etoken?"

"Death, ruin, and captivity," exclaimed old Ellesmere. "Make for the
Castle, thou knave. Thrust in thy great body. Strike for the house that
bred thee and fed thee; and if thou art buried under the ruins, thou
diest a man's death."

"Nay, naunt, I shall not be slack," answered Outram. "But here come
folks that I warrant can tell us more on't."

One or two of the female servants, who had fled from the Castle during
the alarm, now rushed in with various reports of the case; but all
agreeing that a body of armed men were in possession of the Castle,
and that Major Bridgenorth had taken young Master Julian prisoner, and
conveyed him down to Moultrassie Hall, with his feet tied under the
belly of the nag--a shameful sight to be seen--and he so well born and
so handsome.

Lance scratched his head; and though feeling the duty incumbent upon him
as a faithful servant, which was indeed specially dinned into him by the
cries and exclamations of his aunt, he seemed not a little dubious how
to conduct himself. "I would to God, naunt," he said at last, "that old
Whitaker were alive now, with his long stories about Marston Moor and
Edge Hill, that made us all yawn our jaws off their hinges, in spite of
broiled rashers and double beer! When a man is missed, he is moaned, as
they say; and I would rather than a broad piece he had been here to have
sorted this matter, for it is clean out of my way as a woodsman, that
have no skill of war. But dang it, if old Sir Geoffrey go to the wall
without a knock for it!--Here you, Nell"--(speaking to one of the
fugitive maidens from the Castle)--"but, no--you have not the heart of a
cat, and are afraid of your own shadow by moonlight--But, Cis, you are
a stout-hearted wench, and know a buck from a bullfinch. Hark thee, Cis,
as you would wish to be married, get up to the Castle again, and get
thee in--thou best knowest where--for thou hast oft gotten out of
postern to a dance or junketing, to my knowledge--Get thee back to the
Castle, as ye hope to be married--See my lady--they cannot hinder thee
of that--my lady has a head worth twenty of ours--If I am to gather
force, light up the beacon for a signal; and spare not a tar barrel
on't. Thou mayst do it safe enough. I warrant the Roundheads busy with
drink and plunder.--And, hark thee, say to my lady I am gone down to
the miners' houses at Bonadventure. The rogues were mutinying for their
wages but yesterday; they will be all ready for