markham, can you not forego the honour +of taking me into the Royalist camp? Consider, sixteen good miles of +rough road, darkness long before we arrive there, and the chance of +meeting some of my men. For, look you, I am not alone. Furthermore, +if you let me go free, I'll promise, on my word of honour----" + +"Your word of honour!" I repeated scornfully. + +"Ay, I'll swear it, if you will, that I'll hand over the deed of +settlement of Ashley Castle, and take ship overseas till the war be +at an end. I mean what I say," he continued as I shook my head at his +base proposal. "See, I have the document here." + +Stooping down, he lifted up a pile of clothing that lay on the floor. + +There was a sudden flash, a loud report, and I reeled backwards with +a sharp pain like a hot iron searing through my shoulder. + +I had a dim recollection of firing my pistol straight at him as he +still remained huddled on the floor, and seeing him half spring to +his feet, only to fall forward with convulsive struggles. Then, with +a red mist swimming before my eyes, I staggered to where my horse was +tethered, clambered into the saddle, and gave spur. + +After a while my senses became clearer. My left arm was paining me, +while a dark stain flooded the shoulder and front of my doublet. My +horse had settled down to a trot, though whither 'twas bearing me I +knew not nor Hardly cared. I had some consolation in the thought that +I was being borne somewhere, and, providing I could keep my saddle, +all would be well at the next village or homestead I came to. + +The sun was close on the time of setting, and by the fact that its +ruddy glare came from the direction slightly behind my right +shoulder, I knew we were heading southwards. + +As my senses returned the pain of my wound increased, the incessant +jolting causing the blood to flow freely. I could not help wondering +what might have been my fate had I fallen from the saddle during the +period of unconsciousness, for my feet were firmly wedged in the +stirrups, and, if unable to disengage them, I would have been a +shapeless mass of shattered pulp. I had seen a similar thing at +Edgehill, and knew full well what it meant. + +At length the horse gained the summit of a lofty hill, and before me +stretched the seemingly boundless expanse of the English Channel, a +gentle declivity of about half a mile separating me from the water, +though on either hand a spur of the hill in what must be a pair of +rugged headlands. + +Suddenly the horse was seized with the same unseen terror that had +caused it to bolt on the highway. It reared almost on its haunches, +and only by keeping a tight grip on its mane with my sound arm was I +able to retain my seat. Then, with its freshly-found wind, the +startled animal bounded forward. + +"'Tis time to cry halt," I exclaimed to myself, and, putting all the +strength of my unwounded limb into the pull, I strove to rein in the +animal, as I saw that what I took to be a gentle slope actually +terminated in a cliff, though considerably lower than the adjacent +portions of the coast. + +My efforts, as before, were useless, and only tended to increase the +horse's pace and fury. Several times I tried to turn its head, but in +spite of this the animal kept straight for the sea. + +Not a moment was to be lost. I determined to shoot the brute and risk +a headlong fall on the soft turf. Forgetting my wound for the moment, +I took the reins in my left hand. Then, drawing my remaining pistol +from its holster, I snapped it at the horse's forehead but, to my +dismay, there was no report. + +The weapon had missed fire. + +At that moment I realised that there were persons riding to my aid. +At least a score of horsemen were galloping furiously down the spur +on my right, with the evident intention of intercepting my runaway +steed and diverting its flight. Some of them had carbines, and made +ready to fire, though I had misgivings as to their marksmanship. But +the efforts of the horsemen were in vain; my horse thundered past the +leader at more than twenty paces, and, defying pursuit, continued its +mad flight. + +Throwing away the useless pistol, I drew my sword, determined to slay +the animal before it carried me to destruction; but before I could +shorten the blade for a stroke we had gained the edge of the cliff. + +The horse gave a neigh, whether of triumph or of terror I knew not, +and with undiminished speed shot into space. In a few brief seconds I +must have turned completely round; I saw the red sheer face of the +cliff appear to shoot upwards, the air whistled past my head, and +with a heavy splash my horse and I struck the surface of the water +simultaneously. + +Then everything became a blank. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +ON BOARD THE "EMMA FARLEIGH" + + +I AWOKE to consciousness with the sensation of being tossed upon the +waves, though, fortunately, not in them. + +I was lying upon the wet deck of a small fishing craft; my head was +supported by a coil of rope, while my coat and doublet had been +removed and a bandage placed around my shoulder. My left arm was in a +sling. + +A man was kneeling by my side to prevent my being slung bodily to +lee'ard with the heel of the craft, for a steady breeze hummed +through the rigging, making the vessel lie over to it as she tore on +her course, while ever and again a sting of salt spray came dashing +over the low bulwark. + +It was just growing light, a grey misty morning, while in the east a +rosy red betokened the dawning of a stormy day. + +"Better?" asked the man with a peculiar grunt, as I opened my eyes. + +"Where am I?" I asked drowsily. + +"Safe aboard th' _Emma Farleigh_," he remarked, "an' well-nigh +half-way over." + +"Over where?" I exclaimed wonderingly. + +The man regarded me for a few moments with mouth agape. + +"You'd best bide quiet a bit," said he. "Maybe you'll still be +wandering in t' head." + +"No, I am not," I maintained. "I was shot at, and my horse carried me +over the cliff. But where is this craft bound for?" + +The man did not answer me, but whistled down a small hatchway. + +"Here, Dick, on deck wi' ye." + +A man appeared, his burly head surmounted by a shock of matted red +hair, and his ruddy face hidden by a long beard of similar hue. + +"I be afeard Maäster Jarge be queer in 'is 'ead," whispered the first +seaman in a loud aside. "He axed where we was bound for." + +"France, Maäster Jarge, France," said the ruddy one in a tone that +was meant to be soothing. "Us'll drop ye safe in Cherbourg afore +night if this breeze 'olds." + +"I am not Master George, whoever he may be," I exclaimed with +considerable heat. "And I don't want to go to France, so why am I +being taken there?" + +Both men looked at me in astonishment. + +"Lie down an' bide quiet a bit, maäster," repeated the first. + +"What? Will you not take my word for it?" I shouted, raising myself +on my elbow. "I am Humphrey Markham, of Hopton's Regiment, now in +camp at Lostwithiel." And as I proceeded briefly with my tale, I saw +the look of incredulity on the men's faces give place to expressions +of astonishment. + +"Put your hellum hard up," shouted Dick to the steersman. "And let we +get back as fast as us can. 'Twould ha' been a sorry pass if we hadna +taken the broad pieces from they afore us started." + +"You'll not be from Carnwall, young maäster?" asked one of the +fishermen. + +"No, from Hamptonshire," I replied. "But I know several people in +Cornwall, and my greatest friend is Master Ralph, or, rather, Sir +Ralph Granville, of Tregetty." + +"I knows Tregetty well," said Dick. "Two brothers o' we were on th' +estate. But why Sir Ralph? I thought as 'twas Sir Bevil." + +"Sir Bevil has fallen in the fight with twenty of his followers," I +replied. + +"Fifty curses o' St. Winnow on the rebels," exclaimed the Cornishman, +shaking his fist in the direction of the invisible English coast. +"But, ne'er mind, young maäster, a frien' o' Sir Ralph be a friend o' +we; us'll put ye ashore safe an' sound." + +"Breeze be freshenin', Dick," shouted the man at the tiller. "'Twill +be as much as us can do to make Plymouth." + +"Keep her at it as close as she'll lie," replied Dick, giving a swift +glance to windward. "One port's as good as another to we, for a bit." + +I felt hungry and thirsty, and one of the men brought me a kind of +pasty and a cup of cider, and as I ate they told me, in a rich +Cornish burr, of the circumstances that led to my being rescued from +the sea. + +The _Emma Farleigh_, of the port of Looe, had been engaged to cruise +off Lantivet Bay, in order to embark the young Squire of Trevarthake, +who, having slain in a duel a relative of an influential gentleman of +Bodmin, sought to flee the country. + +News of his intended flight had been noised abroad, and a party of +horsemen had tried to intercept him. These were the men whom I had +seen, and who tried to get between me and the sea just before my +horse took a flying leap. In mutual ignorance, I took them to be +friends, and they imagined me to be the man they were to arrest. + +The crew of the _Emma Farleigh_ saw me take the leap from the cliffs +full forty feet above the sea, and never doubting that I was the +young Squire of Trevarthake, they lowered a small boat and picked me +up in an unconscious condition, and, strange to say, my sword was +still gripped tightly in my right hand. They had, they told me, to +force my fingers from the hilt. + +When they had me safe on board the _Emma Farleigh_ they found that I +had a pistol bullet embedded in my left shoulder, but, being ignorant +of surgery and unable to extract the ball, they washed and bandaged +the wound the best they were capable of doing, and now, finding that +I was not the Squire of Trevarthake, they had put their vessel about +and were making for land. + +About midday the wind veered and increased to a regular gale from the +sou'-west, and with the least possible show of canvas the staunch +little craft flew before the howling tempest. + +I begged to be allowed to remain on deck, but Dick and his crew were +obdurate, and insisted on carrying me below, where in a small and +stuffy cabin I was tossed hither and thither, racked with pain, and +showing symptoms of fever, while at every pitch of the vessel I +thought she was plunging to the bottom. How long I remained below I +know not, but suddenly the hatch was lifted off, and a flood of +bright light filled the little compartment. The next instant Dick and +one of his crew crawled down the steep ladder, and, lifting me in +their arms, began to make their way back on deck. + +Directly I was taken on deck they closed down the hatch, and, laying +me on the heaving, slippery planks, passed a rope round my body to +prevent my being thrown against the lee bulwarks. All three men were +on deck, looking anxiously ahead. As the vessel heeled I could see a +range of lofty rugged cliffs, its foot being beaten by a long line of +boiling white water, which at intervals leaped high against the dark, +frowning face of the rock. + +"Can ye do't?" asked one of the men in a stentorian voice that was +barely audible above the howling of the wind. + +"Must, or sink," shouted Dick grimly as he relieved the man at the +long tiller. + +We had reached the end of the line of cliffs that terminated in a +towering peak, dropping sheer into the sea, and, having cleared this +iron-bound shore, Dick thrust his huge bulk against the tiller. + +Slowly the _Emma Farleigh's_ head swung round, and now right ahead I +could see a bay of storm-tossed water, with a rocky, though lower, +line of cliffs in the background, and a long line of milk-white foam +stretching from shore to shore. + +With a roll that threatened to shake the masts out of her, the _Emma +Farleigh_ was soon in the thick of it; broken water poured over the +bows and both quarters at the same time, while Dick was heaving at +the tiller to try and keep the boat on her course. + +Crash into the line of white foam she bore; there was a shock that +made the vessel quiver from keel to truck; another heave, followed by +a slighter yet sickening thud; then, as if sliding down a steep hill, +the _Emma Farleigh_ glided into deep water. + +We had crossed the bar. + +Now the high land sheltered us, and, gliding over a nearly calm sea, +the craft ascended a narrow creek, on the left side of which I could +distinguish a castle bristling with guns, while the light played upon +the steel caps and morions of the soldiers, who were intently +watching our progress. + +Then a little straggling village came in sight, and at an order the +sails fell on deck in a confused heap, the anchor was dropped, and +the staunch little craft lay riding to her hempen cable against the +swift-running tide. + +"Where are we?" I asked faintly. + +"Salcombe," he replied. "An' yon's Fort Charles that still holds out +for the King." + +And even as I looked everything seemed to fade from my view, and I +sank senseless on the deck. + +* * * * * + +When I opened my eyes I found myself in a wainscoted room, with large +beams running across the ceiling. + +I particularly noticed these beams, possibly because they were the +first objects that met my eyes, for I was lying in bed. Spotlessly +white were the bedclothes, sweet-smelling flowers were placed about +the room, while through the open casement window I could see a +stretch of placid water with boats passing up and down, while the +hillside in the distance was covered with yellow fields of ripening +grain. + +"Where am I?" I asked myself, and "Why am I here?" And gradually I +remembered the incidents that had taken place during the eventful +period since I left the camp at Lostwithiel. + +I tried to raise myself, but a dull pain in my shoulder and an utter +feeling of weakness prevented me, and I had perforce to lie still and +think. + +Presently the door was quietly opened and a woman came softly into +the room. + +She was middle-aged, with calm, sweet-natured features, and her linen +frills and ruffs were as white as snow. She noticed that I was awake, +and coming over to my bedside, she asked me how I felt. + +I replied that I hardly knew what to say, and then asked where I was, +and what was I doing here? + +"The _Emma Farleigh_ has left," she told me. + +"Left," I repeated blankly. "When?" + +"Three weeks agone," she answered. + +"Have I been here three weeks?" I asked, amazed. + +"More than that; 'twill be four come next Thursday. Now, drink this, +and try to sleep once more, for you've been very ill." + +Obediently I did as I was told, and after a long sleep I awoke +feeling considerably refreshed. + +"Art better, Master Markham?" asked my most attentive nurse. + +"Ay, mistress; but what is your name, and how came you to know mine?" + +"They of the Cornish fishing boat that brought you here told me about +you," she replied, smiling. "And my name, an it please you, is +Widdicombe." + +"How can I thank you for your kindness, Mistress Widdicombe? But tell +me, how came I here?" + +Briefly she told me that the men of the _Emma Farleigh_ had brought +me ashore, and, filled with compassion--for, she said, I bore a +strong resemblance to her only son, who had been slain at Stratton +fighting bravely for His Majesty--she had brought me to her house. +Here a surgeon from Fort Charles, skilled in the treatment of +gun-shot wounds, had probed and extracted Chaloner's bullet, and for +nearly four weeks I lay unconscious. + +During that time either Mistress Widdicombe or her husband, who was a +sergeant of foot under Sir Edmund Fortescue, had watched day and +night at my bedside, and I undoubtedly owed my life to the generous +devotion of this worthy Devonshire couple. + +Thanks to a healthy constitution, together with the fact that I had +led a rigorous outdoor life, my wound healed rapidly, and before the +autumn leaves had begun to fall I was able to get about. + +My intentions for the future were torn by various influences. My duty +towards my home urged me to return to Ashley Castle, for even now the +Roundheads might be hammering at its gates, though, thanks to my +pistol-shot, I had little to fear from the renegade, Captain +Chaloner, while my sense of duty towards my sovereign called me to +rejoin the army in Cornwall. + +Then came the news of the second affair at Newbury, and that the King +had retired into winter quarters at Oxford. + +"'Tis no use thinking to rejoin your comrades in Cornwall, Master +Markham," remarked Sergeant Widdicombe one morning as he came from +Fort Charles, where the work of strengthening that fortress was +progressing rapidly. + +"And why not?" I asked anxiously, fearing that some disaster had +overtaken the King's forces in the west. + +"Because the army is disbanded," he replied. "News has just arrived +that the rebellion has been stamped out beyond the Tamar. Only a few +fortresses are to be garrisoned, and the rest of the troops have been +dismissed." + +I could not help feeling glad at this intelligence, as my mind could +now be made up as to what course I ought to pursue, and I resolved to +bid adieu to my kindly benefactors directly I was strong enough to +undertake the journey home. + +At length Sergeant Widdicombe was ordered to ride over to Dartmouth +Castle with a party of men to bring back some barrels of powder, and, +as it was a chance for me to begin my homeward journey, it was +arranged that I should accompany him, for there were greater +possibilities of getting a passage on a vessel from Dartmouth than +there were from a little fishing village like Salcombe. + +Mistress Widdicombe, I could see, was sad at the thought of my +leaving, and, for the matter of that, so was I, for I had taken a +great liking for the kind, motherly Devonshire woman. + +However, the time for parting arrived, and I braced myself up to say +good-bye. Mistress Widdicombe was sitting in the large tiled +living-room, and as I entered I saw to my delight something I had +never hoped to see again, for on the oaken table lay my sword. + +Stained with sea water was the Spanish leather scabbard, yet the +metal hilt looked as fresh as of yore. Almost reverently I drew the +blade, and, marvellous to behold, the steel glittered like a ray of +light. + +"I thought 'twould be a surprise for you, Master Markham," exclaimed +the good dame, as I lovingly handled the trusty blade. "Dick brought +it home the day before he sailed. Sure, 'twas dull and tarnished with +sea water, but a little polishing soon set that right. But now, +Master Humphrey, you must needs be off. May God be with ye and take +care of ye." And with a hearty sounding kiss that completely took me +aback, the motherly Mistress Widdicombe pushed me out of the room, as +if unable to control her feelings. Such was indeed the case, for as I +passed by the window I saw her sitting by the table with her head +buried in her arms. + +The sergeant, her husband, saw her too. + +"Poor old Mary," he exclaimed. "'Tis like losing a second son. Faith! +I never saw her so much downcast since the news o' Peter's death at +Stratton." + +The soldiers were already waiting in the boat we took our places, and +were soon shooting across Salcombe Harbour, and as we reached the +little quay at Portlemouth I saw a white kerchief fluttering from the +window of the house I had just left. + +I waved my hand in return; then, with a gulping sensation in my +throat, I turned away. A huge lumbering waggon, drawn by six powerful +horses, was awaiting us. Telling me to take my place within, Sergeant +Widdicombe gave the order, and the convoy set out on the road to +Dartmouth. + +After we had gained the summit of a long steep hill, the sergeant +gave his horse to a trooper to lead, and joined us in the waggon. It +was slow work, continually up and down, and I asked my companion why +they had gone by road instead of by an easier passage by sea. + +"You'll see anon," he replied gravely, and immediately changed the +subject. + +It was early morn when we started, and about noon we reached the +brink of a steep declivity. Below us was a stretch of level road, +quite two miles in length, which separated the sea from a lagoon-like +expanse of water. + +At the end of the road, as far as I could see, the land rose to a +great height, terminating in frowning cliffs, while away in the +distance several rocky islands broke the sky-line. + +But what attracted my attention most was the presence of a number of +men-of-war, their lofty yellow and black sides shining in the +brilliant sunshine as they rode at anchor about a mile from the +shore. + +"There," exclaimed Sergeant Widdicombe, indicating the ships--"there +is the reason why we could not sail round. The rebel fleet keeps a +strict blockade upon Dartmouth." + +"Then I cannot take ship from Dartmouth?" I asked. + +"A small vessel might slip out and stand in between the rocks you see +yonder," he replied. "But that is no affair of mine, though you'll +find out soon enough." + +"Think we can manage it, Fox?" he continued, addressing a trooper, +"or shall we take the inland road, though 'tis far more hilly?" + +"'Twill be safe enow if half the troop ride inside the waggon and the +rest follow us later with the led horses," replied the man addressed. + +"Very well, then," said Widdlcombe, "we can but try." + +So half the soldiers dismounted and took their seats under the +covered waggon; two more, putting waggoners' smocks over their buff +coats and stowing their iron caps under the seat, accompanied the +cart, one driving, the other sheltering close to the side of the +hood. + +The rest of the troopers, with their comrades' horses, remained +behind under cover of a clump of trees, and at the word of command +the waggon began to descend the hill. + +Directly it gained the level road, the driver whipped up the horses, +and the cumbersome wain jolted along at a quick pace but barely had +it gone a hundred yards than we saw boats being lowered from the +rebel ships. + +"Don't spare the whip," exclaimed Sergeant Widdicombe. "Heaven +forfend they do not open fire." + +"'Tis useless for the men to tarry behind," urged Fox, the corporal. +"Make them ride on ahead and hold the road." + +In obedience to a signal the rest of the troopers galloped up, and, +soon overtaking us, gained the rising ground in front. The horses +strained at their traces, the waggon swayed, groaned, and rattled, +and all the while Widdicombe kept a sharp eye on the advancing boats. + +As the keel of the first touched the sand, we tore past the place +where the rebels had intended to cut us off, greatly to their rage +and mortification; and at the rate at which we were going pursuit +seemed hopeless, and the soldiers gave vent to a hearty cheer. + +But their exultation was short-lived, for at that moment a cloud of +smoke burst from the side of the nearest ship, and the next instant +our two leading horses were stricken down by a round shot. + +It was the work of a few seconds to cut the traces and drag the +mangled carcases from the road, but with the reduced number of our +team the progress of the waggon was proportionately slower, and it +was evident that our pursuers would overtake us. + +When we reached the foot of the steep road that wound its way up the +hillside in a gigantic curve, the jaded beasts were exhausted. +Jumping from the waggon, the soldiers strove their utmost to push it +up the incline, but after less than twenty yards the hopelessness of +the task became apparent. The rebels, breathless with running, were +less than a hundred yards behind. + +"Swing the waggon round!" shouted Widdicombe. "And cut the traces." + +The next instant the heavy waggon was drawn across the road, while +the horses were led further up the hill to the shelter of a dense +wood. + +Unslinging their petronels and ordering their muskets, the troopers +lay behind the waggon or under the cover afforded by the rocks by the +roadside, whilst I, unable by reason of my arm being still in a sling +to load a pistol, could only wait, sword in hand, for the possibility +of the rebels coming within sword's reach. + +There were at least eighty of the enemy against our twenty-two men, +though the nature of our position counted for much. Had Widdicombe so +wished, he could, by abandoning the waggon, easily have made a +retreat, all his party being mounted, but flight was far from his +thoughts. + +"Lie down!" he exclaimed sternly to me, and barely had I taken +shelter behind a fern-clad bank than both sides opened fire. + +Splinters flew from the woodwork of the waggon, bullets knocked up +little clouds of white dust as they struck the road behind us, yet +with the greatest coolness the sergeant continued to give the words +of the firing manual to his trained men, as, blowing, priming, +casting about, and discharging their pieces, the soldiers of the +convoy kept up a steady fire upon the enemy. + +Thick smoke enveloped us, but through the drifting vapour I could get +an occasional glimpse of the Roundheads, who, in an ever-increasing +semicircle, strove to take us in front and on our right flank. Our +left, fortunately, consisted of an almost sheer face of rock. + +"Two men are down, sergeant," exclaimed a white-faced soldier on my +left. He was a mere boy compared to me in size, though no doubt +older, and it was his first time under fire. + +"What odds if twenty are down?" retorted Widdicombe grimly. "Go on +firing," and plucking up courage by the sergeant's example, the +recruit bore himself right manfully. + +For half an hour the firing continued, without the rebels gaining any +material advantage, but Widdicombe began to look grave, for I knew +his thoughts were on the limited supply of ammunition. + +Another man was down, writhing with a ball through his shoulder, and +in addition five men had expended their charges. These latter he sent +to remount their horses in readiness to cover their retreat. + +"We must needs abandon the wain, Master Markham," he said. "Though I +call you to witness I did my best to save it." + +"'Tis but a waggon," I replied, wondering at the stubbornness with +which he defended it. + +"Ay," he replied. "But most of Sir Edmund Fortescue's gold plate is +hidden between the double bottom!" + +Just then two of the men who were lining the roadside knelt up and +discharged their pieces at some of the rebels who daringly attempted +to scale the rocks on our right, and on looking to see the nature of +the attack, Widdicombe gave a shout of encouragement. + +"A rescue! A rescue!" + +Splashing through the shallows of the lake past which we had come was +a whole regiment of horse. + +Re-forming on the level road, they drew swords, and with loose rein +dashed to take our foes in the rear. A few remained behind, and, +unslinging their musketoons, opened fire on the boats, causing the +boat-keepers to push off in terror. + +Caught in a trap, the rebel fire slackened, and although a few shots +fired from the ships whistled over our heads or rolled harmlessly +along the soft ground, nothing could stop the headlong charge of the +Royalist horse. + +Like a whirlwind the cavalry were upon their demoralised foes, and +after a few sweeps of glittering blades as the remainder of the +rebels, who still showed fight, fell before the resistless onslaught, +the combat was over. + +The timely yet unexpected arrival of Forde's regiment of horse from +Dartmouth saved the convoy, and the rebel fleet, under Admiral +Batten, had the mortification of seeing thirty-two soldiers and +seamen marched off as prisoners of war, while twenty-eight more were +killed, either during their attack upon us or in the charge of the +horse. + +"Ay, 'tis the last of Sir Edmund's gold plate," remarked Sergeant +Widdicombe as he rejoined me, "though none of the regiment save I +knew of it. The first part was sent to His Majesty at the +commencement of the war, and all that Sir Edmund has left is the +silver, though, methinks, that must also go for the upkeep of Fort +Charles." + +Without further incident the convoy reached Dartmouth Castle. The +sergeant handed in his precious charge and received the required +barrels of powder; then, having brought me to the notice of a captain +who was responsible for the transport service, he bade me farewell. + +Generous at heart, courageous in body, Sergeant Widdicombe had gained +my greatest admiration and esteem, and as he went I felt that another +link of friendship--the second that day--had been ruthlessly severed. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE "HAPPY ADVENTURE" + + +"WOUNDED, and wants to go home, eh?" was the comment of the Governor +of Dartmouth Castle, when Captain Dixon, the transport officer, made +known my request. "Beshrew me, 'tis but a continuous stream of men +from Dorset and Hamptonshire clamouring for passages, and most of +them unscathed. What's thy name?" + +I told him, and his abrupt manner changed. + +"A relation of Sir Reginald Markham, of Ashley, perchance?" + +"His son." + +"I know Sir Reginald well by name, though I cannot call him to mind. +Yet I would not be doing my duty if I refused to aid the son of a +loyal cavalier. Let him have a passage by the first vessel, Dixon, if +he be willing to take the risk of capture." + +For the next three days I was at liberty to look around the town, for +until Batten's squadron relaxed its vigilance or a kindly fog swept +down upon the sea, escape was almost an impossibility. + +The journey by road was not to be thought of, for the Roundhead cause +was strong in Dorchester, Poole, Salisbury, and, in fact, nearly +every village and town in Wiltshire and Dorset, and no man, not a +declared Parliamentarian, could travel through those districts in +safety. + +On the morning of the fourth day after my arrival a thick mist hung +over the harbour, blotting out everything more than a hundred yards +away. The outlines of the hamlet of Kingswear could just, and only +just, be discerned, while the ships in the river looked like enormous +shadows as they swung to the strong tide. + +"Bestir yourself, Master Markham," said Captain Dixon, "if you want +to get away to-day. The _Happy Adventure_ is to make an attempt to +sail in an hour's time, if the mist holds." + +As my personal belongings consisted solely in what I stood up in, my +preparations were soon completed, and in five minutes I was being +rowed off to the vessel which, if Providence willed, was to take me +homewards. + +The _Happy Adventure_ was a large fishing-smack, which had the +reputation of being the fastest sailer betwixt Start Point and +Portland Bill, yet withal she was bluff-bowed and had a good amount +of freeboard. + +Her crew consisted of three men and a boy, besides which there were +two passengers, a cornet of Lyle's Horse, and myself. + +She was to bear despatches to Littlehampton, whence the cornet had to +ride with the precious missives to Arundel Castle, as the Governor of +Dartmouth thought that the quickest and safest method of +communicating with that castle would be by water. + +The huge brown sails were hoisted and the moorings slipped, and with +a cool breeze that swept down from the hills in sudden squalls, the +_Happy Adventure_ headed for the open sea. The blurred images of the +castle and St. Petrox appeared to glide past on our starboard hand, +and the next instant the coast was blotted out in the ever-increasing +fog, which soon grew so thick that we could scarce see from one end +of the boat to the other. + +Away on our larboard bow came the dull roar of beating surf, but the +master treated this with perfect composure. + +"'Tis but the Mewstone," he remarked. "We must stand in more if we +would avoid the rebels' boats. Bear away, George," he added, +addressing the helmsman, "and try to clear the rock by the boat's +length." + +As we approached the roar became louder, but above the noise of the +breakers we heard the sound of oars, and a hoarse voice shouted, +"Heave-to!" + +"Ay! ay!" replied the master, rushing to relieve the man at the +tiller. + +"What! You are not going to give up without an effort?" exclaimed the +cornet. But with an oath the master bade him hold his tongue. + +Ahead a boat loomed through the mist, manned by a dozen rowers, with +several musketeers in her stern-sheets. The men's matches were +lighted, and their muskets at the ready. + +"Heave-to, once more, I say, and throw us a line," shouted an +officer. + +"I hear you, sir," replied the master. "Down sail!" he shouted to the +crew; but, obeying a motion of his hand, the men remained motionless. + +The next instant the master had thrown his whole weight against the +tiller; the _Happy Adventure_ seemed to swing round as if on a pivot, +and her bluff bows crashed into the rebels' boat. + +A shattering of wood, a chorus of shouts and shrieks, and the stout +craft had overridden the frail long-boat, Then, within a little more +than an oar's length of the towering pinnacle of rock under our lee, +the _Happy Adventure_ spun round and resumed her course, the mist +swallowing up the figures of the struggling men, though for long +their cries were heard above the roar of the surf. + +"I owe you an apology for mistrusting you," exclaimed