hin a hundred yards of any of our
posts, without being seen; especially as the moon is still half full."

"Do you think that there is any chance of our being disturbed, Master
Oswald?" Roger said, as they took up their post under a low, stunted
tree.

"I do not think so. If Glendower's spies have told him that the main
body, of those who surprised him this morning, have returned to Chirk;
he may be sure that enough have been left, to hold the place
successfully against him and his wild followers, till assistance can
reach us; and he would have nothing to gain by recapturing his house,
for he could not hold it long against the force assembled at Chirk.
Besides, he must know, well enough, that if he is to fight
successfully, it must be in the woods. Whether he has studied the black
art, or no, there is little doubt that he has turned his attention
greatly to military matters, and that he is a foe who is not to be
despised. He is playing a deep game, and will give us a deal of
trouble, unless I am greatly mistaken, before we have done with him."

"I hear all sorts of strange stories of his powers, Master Oswald."

"Yes; but you see, Roger, the spirits who, as they say, serve him,
cannot be of much use; or they would have warned him of the coming of
Talbot, and we should not have taken him unawares, this morning."

"That is true enough," Roger said, in a tone of relief. "For my part, I
am not greatly alarmed at spirits. The good abbot used to threaten me
that I should be carried off by them, unless I mended my ways; but I
always slept soundly enough, and never saw aught to frighten me. They
used to say that the spirits of some of the dead monks used to walk in
the convent garden, but though my cell looked down upon it, and I have
often stood there by the hour, never did I see anything to frighten me.

"If the Welsh do come, what are we to do, master--fight them?"

"By no means, Roger. Our duty is to watch, and not to fight. You must
lift up your voice, and shout as loud as you can, and then we must run
to the gate. There we can make a fight, till the rest join us. But,
whatever you do, do not shout until I tell you. A false alarm would
raise the whole garrison; and, if naught came of it, would make us a
laughing stock."

While they were talking, both were keeping a close lookout on the
ground in front of them, and also to the right and left, for the
watches were two hundred yards apart, and they had to make sure tha