The Young Castellan: A Tale of the English Civil War

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

  BEN MARTLET PROPOSES A SEARCH.

  The coming in of Farmer Raynes and his ten men had a capital effect uponthe people round. It was an example which soon bore fruit. After thefirst two or three attendances at the castle, they marched theretogether, with the farmer by them, in thorough military fashion, andwere followed by the people from the village, who would have gladly comeacross the moat had not the gate been clanged-to by the sentry of theday on duty, and then they had to content themselves with standinggazing across at the drilling and martial exercises which went on. Thefiring of the big guns--for all were tried in turn so as to see thatthey were serviceable--was a grand portion of the entertainment, and, inspite of secret adverse influences at work, the tenants on the estatesoon began to present themselves for enrolment in the little body, eagerto a man to don the castle uniform and bear arms; while the fact thatthe officer in command was a mere boy sent the lads of the neighbourhoodhalf-mad. In fact, day after day they came in pairs to offer themselvesfor enlistment, but only to go disappointed away; those who showed themost surprise at the refusal to accept their services being the veryyoung.

  "Why, bless my heart!" Farmer Raynes would say, with his broad, deepchuckle, "it would be like putting a 'stinguisher on a rush-light tostick a steel cap on some of those boys' heads. You'd be putting themout, Ben Martlet."

  "Ay," said the old fellow, showing his teeth; "but a few would be usefulto go down the guns with a brush to clean them out. But there, I'm notgoing to laugh at the boys. Shows a good sperrit, Master Raynes, that Iwish more of the older folk would follow."

  "Ay, so do I," said the farmer, frowning; "but they're some of 'emashamed and some afraid. Parson Meldew has a lot to do with it; and doyou know why?"

  "Nay, not I; perhaps it's because her ladyship has been such a goodfriend to him."

  "Like enough. That sort's always the worst. He has such a poor livingthat it's my belief he's glad of the chance of a change. He thinks hemust be the better for it if it does come. I never much liked him; oldparson was the man. Why, if he'd been alive, he'd ha' been up hereevery day talking to the lads, and encouraging them to get on as well asthey could to fight for church and state like good men and true. Butyou'll have six more here to-day, good strong fellows from Marlow Mill."

  "Eh? You don't mean that?"

  "Oh, yes, I do," said the farmer. "I was over there with the wagon lastnight to get that load o' flour that I brought in this morning, and Igive them all a talking-to about how things are, and my lads showing upso in their coats and steel caps. It's of no use to bully 'em intocoming. They want coaxing, not driving. I hadn't been talking to 'emlong, 'fore they did exactly what I wanted, asking questions, and Ianswered 'em so that they wanted to know about sword-play, and loadingand firing the big guns; and then they wanted to know whether there werebuff coats and steel caps for all as liked to come and drill. When Itold 'em there was, lo and behold! they all found out that they wantedto do a bit of soldiering, and they'll be over soon."

  Farmer Raynes was quite right, for soon after, six sturdy young fellowscame slouching up in a sheepish way to stand watching the drilling withopen mouths, laughing and nudging one another as they recognised oldacquaintances, and were apparently ready to joke and sneer. That passedoff, however, in a few minutes, as they saw the goodly figure cut by thefarmer's men, and Raynes himself, no longer in the rough, flour-soiledattire, as they had seen him when fetching the meal-bags over-night, buta fine, bluff, gallant-looking fellow now, in buff coat, breastplate,headpiece, and glittering steel cap which flashed in the sunshine as hemarched half a dozen armed men into the gate-way, then through theguard-room and up to the ramparts, along which they were seen to have togo through a certain amount of practice with the big guns.

  Within an hour the martial ardour that was glowing in the would-berecruits' breasts was red-hot, and they asked leave to pass over thebridge.

  The sentry shook his head, but sent a messenger across to state themen's business, and they stood waiting, doubly impressed now, till theman returned with the order that they were to wait. This they did till,a few minutes later, sharp words of command were heard in the gate-way;and then, closely followed by Roy, gallant in bearing and in his Italianhalf-armour, gold and white scarf, gauntlets, and feathered felt hat,Sergeant Martlet came with the three troopers at a smart, elastic marchacross the drawbridge, which rattled and quivered to their tread, tillthey reached the outer gate, where, at the word of command, they werehalted, and stood at attention.

