by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XVII
PRISONERS
After the capture of Dunkirk all the seaports as far as Sluys weretaken by the English, who then marched to Ypres, to which town they atonce laid siege, and were joined by twenty thousand men from Ghent.Their own number had swollen considerably by the arrival from Englandof many knights and men-at-arms, besides numbers of foot-men, attractedas much by the news of the great spoil that had been captured in theFlemish towns as by the exhortations and promises of the clergy.
Ypres had a numerous garrison, commanded by several knights ofexperience. The works were very strong, and every assault was repulsedwith heavy loss. One of these was led by Sir Hugh Calverley. The forcecrossed the ditches by throwing in great bundles of wood with whicheach of the foot-men had been provided, and having reached the wall, inspite of a hail of cross-bow bolts and arrows, ladders were planted,and the leaders endeavoured to gain the ramparts. Sir Hugh Calverleysucceeded in obtaining a footing, but for a time he stood almost alone.Two or three other knights, however, sprang up. Just as they did so oneof the ladders broke with the weight upon it, throwing all heavily tothe ground.
Edgar and Albert were with a party of archers who were keeping up arain of arrows. Seeing that the situation was bad they now ran forward,followed by four of their men-at-arms, the others having charge of thehorses in the camp. A few more men-at-arms had gained the ramparts bythe time they arrived at the foot of the ladders, where numbers waitedto take their turns to ascend.
"There is not much broken off this one, Sir Edgar," Hal Carter said;"not above three feet, I should say. We might make a shift to get upwith that."
"Pick it up, Hal, and bring it along a short distance. Possibly we maybe able to mount unobserved, for the fight is hot above, and theattention of the enemy will be fixed there."
Followed by their own men-at-arms, and by a few others who saw whattheir intentions were, they kept along at the foot of the wall untilthey reached an angle some thirty yards away. Searching about theyfound several stones that had been dislodged from the battlementsduring the siege. With these they built up a platform, and raising theladder on this, they found that it reached to within a foot of the top.
"Now," Edgar said, "follow us as quickly as you can, but do not try theladder too heavily; it has broken once, so the wood cannot beover-strong."
Then, followed closely by Albert and the men-at-arms, he ascended thewalls. So intent were the defenders upon the strife going on round SirHugh Calverley that Edgar was not noticed until, putting his hands uponthe wall, he vaulted over it. He held his sword between his teeth, andbetaking himself to this fell so fiercely and suddenly upon the enemy,that several were cut down and the rest recoiled so far that Albert andthe four men-at-arms were able to join him before the enemy rallied.Every moment added to the strength of the party, and as soon as sometwenty had gathered behind him, Edgar flung himself upon the enemy witha shout of "_St. George! St. George!_" and, in spite of the oppositionof the defenders, fought his way along the wall until he joined SirHugh and the little group who were defending themselves againsttremendous odds.
Sir Hugh himself was seriously wounded. Two or three of his knights laydead beside him, and had it not been for the arrival of thereinforcement the fight would speedily have terminated, for the Englishwere so penned up against the wall that there was no footing for moreto join them. The suddenness of the attack drove the enemy back somelittle distance, and this enabled a score of those upon the ladders tomake their way onto the rampart.
"Bravely done!" Sir Hugh Calverley said, as he leant against the wall,utterly exhausted by his efforts and loss of blood. A moment later hewould have fallen had not Albert sprung to his side.
"We must save Sir Hugh at all risks," he said to two of the knight'scompanions, who were also wounded. "Will you, sir knights, aid inlowering him down the ladder, and see that he is carried off? You havedone your share. It is our turn now, and we can at least hold therampart until he is in safety."
Leaning over, he shouted to the men on one of the ladders to descendand leave the ladder clear, as Sir Hugh was to be lowered down.
"Methinks I can carry him, Sir Albert," Hal Carter said. "I havecarried two sacks of wheat on my shoulder before now, and methinks thatI can carry one knight and his armour."
