ok up a musket and fired it in the direction of
the scout, who, however, was by this time out of reach.

"There!" said Singleton, putting down his weapon; "that will satisfy
them we are on the alert, all of us, and ready for them! Perhaps they
will think better of it, and turn tail."

No! in a few minutes the sound of the advancing troop again rose in the
night. They came on at a trot, dragging their gun along with them.
Presently there was a gleam among the trees, and next moment some fifty
horsemen appeared in view, with a cannon in their midst, which, equally
to Singleton's satisfaction and surprise, they proceeded to get into
position at the very entrance to the wood.

It was on this spot, it will be remembered, that the young laird had
carefully levelled the gun that surmounted the great gate. Everything
depended now on the skill with which he had aimed it. He gave the foe a
minute or two to fix and point their weapon, and once more carefully
calculated the poise of his own. Then, just as they were proceeding to
load, and the horsemen were preparing to follow up the attack on the
gate, he applied the match, and with a mighty roar the piece discharged.

It was an anxious moment while the smoke slowly cleared away. When it
did he had the joy of beholding the enemy's gun on end and disabled, and
not only it, but at least three of the enemy themselves involved in the
same disaster.

He could not resist a triumphant cheer at this success, which was
promptly answered by a defiant shout from the enraged Macfies as they
set spurs to their horses and rushed towards the moat.

And now began the hard work of the night. For the foe thought nothing
of such a narrow obstacle as a simple ditch. Some swam it on horseback,
and some left their animals behind, but all--all except two whom
Singleton's trusty muskets had found out--crossed in safety. The raid
they made on the great gate was something terrific, and Singleton's
heart trembled within him as he heard it creak before their united
weight. But he worked away steadily at his post, always taking care not
to expose himself, yet never wasting a shot with a bad aim.

The enemy very soon quitted the gate, and took to the more formidable
work of attempting to scale the walls. And here Singleton's power was
tried to the utmost. For at one part the ground sloped a considerable
distance up one of the buttresses, which made the ascent from below
comparatively easy, an