FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84  
85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   >>   >|  
m on it. What will they do next, I wonder?" Some time passed, and then Harry exclaimed: "I perceive a smell of something burning, your royal highness." "Peste! methinks I do also," the prince said. "I had not thought of that. If these rascals have set fire to the place we shall be roasted alive here." A slight wreath of smoke was seen curling up through the crevice of the tightly-fitting stone. "We will leap out, and die sword in hand," the prince said; and seizing the ring, he and Harry pulled at it. Ere they raised the stone an inch, a volume of dense smoke poured up, and they at once dropped it into its place again, feeling that their retreat was cut off. The prince put his sword in its scabbard. "We must die, my lad," he said. "A strange death, too, to be roasted in a trap. But after all, whether by that or the thrust of a Roundhead sword makes little difference in the end. I would fain have fallen in the field, though." "Perhaps," Harry suggested, "the fire may not reach us here. The walls are very thick, and the chamber below is empty." The prince shook his head. "The heat of the fire in a house like this will crack stone walls," he said. He then took off his cloak and threw it over the stone, dressing it down tightly to prevent the smoke from curling in. Through the loophole they could now hear a roar, and crackling sounds, and a sudden glow lit up the country. "The flames are bursting through the windows," Harry said. "They will bring our troop down ere long." "The troop will do us no good," Prince Rupert replied. "All the king's army could not rescue us. But at least it would be a satisfaction before we die to see these crop-eared knaves defeated." Minute after minute passed, and a broad glare of light illumined the whole country round. Through the slit they could see the Roundheads keeping guard round the house in readiness to cut off any one who might seek to make his escape, while at a short distance off they had drawn up the main body of the force. Presently, coming along the road at a rapid trot, they saw a body of horse. "There are our men," the prince exclaimed. The Roundheads had seen them too. A trumpet was sounded, and the men on guard round the house leaped to their horses, and joined the main body, just as the Cavaliers charged upon them. The Roundheads fought stoutly; but the charge of the Cavaliers was irresistible. Furious at the sight of the house in flames, an
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84  
85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

prince

 

Roundheads

 

tightly

 

curling

 

passed

 
flames
 

country

 

Cavaliers

 

exclaimed

 
Through

roasted

 
satisfaction
 

Minute

 

sounds

 

crackling

 

knaves

 

sudden

 

defeated

 

Prince

 

windows


minute

 

bursting

 

Rupert

 

rescue

 

replied

 

escape

 

trumpet

 

Furious

 

sounded

 

leaped


horses

 
joined
 

irresistible

 

stoutly

 

charge

 
fought
 

charged

 

coming

 

keeping

 

readiness


illumined

 

distance

 

Presently

 

Perhaps

 

seizing

 

pulled

 
wreath
 

crevice

 

fitting

 

raised