He took his place on the ladder, and Sir Hugh was lowered to him, andlaying him on his shoulder Hal carried him safely down. The two woundedknights followed, and then Hal sprang up the ladder again. While thiswas being done Edgar and his party had been holding the enemy at bay.Hal was followed by some of the men-at-arms, and others poured up bythe other ladders. Edgar saw that they were now strong enough to takethe offensive, and as the English numbered nearly a hundred, he fellupon the enemy to the right, while Albert led another party to the left.
For some time the fury with which the English fought drove the enemybefore them on either hand. Every moment they were joined by fresh men,who were now able to pour in a steady stream up the ladders. The enemy,too, were harassed by the English archers, who, advancing to the edgeof the ditch, sent their shafts thick and fast among them. The townbells were clanging fiercely, drums beating, and horns sounding as thealarm spread that the besiegers had gained a footing on the walls, andgreat numbers of the garrison could be seen pouring along the streetsleading to the threatened point.
Had there been more ladders, so that reinforcements could have arrivedmore rapidly, the place might have been won. As it was, it was evidentthat success was impossible. Edgar's party still gained ground slowly,but he saw that Albert was being pressed backwards.
"Fall back, men!" he shouted, "slowly, and keeping your face to theenemy. The odds are too heavy for us."
Foot by foot, fighting silently and obstinately, the English fell backuntil their party joined that of Albert, at the spot where the wall hadbeen won. Their exulting foes pressed hotly upon them, but Edgar'ssword and the heavy long-handled mace wielded by Hal Carter did suchterrible execution that the rest were able to retreat in good order.
"Jump down, my men!" Edgar shouted. "You will break the ladders if youtry to go by them. The ground is but soft, and the wall of no greatheight. Do not hurry. We will cover you and then follow."
Gradually the number of the party on the walls was lessened, as bythrees and fours they leapt down; while many, getting onto the ladders,slipped rapidly to the ground. When there were but half a dozen left,Hal suddenly exclaimed: "Sir Albert has fallen--wounded!"
Edgar freed himself from his opponent of the moment by a sweeping blow,and then with a spring placed himself astride of his friend. Hal Carterjoined him. The rest of their followers remaining on the wall eitherjumped over or were cut down. Fortunately Albert had fallen close tothe parapet, and his two defenders could not be attacked from behind.For some minutes the fight continued, and then for a moment the enemydrew back astonished at the manner in which two men kept them at bay;then one of the assailants lowered his sword.
"Sir knight," he said, "you have done enough for honour. Never have Iseen a stouter fighter. I pray you, then, to surrender, on promise ofgood treatment and fair terms of ransom to you, to the knight at yourfeet, and to this stout man-at-arms. I am Sir Robert De Beaulieu."
"Then I yield to you," Edgar said. "I am Sir Edgar Ormskirk, and thisknight is my brother-in-arms, Sir Albert De Courcy. I yield in his nameand my own, and am glad that, as fortune has declared against us, itshould be to so good a knight as Sir Robert De Beaulieu that Isurrender my sword."
"Keep it, Sir Edgar, for never have I seen one better wielded. No smalldamage, indeed, has it done us."
"The stout man-at-arms is my own retainer, and I prythee, sir knight,suffer him to remain with us."
SIR EDGAR AT LAST SURRENDERS TO SIR ROBERT DE BEAULIEU.]
"Assuredly he shall do so."
As soon as the parley began Hal Carter laid down his weapon, andkneeling beside Albert, unlaced his helmet.
"He lives, Sir Edgar!" he said; "he is but stunned, methink
s, with theblow of a mace, which has deeply dinted his casque, though, indeed, hehas other wounds."
By Sir Robert De Beaulieu's orders, four men now formed a litter withtheir spears. Albert was laid on it, and Sir Robert, Edgar, and HalCarter walking in front, and half a score of men-at-arms accompanyingthem, they made their way to a large house where the knight lodged. SirRobert had sent on for a leech to be in attendance, and he was therewhen they arrived. Hal at once took off Albert's armour.
