e pleasaunce he encountered Master Pawson, looking
wild-eyed, pale, and strange.

"What is the matter?" he cried. "What is that firing for?"

"The enemy are near, Master Pawson," said Roy, quietly; "and I suppose
that before long they will pay us a visit."

"But the guns--why were the guns fired?"

"As a signal, of course, for our men to gather, and for such of the
village people as like to take refuge here. I thought you knew."

"I? No. I did not know. But the people will not come," said the
secretary, with undue excitement; and he now looked very pale indeed.

"It will be rather hard, though, if they do not, after all this drilling
and teaching."

"Oh! those men may," said the secretary, hastily. "I meant the people
from the village."

"Well, we shall see," said Roy.

"But what makes you say that the enemy are near?" said the secretary,
giving him a searching look.

"The messenger who brought the news. Farmer Raynes."

"Farmer Raynes?"

"Yes; he was taken and escaped."

At that moment Ben came up with a grim look of satisfaction upon his
countenance.

"Morning, sir," he said to the secretary. "You see the enemy have found
us out. Ready for them?"

"I? What do you mean?"

"Ready to doctor some of us as gets our heads and legs knocked off by
cannon-balls. I beg pardon, Master Roy, sir, her ladyship's
a-signalling to you yonder. What does she say to the enemy coming?"

"My mother!" said Roy, excitedly, as he caught sight of her at one of
the corridor windows. "I have not seen her yet."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

ROYLAND CASTLE AFTER ITS GROWL.

Lady Royland received the news calmly enough, and was the first to
allude to the flag, which she said would be, though unfinished, suitable
enough to hoist whenever her son thought it right to do so.

"The sooner, then, the better, I should say, mother," cried Roy. "Let
them see it waving when they come near."

"By all means, my boy. I am glad to find that you have everything in so
good a state of preparation. The guns startled me a little, but I
expected to hear them some time. Do you think the men will prove true
and come in?"

"True, mother? Yes, of course."

A few minutes later Roy came out with the silken flag hanging in folds
across his arm like a cloak, and hurried to where Ben and the three
troopers were busy loading the two guns, run out now into the gate-way
so as to command the road from each side of the raised bridge.

T