e. But if
they'll come to the mill, we'll show 'em something along o' flour-sacks,
and the grinding-stones as'll make 'em stare. Every man to his trade."

"Well, you're a soldier now, Sam Donny, and you must learn to handle
guns as well as you handle sacks of flour."

"We will, master--I mean cap'n. I should just like me and my mates to
have the letting o' them guns down again. May we, sir?"

"No. Absurd."

"But we'd get 'em up again, sir."

"Wait till the enemy have gone," said Roy, "and then we'll see."

A portion of the afternoon was devoted to taking up the necessary
ammunition and re-arranging the top platform they had to prepare for the
guns; and just at dusk, after the sentinels had been doubled, a strong
party stood in the gate-way, armed with shovel and pick, waiting for the
bridge to be lowered. Another party had a number of beams; and, lastly,
already drawn up, stood a guard prepared to watch over the safety of the
workers, and hand them weapons for their defence, if, perchance, they
were seen by the enemy, and an attempt made to rush in.

But no sign was given to warn the parliamentarians, and Roy and the
secretary stood on the platform of the great gate-way, watching the
enemy, till, in the dim light, a body of men marched to the front,
halted a quarter of a mile from the gate; a large square was rapidly
marked out with pegs, and then an order seemed to be given, for the
party began at once to dig and throw up a breastwork, evidently for the
shelter of their guns.

Master Pawson watched everything eagerly, and kept on pointing out what
was going on, while Roy leaned upon one of the guns, saying, "I've been
wondering whether these guns will carry as far as that work they are
making--I mean so as to hit hard."

"They think they will not," said the secretary, "and have placed their
battery just out of reach."

"How do you know?" said Roy, sharply.

"I--oh, of course, I don't know," said Master Pawson; "it is only what I
judge from seeing them make their battery there."

"Oh, I see," said Roy, quietly. And he thought no more of the remark
just then. He waited till the figures of the men digging grew more and
more indistinct, and then quite invisible from where they stood; and he
was just about to descend, when the sergeant joined them, to say,
respectfully--

"We're all ready, sir, and I've got some more poles and planks out of
the wood-house."

"Then we'll start at once," said Roy; "b