ehind the Scottish officer, he advanced up the passage which had been
discovered. Ascending flight after flight of stone stairs, the column
issued from the passage at the very foot of the outer wall before the
garrison stationed there were aware of their approach. The ladders were
just placed when the Italians caught sight of them and rushed to the
defence, but it was too late. The Scotch swarmed up and gained a footing
on the wall.

Driving the enemy before them they cleared the outer works, and pressed
so hotly upon the retiring Imperialists that they entered with them into
the inner works of the castle, crossing the drawbridge over the moat
which separated it from its outer works before the garrison had time to
raise it.

Now in the very heart of the castle a terrible encounter took place. The
garrison, twelve hundred strong, ran down from their places on the wall,
and seeing how small was the force that had entered fell upon them
with fury. It was a hand to hand fight. Loud rose the war cries of the
Italian and Spanish soldiers, and the answering cheers of the Scots
mingled with the clash of sword on steel armour and the cries of the
wounded, while without the walls the cannon of Gustavus thundered
incessantly.

Not since the dreadful struggle in the streets of New Brandenburg had
Malcolm been engaged in so desperate a strife. All order and regularity
was lost, and man to man they fought with pike, sword, and clubbed
musket. There was no giving of orders, for no word could be heard in
such a din, and the officers with their swords and half pikes fought
desperately in the melee with the rest.

Gradually, however, the strength and endurance of Ramsay's veterans
prevailed over numbers. Most of the officers of the Imperialists had
been slain, as well as their bravest men, and the rest began to draw off
and to scatter through the castle, some to look for hiding places, many
to jump over the walls rather than fall into the hands of the terrible
Scots.

The astonishment of Gustavus and of Hepburn, who was now marching with
his men towards the castle, at hearing the rattle of musketry and the
din of battle within the very heart of the fortress was great indeed,
and this was heightened when, a few minutes later, the soldiers were
seen leaping desperately from the walls, and a great shout arose from
the troops as the Imperial banner was seen to descend from its flagstaff
on the keep. Gustavus with his staff rode at once