of our discovery? What think you,
Cuthbert?"

"I think we had better not," Cuthbert said. "We might not succeed in
getting in, as the passage may have fallen farther along; but I will
speak to him and tell him that we have something on hand which may alter
his dispositions for fighting to-morrow."

Cuthbert made his way to the earl, who had taken possession of a small
cottage a short distance from the castle.

"What can I do for you?" Sir Walter said.

"I want to ask you, sir, not to attack the castle to-morrow until you see
a white flag waved from the keep."

"But how on earth is a white flag to be raised from the keep?"

"It may be," Cuthbert said, "that I have some friends inside who will be
able to make a diversion in our favour. However sir, it can do no harm
if you will wait till then, and may save many lives. At what hour do you
mean to attack?"

"The bridges and all other preparations to assist us across the moat will
be ready to-night. We will advance then under cover of darkness, and as
soon after dawn as may be attack in earnest."

"Very well, sir," Cuthbert said. "I trust that within five minutes after
your bugle has sounded, the white flag will make its appearance on the
keep, but it cannot do so until after you have commenced an attack, or at
least a pretence of an attack."

Two or three hours before daylight Cuthbert accompanied Cnut and
twenty-five picked men of the foresters to the copse. They were provided
with crowbars, and all carried heavy axes. The door was soon prised open.
It opened silently and without a creak.

"It may be," Cnut said, "that the door has not been opened as you say for
years, but it is certain," and he placed his torch to the hinges, "that
it has been well oiled within the last two or three days. No doubt the
baron intended to make his escape this way, should the worst arrive. Now
that we have the door open we had better wait quiet until the dawn
commences. The earl will blow his bugle as a signal for the advance; it
will be another ten minutes before they are fairly engaged, and that will
be enough for us to break open any doors that there may be between this
and the castle, and to force our way inside."

It seemed a long time waiting before the dawn fairly broke--still longer
before the earl's bugle was heard to sound the attack. Then the band,
headed by Cnut and two or three of the strongest of the party, entered
the passage.

Cuthbert had had some misgivings a