"'Tis well for him that this armour was good," Sir Robert said. "Had itnot been, it would have gone hard with him. It must be steel of proofindeed, for I saw the blow struck, and there are but few helmets thatwould not have been crushed by it."
"He has a deep gash near the neck," the leech said. "The lacings andstraps of the helmet and gorget must have been cut by a sharp sword,and another blow has fallen on the same spot. Methinks he has droppedas much from loss of blood as from the blow on the head."
Edgar had by this time taken off his own helmet. As soon as he did so,Sir Robert De Beaulieu, who was somewhat grizzled with age, said:
"In truth, sir knight, you and your companion are young indeed to havefought so doughtily as you have done to-day; you are young to beknights, and yet you have shown a courage and a skill such as no knightcould have surpassed. We had thought the affair finished when thatstout knight, Sir Hugh Calverley, was down with two others, and butthree or four remained on their feet. Then suddenly your party burstupon us, coming from we knew not where, and had you but been reinforcedmore rapidly the town would have been lost."
Edgar made no reply, for at the moment Hal Carter leant heavily againsthim.
"I can do no more, Sir Edgar," he murmured; "I am spent."
Edgar caught the brave fellow in his arms and supported him, while twomen-at-arms, who had assisted to carry Albert in, unstrapped Hal'sarmour and gently laid him down on a couch. He was bleeding from half adozen wounds, and his face was pale and bloodless. Edgar knelt by hisside and raised his head.
"I will see to him, sir knight," the surgeon said. "I have bandagedyour comrade's injuries, and methinks that he will soon come round."
Then he examined Hal's wounds.
"He will do," he said. "Assuredly there are none of them that aremortal; 'tis but loss of blood that ails him. I will but bandage themhastily now, for there are many other cases waiting for me, andmethinks, sir, that you yourself need looking to."
"I am unhurt," Edgar said, in surprise.
"Your doublet is stained with blood from the shoulder to the wrist,"Sir Robert said. "A spear-head has penetrated at the shoulder-joint andtorn a gash well-nigh to the neck. 'Tis well that it is not worse."
Two of his men-at-arms had by this time taken off Sir Robert's armouralso.
"You have ruined my helmet, Sir Edgar, and cut so deep a notch in itthat I know not how my head escaped. You have gashed a hole in mygorget and dinted the armour in half a dozen places, and I failed tomake a single mark on yours. Never was I engaged with so good aswordsman. I could scarcely believe my eyes when you lifted your vizor,for it seemed to me that you must be in the prime of your manhood, andpossessed of strength altogether out of the common."
"I have practised a good deal," Edgar said, quietly, "having indeedlittle else to do, so it is not surprising that my muscles are hard."
At the knight's order a servant now brought in two goblets of wine. SirRobert and Edgar then drank to each other, both draining the cups tothe bottom.
Albert was not long before he opened his eyes. He looked round inwonder, and smiled faintly when he saw Edgar, who hastened to his side.
"We are out of luck this time, Albert; we are both prisoners. Still,things might have been worse. You were struck down with a mace, but theleech says that the wound on your head is of no great consequence, andthat you fainted rather from loss of blood from other gashes than fromthe blow on the head. I have got off with a scratch on the shoulder.Hal Carter, who fought like a tiger over your body, has come off worst,having fully half a dozen wounds, but it was not before he had killedat least twice as many of his assailants with that terrible mace ofhis."
So far Edgar had spoken in English. He went on in French:
"This is the good knight, Sir Robert De Beaulieu, who is our captor,and will hold us on ransom."