the cornet, +holding out his hand to the imperturbable master; but the stiff old +sea-dog of Devon only bade him remember he was but a mere passenger, +whereupon my fellow-voyager retired in confusion. + +This was our only meeting with the vessels of Batten's squadron, and +with the favouring breeze that soon dispersed the mist, the _Happy +Adventure_ bore steadily eastwards. + +Shortly after midday the Bill hove in sight; then the wind failed, +and until darkness set in the smack was rolling in the oily waters of +Lyme Bay, with the distant sounds of the terrible Race being faintly +borne to our ears in the calm atmosphere. + +About an hour after dark the cornet and I went to sleep, having only +the rough comfort afforded by a heap of sails but, thanks to our +hardy life, we slept none the worse. + +Our rest was fated not to be of long duration, for we were aroused by +the master giving orders in a loud and excited voice. + +Springing to our feet, we peered into the inky blackness of the +night, and straight ahead we saw a row of glimmering lights arranged +in series of three, of which the middle one was slightly higher than +the two outside. + +They were the stern lanterns of a fleet. + +"We are overhauling them fast," said the master "though we can scarce +hope to pass by them ere daylight. If we are to avoid them we must +needs stand in Poole Bay." + +"I care not what ye do, as long as we are not taken," replied the +cornet, who still smarted under his previous rebuff. + +The breeze had freshened again, and we had run past Portland and +were, so the master told us, abreast of St. Alban's Head. Resolving +to stand more inshore, he altered the helm, and gradually we brought +the endmost lights under our quarter. + +Day dawned and found us within a couple of miles to leeward of the +squadron, with Christchurch Head about four miles to larboard. We +were soon perceived, for a frigate altered her course and fired a gun +for us to bring to, whereupon the master, seeing flight out of the +question, ordered the _Happy Adventure_ to shorten sail, at the same +time sending us down below. + +In the cramped, close cabin we were unable to see what was taking +place, though we heard the hails from the frigate and our master's +replies. + +"Luff up under my stem and let's have a look at you," shouted an +authoritative voice. "Where are you from, and where are you bound?" + +"From Poole to Cowes," answered the master. + +"And the cargo?" + +"Clay." + +"Lay-to while I send a boat," shouted the officer, and we distinctly +heard the scurrying of bare feet and the creaking of the tackle as +the seamen prepared to lower one of the quarter-boats. + +"They'll have us right enough," whispered the ensign, as he prepared +to rush on deck to throw his despatches, already weighted with lead, +into the sea; but even as his foot was on the ladder we heard the +voice continue, "Carry on with you." The bos'un's whistle sounded, +and we heard the blocks creak as the frigate's yards were swung +round. + +Our vessel also resumed her course, and after some time had elapsed +the cornet insisted on leaving the cabin. + +"Who told you to come on deck?" bawled the master, his speech +accompanied by a string of nautical oaths. "You jack-booted, +brainless weathercock your tin figurehead has undone us!" + +His words, though unceremonious, were quite true, for the frigate was +keeping a sharp eye on us, and perceiving the cornet's steel cap +emerge from the hatchway, the rebels concluded that they had made a +mistake in not searching us. + +Her yards were trimmed once more, and she started in pursuit. A spurt +of flame followed by a cloud of smoke burst from one of her bow +ports, and a shot struck the water fifty yards from our quarter, +rebounding twice ere it sank. + +Making sure that every stitch of canvas was drawing, the master kept +the _Happy Adventure_ on her course, casting anxious glances over his +shoulder at the pursuing frigate, which was barely two miles astern. + +"We gain a little," he remarked after a while, as the shots fell +farther and farther astern; but ahead was a belt of flat calm, and +unless the breeze held our capture seemed inevitable. + +The rest of the squadron had borne away more to the south'ard, +heading towards the Needles Channel. Astern the frigate was crowding +on sail, ahead were the guns of Hurst Castle, and we knew that we +were fairly entrapped. + +[Illustration: _The darting rays fell on my face, and with a +stifled cry of terror the soldier turned to flee._] + +The cornet suggested running the vessel ashore, but to this proposal +the master gave a stern refusal. + +"We have a chance, a bare chance," he said. "And as long as my craft +floats I'll take it." + +Fortunately the breeze held in front of us, the belt of unruffled +water receding still farther as we progressed, and the _Happy +Adventure_ showed that her reputation for sailing was no idle one. +The frigate, too, finding that we were out of range had ceased +firing, but had set her royals. + +Staggering under her press of sail, she evidently found that the wind +was too much for her, and shortly afterwards we could see the royals +being clewed up. Then a blinding rain set in, almost blotting out the +outlines of our pursuer, whereat the master whistled blithely. + +"Edge her off a bit," he ordered, "or we'll be hard and fast +aground." And, to my surprise, the smack was steered, not as I +thought towards the open sea, but nearer the shore. Though I dare not +question this fiery-tempered son of Devon, he doubtless saw the look +of inquiry on my face. + +"'Tis the Shingles, young sir," he explained. "A vast bank just below +the surface. If yon vessel holds on her course she'll run herself +aground." + +The frigate did not attempt to sheer off, and, as the master had +predicted, she struck hard, her fore-topmast going by the board. + +"That's settled her for the nonce," remarked the master. "But now for +the guns of Hurst Castle." + +Once more we were to be shown the art of "bluffing." Trusting to his +proverbial luck, the master steered direct for the fortress, instead +of heading away for the more distant shore of the Isle of Wight. + +Hurst is not a large castle; it is merely a stone fort, heavily +mounted with guns, and occupies the extremity of a low spit of +shingle. Between it and the island the tide was surging in a manner +the like of which I had never seen before, Tumbling and rolling in a +confused mass of broken water, the sea was running as fast as a horse +can trot--at least, that is what it appeared to me--but close to the +castle a strong eddy was making in an opposite direction to the main +flood. + +Into this eddy the _Happy Adventure_ was steered. The frigate was now +nearly lost in the rain cloud, though we could see that she was still +fast aground. Against the counter-current the smack only just held +her own, and, edging so close to the fortress that we could almost +have jumped on to the beach, she came within easy hailing distance. + +"What ship is that?" shouted an officer, whose appearance could not +be taken for anything else than a rebel. He was supported by a file +of musketeers, while we could see some gunners cluster round a piece +of ordnance, that grinned at us through a wide embrasure. + +"The _Happy Adventure_, of Poole. We are chased by the malignants. +Can we take shelter in Keyhaven?" + +"What is the name of the ship?" + +"I know not; she is a frigate, and is aground on the Shingles." + +"Carry on, and bring up in the haven." + +"Very good, sir." + +The smack kept close inshore, making slow progress till the entrance +to the narrow creek behind the castle became visible then, before the +rebels could understand that they had been tricked, the _Happy +Adventure_ shot into the main tide, and with the wind and current was +quickly out of gunshot. + +We saved our tide right through the Solent. At the sight of Cowes +Harbour my thoughts flew back to the finding of staunch old Nicholas +Firestone. I often wondered whether I should see him again. And Ralph +Granville, too, where was he? + +Then the low-lying fortifications of Portsmouth were seen three miles +or more on our larboard bow, and the sight of Southsea Castle, over +which the rebel flag was doubtless floating, brought back memories of +the double-dealing Chaloner. I had an easy conscience concerning the +slaying of that man, for he was both a traitor to the King and a +personal enemy to our house. + +"I'll stand in a bit, young sir," said the master, pointing to a low +tree-clad shore. "Maybe, a fisherman will take you ashore. 'Tis the +mouth of Chichester Harbour you can see yonder, and 'twill save you a +long journey, though I cannot place you ashore here myself." + +Fortunately there were fishermen at work just below the Outer Pole +Sands, and one of them expressed his willingness to land me. A +quarter of an hour later the _Happy Adventure_ was nearly lost to +sight as she headed through the drizzling rain towards the Looe +Stream. + +The fishing-boat, a frail-looking craft with a tall, narrow sail set +up by a single halyard on a slender mast, after the fashion of these +parts--for there were half a dozen similar craft racing for the +harbour--was not long in making the passage up the mud-banked +channel, and just as the sun was setting I set foot in my native +county once more, at the town of Emsworth. After giving the fisherman +one of my two remaining shillings, I inquired the way, and stepped +briskly out in the gathering darkness, knowing that a good many miles +lay between me and Ashley Castle. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE POWDER MINE + + +THE night was dark. The drizzle had increased to a continuous +downpour, rendering walking a matter of difficulty, and from the time +I left Emsworth till the time I came within sight of my father's home +I never met a solitary wayfarer. + +It must have been nearly midnight ere the black masses of the castle +loomed indistinctly against the darkness, and at the sight of the +familiar building my heart throbbed violently. + +It was a certain amount of satisfaction to find that the castle had +not been reduced to a heap of stone, like many I had seen in various +parts of the country; but the question arose in my mind, Did it still +belong to the Markhams, or were my people driven out by the rebels? + +A solitary light gleamed through the narrow window above the +gatehouse, so that I knew that watch and ward was being kept. The +drawbridge was raised, and at my feet were the dark waters of the +moat. + +I shouted, but my voice was lost in the howling of the wind. Groping +around, I found a small stone, which I hurled at the door, smiling to +myself, in spite of my fears, at the strange method of craving +admittance to mine own home. + +Instantly the light was extinguished, and a voice shouted: + +"Who goes there?" + +"A friend," I replied, unwilling to disclose my identity. "I would +see Sir Reginald Markham." + +There was a short interval, and then torches flared on the +battlements, the light falling on steel morions and breastplates. +Then the drawbridge fell, and ere I could cross a tall figure +advanced to meet me. + +For a moment I hesitated, but the light of the lantern he held above +his head fell on his features, and I recognised, to my great joy, the +soldierly features of Sergeant Lawson. + +At the same time the darting rays fell on my face, and with a stifled +cry of terror and amazement the soldier turned to flee. + +"Stand firm, sergeant," I exclaimed, "I am no ghost." + +Thereupon he returned, almost overthrowing me in his delight. + +"Mind my arm, sergeant," said I, laughing, for he had not perceived +that it was in a sling. "Fie on you! One moment you run from me, and +the next you would push me into the moat." + +I was instantly surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic retainers and +servants, and directly I was in the gateway the drawbridge was drawn +up. A man ran to convey the news to my father, and before long I was +welcomed home not only by my parents, but also by Colonel Firestone +and Ralph Granville. + +In spite of the lateness of the hour, we remained talking, +questioning and cross-questioning, while I attacked a hearty supper +with great spirit, being well-nigh famished. + +It appeared that directly my absence was noticed a strong body of +troopers, led by Firestone and Ralph, and accompanied by a +skilled Cornish tracker, had gone out to search for me. They traced +my horse's footsteps when it had turned from the highway, and had +followed it to the cromlech. Here they found one of Firestone's +pistols and saw drops of blood and a number of diverging tracks, so +that they concluded I had been waylaid, robbed, and murdered. + +Upon the disbandment of the army in Cornwall Colonel Firestone +resolved to ride to Ashley to break the news, and Granville, now that +his father was killed and himself made homeless, agreed to accompany +him, so that everyone thought I was dead, and hence honest Sergeant +Lawson's terror at what he took to be a supernatural appearance. + +For my part, I told them briefly of my adventures, and when I +narrated how I had shot down the treacherous Captain Chaloner, I saw +my father's face visibly brighten. Yet it seemed strange that the +search party had not found the caitiff's body, and that fact gave me +some misgivings, although I argued that some of the captain's friends +must have removed and buried his corpse. + +Then I asked how it fared with them at home. + +"'Tis not as bad as it might be," replied my father, who, alas! had +aged considerably through the combined attacks of old age, infirmity, +and trouble. "We must, of necessity, lie close within doors, for +there is no telling when the rebels will appear over the hill. No +doubt we owe much to the fact that His Grace of Winchester still +keeps the Roundheads at bay, although for eighteen months they have +laid close siege to his house at Basing." + +In truth, Ashley Castle was nominally in a state of blockade, for +within a few miles a large force was engaged in trying to reduce the +Marquis of Winchester's stronghold, while bodies of rebels roamed +with little opposition throughout the length and breadth of the +country, robbing with impunity, committing acts of sacrilege, and +burning down the dwellings of all who offered resistance. + +The next morning I could form some idea of the state of affairs. + +Before I had left for the west much had been done towards putting the +castle into an efficient state of defence, but the recent changes +astonished me. A clump of trees that grew within a hundred yards of +the gate had been cut down, as they were regarded as being capable of +affording protection to musketeers at close range. The outer walls +had been banked up with earth, so that a steep slope led directly +from midway up the walls to the edge of the moat. This would render +the task of escalade considerably harder, while it afforded +additional protection against heavy ordnance. Most of the tenantry +lived within the castle, and, when not busy collecting provisions, +were employed upon making gabions, which were placed around the walls +to give better protection to the gunners. + +In a state of prolonged suspense we passed the winter, and with the +return of spring our anxieties increased. + +My father, by reason of his growing infirmities, was unable, much +against his will, to rejoin the King's forces, and ere the summer was +well advanced he was scarce able to walk. But it was the news of the +terrible disaster to His Majesty's forces at Naseby that literally +broke his loyal spirit. + +One morning he called me to his room, where I found him sitting at a +table littered with papers. + +"You are now eighteen years of age, Humphrey," he began, "and up to +the present I have little fault to find with you, whether it be in +home matters or in conduct in the field. May you continue in the way +you have gone, and, above all things, remember to be an upright and +God-fearing subject of His Gracious Majesty." + +"Now concerning our private affairs," he went on, after I had made +fitting reply. "I have much to speak about, and must needs do so +quickly, for I fear my days are drawing to a close. Here are the +deeds and other documents relating to the castle. In these troublous +days 'tis not safe to trust to a lawyer, hence these papers I have +kept here. They must be concealed in safety at all costs, for, mark +ye well, Ashley Castle will be invested within a week, though I may +not live to see it." + +Keenly alive though