ke your way up that ladder and
rip up some of the planks of the flooring. See if there are any windows
or loopholes in the chamber above, and if so stuff your jerkins into
them; we will close up those here. In a few minutes we will have a
roaring fire; but we must beware lest a gleam of light be visible
without, for this belfry can be seen for miles round."

Some of the boards were soon split up into fragments; but before the
light was applied to them Malcolm carefully examined each window and
loophole to be sure that they were perfectly stopped. Then the slow
match was placed in the centre of a number of pieces of dry and rotten
wood. One of the men kneeling down blew lustily, and in a few seconds a
flame sprang up. The wood was now heaped on, and a bright fire was soon
blazing high.

A trapdoor leading out on to the flat top of the tower was opened for
the escape of the smoke, and the party then seated themselves round the
fire, under whose genial warmth their spirits speedily rose. They now
took from their wallets the bread which they had brought away with them.

"If we had," one of the soldiers said, "but a few flasks of Rhine wine
with us we need not envy a king."

"No," Malcolm replied, "we are better off at present than our comrades
who are sleeping in the snow round the watchfires; but for all that I
would that we were with them, for we have a long and dangerous march
before us. And now, lads, you can sleep soundly. There will be no
occasion to place a watch, for the door is securely fastened; but at the
first dawn of light we must be on our feet; for although I do not mean
to march until nightfall, we must remove the stoppings from the windows,
for should the eye of any passing peasant fall upon them, he will guess
at once that some one is sheltering here, and may proceed to find out
whether it be friend or foe."

Having finished half their bread, for Malcolm had warned them to save
the other half for the next day, the men lay down round the fire, and
soon all were sound asleep.

CHAPTER XIV IN THE CHURCHTOWER

Malcolm was the first to awake, and was vexed to find by a stream of
light pouring down through the half open trapdoor above that it was
broad day. He roused the men, and the stoppings were at once removed
from the loopholes. The sun was already high, for the party, overpowered
with fatigue, had slept long and soundly.

Malcolm looked cautiously from the window; no one was in sight, and th