"You may congratulate yourself, Sir Albert," the knight said,courteously, "that you had such stout defenders as your comrade hereand his man-at-arms, because for fully five minutes they held the wholeof us at bay, and so stoutly did they fight that we were all glad whenSir Edgar yielded himself to me. Truly, between you, you have done usill service, for not only have you and your party killed a large numberof our men, but you have enabled Sir Hugh Calverley to be carried off,and for so famous a captain we should have claimed a goodly ransom, andit would have been an honour and glory to have taken so fearless aknight. As it is, with the exception of yourselves, no single prisonerhas fallen into our hands, and methinks that in all there were not morethan ten or twelve in the storming party killed, while we must havelost nigh a hundred. 'Tis the first time I have fought against theEnglish, and in truth you are doughty foemen. It was well that you cameinto the land but some four or five thousand strong, for had youbrought an army you might have marched to Paris. Now, Sir Edgar, I willshow you your room."
He led the way along a broad corridor to a large room, the men-at-armscarrying the couch on which Albert was lying.
"I should like to have my man-at-arms brought here also, Sir Robert,"Edgar said. "He is a faithful fellow, and I have known him for years.He speaks but little of any language but English, and will, methinks,do better with my nursing than with any other."
In a fortnight Albert was quite convalescent, and Hal was rapidlygaining strength. Three days after they had been taken prisoner SirRobert had said to Edgar:
"It will be best, Sir Edgar, that you should not go abroad in thestreets. The townsmen here, as in other towns in Flanders, are roughfellows. They are, of course, suffering somewhat from the siege, andthey murmur that any prisoners should have been taken. They say thatyour people showed no mercy at Gravelines and Dunkirk, which, methinks,is true enough, and that none should be given here. Yesterday some oftheir leaders came to the house where I was sitting in council withother knights, and represented that all English prisoners should be putto the sword at once. I pointed out to them that, for their own sakes,as many prisoners should be taken as possible. We hope to defend thetown until succour comes, but were the English to capture it, and tofind that prisoners who had surrendered had been killed, no mercy wouldbe shown, but every man within the walls would be slain and the citylaid in ashes.
"To this they had no answer ready, and retired grumbling. But, in anycase, it were better that you did not show yourself in the street, fora tumult might arise, and your life might be sacrificed before any ofus could come to your assistance."
"I thank you, Sir Robert, and will gladly take your advice. I have seensomewhat of the townsmen of Ghent and Bruges, and know that, when thefit seizes them, they are not to be restrained."
After that time Sir Robert De Beaulieu seldom left the house, and Edgarfound that the doors were kept closed, and that the knight's followersand men-at-arms were also kept in the house. Several times he heardshouts in the street of "Death to the English!"
He took his meals with the knight, while Albert and Hal were served intheir room. At the end of the week, however, Albert was able to jointhe two knights, and a fortnight later Hal was again up and about.
"I fear, Sir Robert, that our presence here is a source of trouble toyou," Edgar said one day. "If it could be managed, we would gladly giveyou our knightly word to send you our ransom at the first opportunity,and not to serve in arms again until it is paid, if you would let us gofree."
"I would do so gladly, Sir Edgar, but I fear that it would be difficultto manage. Both before and behind the house there are evidently men onthe watch to see that no one passes out. My own men-at-arms have beenstopped a
nd questioned, and were you to issue out methinks that therewould, on the instant, be an uproar, for so great a crowd would gatherin a few minutes that even had you a strong guard you might be tornfrom them. You see, though some eight of us knights and three hundredmen-at-arms were placed here to aid in the defence, we could do naughtwithout the assistance of the townsmen, who have on all occasionsfought stoutly. Were there to be a fray now, the safety of the townwould be compromised, for the craftsmen of all these towns are asfickle as the wind. The men of Ypres fought by the side of those atGhent at one time, and when the Count of Flanders came here, greatnumbers of the townspeople were executed. At present, why, I know not,they are fighting stoutly for the count, while the men of Ghent arewith the besiegers; but were there to be troubles between them and us,they might tomorrow open their gates to the English."