I had been to my father's precarious state, these +last words gave me a shock. But it was no time for me to display +weakness. I sought to rally him, but he persisted. + +"As 'tis unwise to lock up the secret solely within your own breast," +he resumed, with a splendid fortitude, "for any day might see you +stricken down, I would charge you to share the knowledge of the +hiding-place with those worthy gentlemen Sir Ralph Granville and +Colonel Firestone, who, I feel sure, will not betray their trust. +Therefore I leave the matter entirely in your hands, knowing that you +will prove worthy of my confidence." + +So saying, he handed me a packet containing the legal documents, +which I took away to my own room till I could conveniently dispose of +them. + +On my return with Ralph and Colonel Firestone, my father asked me to +assist him to rise, and, leaning heavily on my shoulder--which was by +now perfectly healed--he led the way towards the underground cellars, +where the provisions of an imperishable nature had been stored, my +comrades following closely. + +Through a narrow grated window the pale light that entered was barely +enough to see with, but, with a confidence only gained by +familiarity, my father limped towards the furthermost wall. Here four +massive pillars, supporting the groined arches of the roof, were +walled in by stonework of a more recent date. + +"Now follow carefully what I am about to do," said he, and touched a +concealed spring. Part of one of the pillars swung round, disclosing +a yawning cavity; yet so closely did the moving stonework fit the +rest of the column that the most practised eye would fail to detect +the mechanism, especially in the dim light. + +Taking a lantern from a bench, my father directed me to close the +sliding door and set light to the candle. + +This I did, and reopening the secret aperture, my father painfully +crawled through, and we followed. There was a dry, musty smell about +the vault, and, as our eyes grew accustomed to the feeble light, we +saw barrels and barrels ranged along the floor. + +"Hold well the lantern," said my father, giving it into my hands. "A +slip and we are all undone, for every cask contains powder." + +"Then there is no chance of our running short of ammunition," +remarked Firestone. + +"Nicholas," exclaimed my father reproachfully, "'tis not for that +purpose. I would have you remember that the magazines are nearer the +ordnance, according to the custom of warfare. See," he exclaimed, +raising his voice and speaking with considerable vehemence. "Here is +a train, and I have sworn that no rebel shall set foot within Ashley +Castle. I require each of you to promise me that, should the castle +be rendered untenable, you will fire the train." + +We gazed at him in amazement, for his resolution filled us with +mingled consternation and admiration. + +"Nay," he continued, with a faint smile, "I would not that ye +sacrificed your lives heedlessly, for see, I have provided a means of +escape. Stoop down, Humphrey, and wrench at that iron ring in the +floor." + +Handing the lantern to Granville, I bent and grasped the ring. + +Putting forth all my strength, I lifted a square stone, revealing a +deep hole, while the uppermost of a flight of steps became visible. + +"There is your retreat," resumed my father. "When needs must, enter +fearlessly and pursue your way to the remote end, taking care to +close two doors on the way. 'Tis a lengthy step, and where it emerges +will doubtless surprise you. There is a secret door at the far end, +which can be opened only from within. 'Tis easily done, but, I pray +you, do so with care, and, above all things, take torches with you. +Now, promise me, my son, and you, too, my friends, that my wishes +shall be carried out?" + +In that chamber, filled with potent horror, we made a solemn promise; +then, replacing the stone and retracing our way, we returned to the +great hall. + +"Devotion to His Majesty has impoverished most of us," continued my +father, "and we are not exceptions. Of actual coin of the realm I +have but little. Here is a bag filled with crowns give to every man +of the garrison four apiece ere the castle falls, of the residue +share it amongst yourselves. And now, Humphrey, get ye gone and +conceal the papers I have spoken of, and see me on your return." + +Accompanied by my two companions, and bearing the precious documents +in a stout iron chest, I stole out by the postern, crossed the +drawbridge, and made for the wooded downs. Here under the spreading +roots of a gnarled oak we buried the box, taking care that no curious +or prying eyes were about, and carefully replacing the turf over the +spot. 'Twould be against mine own interests to indicate the +particular tree, though any one of us could find it without +difficulty. This done, we returned home, and I hastened to acquaint +my father of the accomplishment of the deed. + +"'Tis well," he exclaimed feebly, for the exertion of the morning had +sore tried him, and he had taken to his bed. + +"Now, concerning your mother, sister, and yourself," he went on after +a lengthy pause. "Directly I am no more, send your mother, with your +sister, away to her brother's house at Midhurst, so that they may be +spared the horrors of war. For their future I have provided. As for +yourself, 'twould be unwise, should the castle fall, to retire to +Midhurst, for it is but jeopardising your liberty and destroying your +mother's retreat, and bringing the vengeance of the rebels upon that +most harmless and peace-loving man, your uncle. Therefore, 'tis best +that you return to the Isle of Wight, and settle in obscurity till +the King's star shall rise again, and to that end I have placed the +sum of five hundred pounds into the hands of that most worthy man, +Doctor Scott, your former dominie." + +After a few more instructions he gave me his blessing and sent me to +bring my mother to his bedside. + +Master Cox, the surgeon of Catherington, was soon in attendance, and +he expressed his opinion that the end was nigh. Thereupon we sent for +Dr. Palmer, the vicar of our church at Chalton. + +The less I dwell on the events of the next few hours the better it is +to my peace of mind; sufficient it is to say that ere midnight my +father had quitted this earthly wilderness, and that I was Sir +Humphrey Markham. + +We laid him to rest within the little church at Chalton, half the +garrison standing to their arms while the rest attended the +obsequies. Two days later I sent my mother and sister with an ample +escort to Midhurst, as I had been directed, and thereupon took over +the task of preparing to hold the castle. + +In this I was ably assisted by the colonel and Ralph, both of whom +signified their intention of fighting to the last. + +At length the tedious suspense came to an end, for one afternoon +towards the end of September two farmers rode hotspur to the castle +with the news that two regiments of foot and one of horse were on +their way to reduce our stronghold. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE SIEGE OF ASHLEY CASTLE + + +THE strength of our little garrison was but thirty-three men, of whom +but seven had had experience in the art of war. Yet I felt certain +that every one of the defenders could be trusted to the core, and +would acquit himself right manfully, and a glance at their set, +resolute features strengthened my opinion. + +Of provisions we had plenty, while the two wells relieved us of all +anxiety regarding the supply of water. Ammunition, too, was +sufficient for a twelve months' siege, so that, provided the rebels +did not bring ordnance, we felt able to hold out till a turn in the +King's affairs might free us from the unwelcome attentions of the +Roundhead forces. + +Over the grassy sward of the rolling down poured the rebel cavalry, +thinking, no doubt, to take us by surprise by their sudden +appearance. The slanting rays of the sun glinted on the armour-clad +troopers of Old Noll's own regiment of Ironsides (who had been +detached from the siege of Basing House) and on the musketoons of a +strong body of dragoons. + +Finding the drawbridge raised, the rebel horse halted, and in serried +masses on the steep hillside they presented a mark too tempting to +ignore. Sergeant Lawson gave the signal, the gunners applied their +linstocks, and next instant our ordnance had opened fire. + +This was more than they expected, for the guns, being well masked by +the gabions, were invisible to the rebels, though the latter soon +became acquainted with their contents, and, with shouts of baffled +rage, they wheeled and withdrew out of range, leaving two of their +number on the ground, while several others were wounded. + +"First blood," exclaimed Firestone, with a laugh. "But we'll have the +whole swarm about our ears ere long." + +It was as he said. The infantry took up an extended position on the +downs on either hand, and began to throw up rough earthworks, while +the horse, moving towards the open ground to the south of the castle, +completed the hedging circle of steel. + +"They are without ordnance," I remarked to the colonel, as we watched +in silence the closing of the hostile lines. + +"That is true," he replied. "Yet their artillery might be following, +for 'tis impossible for the ordnance to keep pace with the foot over +this hilly country. But see, a pair of horsemen advancing." + +"They bear a white flag," exclaimed Granville. + +"Keep our men in hand," said Firestone. "And let us learn the meaning +of this parley." + +When within two hundred yards of the gateway the rebel horsemen +halted, and one blew a long note on the trumpet. + +Hoisting a white flag had not occurred to us, so before we could +reply one of our men had to hasten to the living-apartments and +procure a tablecloth. This we fastened to a pike, and held it aloft +over the gateway. + +Upon this the envoys advanced without hesitation. One was a young +cornet of dragoons, the other but a common trooper. + +At the edge of the moat they drew rein, waiting doubtless for the +drawbridge to be lowered, but this was not our intention. + +"Your message, sir?" I asked. + +"My message is for the ears of Sir Humphrey Markham, now within the +residence known as Ashley Castle." + +"I am he," I replied. "And if your message cannot be heard by ears +other than mine, 'tis best left unsaid." + +"Have it then," said the cornet. "'Tis this: General Cromwell offers +a safe-conduct to Sir Humphrey, his officers and garrison, on certain +conditions, amongst which the castle must be delivered, without +malicious damage, into the hands of Captain Chaloner." + +"Captain Chaloner?" I asked amazedly. + +"Ay, Captain Chaloner. I trove he is already known to you? Failing +which, the castle will be carried by storm, and no quarter given to +the garrison or inmates." + +"Is that all?" + +"Verily, 'tis enough," replied the cornet haughtily. "And most +comprehensive, even to a malignant." + +"Withdraw, sir!" I exclaimed hotly, "or your flag of truce will not +protect you. This message to the renegade Chaloner: If he want the +castle, let him come for it in person!" + +"Which he will do ere long," retorted the cornet, and, wheeling his +horse, he galloped back to the rebel lines. + +So I had not slain Chaloner, after all. The news astounded me. Surely +the villain must bear a charmed life. But I resolved to take the +first opportunity of preventing the recreant officer from ever +setting foot within the castle, save as a prisoner or a corpse. + +The enemy lost no time in ordering the attack. The dismounted +dragoons and musketeers, under cover of their trenches and the woods +nearest the castle, opened a hot fire, and soon there was a +semicircle of white smoke drifting lazily upwards in the still air +of that memorable afternoon. + +[Illustration: _Ralph Granville and the pikeman were locked in an +unyielding embrace, and, before I could prevent the catastrophe, +Ralph was dragged through the embrasure and disappeared._] + +We paid no heed to their fire, being well protected by the walls and +gabions. Of arms we had plenty, every man having not less than six +loaded muskets lying within arm's length, while each piece of +ordnance was loaded to the muzzle with small shot. + +After a while the rebels, thinking no doubt that their fire had +demoralised us, sent out a strong body of pikemen. Many of them bore +bundles of hay and straw; others long planks and ladders, with which +they hoped to cross the moat and carry the walls by storm. + +The most experienced commander would have found no fault with our +men, for in perfect silence and under complete control they kept +behind the breastworks, ready to spring up and open a furious fire on +the advancing pikemen. Firestone, his head enclosed in a steel +motion, walked slowly up and down the roof of the hall, smoking a +long clay pipe, which he removed at intervals to give a word of +advice to the men on the handling of their pieces. + +Granville and I took up our position on the gatehouse tower, where +ten of the best of our musketeers were held in readiness, while at +the narrow window of the ground floor more men were placed to open +fire on those of the pikemen who succeeded in reaching the brink of +the moat. + +"Are any of our men hit?" I asked of Sergeant Lawson, who had just +joined us with a message from Colonel Firestone. + +"No, sir," he replied. "The sly dogs lie close." + +"'Tis well. Can we but keep them unscathed till the time to open +fire, 'twill enable them to keep their courage up, for 'tis +disheartening to see a man fall and be unable to reply to the rebels' +fire. Not that I want to lose a single man, though 'tis too much to +expect to come out without a scratch." + +Meanwhile the pikemen had been advancing slowly, as if inclined to +husband their strength for a final rush. The loads that some of them +were bearing also accounted for their slow progress, for those who +carried only their arms would not outstep their comrades. With them +was a sprinkling of dismounted dragoons, but I failed to see at their +head my especial enemy, Chaloner, though, knowing the man's natural +cowardice, I was not surprised. + +It was not till the close ranks of the pikemen were within twenty +yards of the moat that the order to fire was given, and +simultaneously thirty muskets and three pieces of ordnance crashed +their contents into the press. + +It seemed as if the solid wall of men was beaten down by a single +blow, for when the smoke had cleared away, most of the pikemen were +lying in a confused, struggling heap. Those who were not killed or +wounded had been overthrown by the shock and the surprise, or dragged +down by their stricken comrades. + +A few here and there were left standing, and, joined by those who +were not touched, they pressed dauntlessly forward to the forlorn +attack. In spite of the fact that they were our foes, I realised that +they were Englishmen--and Englishmen of the good old fighting stock. + +Staggering onward with their heavy burdens, the attackers strove to +throw a bridge across the moat, but the hay and straw merely floated +on the surface, the planks were too short, and the ladders too +fragile to use as a means of crossing; and then, and only then, +seeing the hopelessness of the assault, the pikemen slowly retired, +bearing with them their dead and wounded comrades, on whom our men +refrained from firing. + +The besiegers had learnt a rough lesson, and henceforward contented +themselves by drawing a closer line of rough trenches round the +castle. For the next five days they did not offer to make an attack, +though at most unexpected intervals a volley would be fired from all +sides into our position, probably in the hope of striking some of us +down, or keeping us in a state of suspense. + +At night we durst not show a light, otherwise there would be a heavy +fire poured in its direction, but later we adopted a plan of placing +shutters over all the apertures commanding the outside of the castle, +and we were in consequence free from molestation during the hours of +darkness. + +If the rebels thought to starve us out, they were greatly +disappointed, for food there was, as I have said, in plenty. The +inaction told on the men's nerves more than anything else, and so, +partly in the hope of keeping them actively employed, and also for +the purpose of tricking our foes, Firestone ordered the garrison to +make a number of dummy men dressed in old buff coats, breastplates, +and steel caps. + +These were shown just above the walls, and our men derived great +amusement by moving them slowly to and fro, while the rebels merely +wasted their ammunition. + +Under the hail of musket bullets the windows of the great hall had +suffered considerably, the stained glass being shattered and the +delicate tracery splintered and chipped beyond repair. Thanks to the +stout oaken boards, however, none of the missiles entered the +apartment, though at times there was a continuous rattle like the +noise of a drum upon these serviceable barricades. + +On the morning of the sixth day of the siege we sustained our first +casualty. A musketeer, one of the two farmers who had brought in the +news of the rebels' advance, was drawing water from the well in the +courtyard when a shot struck him in the forehead, laying him out dead +beside the bucket he had just raised. + +From the nature and direction of the wound, 'twas evident the +Roundheads had opened a dropping fire with reduced charges, and for +the future none but mail-clad men were allowed to cross the +courtyard. + +That night, in order to convince our foes that we had food in +abundance, we lowered ten sheep from the battlements to graze on the +scanty pasture between the wall and the moat, keeping the ropes still +fastened to them, so as to recover their carcases should any of the +animals be struck down by a chance shot. By this means we also +husbanded our supply of provender. + +Granville, tired of the monotony of our position, next proposed that +we should make a sortie on the first favourable night, but to this I +would not agree, seeing that no good was likely to arise out of the +enterprise, though many valuable lives might be lost; but shortly +afterwards we had an episode that provided sufficient excitement to +satisfy my comrade's ardour. + +It was a dark night. The rain beat down in blinding torrents, and, +exposed to the fury of the elements, our sentinels on the battlements +had a down-hearted task. Firestone, having had a very heavy day, was +fast asleep, but Granville and I determined to keep watch all night, +visiting the men at their posts at frequent intervals to prevent a +possible surprise. + +We had discarded our defensive armour, and drawing our cloaks tightly +around our bodies, we ascended the battlements for the third time +that night. + +At length we came to the lowest part of the walls, which here were +not more than thirty feet above the level of the moat, the inner edge +of which was not more than twenty feet from the base of the +stonework. + +The sentinel was at his post, and reported nothing amiss, but just as +we were midway between his post and the next we heard a grating sound +against the coping. It was barely audible above the hiss of the +beating rain, but fortunately we stopped to discover the meaning of +it. + +Through the darkness loomed the top rungs of a scaling-ladder and the +steel cap of a rebel pikeman. + +Without a moment's hesitation Granville leant over the wall and +gripped the intruder by the throat, calling out to me to push away +the ladder. + +Seizing a ramrod and giving the alarm, I put my whole might into the +thrust. + +The ladder was heavy with armed men, yet my strength prevailed, and I +felt the mass of men and timber tremble as it slowly rose to a +vertical position. Then, to the accompaniment of cries of terror, the +ladder fell backwards, and, to my horror, I found that Granville and +the pikeman were locked in an unyielding embrace, and ere I could +prevent the catastrophe, Ralph was dragged through the embrasure and +had disappeared. + +There was an appalling crash of broken wood and falling steel, a +heavy splash, and another outburst of shouts and cries. + +Meanwhile the guard had arrived, and the rest of the garrison were +soon under arms, yet we were loth to open fire for fear of hitting +Granville, and also we dared not show a light. + +At length there came the sound of retreating footsteps, and then all +was quiet. + +"He is either dead or a prisoner," said Colonel Firestone, who, clad +in nothing but his invariable jackboots, long cloak, and steel +headpiece, had been one of the first of the sleeping garrison to +arrive on the scene. + +"If he be a prisoner, we must rescue him," I cried. + +"Who's for a rescue party?" + +Several men signified their willingness to attempt the hazardous +work, but Firestone refused to listen to the proposal, pointing out +the hopelessness of the undertaking, when by now my companion, if not +dead, would be beyond help within the rebels' lines. + +While we were still debating, there came the report of a musket from +the gatehouse; and fearing another attack, half of our party hurried +to the spot. + +"There's a knocking at the postern, sir," explained the sentry, "but +I wouldn't open it." + +"Quite right, quite right," replied Firestone, and striding over to +the wicket, he threw open a sliding hatch; then, keeping well to the +side for fear of a treacherous shot, he demanded, "Who goes there?" + +"'Tis I, Granville," came my comrade's well-known voice. + +With a shout of delight I made to unbar the gate, but Firestone laid +a detaining hand on my arm. + +"Art alone?" asked the colonel. + +"Yes, save for a half-drowned rebel," replied Granville, with a +slight laugh, and fearing no surprise, we thereupon threw open the +postern. + +The next instant my companion came into the torchlight, pale, +drenched to the skin, and with blood streaming from a cut on his +forehead, while with him he brought the insensible body of a man, +whose booted legs trailed heavily over the stone cobbles. + +"Do what you can for the rogue," he said breathlessly, for the man, +cased in breastplate and leather coat, was no light weight. + +"Art hurt?" I asked anxiously. + +"'Tis but naught," he replied, "though I would fain get rid of these +wet clothes." + +While changing his garments he told us of what occurred after he had +been dragged over the wall. Fortunately, he had been thrown clear of +the ground, and, still gripping his foe, he had fallen headlong into +the moat, which at that place was barely five feet in depth. + +With the shock of the sudden plunge the pikeman had relaxed his grip, +and, weighted down by his armour and accoutrements, he would have +surely been drowned had not Ralph held on to him and dragged his +senseless body to the edge of the moat. Keeping perfectly still in +the darkness, with the water up to his neck, Granville allowed the +rest of the discomfited rebels to recross the moat and make their way +back to their camp. Then, directly everything was quiet, he emerged +from his hiding-place, dragged the still insensible pikeman to the +postern, and regained the shelter of the walls. + +The rest of the night passed without incident, but next morning a +tangle of broken ladders showed that the scalers had all but +succeeded in effecting an entry. + +Then the question arose what was to be done with our prisoner? He had +now recovered, and seemed grateful to us for his good treatment. + +At first it was suggested that he should be sent back, as we could +ill afford the trouble of keeping him in ward and also of feeding +him; but Colonel Firestone pointed out that he might come in useful +as a hostage or for purpose of exchange, so he was placed under guard +in one of our underground chambers beneath the gatehouse. + +Later on in the day Firestone interrogated him, and obtained the +disquieting information that several pieces of heavy ordnance were +expected from the camp before Basing House, and that Cromwell, having +heard of Captain Chaloner's cowardice (he having refused to lead his +dragoons at the first assault), had ordered him to be the first in +the breach, under the penalty of being shot as a disgrace to the +Parliamentarian arms. + +"Depend upon it," remarked Firestone, as he concluded his statement, +"before to-morrow we shall be in a tight corner." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SPIKING THE GUNS + + +HARDLY had the colonel spoken these words than there came a loud +shout from one of the men on the roof. + +"The cannon, sir--six of them!" + +With grave faces we ascended to the leads, and looking in the +direction of the road to Chalton, we saw the heavy pieces of ordnance +descending the hill, the horses making slow progress on the slippery +chalk surface, which, by reason of the heavy rains, was little better +than a quagmire. + +"The fools have learnt wisdom," grumbled the colonel, as he saw the +cannon unlimbered while still beyond musket range. Not even our small +ordnance could throw a ball that distance, so we were perforce to +remain inactive under a destructive fire. + +Seeing that it would be madness to keep the garrison at their posts, +I ordered the men to withdraw and take shelter within the courtyard, +where, save for an occasional dropping fire from the musketeers, they +were in comparative safety, the double thickness of the walls +preventing the cannon-balls from passing completely through. + +Hardly was the last man down than a sudden roar burst upon our ears, +followed by an appalling crash of falling masonry. + +The bombardment had commenced, + +"If this continue, we shall have nothing but a breastwork of fallen +stone to protect us," exclaimed Granville. + +"'Tis better than nothing at all," replied the colonel, who was +calmly smoking his pipe. "Rubble masonry will serve the purpose +better than standing walls. Look!" he exclaimed, pointing through a +window. "'Twould have been farewell to us all had we remained on the +roof." + +The second discharge had blown in a part of the hall, and the roof, +together with the culverins, had fallen in with a crash and a thick +cloud of dust. + +"It has cut off our retreat to the cellars," cried Granville, +crestfallen. + +"There is another entrance from the buttery," I replied. "But 'tis +not yet time to think of retreat." + +The cannonade continued for over an hour, during which time +thirty-two men clustered in helpless suspense against the inner wall; +though at intervals the colonel, dauntless in danger, made his way +through the ruined hall to make sure that the pikemen were not +advancing to the assault. + +The firing had been directed almost at one spot, with the intention +of making a wide breach, and in this object the rebels succeeded. To +our surprise, however, we heard a trumpet sound a parley, and another +envoy appeared summoning us once again to surrender at discretion, +otherwise a general assault would be made at daybreak on the morrow. +To this proposal we gave a stern refusal. + +"At daybreak to-morrow," quoth the colonel. "It gives us a chance. +Now is the proper time to ask for volunteers, and to-night I'll lead +a party to attempt to spike the guns." + +Both Ralph and I expressed our intention of accompanying him, but to +this he objected, saying that our place was within the walls of the +castle. Upon calling for volunteers, not less than twenty showed +their willingness to make the attempt, and of these Colonel Firestone +selected six. + +For the rest of the day we were unmolested, and making the most of +this respite, we set about strengthening the battered walls and +repairing the breach with a wall of rough masonry faced with earth +and straw. + +As night drew on, the men selected for the forlorn attempt were +mustered. Each of these was provided with a hammer and a couple of +steel spikes, and in addition they were armed with swords and +pistols. + +The colonel gave the word in a low tone, and in perfect silence +handgrips were exchanged, and the little party filed out through the +postern. + +Directly they had vanished through the darkness, the rest of the +garrison manned the walls, where, with matches ready to light, we +waited in deadly silence the result of the hazardous enterprise. + +We relied upon the guns being in the same position they had occupied +during the day. Although well in the rear of the rebel lines, they +commanded a clear front, so that, had the enemy neglected to post +sentinels in the intervening gap, our men would doubtless be able to +reach the object of their endeavours without hindrance. + +Half an hour elapsed without any signs of the movements of our +friends, though several of the watchers declared they heard the blows +of the hammers as the spikes were driven in--a manifest +impossibility, owing to the distance between the castle and the guns. + +Suddenly the darkness was pierced by a bright flash, followed by a +report of a musket. + +Other flashes came in quick succession, and the next instant the +whole of the rebel lines became a ring of spitting fire. + +The sortie had been discovered, and the besiegers in the trenches, +not knowing the cause of the alarm, had expected a sudden attack, and +in a panic had opened fire on all sides. + +For over a quarter of an hour the fusillade continued, till we could +hear the trumpets sounding and the voices of the rebel officers +calling to their men to desist then all became quiet. + +Although the postern was ready to be opened at the first signs of +their return, none of our gallant friends reappeared, so with +sorrowful hearts we realised that seven good men were lost to our +little garrison. + +Even had Firestone succeeded in spiking the guns, our position was +indeed desperate. Scarce a mere handful of worn men remained to hold +the shattered walls; and, at any moment, the rebels were likely to +throw all their foot into the breach to attempt to carry the castle +by escalade. + +Would we see the setting of the morrow's sun? None could say. + +"Poor old Firestone," said Granville. "I fear we shall never see him +again. He ought never to have gone." + +"His leg was against him; he never had a fair chance," I replied. + +"Then why did we allow him to go?" + +"Ah, why?" I echoed bitterly. + +Brave in conflict, crafty and wary in danger, and possessed of iron +nerve, Firestone was undoubtedly a severe loss to us. Strangely +enough, when he proposed to lead the forlorn hope, none of us gave a +thought to his one physical defect. On horseback he was the equal of +any man, but when on foot the circumstances were totally different, +and we blamed ourselves for letting him go. + +For us sleep was out of the question; and, impatiently pacing the +ruined terrace, we awaited the dawn. + +At length the pale grey sky began to brighten in the east. A thick, +rolling mist filled the valley, while above the banks of vapour the +dark, tree-clad downs assumed distorted and indistinct shapes. + +Now, of all times, was the rebels' opportunity, but though the breach +was lined with our musketeers, there came no sign of the promised +assault. + +As the day drew on the slanting rays of the rising sun gradually +dispersed the mist, and presently we could see the rebel lines, +marked by thin columns of smoke, where the men were preparing their +morning meal. Then the ground on which the cannon had stood became +visible, but instead of the six pieces of ordnance only three +remained, each surrounded by a crowd of soldiers. + +As we looked, one of the guns was limbered up, and made off in the +direction of Chalton village, and shortly afterwards another +followed. + +Only one now remained, its muzzle threateningly trained on the +castle, yet 'twas evident that something was amiss, for men were hard +at work on it. + +"Firestone has not thrown himself away without reason," I exclaimed. +"See, they must have spiked every gun." + +"Five of them hopelessly so, it seems," replied Ralph. "Though +perchance this one is not totally disabled, and even yet we may get a +taste of it." + +"The threatened attack at daybreak has not taken place, +nevertheless," I observed. "The rebels are not standing to their +arms." + +"Perchance they await the support of an artillery fire. But let's to +breakfast, for later on we may have other work on hand." + +We lost no time in falling in with Granville's suggestion, and +immediately after we set the men to work on constructing thick wooden +mantlets, under the cover of which we still further repaired the +breach in the walls. + +Unfortunately, a great part of the dislodged masonry had fallen +outwards, almost filling in the moat immediately in front of the +weakest part of our defences; but behind the breach we built up a +second wall, breast high, backed by a platform of earth, so that we +could the better hold our own in a chance hand-to-hand conflict. + +Barely had we completed these preparations when there came the deep +boom of a cannon. The rebels had unspiked their sole remaining piece +of ordnance, and were renewing the attack. + +The first shot, being totally unexpected, was particularly +disastrous, for three men were struck down, two being killed +outright, and one grievously wounded. + +While the cannonade lasted, we, as before, could do nothing, but +presently we observed the pikemen and musketeers massing in solid +ranks, slightly to the left of the line of fire of the cannon. Then +two dismounted officers made their way to the front, and took a long +and careful look at our defences. + +"There's Chaloner!" I exclaimed, pointing to one of the pair, who +were clad in complete breast and back pieces over their buff coats, +and wore steel motions protected by guards. These accoutrements were +not worn by the dragoons, and Granville remarked about the fact. + +"'Tis certain the rogue makes himself secure from pike-thrusts," he +remarked, with a scornful laugh. + +The rebel ranks were set in motion, and, with matches lighted and +pikeheads gleaming in the sunlight, they advanced to the attack, the +pikemen in the centre and the musketeers on either flank. + +So intent were we on the oncoming danger that we almost failed to +notice a solitary horseman riding furiously down the hill-side from +the clump of trees, from which he had emerged. + +Spurring towards the deserted trenches, his horse cleared them at a +single bound, and ere either we or the rebels could grasp the meaning +of it, the rider was halfway across the intervening ground. + +"'Tis Firestone!" exclaimed Ralph and I simultaneously; and we were +not mistaken. The musketeers had now opened fire on the daring rider, +and the bullets whistled past him on all sides, some tearing up the +turf under his horse's hoofs; but he seemed to bear a charmed life, +and, untouched, he gained the edge of the moat. + +As he slipped from the saddle a bullet struck down his horse, but +without hesitation the colonel jumped into the moat, and was soon +safely within the postern. + +It was no time for explanations, so, picking up a musket, he took his +stand with us at the breach, and prepared to receive the shock of +battle. + +We lay close for fear of the musketeers' fire, till the first line of +pikemen, headed by Chaloner, gained the foot of the breach; then, +pouring in a heavy discharge of muskets, we caused the line of pikes +to waver. But by sheer dint of numbers they pressed on, shouting, "No +quarter!" + +Pistol and musket shots still rang out, a thick smoke enshrouding +both sides, but the brunt of the work was done by sword-cut and +pike-thrust. Men shouted in anger, or shrieked in mortal pain, but +still the slashing and hewing continued with unabated fury. + +For my part, carried away by the heat of the struggle, I was +unconscious of what was taking place beyond my immediate front; but +presently I found myself face to face with my arch-enemy, Chaloner. + +Doubtless his faith in his armour and the fear of Cromwell's threat +had tamed his spirit of cowardice, for he fought bravely. Defending +myself from his sweeping cuts, I succeeded in delivering some thrusts +that, were it not for his steel plating, would have been mortal. + +At length I put in a thrust beneath his guard, and the blade struck +home through the bars of his helmet. + +With a cry, he turned; but ere he could get clear my sword passed +between the top of his back-plate and the unguarded part of his +bended head. Had he carried his head erect this would have been +impossible, but his cowardly instinct caused him to assume that +posture, and 'twas his undoing. + +Before I could withdraw my blade I saw the butt of a musket +descending upon my head, and, with a blinding red glare before my +eyes, I lost consciousness. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE SECRET PASSAGE + + +WHEN I came to, I found myself lying on the grass of the courtyard, +with my friends Granville and Colonel Firestone kneeling by my side. + +The former had a blood-stained scarf bound round his head, while +Firestone's steel cap bore a dent that was a silent testimony to his +valour. It was nearly dark, but there was sufficient light to see +that on the ground were several motionless objects that but a few +short hours before had been the living defenders of my home. + +The assault had failed, but the solitary gun still kept up a steady +fire. + +"How goes the day?" I asked feebly, for my head was whirling, and my +throat parched with thirst. "We hurled them back," replied Ralph. +"Chaloner's dead we found his body in the breach. At the last moment, +when we thought everything was lost, one of the rebels raised a cry +that the breach was mined, and they gave back in confusion." + +"And how have we fared?" + +"Badly. Nine good men killed, and five sorely wounded. There are not +ten men left whole. I fear we cannot withstand another onslaught." + +"Then we must make use of the secret passage!" I exclaimed, starting +painfully to my feet. "None can say that we have not borne ourselves +with honour." + +Beyond being knocked senseless by the musketeers weapon I was unhurt, +and after partaking of food and drink, I felt stronger, though weak +in the limbs. For some unexpected reason the rebels did not offer to +renew the attack, and in consequence we were able to enjoy a good +night's sleep. + +Early the following day we had the mournful task of burying the +bodies of those who had fallen in the defence of the castle. +Especially mournful 'twas as far as I was concerned, since I had +known every one of them, save one, from my earliest days. The +exception was Sergeant Lawson, who, after slaying four men with his +own hand, was shot down at close range by a musketeer. + +This done, we inspected the breach, where the bodies of the slain +rebels lay thick. + +As I looked at Chaloner's corpse, stiff and cold, with the +dishonourable wound in the back of his neck plainly visible--for in +falling his helmet had come off--I could not help remembering my +father's injunction never to let the renegade's footsteps cross our +threshold. + +I had indeed carried out my sire's instructions, for my enemy had +never planted his feet within our walls, though 'twas a near thing. + +While at breakfast--the last meal I was fated to partake of within +those walls--I questioned the colonel concerning the spiking of the +guns. + +"'Twas of little avail," he replied. "The mischief was already done. +Had we managed it before the breach was made, the result might have +been different, and we could still make good our defence. True, we +spiked them, but the rebels discovered us ere we made a proper +business of the last. I gave the word that each man should look to +himself, but I fear they were all overtaken and shot down. For my +part, I knew that running was out of the question, so I crawled +beneath the gun till those in pursuit had passed by. Then I made good +my escape to the woods, but did not hesitate to steal a horse +belonging to a rebel officer, and biding my time, rejoined you. As I +said, 'twas of little avail, and a matter which anyone could +perform." + +"A gallant deed, notwithstanding," replied Granville warmly. + +"A truce to compliments, young sir," rejoined the colonel. "Look +yonder!" + +One glance sufficed to show that the rebels were massing for another +attack, and if we wished to save ourselves, no time was to be lost. + +Our first act was to convey our wounded to the entrance to the secret +passage, leaving a man with a lighted lantern to facilitate our +retreat. This done, we deliberated whether we should give the rebels +warning of our intentions of blowing up the castle, or involve as +many of them as possible in the explosion. + +Firestone favoured the latter course, arguing that they were rebels, +that they refused us quarter, though forsooth we had not asked it, +and also that such were the usages of warfare; but Granville and I +were opposed to his suggestion. + +"They are Englishmen, though they be rebels," I argued, "and the men +are acting under the orders of their officers. For my part, I have +the satisfaction of knowing that Chaloner will never own this heap of +stones, though the rebels seek to gain possession of the castle; but +that is no reason why I should like to take life heedlessly." + +"As ye will, then," grumbled the colonel. "You were ever a strange +lad in such matters. Then we had better take immediate steps to +acquaint them with the fact." + +We then liberated our sole prisoner, and bidding him inform the +Roundhead officers that we intended to blow up the castle, and +warning them to keep away, as they valued the safety of their men's +lives, we sent the captured pikeman back to the rebel lines. + +Meanwhile I had sent a man to the stables for the purpose of shooting +our six remaining horses, for though I could not bear to see the deed +done, 'twas better than to leave them to the mercy of a horde of +rebels, supposing they survived the explosion. + +Mustering the survivors of our little band, I informed them, much to +their surprise--for they had fully expected to perish to a man in the +assault--that we were able to evacuate the castle without further +loss of life. + +I next paid them according to my father's orders, thanking them for +their loyal services both to His Majesty and to our house. Thereupon +they gave three lusty cheers, showing that their courage and +patriotism even in danger and defeat were undiminished. + +Led by Granville, the men marched in good order and without undue +haste through the powder magazine, and down the steps leading to the +underground passage. Firestone and I tarried to give a final glance +back; then, descending the shattered staircase of the tower, we made +our way to the magazine. + +Here a double train was already laid, and a light close at hand. With +the utmost deliberation Firestone applied a flame to each of the +sinister ribbons; then, after making sure that both were well +kindled, we hurried down the steps to the passage that led to safety. + +By the glare of a pair of torches and a lantern we could see our way +without difficulty, though our progress was slow by reason of the +transport of the wounded men. The tunnel was paved with rough slabs +of stone, while the walls and arched roof were composed of flints set +in hard cement. The smoke from the torches dispelled any noxious +odours, but of damp we found no trace. + +We passed three massive doors in quick succession, and bearing in +mind my father's warning, we closed and bolted them as we passed. +Then, in silence, broken only by the dull rumble of our feet that +re-echoed along the hollow passage, we slowly continued our way. + +Suddenly there was a deep boom like the noise of distant thunder, and +the solid ground beneath our feet trembled with the shock. + +The explosion had taken place. Ashley Castle was no more! + +Neither Granville nor Firestone spoke to me, for which I felt +thankful, my heart being too full of grief and mortification. Like +Ralph, I was now homeless, and except for the fact that I had not +laid down my life, I had paid the price of loyalty to the utmost +farthing. + +Of the future I cared not one jot, though before I was clear of the +passage my thoughts, thanks to the buoyancy of youth, assumed a more +hopeful nature. + +We must have walked for the best part of half an hour, and I was +wondering where we should emerge, being ignorant of the direction of +the tunnel, when the men who were on in front halted. + +"The place is blocked up!" exclaimed one of them, who, holding a +torch, was examining the rough flintwork. + +Firestone and I were quickly at the spot, and we too could see no +signs of an aperture, the tunnel ending in a half-moon-shaped wall. + +"Surely we are not caught like rats in a trap!" asked Firestone. +"Your father doubtless never explored the passage?" + +"He would not have shown it us had it been a trap," I replied. +"There must be some signs of a doorway or secret entrance. Perchance +we have already passed it." + +"If we cannot find it, we have tools wherewith we can dig a way out," +said the colonel, indicating our weapons, which we one and all, save +the wounded men, retained. "I'll warrant the surface of the ground +is not ten feet above our heads." + +"If the passage leads under the Downs, it may be five hundred," +exclaimed Ralph moodily. + +"Talking will not find it, so let's to work," said the colonel +cheerfully, and taking a torch from one of the men, he began to +retrace his footsteps, looking both at the sides and roof of the +tunnel as he went. + +"The air seems fresh enough," he said. "So we need not fear +suffocation for a while, at any rate. But there's no sign of an +opening, though your father expressly mentioned 'twas easy enough to +find." + +At length he returned to the end of the passage, where we had +remained, endeavouring to dislodge some of the flints with a stout +knife, but without avail. The man who had built that passage must +have meant it to last, for the cement was as hard as the flints. + +"Let me mount on your shoulders," said I to one of the men, a tall, +broad-shouldered farmer from Compton. From this height I could +examine the roof, which at no part was more than seven feet in +height, though my face was almost touching the jagged flints of the +crown of the arch. + +In one place it looked as if a crack existed in the cement, and +taking the knife from its owner's hands, I scratched the point +against the supposed joint in the stonework. + +My efforts met with no success, but just at that moment the knife +slipped from my hand and fell to the ground. A shout from Firestone +caused me to look down in alarm. + +"Has it struck your foot?" I asked anxiously. + +"Foot? No," he replied. "Fool that I was not to have thought of it +before. Look at the knife!" + +The steel was deeply embedded in the floor. + +I descended from the farmer's shoulders, and stood by while the +colonel directed a man to remove the thick deposit of dust that +everywhere covered the floor of the tunnel. This done, a square of +wood with a rusted iron ring in its centre was laid bare. + +"'Tis evident we must go down ere we go up!" remarked Firestone, with +a laugh. "Now--pull together!" + +Accordingly, the big farmer and another strong yeoman tugged at the +ring, but the next instant they were sent crashing into the stone +wall of the tunnel, which alone saved them from falling backwards, +with the rusted iron held firmly in their hands. + +"It has broken off short we must be careful lest we are unable to +make use of what is left in the ring," cautioned the colonel, and +directing the men to secure a better grip of the fragment of iron +that still remained in the slab by means of a strip of cloth, while +others used their weapons as levers, the barrier between us and +freedom was removed. + +Another short flight of steps, followed by a passage less than twenty +feet in length and lower than the one we had just traversed, +terminating in a spiral staircase. + +At the top of these steps was a massive stone slab, balanced on a +heavy iron pivot, while two strong bolts kept it in position, so that +it could not be moved, save from the side on which we were. + +Remembering that extreme caution was necessary, we carefully withdrew +the bolts, and slowly pushed the stone, Without a sound, the whole +slab turned easily on its pivot, and, to my great surprise, I found +that we were looking into a building, while my astonishment was even +greater when I discovered it was none other than Chalton Church! + +Many a time had I noticed a large tomb in one corner of the church, +with a brass showing the effigy of a knight with his legs crossed at +the knees and his feet resting on a lion, while I had often tried to +decipher the almost illegible writing, "Ci gist..." But up to that +very moment I had not the faintest idea, nor had anyone else in or +around Chalton, I feel certain, that the tomb was in reality not a +tomb, but the egress from a secret tunnel from Ashley Castle. + +It was a tedious struggle to worm our bodies through the narrow slit; +especially so was it with the wounded men, and deep groans +involuntarily rose from their lips as we literally dragged their +helpless forms through the aperture. + +At length we succeeded, and as we closed the movable slab we heard a +faint click. The bolts on the inside had by some ingenious mechanism +slipped back into their places, and the exit from the underground +passage was firmly closed. Nothing short of the demolition of the +spurious tomb would ever reveal the secret tunnel. + +Fortunately, the church was deserted, and no one had witnessed our +appearance; not that any of the villagers would have betrayed us, for +they were stamped