ittle band
backwards. In vain the assistant-warder tried to lower the portcullis, or
to close the gates. The former fell on to the top of the waggon, and was
there retained. The gates also were barred by the obstacle. The chains of
the drawbridge had at once been cut. Cnut encouraged his followers by his
shouts, and armed with a heavy axe, did good service upon the assailants.
But four of his party had fallen, and the rest were giving way, when a
shout was heard, and over the drawbridge poured Cuthbert and 150 of the
outlaws of the forest. Struck with terror at this attack, the garrison
drew back, and the foresters poured into the yard. For a few minutes
there was a fierce fight; but the defenders of the castle, disheartened
and taken by surprise, were either cut down or, throwing down their arms,
cried for quarter.

Ten minutes after the waggon had crossed the drawbridge, the castle was
safely in possession of Sir Cuthbert. The bridge was raised, the waggon
removed, the portcullis lowered, and to the external eye all remained
as before.

Cuthbert at once made his way to the chamber where the Lady Margaret was
confined, and her joy at her deliverance was great indeed. So unlimited
was her faith in Sir Cuthbert that she had never lost confidence; and
although it did not seem possible that in the face of such disparity of
numbers he could rescue her from the power of Sir Rudolph, yet she had
not given up hope. The joy of the farmers' daughters who had been
carried off to act as her attendants was little inferior to her own; for
once in the power of this reckless baron, the girls had small hopes of
ever being allowed to return again to their parents.

The flag of Sir Rudolph was thrown down from the keep, and that of the
late earl hoisted in its stead; for Cuthbert himself, although he had
assumed the cognizance which King Richard had granted him, had not yet
any flag or pennon emblazoned with it.

No words can portray the stupefaction and rage of Sir Rudolph when a man
who had managed to slip unobserved from the castle at the time of its
capture, bore the news to him in the forest. All opposition there had
ceased, and the whole of the troops were engaged in aiding the peasants
in cutting wide roads through the trees across the forest, so as to make
it penetrable by horsemen in every direction. It was supposed that the
outlaws had gradually stolen away through the thickets and taken to the
open country, intending to sc