"That I can quite believe, Sir Robert. I can only say that we are inyour hands, and are ready to pursue any course that you may think best,either to stay here quietly and take the risk of what may come of it orendeavour to escape in disguise if so it could be managed."
"I would that it could be managed, for the matter is causing us graveanxiety. My comrades are, of course, all with me, and hold, that evenif it comes to a struggle with the mob, the lives of prisoners who havesurrendered on ransom must be defended. I suggested that we should holdcounsel here, that two should remain, and that you should sally outwith the others, but our faces are all so well known in the town thatthere would be little chance indeed of your passing undetected."
"Think you, Sir Robert, that we could pass along the roofs, enter acasement a few houses along, and then make our way out in disguise?"
"It would be well-nigh impossible. The roofs are all so sloping that noone could maintain a footing upon them."
"When it gets dusk I will, with your permission, Sir Robert, go up toone of the attics and take a look out."
"By all means do so. Escape in that manner would certainly be the bestway out of the dilemma, though I much fear that it cannot be done."
When it became so dark that while he could take a view round, hisfigure could not be recognized at a short distance, Edgar, with Albertand Hal, went up to the top of the house, and the former got out of thehighest of the dormer windows, and, standing on the sill, looked out.The roof was indeed so steep that it would be impossible to obtain afooting upon it. Its ridge was some twenty feet above the window. Thehouses were of varying heights, some being as much as thirty feet lowerthan others. Still it seemed to Edgar that it would not be verydifficult to make their way along if they were provided with ropes.Descending, he told Sir Robert the result of their investigations.
"It would," he said, "be very desirable, if possible, to come down intosome house which was either uninhabited, or where the people werefriendly. Still that would not be absolutely necessary, as we mighthope to make our way down to the door unperceived."
"There is one house which is empty," Sir Robert said, "for the ownerleft the town with his family before the siege began, he having anotherplace of business at Liege, He was an old man, and was thereforepermitted to leave; for he could have been no good for the defence, andthere would, with his family and servants, have been ten mouths more tofeed had he remained. It is the sixth house along, I think, but I willsee when I go out. Once in the street and away from here, there wouldbe no difficulty. I would meet you a short distance away, and go withyou to the walls, from which you could lower yourself down. One or twoof my comrades would give their aid, for, naturally, all would bepleased that you should escape, and so put an end to this cause of feudbetween us and the townsmen. You would, of course, require some rope;that I can easily procure for you."
"We shall want several lengths, Sir Robert, and two or three stoutgrapnels. We shall also want a strong chisel for forcing open acasement."
"All these you shall have; one of my men shall fetch them to-morrow."
On the following day the ropes and grapnels were brought in, and SirRobert, who had been out, ascertained that he had been correct, andthat the empty house was indeed the sixth from that he occupied. "Ihave been speaking with two of my comrades," he said, "and they will bewith me at ten o'clock to-night at the end of the street that faces thehouse through which you will descend. I shall accompany you to the footof the walls. The citizens are on guard there at night, and if they askquestions, as they may well do, my comrades will say that you arebearers of a message to the King of France to pray him to hasten to ouraid. I shall not myself go up on to the walls, for were I to do sosuspicion might fall upon me. Should you be interrupted as you go alongthe street to meet us, give a call and we will run to your assistance."
"And now as to our ransom, Sir Robert?" Edgar went on.
"Trouble not yourselves about it," he replied; "you are but youngknights, and 'tis a pleasure to me to have been of service to two suchvaliant young gentlemen. Moreover, I consider that I have no right to aransom, since, instead of letting you go free to obtain it, or holdingyou in honourable captivity until it is sent to you, you are obliged torisk your lives, as you assuredly will do, by climbing along thoseroofs to obtain your liberty; therefore, we will say nothing about it.It may be that some day you will be able to treat leniently some youngFlemish or French knight whom you may make captive. As to your armour,I see not how you can carry it away with you, for you will have to swimthe ditches; but the first time that there is a flag of truce exchangedI will send it out to you, or should there be no such opportunity, Iwill, when the siege is over, forward it by the hands of some merchanttrading with England, to any address that you may give me there."