with unswerving loyalty, but for the benefit of +those who were to inhabit Ashley Castle at some future date (for I +had a presentiment that a new castle would rise phoenix-like from the +scorched ruins of the old) it was undesirable that the secret should +be public property. + +I then addressed the sorry remnant of my faithful garrison once more, +urging them to return as quickly and secretly to their homes as they +were able, and requested them honourably to preserve the secret of +their means of escape. + +This they promised most readily to do, and after telling the men, ere +they set out for their homes, to take their wounded comrades across +to the Red Lion till they should recover--for Master Anthony, the +worthy host, was as staunch a Royalist as could be found in +Hamptonshire--I bade them farewell. + +Then, accompanied by Firestone and Ralph, I crossed the little green, +and entered this inn, where I made arrangements for the accommodation +of the wounded, forcing Master Anthony, much against his wish, to +accept a sum of money to recompense horn for his assistance. + +As the rebel horse was swarming over the neighbourhood--nay, over the +whole county--'twould be unwise for the three of us to travel +together, so we resolved to separate and each take his own chance. +But before doing so we had a farewell dinner, the last we were likely +to have together for many a long day, while our host kept a careful +watch for fear of roving parties of the rebel troops. + +Firestone had resolved to make his way westward once more, and +naturally Granville desired to do the same, so they agreed on a +rendezvous at Stoney Cross, in the heart of the New Forest, the +colonel journeying by way of Southampton, and Ralph through +Bishopstoke and Romsey. Each agreed to wait three days for the other, +and if one failed to keep this tryst, the other would continue his +journey alone, concluding that some misfortune had befallen his +would-be companion. + +For my part, I was determined to seek a quiet retreat in the Isle of +Wight, and to live there in strict seclusion till the dawn of better +days. Little did I dream how Fate was to cross my wish, and what +exciting times were in store! + +In the midst of setting our plans word was brought that a body of +rebel horse was approaching. Our wounded men were already placed in +bed in the upper rooms of the inn, and Master Anthony concealed us in +some huge barrels that stood on a low oaken bench at one end of the +large drinking-room. + +Barely were we safely hidden than the door was unceremoniously thrown +open, and several soldiers--a dozen at least by the noise they made +strode into the room. + +Roughly ordering the landlord to bring them drink, and plenty of it, +they sat down, removed their steel caps, and began to discourse on +the events of the day. + +They were, judging by the manner of their conversation, dragoons of +Chaloner's regiment, and held their late leader in scant respect, for +they even expressed satisfaction at his death. Rough soldiers they +were, with a true contempt for cowardice, and Chaloner's behaviour on +several occasions had not escaped their notice; while, on the other +hand, they confessed to a certain amount of admiration at our +desperate deed of self-sacrifice, for, in common with every man in +the rebel host that had lain around the castle, they firmly believed +that the devoted garrison had perished in the explosion. + +The barrels in which we had taken refuge were large, so that we were +by no means cramped, but the one in which I lay hidden was encrusted +with dried lees of wine, and before long I was seized with an +uncontrollable desire to sneeze. Clapping both hands on my mouth, I +strove to suppress the sound. + +"What's that noise?" demanded one of the dragoons. There was +instant silence in the room, though I felt my heart thumping +violently against my ribs. Had I not stood in the centre of the cask, +I felt certain the barrel would have shaken. + +"Ho, there!" shouted one of the soldiers, bringing his tankard down +with a crash upon the oak table. "Come hither, rascal!" + +I heard Master Anthony shuffling down the stoneflagged passage. + +"What do yonder casks hold, sirrah?" demanded the dragoon. + +"They are empty, sir," replied the landlord, in a trembling voice. + +"Empty, thou lying rogue? I heard someone sneeze!" + +"'Twas I, sir. A bad cold, I assure you," pleaded the landlord. + +"You are getting light-headed in your cups, Dick!" exclaimed another +half-tipsy trooper. "But I'll swear there's good liquor in those +casks." + +Master Anthony vehemently protested that they were empty. Then, to my +horror, I heard another man exclaim: + +"Stand aside, you knock-kneed ale-seller! A pistolbullet will show +whether you speak the truth." + +"Wouldst spoil a good man's casks?" protested the landlord; but his +words were of no avail, and I heard the dragoon cock his pistol. + +There were, I remember, four of these casks in a row, and three were +occupied by us, while one of the two middle ones was empty. There was +a chance that the empty one would be the target of the rebel's +pistol, but directly I heard the sound of the pistol being cocked, I +squeezed myself close to one side of the cask, so that my body was +clear of the centre. Then I braced myself up, resolving, even if I +were hit, to endeavour to suppress a cry lest I and my companions +should be discovered. + +It seemed ages ere I heard the report, and with a splintering of wood +a hole was drilled through the cask where I stood, the bullet passing +close to my knees, and burying itself in the opposite side. + +"The old rascal is right, the cask is empty," said one of the men, +with a laugh. + +"I'll wager a tankard of cider that you'll not nick my mark," +exclaimed the soldier who had fired. + +"Done cried the other. I tell you, you've lost already." + +"A truce to this foolery," interrupted another, evidently a sergeant. +"We must needs be back in the camp outside Basing ere dark, and 'tis +well over a good twenty miles. To horse! To horse, I say!" + +Grumbling and swearing, the soldiers trooped out of the inn, and for +the present our peril was past. + +At dusk three men in rustic garb emerged from the Red Lion. One set +off at a swinging pace down the lane leading to Clanfield, the second +strode with awkward gait along a pathway over the hills towards +Horndean, and the third, carrying a load of faggots, turned off down +the Havant road. 'Twas the parting of the three staunch comrades. + +My love-locks had been shorn close to my head, a rough smock covered +a suit of worn clothes that would ill become even a farmer, while the +faggots I bore served a twofold purpose. They formed a fitting +complement to my disguise as a countryman, while in the centre of the +bundle reposed my trusty sword, which I would not part with under any +circumstances. + +I had thought to return under cover of darkness to the thicket on the +downs where I had buried the iron box containing the deeds and other +documents relating to my home. But on further consideration I came to +the conclusion that 'twould be best to let the box remain till a more +convenient season. + +So, shouldering my burden, I took a long last look in the direction +of the distant ruined castle, and then set off resolutely along the +southern road. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +WITHOUT THE WALLS OF CARISBROOKE + + +I TOOK up my abode in a little cottage overlooking Wootton Creek in +the Isle of Wight, hard by the village of Wootton. It was a peaceful +spot, where the tide of war had not swept, though near enough, 'tis +true, to see the scenes of many a stern conflict in former days. + +On either side of the creek, well-wooded hills sloped down to the +water's edge when the tide was up, or to the fringe of the mudflats +when 'twas low water. Just within shelter of the land the creek was +of sufficient depth to float a few fishing boats, whence a narrow, +winding channel led to the blue waters of the Solent. + +My life, or rather existence, at Wootton was of a particularly quiet +nature. I lived at peace with my neighbours, and though at first they +were certainly inquisitive to the extreme, after a while they found +that nothing could be obtained of my former life, and in consequence +I was little troubled in that respect. + +I thought it advisable to adopt another name, and finally I selected +that of Giles White, which seemed sufficiently common to avoid +further inquiries of my antecedents. + +Of the events that were taking place in the kingdom at large I heard +but little for a time. + +Of Colonel Firestone and Ralph Granville I heard not a word. Whether +they were alive or dead, and how they had fared after leaving +Chalton, remained a mystery as far as I was concerned, yet I had a +conviction that ere long things would mend, and that I should once +again see my old comrades. + +Then news began to come in apace. A fisherman brought the tidings +that His Majesty had escaped from the power of the Independents, and +had sought refuge at Titchfield House, whence he had been escorted by +Colonel Hammond to the castle of Carisbrooke. To me, a loyal +Cavalier, the news was encouraging, for, though nominally a prisoner, +the King was within a few miles of the place where I existed in +comparative poverty and obscurity. + +One evening I was returning in a small boat from a day's fishing off +the mouth of the creek, and just as I was rowing past the little hard +on the Fishbourne side, I saw three men standing under the trees. For +a while they watched me intently, then one of them called, "Ho, +fisherman, can you put us across?" + +"Right willingly," I answered, inwardly smiling at their mistake, +which was natural enough under the circumstances, and running the +boat aground, I told them to jump in. + +"What sort of road lieth betwixt here and Newport?" inquired one, a +dark-featured man dressed in russet cloth, and armed with rapier and +pistols. + +"Hilly, but not easily mistaken," I replied. "'Tis an hour and a +half's good walk." + +Two of the men were sitting astern, and one in the bows. As we neared +the opposite side of the creek I turned my head to see how the boat +was heading, and, to my surprise, the stranger who sat in the bows +gave me a resounding smack on the back. + +"Markham!" he cried. "By the powers! What are you doing here--and in +this garb?" + +In a moment I recalled the man's features 'twas Captain Dixon, the +same who was the transport officer at Dartmouth Castle. A few words +sufficed to explain my presence in the Isle of Wight then the captain +interrupted me by asking: + +"And you know the island well?" + +"As a fox knows its lair." + +"Then come with us if ye be a true Cavalier. In Brading Harbour lies +the _Happy Adventure_. I trove you remember her full well? Peste! A +wretched mess we have made of things up to now, for we have been +hopelessly lost amid these winding lanes. Canst lead us to +Carisbrooke ere midnight?" + +"With ease," I replied confidently. + +"Then do so, and a greater service to His Majesty you'll never again +perform." + +By this time the boat had reached the opposite shore, and tying it +safely to an iron ring, I set off briskly for the hill, the three +cavaliers panting at my heels. Seeing that they were armed, I left +them for a time to get my sword from the cottage, then once more we +resumed our journey. + +Naturally, I was curious to know the nature of our midnight errand, +and the three officers (for they were all of Sir Henry Cary's +regiment) were not loth to tell me. + +"With the blessing of Heaven we hope, ere dawn, to have his sacred +Majesty safely aboard the _Happy Adventure_, and well on his way to +France!" explained Captain Dixon. "All preparations are complete; +swift horses are in readiness in Carisbrooke Village, where +Fire--Fire----" + +"Firestone?" I asked eagerly. + +"Nay, but I cannot call the man's name to mind." + +"'Tis Firebrace, His Majesty's page," explained another, Major +Hosken. + +"Ay, Firebrace. Well, where Firebrace has arranged to meet us." + +"His Majesty is a close prisoner?" + +"Close after a fashion, though not so unguarded as before poor +Captain Burley's blundering attempt at rescue. No good came of it, +for His Majesty was detained within the walls, and Burley was hanged, +drawn, and quartered for his pains. Heaven forfend that will not be +our lot." + +"Burley had courage, but lacked caution, and his hotheadedness was +his undoing. We, I take it, have laid our plans aright, using +discretion tempered with bravery. Therein lies the difference; though +we be willing to risk our lives in His Majesty's cause, we take good +care to keep open every possible channel of escape." + +Talking of their possibilities of success, the three officers kept up +the hot pace I had set, and it was just before eleven as we descended +the steep hill leading into Newport. + +The familiar streets of the old town were almost deserted, and, +unchallenged, we passed along the High Street, and gained the +outskirts on the Carisbrooke side. + +In the village hard by the church, a man, his features muffled in a +dark cloak, was waiting under the shadow of a row of trees. Feigning +to ignore him, we passed on; but bef ore we had gone a few steps he +tapped thrice with a stick against the stump of a tree. Thereupon we +retraced our footsteps, and the man introduced himself as the royal +page, Firebrace. + +Without further parley, for each man seemed thoroughly to understand +his work, we turned down N a side street, through which a brook +babbled, the rippling of the water sounding in the night air. Then we +began to climb the steep hill on which the castle stands. + +Neither lights nor any other signs of human beings were to be seen, +and without misadventure we gained the base of the barbican. Here we +took shelter in the dry moat, concealing ourselves underneath the +centre of three low arches that carried the road from the outwork of +the embattled gateway. + +Captain Dixon pulled out a gold watch, and holding it close to his +face, announced in a low tone that it was a quarter to twelve. Then +we heard the tramp of the musketeers relieving guard, every sound of +the instructions given to the sentry at the barbican being distinctly +audible. + +"'Tis Captain Titus," whispered Firebrace, "and he is with us." + +This seemed to be the case, for we heard him tell the musketeer to +pay no attention to any sounds he might hear without the castle, and +to this the man readily complied, he also being a party to the +enterprise. + +"Now 'tis time," whispered the page; and walking swiftly along the +bed of the dry moat, we at length came to a part of the castle where +the walls were considerably lower than the rest. Here a stout rope +was dangling from the battlements. + +"Five minutes will decide whether we have set our heads in a rat trap +or not," said Major Hosken. "Now, Dixon, you first--up you go." + +Seizing the rope with both hands, the captain swung himself lightly +up the sheer face of the wall, and instantly afterwards a shake of +the hemp announced that he had reached the battlements in safety. +Firebrace followed, and I ascended third, followed in turn by Hosken, +while the remaining officer stayed without to facilitate our descent. + +I found myself on a narrow stone ledge, protected on its outer side +by a parapet breast-high, while the inner side was unfenced. A slip +or a false step in the dark, and we should have fallen a depth of +thirty feet on the ground of the base-court. + +With the air of a man who knows his business, Firebrace led the way +along the narrow pathway for about twenty paces. Here a flight of +stone steps afforded a descent to the ground, while but three yards +away rose the outlines of a detached building. + +"'Tis the Great Hall--His Majesty's apartments," whispered the page, +as we gained the level of the basecourt. "Watch yonder window." + +We had not long to wait, for the hour of twelve was striking. +Everything was perfectly still, and though a light gleamed through a +window in the gatehouse, there were no signs of any of the guards. + +Presently there came the sound of a casement being cautiously opened, +and we could see a white face looking down between the bars of a +window on the first floor. + +Instantly we uncovered, then expectantly awaited His Majesty's +appearance. The end of a stout rope fell at our feet, and then the +head of our royal master emerged betwixt the bars of the window. + +For a brief space we waited in suspense. Then---- + +"I am stuck