The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-04-24
CHAPTER IX-Contipued.


popular neighbor, and when it was
known that blow was to be struck at
him they came with a will.
Not more than a third of them had
regular armor and weapons. But in
the light Of the shield lanterns carried
by Tiler and Barnaby their equipment
of scythes, axes, and hedging bills
looked ugly and formidable enough.
Those who had more special weapons
and regular defence of plate, or sword
proof leather, were marshalled by Tiler
in front. The injunction of silence
was well observed; the mystery of the
armed gathering, the darkness, the
flashing of the uncovered lanterns on
face and weapon, the suspense of the
issue held them mute.
When all was ready, the slides of the
lanterns were shut, and Tiler, who had
noted the ground carefully in his morn
ing's excursion, led them to within 100
yards of the outer gate, exhorting them
to move as stealthily as possible.
Then. after again repeating the injunc-
ton of silence, he went forward alone
into the darkness.
Presently, while the men stood hard
ly daring to draw breath, he returned,
and told Barnaby, in voice just audi
bic to all in the hushed silence, that
all was right Then the order was
given, and repeated in whispers by the
subordinates in command, that no man
was to move till a messenger should re-
turn with the signal. Then Tiler went
forward cautiously again, taking Barn
aby with him, and Lawrence, and one
of the appren tees. Tiler this time
carried scaling ladder, with iron
crooks at one end. Barnaby had a
heavy hammer and crowbar. To a
modern eye, accustomed to the appa-
ratus of less simple warfare, it would
have looked more like an intended
burglary than an operation of war.
Tier had taken nobody but Barnaby
into his confidence. He knew that sue
cess depended wholly upon the COM
pleteness of the surprise. If the garri-
son were on their guard an army might
beat against such strength for days in
vain.
The castle stood, as we have already
said, in the middle of mere, connect
ed with the land by causeway, protec-
ted at the landward end by fortified
gate. This gate was first to be passed.
Tiler had half hoped that this out
work might be unguarded. 1t was not
as if Sir Richard lived in a hostile
country, or had any reason to appre-
bend an attack. But in his reconnoit-
ering the cautious leader had observed
a figure pacing sentry-wise on the bat
tlemented roof. How to get rid of this
sentry was the first question. An ar
row might miss him, or strike against
his armor, or only wound him so that
he might still give the alarm. They
could not afford to risk this. A surer
way must be found.
Tiler instructed the apprentice to
creep to the other side of the gate, and
throw a small stone into the water to
attract the sentry's attention. He was
to throw another at an interval of a
minute, and another if necessary.
At the first splash the weary sentry
looked listlessly over the parapet, Won
dering whether it was rat. Just as
he was turning away second came,
and he looked again, this time with
quicker curiosity. AS he peered into
the darkness, the CLEAN of the water
just visible, there was third slpash,
and he began to suspect human agency.
at must be some frolicsome wench, I"
he thought, and looking keenly along
the shore, and smiling to himself, he
called in soft voice of inquiry, "Moll?"
There was another light splash in
response.
1he sentry was convinced. "Moll!"
he cried, lis it you?'
This was too much for the appren-
tees gravity. EYES," he squeaked in
q falSetto voice, ''it am |. Let me in. +"
Just at that moment the sentry
heard a light footstep behind him, and
turned. But he was too late to defend
himself. In enterprises of this kind
human life was held of light account.
Tier was master of the gate, but it was
a more serious business to get inside
the castle. For this also, however, he
had laid his plot.
The m Tin plan of the castle was of a
familiar type of the early feudal strong
hold. There was no aperture in the
first story big enough to admit a man.
The main entrance was high up in one
OF the sides, and was approached by an
outside stair leading up from the cause
way and terminating in a drawbridge.
The bridge from the stair led on to the
first floor, if it may be so called, of a
bit of substantial masonry built out
square from the main entrance. The
first floor of this outbuilding thus served