The two young knights thanked Sir Robert De Beaulieu most cordially forhis kindness to them, and at his request gave him their word not toserve again during the campaign. This, indeed, they were by no meanssorry to do, for they had keenly felt the slight paid to Sir HughCalverley by the haughty bishop in acting altogether contrary to hisadvice. They also had been thoroughly disgusted by the massacre atGravelines, and the sack of so many towns against which England had nocause for complaint.
In the afternoon Sir Robert brought three doublets and caps for them toput over their own clothes, so that they could pass as citizens. Theyemployed some time in wrapping strips of cloth round the grapnels, sothat these would fall noiselessly onto the tiles.
At nine o'clock Sir Robert said good-bye to them and went out; and halfan hour later they ascended to the upper story. They were well providedwith ropes, and had made all their arrangements. Edgar was the first tofasten a rope round his body, and while this was held by his companionshe was to get out on the window-sill and throw a grapnel over the ridgeand pull himself up by the rope attached to it.
The others were to fasten the rope round their bodies at distances oftwenty feet apart, so that if one slipped down the others could checkhim. Edgar took off his shoes and tied them round his neck, and thenstood out on the window-sill, and threw the grapnel over the ridge ofthe roof; then he drew the rope in until he found that the hook caughton the ridge.
"That is all right," he said to his comrades. "Now keep a firm hold onthe rope, but let it gradually out as I climb; if you hear me slippingdraw it in rapidly so as to stop me as I come past the window. Butthere is no fear of that unless the hook gives way."
Then he swung himself up to the roof of the dormer window and proceededto haul himself by the rope up the steep incline, helping himself asmuch as possible with his feet and knees. He was heartily glad when hegained the ridge, and had thus accomplished the most dangerous part ofthe work. He was able now to fix the grapnel firmly, and sittingastride of the roof, he called down that he was ready. It was easierwork for Albert to follow him. Not only was the latter certain that thegrapnel was safely fixed, but Edgar, pulling upon the rope, was enabledto give him a good deal of assistance. In two or three minutes HalCarter joined them.
"In faith, master," he said, panting, "I had not deemed that so much ofmy strength had gone from me. If it had not been for the help you gaveme I dou
bt if I could have climbed up that rope."
They now made their way along to the end of the roof. The grapnel wasfixed, and Edgar slid down the rope to the next roof, which was somefifteen feet below them. They did not attempt to free the grapnel,fearing that in its fall it might make a clatter; they therefore usedanother to mount to the next house, which was as high as that whichthey had left. There was but a difference of four feet in the height ofthe next, and they had not to use the grapnel again until they reachedthe sixth house, which was ten feet below that next to it.
THE PRISONERS MAKE THEIR ESCAPE OVER THE ROOFS OF YPRES.]
There was light enough to enable them to make out the position of thedormer window below them, and fixing the grapnel, Edgar, aided by hiscompanions lowering him, made his way down beside it, and knelt uponthe sill, his companions keeping a steady strain upon the rope. Withhis chisel he had but little difficulty in prising open the casement.His companions were not long in joining him. Once inside the house theymade their way with great caution. They had no means of striking alight, and were forced to grope about with their swords in front ofthem to prevent their touching any piece of furniture, till at lastthey discovered the door. It was not fastened, and passing through,and, as before, feeling the floor carefully as they went, theypresently found the head of the stairs.
After this it was comparatively easy work, though a stoppage wasnecessary at each landing. At last, to their satisfaction, they foundthemselves in a flagged passage, and knew that they were on the groundfloor. They made their way along the passage, and soon reached thedoor. It was locked with so massive a fastening that it would have beendifficult to unfasten it from the outside; but with the aid of thechisel they had but little difficulty in forcing back the lock. Theypaused for a minute to listen, as a passer-by might have been startledby the sound of the bolts being shot in an empty house. All was quiet,however, and, opening the door cautiously, Edgar stepped out.
