. I had
a sweetheart in the town, and as my turn to go out from the castle
came but slowly I used at night to steal away to visit her. I found
after a great search that on the face of yonder wall where it looks
the steepest, and where in consequence but slight watch is kept,
a man with steady foot and head could make shift to climb up and
down, and thus, if you please, will I guide a party to the top of
the rock."

"It looks impossible," Randolph said, gazing at the precipice;
"but as you tell me that you have done it others can do the same.
I will myself follow your guidance."

"And I," Archie said.

"What, Sir Archie, think you is the smallest number of men with
whom, having once gained footing on the wall, we may fight our way
to the gates and let in our friends."

"I should think," Archie replied, "that with thirty men we might
manage to do so. The confusion in the garrison will be extreme
at so unexpected a surprise, and if we divide in two parties and
press forward by different ways they will think rather of holding
together and defending themselves than of checking our course, and
one or other of the parties should surely be able to make its way
to the gates."

"Thirty let it be then," Randolph said. "Do you choose fifteen
active and vigilant men from among your retainers; I will pick as
many from mine, and as there is no use in delaying let us carry
out the enterprise this very night; of course the rest of our men
must gather near the gates in readiness to rush in when we throw
them open."

As soon as it was dark the little party of adventurers set out
on their way. Francus acted as guide, and under his leading they
climbed with vast difficulty and no little danger up the face of
the precipice until they reached a comparatively easy spot, where
they sat down to recover their breath before they prepared for the
final effort.

They could hear the sentries above speaking to each other, and
they held their breath when one of them, exclaiming suddenly, "I
can see you!" threw down a stone from the battlement, which leapt,
crashing down the face of the rock close beside them. Great was
their relief when a loud laugh from above told them that the sentry
had been in jest, and had but tried to startle his comrade; then
the two sentries, conversing as they went, moved away to another
part of the walls.

The ascent was now continued, and proved even more difficult than
that which they had passed. They were for