After sending down the five archers, Sir Eustace
returned to his post over the main gate,
"Get cressets and torches in readiness to light if they attack the
postern," Sir Eustace said; "we must have light to see how things go, so
that we may hoist the drawbridge as soon as our men are upon it, should
the enemy get the better of them. Be sure that one is not left behind; it
were better that half a dozen of the enemy set foot on the drawbridge than
that one of our brave fellows should be sacrificed."
"I should think that there is no fear of their attacking until those
flames have burnt down; we should see them against the light," John Harpen
said.
"No, there is no fear of their attacking; but the fire would be of
advantage if any men were crawling up to spy. Of course they would not
cross the slope in a line with the fire, but would work along on either
side, reckoning, and with reason, that as our men would have the light in
their eyes they would be all the less likely to make out objects crawling
along in the shade by the side of the moat. Plant half a dozen bowmen at
intervals on the wall, Tom, and tell them to keep a shrewd eye on the
ground near the moat, and if they see aught moving there to try it with an
arrow."
There was shouting and noise up by the burning cottages, where the enemy
were feasting on the spoils they had taken, and drinking from the wine-
barrels that had been brought with them in carts from the last village
that they had plundered.
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