e can break our way through it."

"By the Virgin, you speak truly!" cried the French Squire. "If we can
cross the ditch the gate will not stop us. Come, Nigel, for our fair
ladies' sakes, I will race you who will reach it first, England or
France."

Alas for all the wise words of the good Chandos! Alas for all the
lessons in order and discipline learned from the wary Knolles. In an
instant, forgetful of all things but this noble challenge, Nigel was
running at the top of his speed for the burning gate. Close at his heels
was the Frenchman, blowing and gasping, as he rushed along in his brazen
armor. Behind came a stream of howling archers and men-at-arms, like a
flood which has broken its dam. Down they slipped into the ditch, rushed
across it, and clambered on each other's backs up the opposite side.
Nigel, Raoul and two archers gained a foothold in front of the burning
gate at the same moment. With blows and kicks they burst it to pieces,
and dashed with a yell of triumph through the dark archway beyond. For a
moment they thought with mad rapture that the castle was carried. A dark
tunnel lay before them, down which they rushed. But alas! at the farther
end it was blocked by a second gateway as strong as that which had been
burned. In vain they beat upon it with their swords and axes. On
each side the tunnel was pierced with slits, and the crossbow bolts
discharged at only a few yards' distance crashed through armor as if it
were cloth and laid man after man upon the stones. They raged and leaped
before the great iron-clamped barrier, but the wall itself was as easy
to tear down.

It was bitter to draw back; but it was madness to remain. Nigel looked
round and saw that half his men were down. At the same moment Raoul sank
with a gasp at his feet, a bolt driven to its socket through the links
of the camail which guarded his neck. Some of the archers, seeing that
certain death awaited them, were already running back to escape from the
fatal passage.

"By Saint Paul!" cried Nigel hotly. "Would you leave our wounded where
this butcher may lay his hands upon them? Let the archers shoot inwards
and hold them back from the slits. Now let each man raise one of our
comrades, lest we leave our honor in the gate of this castle."

With a mighty effort he had raised Raoul upon his shoulders and
staggered with him to the edge of the ditch. Several men were waiting
below where the steep bank shield them from the arrows, and to