y how we may, but we're going to do it, Master Roy, and--
Oh," continued the old fellow, pausing for a few moments in his task of
taking down belts and swords to lay one on each buff coat below the
steel caps just set out ready, "there's that other thing I wanted to
talk to you about."

"What other thing, Ben?"

"I was up atop of the great tower this morning."

"I know. I saw you there."

"I was looking at the furnace and thinking that must be touched up a
bit, and a good supply of wood and charcoal carried to it. There is
plenty of lead at the foot of the north-east tower."

"Ugh! We don't want to do any of those barbarous things, Ben; they're
too horrible. Fancy pouring molten lead down on people's heads."

"We don't want to pour no molten lead down on people's heads, sir,"
protested the old soldier. "All we says to 'em is, we've got a whole
lot of hot silver soup up here, and we shall pour it down on you if you
come hanging about our place, and trying to get in. Let 'em stop away,
and then they won't be hurt."

"But it's too horrible, Ben. I will not have that got ready."

"Very well, sir. I don't know that it much matters, for they've got to
cross the moat first, and I don't think we'll let 'em do that. The only
way the enemy will get in here will be through traitors in the camp."

"And we shall not have any of them, Ben."

"Hope not, sir."

"So if we are to fight, let it be in a fair, manly, chivalrous way."

"Yes, sir, and hang all spies and traitors."

"Don't let's imagine that such people are possible," said Roy. "But was
that what you wanted to talk about, sergeant?"

"No, captain, it wasn't. I got thinking this morning, as I was looking
round for weak points in our defences, that there's the old tale about
that there underground passage; the little chapel on the hill made me
think of it first."

"But do you believe it's possible, Ben?"

"Not knowing, sir, can't say. But I tell you what I do say: there's
nothing like taking care. Don't do to leave a hole in a sand-bag if
it's ever so small. So as soon as we've got a little more ship-shape
and our garrison beginning to grow, let's you and me get a lantern some
night, and have a good look to see if there is such a rat's hole."

"Of course; yes."

"Keep it quiet, sir, except to her ladyship. There may be such a place,
for in the good old times there were a great many curious doings, and it
would be a fine one to have a way in a