"The street is all clear," he said; "except half a dozen fellowswatching in front of the house we have left, there is not a soul insight." The others joined him, closing the door silently behind them.They had not put on their shoes again, so with noiseless steps theycrossed the street and turned up the one that had been indicated by SirRobert. After going a few paces they stopped, put on their shoes, andthen walked boldly along. When they reached the end of the street threefigures came out from a deep doorway to meet them.
"Is all well?" one asked.
This was the signal that had been agreed upon.
"All is well, Sir Robert. We have escaped without any difficulty oraught going wrong."
"The saints be praised!" the knight ejaculated. "These with me are SirOliver Drafurn and Sir Francois Regnault."
"Right glad we are, knights," one of them said, "that we can assist ingiving you your freedom. A foul shame indeed would it have been had twosuch gallant fighters been massacred by this rascally mob, afteryielding themselves to a knight."
"Truly, sirs, we are greatly beholden to you," Edgar replied, "andtrust that an occasion may occur in which we may repay to some of yourcountrymen the great service you are now rendering us."
They had gone but a short distance further when the door of a tavernopened and twelve or fifteen half-drunken soldiers poured out.
"Whom have we here?" one of them shouted. "Faith, if they are burghersthey must pay for being thus late in the streets."
"Silence, knaves," Sir Francois Regnault said, sternly. "What mean yeby this roystering? Disperse to your quarters at once, or by St. James,some of you shall hang in the morning, as a lesson to others that theburgesses of Ypres are not to be insulted by drunken revellers."
As by this time the speaker had moved on into the light that streamedthrough the open door, the soldier saw at once that it was a knight,and, muttering excuses, went hastily down the street. No one else wasencountered until they reached the foot of the wall. Here Sir Roberttook a hearty farewell of them. The two knights first mounted the stepsto the wall.
As they reached the top a sentry close by challenged.
"France," Sir Oliver replied; "and, hark ye, make no noise. I am SirOliver Drafurn, and I am here with Sir Francois Regnault to pass threemessengers over the wall, bearers of important dispatches. We do notwish the news to get abroad, so take your halbert and march up anddown."
Hal Carter had brought one of the ropes, twisted round him for thepurpose.
"You are on the side facing the English camp," Sir Oliver said. "Thoseare the lights that you see ahead. You will have three ditches to swim,and will find it cold work, but there is no other way for it."
After giving hearty thanks to the knights, the three were lowered, oneat a time, and the rope was then dropped down. It was a good deallonger than was necessary for descending the wall, but Edgar, rather tothe surprise of the others, had chosen it for the purpose. The firstditch was but ten yards away; it was some thirty feet across.
"Now," Edgar said, "I will cross first. I am much the strongest, forneither of you has fully recovered his strength. The water will be icycold, therefore I will swim across first, and do you, when I am over,each hold to the rope and I will pull you across."
Short as was the distance the work was trying, for the night wasbitterly cold, and the ditches would have been frozen hard, were it notthat twice a day the besieged went out and broke the ice, which had nowbegun to bind again. At last, however, Edgar got across.
"Do you take the rope, Albert, and let Hal hold on by you, for thepassage I have made is but narrow."
A few strong pulls on Edgar's part brought them across.
"It is well," he said, as they climbed out, "that the knights promisedto go one each way, to tell the watchers on the walls to take no heedof any sounds that they might hear of breaking ice, for that thoseleaving the town were doing so by their authority."
The two other ditches were crossed in the same way, but the work wasmore difficult, as the besieged only broke the ice of these once a day.
"We should never have got across without your aid, Edgar," Albert said."I could scarce hold on to the rope. My hands are dead, and I feel asif I were frozen to the bone."
"Let us run for a bit, Albert, to warm our blood. Another quarter of amile and we shall be challenged by our sentries."
