soon as he had seen the recruits to their little force settled down
in the hall to rest and refresh, he hastened up to Master Rayburn to
find how his patient was going on. "Badly, Mark, boy," said the old
man; "very badly. He has been wounded in the mind as well as body. The
best remedy for him will be the knowledge that his father and sister are
safe. Well, what fortune in your mission?"

"That's good in two ways," he said, as soon as he had heard Mark's
account; "strengthens your hands, and sounds as if the people are
getting as wise as their masters."

Mark did not wish to discuss that subject, for it was irksome to him at
a time when he felt that he did not know whether the Darleys and he were
enemies or friends, his thoughts going toward the former as being the
more natural in connection with the past.

Under these circumstances, he hurried away, descended, and found his
father superintending the repair of the gate which defended the castle
by the bridge. The piping times of peace had caused carelessness, and
this gate had been so neglected that Purlrose and his men had had no
difficulty in levering it off the pivots, and gaining an entrance.

Sir Edward was determined not to be caught sleeping again, for sentinels
had been posted, and various means taken for strengthening the place.
As for the damage to the great doors of the hall, these had already been
covered with stout boarding, and missiles in the shape of heavy stones
and pigs of lead were piled up on the platform of each tower.

Under Dan Rugg's supervision, arquebuses had been cleaned and placed
ready for use, and a couple of small cannon trained where they could
sweep the approach to the bridge, and in turn the gateways leading into
the outer and inner courts.

Sir Edward expressed himself as being highly pleased with his son's
success; and, treating him in this emergency as if he were a man, he
joined him in the little council of war that was held with Dan Rugg. In
this the best way of proceeding was discussed, and it was determined
that instead of waiting for the darkness, the attacking party should set
off early in the evening.

For old Dan had said: "It's no use to think of trying to surprise them
now, master; they'll be well on the look out for us, and have men ready.
Means a sharp bit of fighting to get up to the hole yonder, but once we
get there, the powder will fight for us."

"You mean to fire some at the entrance?" said Mark.