twenty well armed men of the garrison go down with the carts, so as to
give confidence to the tenants and cover their retreat up the road if
the insurgents should suddenly make their appearance. Let some of the
men take billhooks and axes down with them, and cut poles. These must be
sharpened, and as the walls are built, fixed among the stones so as to
make a cheval-de-frise. At the same time let half a dozen stout ladders
be constructed, so that the defenders of these walls may, if unable to
hold them, make their retreat up to the battlements. I wish now that
I had ordered a strong bastion to be thrown up so as to cover the gate
from an attack by artillery, but it did not seem likely that we should
be besieged by any force having guns, and I let the matter remain until
the tenants should be better off and we could spend our money on such
work. However, it is too late now to think of that. I suppose there is a
portcullis to the gate?"

"Yes, and I got it in good working order when I first came here; but the
cannon would speedily shatter that, as well as the bridge drawn up in
front of it and the gate behind it."

"Then as I have no doubt that there are plenty of flour sacks, we
must fill these with earth and pack them between the bridge and the
portcullis, and fasten the bridge in its place with any chains that may
be available, so that it will keep erect. The earth packing, however
much it may be battered, will protect the portcullis of the gate for
some time against their fire."

"It is a good idea if we have time to carry it out, colonel. We have
still four or five hours' daylight, and as I think that this is of even
greater importance than the side walls, we will set the tenants to work
at once, and it will save time if they take down the sacks, of which, as
you say, we have an abundance."

A few minutes later a dozen active boys left the castle, and scattered
to various points on the hills around, so as to command a view over a
considerable extent of country. Soon after, some thirty carts went down
the road accompanied by a number of men with shovels, and twenty of the
garrison commanded by one of the old soldiers. All returned loaded with
sacks of earth; these were taken into the castle, when the portcullis
was lowered and the drawbridge across the fosse raised. An opening was
left on the top to allow the sacks to be lowered into the space between
the bridge and the portcullis. A score of men with ropes went on