fast!" exclaimed the King in a low voice. + +"Nay, sire," said the page. "Where Your Majesty's head passes through, +your body will surely follow." + +"Nay, I repeat, I cannot move either forward or backward," said the +King, with a long-drawn groan, wrung from him by the result of his +exertions. + +Whilst he stuck I heard him groan again and again; yet we could not +come to help him, even though Dixon climbed the rope, and grasping +the bars with his hands, tried in vain to wrench them asunder--at the +risk of his neck had the iron given way suddenly. + +In five minutes the attempt was at an end, for His Majesty, using the +cord to force his way back into the room, succeeded in freeing +himself from the embraces of the iron bars. Then, having suffered the +devoted captain to kiss his hand, he retired; whereupon Dixon, +muttering softly under his breath at our impotence, slid softly to +earth. + +For a few moments more we waited beneath the window. Why we tarried I +know not, unless we thought that some miracle would bring our royal +master to our side. + +Then his room became illuminated, and bearing a candle in his hand +(which he set in the window as a prearranged sign that he had +abandoned the attempt, though we knew to our cost that such was the +case already), the King stood before the window, the light shining on +his classic features. + +As if in final benediction, he raised his right hand in token of +farewell, then, as we brought our swords to the salute, he +disappeared from view. + +'Twas fated to be the last glimpse I had of the face of the Royal +Martyr. + +I was recalled to the danger of my position by Dixon's hand being +laid on my shoulder, and regaining the wall, we slid down the rope to +the moat, where we communicated the dismal news of our failure to our +comrade. + +Then, descending the hill, we each selected a horse, and were soon +galloping down the road to Newport. + +* * * * * + +Firebrace, the page, remained in the village, but I accompanied the +officers as far as the ford across the creek at Wootton. + +They wished me to retain the horse I was using, but, much against my +will, I was obliged to refuse, for the presence of the animal at my +cottage would give rise to well-founded suspicions. Then, having set +them on the right road to Brading Harbour, I bade them farewell, and +sick in mind and tired in body, I walked back to my humble dwelling. + +Yet I could not sleep, and after tossing restlessly on my bed till +daylight streamed into the room, I dressed and went out. A strong +easterly wind had sprung up with the rising of the sun, and looking +in the direction of Spithead, I saw the drawing sails of a small +vessel bowling along on her westward course. + +It was the _Happy Adventure_. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +EXILED + + +AGAIN, as far as I was concerned, time pursued its even course, and +in my retreat I had little cause to complain of the manner of life I +was leading, were it not for the galling fate of circumstances that +had befallen my King and country. There were hundreds of brave +Cavaliers, ruined by their devotion, who lurked in obscurity and +sequestration, awaiting the time when their swords were once more to +fly from their scabbards in the defence, and for the honour, of His +Majesty, so that I comforted myself that in my present position I was +by no means an exception. + +One dark evening in the month of November I was returning from a long +ramble through the woods of Quarr, and on gaining the little hard on +the Fishbourne side of the creek, where I had left my boat, I saw the +dark sails of a large craft of strange rig glide past up the channel. +I say strange, but 'twas strange only as far as the locality was +concerned, for I could have staked my all that those sails were cut +in the West Country. + +The vessel passed on, and disappeared in the darkness, but by the +sound of the creaking tackle and shouts of the crew I knew she had +dropped anchor just above the pool where the fishing craft are wont +to lie. + +Now it happened that just at the spot where this craft had brought up +there is what the fishermen call a "hard bottom," rocks and large +stones abounding, upon which a vessel would do herself an injury when +she grounded at low tide; so, as I had to pass the craft on my +passage over o the other side, I thought it but right that I shoul +warn the crew, who were obviously strangers, of their danger. + +The flood tide was making strongly, and it required but a few strokes +to bring me alongside the new arrival as she fretted at her hempen +cable in the swirl of the swift-running flood. + +With the least perceptible jar my little boat rubbed sides with the +larger craft, and standing up, I held on to the bulwarks of the +latter and peered through the gloom to try and find some of her crew. + +The deck was deserted, but from a half-open hatch came the gleam of a +lamp that shot upwards through the thick night vapour, like a stray +shaft of light that finds its way into the dusty atmosphere of a +darkened room. + +Judging by the sounds of the different voices, the boat carried a +large crew, and for a moment I hesitated to hail them, fearing they +might be a gang of smugglers, who, in these troublous times, often +added piracy to the list of their numerous accomplishments. But, to +my surprise, I heard a well-known voice exclaim: "Yet before we +adventure ourselves in this matter, I would fain seek out Sir +Humphrey Markham." + +Caution was no longer necessary, and pounding on the deck with my +fist, I called: + +"Ralph! Ralph! 'Tis I--Humphrey." + +The next instant Ralph Granville rushed up through the hatch, closely +followed by Nick Firestone. + +"Come aboard! Come aboard, Humphrey!" exclaimed Ralph. Then, as I +came within range of the light, he continued: "And to think we +should find you in the garb of a fisherman or woodman!" + +"Which, I perceive, is a like garb to that which you yourselves are +wearing," I replied, laughing, for there was little difference +between our dress and that of the crew, amongst which I recognised +Dick, the master of the _Emma Farleigh_. + +Then I realised that I stood once more on the deck of the staunch +little craft that effected my rescue from the sea, when my horse +carried me willy-nilly over the cliffs of the Cornish coast. + +"Come below and tell us how you have fared this long while," +exclaimed Firestone. "And how came ye to find us?" + +"Find you?" I repeated. "'Twas by pure chance that I saw you come in, +not knowing who and what you were. But what brought you in hither?" + +"To look for you, knowing that you were somewhere about in these +parts. Our business is of a stern nature. Look behind you." + +Ranged along the bulkhead of the cabin were several musketoons, +pistols, boarding-pikes, and heavy swords known to seamen as +cutlasses, while two swivel guns completed the armoury. In addition +to Granville, Firestone, and myself, there were ten lusty seamen, all +Cornishmen of the good old sea stock, crowded into the little cabin, +their bronzed, bearded faces gleaming with zeal and intelligence. + +"Turned pirate to build up the fortune of your home, Ralph?" I +asked jocosely. + +"Nay, lad, nay. 'Tis an affair of duty and honour. In short, we hope +to have His Majesty aboard the _Emma Farleigh_ or her consort, the +_Three Brothers_, within a couple of days. Dost remember his futile +attempt to escape during the spring?" + +"Ay," I replied. "Seeing that I had a hand in it." + +"Then fie on you for a bungler, Humphrey. But to continue the story +of our plans. The _Three Brothers_ lies in Newtown River, within an +hour's ride of Carisbrooke. Thither we will repair, and joining +hands, there will be sufficient men to surprise the castle and effect +a rescue. Then hey for France! Wilt join with us?" + +"There is no need to ask me," I replied. "But will it be an' easy +task, think you? Colonel Hammond, I hear, has been removed. He was +ordered to Windsor but yesterday week, and Colonel William Sydenham +has been given the charge of His Majesty's person." + +"Sydenham? I know him to be a red-hot fanatic," remarked Firestone; +"and, moreover, a thorough soldier, though he be a rebel. Our task +is rendered doubly difficult." + +"Nevertheless, we must see the thing through," added Ralph +resolutely. "Now, Humphrey, if you have any preparations to make, +hurry on with them, for we must needs be at the rendezvous without +undue delay." + +Accordingly I hurried ashore, took a change of clothing, my sword, +and a few small articles of value, since I knew not whether I should +ever return; then, locking the door, I left the key in the hands of +an old fisherman, one Robert Young, who had oftentimes before looked +after my dwelling when I had occasion to be away for long. + +When I returned on board, a steady south-easterly breeze was blowing +down the creek, and in a very little time the sails were hoisted, and +the _Emma Farleigh_ glided over the tide towards the Solent. + +The night was bitterly cold, but, with Dick in charge on deck, there +was no necessity for us to remain without; so we retired to the +cabin, there to talk over our respective adventures after we had +separated at Chalton. + +By and by there was a scurrying of feet on deck, and we heard Dick's +powerful voice shout, "Mind your helm, there." + +Rushing on deck, we saw the dim outlines of a vessel disappearing +astern of us, and even as we looked a light flashed thrice in quick +succession above her sides. + +"Quick, there, show a flare!" ordered the master and in obedience one +of the crew replied with a similar signal, which was replied to with +another succession of six flashes. + +"'Tis the _Brothers_, sure enough," said Dick; "I wonder what they are +doing out here?" + +With the dark water churning up under her forefoot our consort drew +up under our lee, and a hasty conversation took place between the two +masters, to the effect that the crew of the _Three Brothers_ had +heard that the King was to be taken from Carisbrooke over to Hurst +Castle that morning, and they feared he would be conducted thence to +London. + +"Are you sure of it?" shouted Firestone. + +"Ay. Walter heard it direct from one of the sofdiers at an inn near +Yarmouth, and a coach has already lef t for the castle." + +"Then we are too late," exclaimed the colonel, turning to Ralph. +"Unless we can intercept the vessel that bears him across the Solent." + +"Can we manage that?" asked Granville of the master. + +"If us keeps out o' range o' the guns at Hurst Castle, 'twill be safe +enow," replied Dick. "An' I'll warrant never a ship on these +waters'll show 'er 'eels to the likes o' we." + +"Then speak with the Brothers, and desire them to bear us company. +Sink or swim, I'll have this craft laid alongside the vessel that +bears His Majesty across the Solent." + +For the rest of the night the crew were busily engaged in setting up +the swivel guns, bending the larger and lighter sails in the place of +the heavier winter canvas, and leaving nothing untouched that would +increase our speed; and as the grey dawn stole across the eastern +sky, we found ourselves standing close in shore within a short +distance of Worseley Tower, hard by the little town of Yarmouth. + +We observed a small sloop lying at anchor just off the tower, while +several soldiers on shore were intently watching us. Presently a boat +pushed off from the land, and an officer ordered us roughly to stand +farther off. + +"Can us not fish here?" asked Dick, who with two others alone +remained on deck. + +"No, sirrah," replied the officer. "For all I know, you and your other +boat may be looking for fish that does not swim in the sea. Get you +gone, I say." + +There was no help for it. We could have seized the officer, but that +deed would not have helped us, for the rebels would have delayed +putting His Majesty across till a sufficient number of ships had +assembled to guard his passage, or else they might have sent him from +Cowes to Titchfield Haven. + +So the two vessels stood out from shore, the _Emma Farleigh_ leading, +with the _Three Brothers_ close astern. The wind had fallen very +light, and we barely moved through the water. A slight haze hung +around, entirely blotting out Hurst Castle from our view. + +"If this fog becomes no thicker, 'twill serve our purpose well," +commented the colonel, as we came on deck once more. But, happening +to look shorewards, we observed with great uneasiness that we were +being simply borne through the narrow channel by the irresistible +force of the tide. + +In vain we tried to hold our own, but the wind was not sufficient to +enable us to do so, and we observed with dismay that the breeze blew +strongly off Yarmouth, while we were practically becalmed. + +Then, to our mortification, we saw a party of soldiers hurry on board +the sloop, a cloaked, bent figure in their midst, and in utter +helplessness we saw the vessel shake out her sails, and heeling over +to the breeze, stand on her way towards the frowning walls of Hurst +Castle. + +Our efforts to rescue His Majesty had failed. + +A feeling of depression had seized upon everyone on board both our +vessels, and for a long time we breasted the tide at twenty yards +apart, without any fixed plan or purpose. + +At length Firestone suggested that, to avoid needless risk, and the +consequences of an already existing suspicion, the _Three Brothers_ +should return to the west, while the _Emma Farleigh_ should land me +at Wootton, and follow at her leisure. This was agreed to, and an +hour later our former consort was a mere speck against the western +sky. + +By this time the sun had completely dispersed the mist, and Hurst +Castle stood out clearly against the dark, tree-clad outlines of the +New Forest. With the now favouring tide we made for the eastward once +more, Firestone and Granville having promised to be my guests at my +humble dwelling for a few days, until we had gathered definite news +of the fate of our royal master. + +But our plans were doomed to receive a rude shock, for, as we rounded +Old Castle Point, and were just opening out the entrance to the +creek, we saw a small boat rowing hurriedly towards us. + +As it drew nearer I recognised the rower as the old fisherman, Robert +Young, and calling to us to shake the vessel up in the wind, he came +alongside. + +"Don't 'e go back home, as you value your life, Master White," he +exclaimed breathlessly. + +"Why?" I inquired, a sudden suspicion flashing through my mind. + +"'Cause a pack of rascally soldiers have taken charge of your +cottage. They say that you are a Royalist, and that a price is set on +your head. They've ransacked everything in your house, and I had +great trouble to steal away and warn you. I'd flee, if I were you, +while there is yet time." + +"The man has given you good advice, and 'tis certain you ought to +profit by it," remarked the colonel. "And we, too, are like to put +our heads in a noose should we venture ashore. Clearly England is no +place for us." + +"So it seems," I replied despondently. + +"Then there remains but one course open to the three of us," he +continued. "Abroad we may seek refuge until such time that we can +adventure our persons in a more successful enterprise. What say you?" + +To this we all agreed, and after a consultation with Dick, the latter +agreed to land us at Havre, in consideration of a certain sum of +money; and before night the white cliffs of the Isle of Wight had +vanished beneath the horizon. + +* * * * * + +Very little remains to be told. Directly we landed on French soil we +hastened to offer our services to the Prince of Wales. + +And here, in a strange land, we await, in common with a devoted and +ever-growing band of loyal English refugees, the time when His +Gracious Majesty King Charles II will, with the blessing of God, +wrest his inheritance from the rebels, at whose lawless hands we have +so grievously suffered for King and country. + +THE END + + + +Transcribers notes: + +- Near the end of chapter III: + [One of our men uttered "come" coarse jest] is probably + [One of our men uttered "some" coarse jest] + +- Halfway chapter VIII: + [and waited, in dead silence, for the "threatened" catastrophe.] + is probably + [and waited, in dead silence, for the "threatening" catastrophe.] + +- Halfway chapter VIII: + [for the rebells are leaving "Listithiel" this day.] + is probably + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Young Cavalier, by Percy F. Westerman + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42689 *** |