Crown and Sceptre Part 80

"Yes, father, it was a vain boast. They dare not insult a messenger."

"No, my boy, you shall not go," said Colonel Forrester, laying his hand upon his son's shoulder. "It would be courting injury for no good purpose."

"But if it would save Sir G.o.dfrey and poor Scarlett?"

"It would not, Fred."

"Don't say that, father. If I could see Scar Markham, he would perhaps listen to me; and if he did, he might have as much influence upon Sir G.o.dfrey as I have upon you. Father, let me try."

"No, Fred, it cannot be," said the colonel, sternly. "I am not in command here. The general has sent twice, the second appeal being made through my request, and in each case the answer was an insult."

"But, father--"

"It is useless, my boy, so say no more. Sir G.o.dfrey brings the a.s.sault on himself. I have done all I can. General Hedley acknowledges it, and you see I have ceased to be the stern officer to you, and have spoken kindly and in the spirit you wish."

"But one moment, father. Do you think we could persuade Sir G.o.dfrey through Scarlett?"

"No, my boy, and I am afraid I should act precisely the same were I in his place. No more now."

"But, father, shall I be expected to go forward with the troops?"

"No. I have provided against that, Fred. You and I will not be combatants here."

"Why, father!" cried Fred, excitedly. "Look!"

"Yes," said Colonel Forrester, sadly. "They have begun. I thought it would not be long. I dreaded being in the general's confidence over this."

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

WATCHING THE ATTACK.

That which Fred had dreaded had indeed begun, for about a hundred and fifty men had been told off for the attack, and these had prepared themselves by picketing their horses, arming themselves with stout axes for the barricades, and dragging after them stout scaling-ladders.

The advance had seemed to be dilatory before, and the generally received opinion in the camp had been that the defending party, to save risk, was to be starved into submission.

But those who judged did not know the general. He had been waiting his time, for sundry reasons: respect for Colonel Forrester, and mercy, being among these; but now that he found it necessary to adopt strong coercive measures, he was prompt and quick in every step.

Fred Forrester was freed from the terrible necessity of taking part in the attack, but that did not lessen his eagerness to see what would be the result, and in consequence he hurried to the top of the nearest woodland summit, and from thence prepared to witness the issue of the fight.

As he reached the clump of beeches which crowned the hill, he caught sight of the back of some one lying at the very edge of the wood, in the commanding spot he had selected for himself, and where he had often stood to make signs to Scarlett in the old boyish days. For a moment or two he hesitated, and then approached, wondering who it could be, and taking the precaution to draw his sword, for it was not likely to be one of their own men.

It was disconcerting to find any one there, and for the moment he was ready to draw back. But, on the other hand, it might be a spy of the enemy, who had crept up there to watch their proceedings; and under these circ.u.mstances, Fred felt that there were only two courses open to him, flight or bold attack.

To make such an attack in cold blood required consideration. It was not like taking part in an exciting charge, amid the stirring din of battle, when the pulses were bounding, and the bray of the trumpet called them to advance. He, a mere youth, had to go single-handed to an encounter with a great broad-backed fellow, who, at the first brunt, might turn the tables upon him.

"But he is a spy," said Fred to himself; "and he is sure to be half afraid;" and without further hesitation, the lad advanced softly, keeping well behind.

As he drew nearer he could see that the man was upon his chest with his arms folded for a support; his morion was tilted back over his ears, so that it covered his neck, and as he watched the advance, he slowly raised first one and then the other leg, crossing them backwards and forwards, and beating the ground with his toes as if they were portions of a pick-axe.

A peculiar feeling of hesitation came over Fred again, and he found himself asking whether he ought not to go down for help, and whether there were any of the man's companions near.

This he felt was only common prudence; and, stepping back, he carefully searched among the trees and round the edge of the hill. But no, the man seemed to have come up quite alone; and, gaining confidence from this, he went softly back, taking care not to trample upon any dead twig, so as to give the alarm.

In a few minutes he was again at the edge of the wood, near enough to see that the man wore a backpiece, and that the hilt of his sword was quite near his hand.

The hesitation was gone now. A glance showed that the attacking party were near the end of the lake, and that outposts of three or four men were dotted here and there, ready to drive back or capture any of the Cavaliers who might try to make their escape.

"I'll do it," said Fred to himself; and, stooping down, he crept nearer and nearer, holding back any twig or obtruding branch with his sword, and wincing and preparing for a spring, when a bramble grated against the edge of his blade.

But the man was too intent upon the scene below, and paid no heed to a warning which, had he been on the alert, would have placed Fred at a terrible disadvantage.

The lad's eyes, as he crept on with sword in advance, were fixed on the back of the man's half-hidden neck; and he had made his plans, but for all that he could not help glancing down at the advancing men, and pausing to note that the Cavaliers were at the barricaded windows, ready for their enemy.

And now for a moment Fred again wondered whether he was doing right, and whether his more sensible plan would not have been to go down to the camp and spread the alarm.

His answer to this thought was to set his teeth, which grated so loudly that his grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, and he felt sure that he must have been heard.

But no; the man lay perfectly still, watching intently, as motionless, in fact, as if he had been asleep; and Fred crept step by step nearer and nearer, till he felt that he was within springing distance, and then stopped to take breath.

"How easy it would be to kill him," he thought, "and how cowardly;" and he was about to put his first idea into action, namely, to make one bold spring forward, and s.n.a.t.c.h the man's sword from the sheath.

But the sword might stick, the sheath clinging to it tightly, as it would sometimes; and if it did, instead of the man being helpless, it would be he who was at the mercy of one who might beat him off with ease.

So, giving up that idea, he paused a few moments, till the man raised his head a little higher, so as to get a better view of those below, and then with one bold spring, Fred was upon his back, with the point of his sword driven in a peculiar way into the soft earth.

That idea had occurred to him at the last moment, and even in the intense excitement of the moment he smiled, as he saw in it success, for it effectually baffled the man in what was his first effort--to draw his sword, which was pinned, as it were, to the ground by Fred's weapon being pa.s.sed directly through the hilt.

There was an angry snort, as of a startled beast, a tremendous heave, and a coa.r.s.e brown hand made a dart at the sword-blade, and was s.n.a.t.c.hed away with an exclamation of pain. Then in fiercely remonstrant tones a harsh voice shouted--

"You coward! Only let me get a chance!"

"Samson!" cried Fred, starting back as he removed his knee from the back of the man's head, and the ex-gardener's steel cap rolled over to the side.

"Master Fred!" was the answer; and Samson turned over and sat up, staring in his a.s.sailant's face.

"You here?"

"Here, sir, yes; and look what you've done. Don't ketch me sharping your sword again, if you're going to serve me like that."

He held up his hand, which was bleeding from the fact of his having seized hold of the blade which had pinned down his hilt.

"But I thought you were one of the enemy--a spy."

"Then you'd no business to, sir. I only come up here to see the fight."

"But I thought you were down in the ranks--gone to the attack."

"Me? Now, was it likely, sir, as I should go and fight against the Hall? No, sir, my bad brother Nat, who is as full of wickedness as a gooseberry's full of pips, might go and try and take the Manor, if it was only so as to get a chance to ransack my tool-shed; but you know better than to think I'd go and do such a thing by him. Would you mind tying that, sir?"