To-morrow night, if you want me, I will gladly come
and take any duty you wish me to perform."

"Very well, Master Pawson," said Roy. "To-morrow night, then. I say,
though," he added, merrily, "you had better come to the armoury with
me."

_Bang_--_bang_! in rapid succession went the guns from the battery,
followed a moment or two later by the third.

"That's right!" cried Roy. "Hammer away; only you might let us have our
dinner in peace."

"Yes," said the secretary, with a forced laugh; "they might let her
ladyship have her dinner in peace."

"Oh, mother!" cried Roy, "don't look so white and anxious. You ought to
be used to the firing by now."

Lady Royland gave him a wistful look, and smiled faintly.

"They are only powdering down the stone; and I daresay the king will pay
for it all being done up again."

"No doubt he will," said the secretary. "But you were saying something
about the armoury. Shall I have to see to the men's weapons being
served out?"

"No," said Roy, merrily. "I want you to select a helmet, breastplate,
and back-piece to fit you, and a good sword."

"Oh, no, no!" said the secretary, quickly. "I am not a man of war."

"But you'll have to be, while you are on guard."

"Not like that. I might wear a good sharp sword; in fact, I did pick
out one, and I have it in my room."

"Well done!" cried Roy, clapping his hands. "There, mother, who's ever
going to think of surrendering when Master Pawson makes preparations
like that.--I say, don't be too hard on the enemy, sir. Try and wound;
don't cut off heads."

"Ah, you are making fun of me, Roy! But never mind. Don't you forget
that by-and-by, when the fighting's over, I shall take my revenge."

"What--over lessons? Very well. I'm having a capital holiday from the
old Latin."

The bent of the conversation turned, and the dinner ended in a very
cheerful manner, for as time went on, Lady Royland could not help
feeling hopeful. For want of the necessary war-material, the enemy
seemed to be able to do no more in the way of a regular siege, and their
efforts with the battery were becoming somewhat relaxed. No more men
had been injured, and the sufferers in hospital were doing well. In
fact, the general opinion in the castle was that before very long the
enemy would, if they found they could not starve the defenders out, give
up the attack, the castle being too hard a nut to crack.

That evening, while the firing was going o