Tudor Jenks

“ Lord Edgar, with a chosen body of men, must be ready to repulse any storming-party wherever they may present themselves. And our main force must be gathered to repulse the tower. We will place the mangonels where they will best command it, and hurl barrels of flaming pitch upon its roof. Then, too, if they succeed in lowering the drawbridge, the catapults must be ready to sweep the besiegers from the bridge, while we do our best to prevent them from reaching the ramparts. We can do no more. ”

“ Hugh declared; "we have the walls against them, at least, but if the tower be not opposed we shall have a hand-to-hand battle on the very ramparts. In a few minutes more the tower will be once more within range, and then we will send them a few reminders that we are not asleep. Load up the mangonels, my men, and put in the heaviest stones you have. Let us see if there be another man who can earn a handful of shining bezants. My lord will not grudge them for as good a shot as the one which last sent that Goliath of wood back to the Count for repairs! ”

“ After their midnight expedition against the miners who were burrowing through the earth like moles, Edgar and his two allies slept so soundly that, be fort they had risen, they were wakened and summoned to the ramparts, being assured that the besiegers were evidently preparing for a more serious assault than any they had yet delivered. All three dressed hastily, and ascended to the top of the keep, whence there was a broad view. ”

“ Edgar said, "for I know that under the eastern side of the castle is only solid rock. They would, therefore, be compelled to work toward the west tower."
"There, then," Hugh exclaimed "we must countermine and drive them back. I will set men to work at once."
"And why so?" the Friar inquired. "It seems to me that the fools will be doing our work for us, if they undermine the southwest tower. That is the tower we shall be forced to abandon if the siege continues long. Is it not so, Captain Hugh?" ”

“ Hugh was compelled to admit, in his turn, that he saw no way of keeping the tower at a distance, and that the close attack offered the best chance of destroying it.
"The tower," said the Friar, "will be put in motion early in the day. At the same time, the battering-ram will finish the front wall; the mangonels will be all trained upon us; and it may be that a storming party with ladders will come against some new portion of the wall. So be it. We must take our chances with the other attacks, and give every effort to repelling the tower. ”

“ Therefore, during the delivery of the three more evident attacks, a half-dozen men who had been hidden the night before in the underbrush near the bank of the river, pushed a light raft out into the river and poled it along as noiselessly as they could until they had come to the foot of the steep path Luke had described to them. ”

“ Then the whole party retired into the castle, after Edgar and Hugh had seen that the guards were alert and ready to give the alarm if the attempt to breach the wall were resumed. A strong body of men slept that night upon the battlements just opposite the weakened point, ready to defend it if it were opened. But the night passed away without an alarm, probably because the Count preferred to make his attack upon several points at the same time, and thus compel the garrison to divide its forces. ”

“ Behind the besiegers' mangonels, and just at the edge of the wood, could be seen a number of the Count's men drawn up in regular formation, and Hugh, pointing these out to Edgar, remarked:
"To-day we shall have not a man too much. Besides the tower and the ram, the Count means to send a force against the walls to see if he cannot storm them. I wish I could tell the strength of that body of men ”