  Roy was on his mettle; his eyes glistening at the sight of the sixawkward-looking fellows, knowing as he did what a change a few days inthe hands of Ben and the troopers would effect; but he was growingstrong enough now to begin adopting the policy of making it a favour toadmit men to his chosen band. So he ruffled up like a young game-cock,to stand there glittering in the bright sunshine, with one gauntletedhand resting upon his hip, the other pressing down the hilt of his longsword.

  "Want to see me, my lads?" he said.

  There was a general whispering among the men as to who should speak, andat last one of them was shouldered forward with, "Go on, Sam; you sayit."

  Sam, the most sheepish of all, being thus thrust into prominence, wipedhis mouth with the back of his hand, took off his hat, made an awkwardbow, and thus delivered himself, with a smile:

  "Morning, sir. You know me, Master Roy?"

  "Eh? Oh, yes; Sam Donny, from the mill. What is it, my lad?"

  "Only, sir, as me and my mates want to come and take sarvice here tofight for the king."

  "Eh? You? Well, I don't know, my lad; we only want good men and truehere, who will learn their duty, and do it."

  "Oh, that's just what we are, sir," said the man, smoothing down hishair; "not one on us as'd go to sleep o' nights when the wind'sblowing."

  "Ah, but I don't want fellows to grind corn. I want men who will beready to fight,--yes, and like men."

  "Well, sir, ask all on 'em. I can fight, and lick any of the lot here.Oh, I can fight, and so can they."

  "Hum--ha," said Roy, marching slowly round them, while the men drewthemselves up and seemed to grow a couple of inches taller each underthe inspection of the young captain. "What do you think, sergeant?" hecontinued; "think you can make artillerymen of 'em?"

  Ben saluted, and took a few steps forward to march up and down theparty, slapping their chests, feeling their arms, and pounding themheavily.

  "Got some bone and muscle in 'em, sir," he said, respectfully, as hisreport. "Might try if they mean it."

  "Take them across then to the armoury, measure them, and their names canbe enrolled."

  The men drew deep breaths of relief, and then grew nervous, for therewas a short command or two given, a couple of the troopers stepped totheir head, Ben and the corporal came up behind, and the little group ofsturdy fellows was marched across into the guard-room, and afterwardsinto the armoury, to stand gaping at the weapons of war.

  "Did I do that right?" said Roy, afterwards.

  "Right, sir. The very thing. Those sort judge by what they see. Theycame to us half ready to laugh, but they soon saw how serious it allwas; and they'll go away back to the mill to-night, and I'll be bound tosay, Master Roy, if you followed 'em, you'd find they'd got a dozenother fellows about 'em, talking to 'em and boasting and bragging abouthow grand everything is, and showing 'em their uniforms and steel caps.This has about done it. You'll see we shall get as many men as we wantnow."

  "But I felt all the time as if I were acting," said Roy.

  "What? Look here, Master Roy, don't you go and say such a thing as thatagain. You weren't acting, and so I tell you; only doing your duty toyour king and country, and your father and mother into the bargain. Youcan't do fighting without a bit of show along with it to brighten it up.You ask a man whether he'd like to wear a feather in his cap, and a bito' scarlet and gold on his back, he'll laugh at you and say that suchthings are only for women.
But don't you believe him, my lad; he won'town it, but he likes it all the same."

  Ben was right. For the next week men from the village and thesurrounding farms came up to the castle looking very serious andimportant, to be enrolled for its defence; and at the end of a fortnightthere were fifty defenders, of whom fully forty looked as if they couldbe depended upon, while the rest would serve to make a show.

  Meanwhile, Farmer Raynes attended the drilling and gun practice everymorning with his men, the whole gathering rapidly picking up therudiments of the military art under their four good teachers; while atnoon all, save about a fourth, went back to their peaceful vocations,but ready at the arranged-for signal of two guns fired from the castleto hurry back, every man to his post, to stay in garrison continuously,instead of doing so one day in four.

  Farmer Raynes devoted the rest of his time to going round and gatheringstores,--provender and forage of every kind that would be necessary,--and his wagons seemed to be always coming or going across thedrawbridge; while vaults and chambers in the castle which had remainedunused for generations were now packed as store-rooms and granaries.

