agging about
how grand everything is, and showing 'em their uniforms and steel caps.
This has about done it. You'll see we shall get as many men as we want
now."

"But I felt all the time as if I were acting," said Roy.

"What? Look here, Master Roy, don't you go and say such a thing as that
again. You weren't acting, and so I tell you; only doing your duty to
your king and country, and your father and mother into the bargain. You
can't do fighting without a bit of show along with it to brighten it up.
You ask a man whether he'd like to wear a feather in his cap, and a bit
o' scarlet and gold on his back, he'll laugh at you and say that such
things are only for women. But don't you believe him, my lad; he won't
own it, but he likes it all the same."

Ben was right. For the next week men from the village and the
surrounding farms came up to the castle looking very serious and
important, to be enrolled for its defence; and at the end of a fortnight
there were fifty defenders, of whom fully forty looked as if they could
be depended upon, while the rest would serve to make a show.

Meanwhile, Farmer Raynes attended the drilling and gun practice every
morning with his men, the whole gathering rapidly picking up the
rudiments of the military art under their four good teachers; while at
noon all, save about a fourth, went back to their peaceful vocations,
but ready at the arranged-for signal of two guns fired from the castle
to hurry back, every man to his post, to stay in garrison continuously,
instead of doing so one day in four.

Farmer Raynes devoted the rest of his time to going round and gathering
stores,--provender and forage of every kind that would be necessary,--
and his wagons seemed to be always coming or going across the
drawbridge; while vaults and chambers in the castle which had remained
unused for generations were now packed as store-rooms and granaries.

"Never mind the farm, Master Roy," said the bluff fellow, one day; "it
isn't quite going backward."

"But the crops?" said Master Pawson, anxiously, for he was present.

"Well, Master Pawson, they won't be so good as they should be, of
course, but they'll grow whether I'm there or no, and Sir Granby won't
mind. He's a rich gentleman with a beautiful estate."

"Yes, yes," said Master Pawson; "it is a beautiful estate."

He looked quickly from the farmer to Roy, and back, as if he thought he
had said too much.

"Ay, sir, it is a fine estate,