rms working their way slowly, and well
nigh breathlessly, towards him. Now we were pressing against the wall,
as he halted almost within arm's length before us. Verily, his eyes
must have been closed in partial sleep, or he had seen us. Then he
tramped round, as though he had been fastened to a cord which permitted
him to go but to its length and then warned him to return.

At that moment I attempted to draw back still further. My spur struck
the wall with a sharp click, and this did cause me to lose my balance,
and mine armoured shoulders clanked against the stones.

The soldier turned like a flash of light, and brought his axe from
shoulder unto thigh. He was about to challenge when Michael, forcing
the axe's point above his head, clapped his mighty hand over the
surprised sentry's mouth, permitting no sound to escape.

I seized the axe, lest it should fall and rouse the guard.

"Be quoiet, thou fool, and no harm 'll come unto thee," whispered
Michael in the fellow's ear, as he held him firmly to the ground.

With haste I searched me for my scarf.

"It's here, sor, about moy hand; jist untoie it, playze sor. Sure a
little blood 'll do thee no harm. Thou shouldst thank the Lord that it
isn't thoine own." This to the sentry.

When he had been made fast at both hands and feet, the which we bound
with his belt, after cutting the leather into two strings, and when he
had been securely gagged with the scarf, we carried him and placed him
close to the wall, and then I warned him.

"Now, sirrah, if thou dost lie still and make no attempt to free
thyself, or to attract attention, thou shalt not be mistreated. But,
by all the fiends, if thou dost make a movement thou shalt be ripped
from ear to ear, and then thrown into the moat. We shall be near at
hand, and any sound from thee must reach us."

Then we proceeded to the breach with less care than we had hitherto
used. Here the wall was torn away until but a foot in height remained.
The artisan's tools were laid upon this low wall, and were well nigh
the cause of our ruin; for just as I made a move to cross the breach my
foot struck upon the pile of tools and almost caused them all to fall
into the moat. Carefully we removed them from our way, and then we
descended into the water.

I had never before attempted to swim while dressed in a complete suit
of heavy armour; and much therefore did I doubt mine ability to do so
now.

"Didst thou ever swim across