  "Never mind the farm, Master Roy," said the bluff fellow, one day; "itisn't quite going backward."

  "But the crops?" said Master Pawson, anxiously, for he was present.

  "Well, Master Pawson, they won't be so good as they should be, ofcourse, but they'll grow whether I'm there or no, and Sir Granby won'tmind. He's a rich gentleman with a beautiful estate."

  "Yes, yes," said Master Pawson; "it is a beautiful estate."

  He looked quickly from the farmer to Roy, and back, as if he thought hehad said too much.

  "Ay, sir, it is a fine estate, and he's a lucky man who holds it. Hewon't mind a few things going wrong, so long as we take care to save itfrom some of the crop-eared rascals who'll be on the lookout to try andtake possession. I'll be bound to say that there's some of 'em smellingabout already, and making up their minds to make a grab at it if theking's crown goes down."

  "Surely--surely not, Master Raynes," cried the secretary.

  "That's what I think, sir. There's them here wouldn't be above takingpossession of a pig, or a sack of my oats or barley; and there's biggerrogues who like bigger things, and would give their ears to get SirGranby's fine estate. You mark my words, Master Roy; you'll see."

  Roy did mark those words, thinking deeply of them during the followingbusy month, by which time the castle was in a fine state of defence, itslittle garrison of twelve or fourteen men, who kept watch and ward inregular military style, being relieved every day; while at the first badnews of danger, Roy was ready to summon his whole force from farm andmill, hoist the drawbridge, drop the portcullis, and with his stores ofprovisions set any beleaguering force at defiance, whether large orsmall.

  "There, sir," said Ben one morning, "I begin to feel now as if I couldbreathe. There's a lot as wants doing yet, and I should dearly like todo away with that garden as spoils the court-yard, so as I could have aproper march round; but they won't come and catch us quite asleep."

  "No, Ben; you've done splendidly. It's wonderful to see what smartfellows you have made of the men."

  "Ay, and don't they know it too, sir?" said Ben, chuckling. "See theway they all marched past her ladyship this morning? There wasn't a manas didn't _feel_ as if he was twice as big as he was a month or two ago.And see those big lads looking on?"

  "Yes; there were forty or fifty across the moat."

  "Ay, looking on as hungry as could be. Look here, Master Roy, I'mthinking a deal of getting say forty of 'em together--picked ones--assoon as I've more time, and knocking them into shape."

  "I think it would be wise, Ben. They'd do well to work the guns."

  "They would, sir; but we'll see. Any more news?"

  "No, Ben; only rumours."

  "Master Pawson heard anything?"

  "No, not for a long time past. But look here, Ben, we have got theplace in good order now, yet nothing has been done to see if there isany truth in the story about the secret passage leading into the oldchapel."

  Ben gave his head a punch.

  "No, sir; and yet I think of it every night just before I go off tosleep. It ought to be done, for it's of no use to keep polishing up apot that's got a big hole somewhere in the bottom."

  "Of course it is not," said Roy. "Look here; when will you begin tosearch?"

  "Let's hit while the iron's hot; sir, eh? You and I will go round andvisit all the sentinels to-night, and then, as we shall have a lantern,we'll begin."

  "Where?"

  "Down under the north-west tower, sir."

  "And ask Master Pawson to go with us?"

  "Nay, sir; we'll keep it all to ourselves."

  "But he will hear us about the steps, and opening and shutting doors."

  "But he mustn't, sir. I'll oil all the locks and the keys I have, andwe must smuggle our light under a big cloak. No, sir, we don't wantMaster Pawson with us; let him study his chirurgery and sewing of cuts,and stopping up bullet-holes. That'll do for him. This is a job forthe castellan and his head-sergeant, sir; and, if you'll take my advice,that's the order for the night."

  "Very well, Ben; that is the order for the night."

  "One word, sir. How is my lady getting on with the flag? That old oneis so tender like, I'm afraid it'll blow to pieces first time it'shoisted."

  "Getting on splendidly."

  "Big as the old one, sir?"

  "Half as big again, Ben."

  "That'll do, sir. I believe in a big flag. It gives the men courage,and bullies the enemy. Now I really do begin to feel as if I couldbreathe."