thbert thought for some time, and then said, "Cnut, you shall
undertake this enterprise. You shall fill a cart high with faggots, and
in it shall conceal a dozen of your best men. You, dressed as a serf,
shall drive the oxen, and when you reach the castle shall say, in answer
to the hail of the sentry, that you are bringing in the tribute of wood
of your master the franklin of Hopeburn. They will then lower the
drawbridge and open the gates; and when you have crossed the bridge and
are under the portcullis, spring out suddenly, cut loose the oxen so
that they will not draw the cart further in, cut the chains of the
drawbridge so that it cannot be drawn off, and hold the gate for a
minute or two until we arrive."

"The plan is capital," Cnut exclaimed. "We will do the proud Norman yet.
How he will storm when he finds us masters of his castle! What then
will you do, Sir Cuthbert?"

"We can hold the castle for weeks," Cuthbert said, "and every day is in
our favor. If we find ourselves forced to yield to superior numbers, we
can at last retire through the passage I have spoken of, and must then
scatter and each shift for himself until these bad days be past."

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE SIEGE OF EVESHAM CASTLE.

Upon the day before starting out to head the expedition against the
outlaws, Sir Rudolph sent word to the Lady Margaret that she must
prepare to become his wife at the end of the week. He had provided two
tiring maids for her by ordering two of the franklins to send in their
daughters for that purpose, and these mingled their tears with
Margaret's at the situation in which they were placed. She replied
firmly to the messenger of the knight that no power on earth could
oblige her to marry him. He might drive her to the altar; but though he
killed her there, her lips should refuse to say the words which would
unite them.

The following morning, early, the castle rang with the din of
preparation. The great portion of the mercenaries were encamped in tents
outside the walls, for, spacious as it was, Evesham could hardly contain
four hundred men in addition to its usual garrison. The men-at-arms were
provided with heavy axes to cut their way through the bushes. Some
carried bundles of straw, to fire the wood should it be found
practicable to do so; and as it was now summer and the wind was blowing
high, Sir Rudolph hoped that the dry grass and bushes would catch, and
would do more even than his men-at-arms in clea