"It is
excellent; but do not hurry. I cannot afford to have you ill."

That was a fresh idea, and the consequences of such a trouble too
horrible to be contemplated; but it made Roy determine to take things
more coolly, and in this spirit he went to where the servants were
assembled in the gate-way, and joined his trusty lieutenant, who had
just drawn them up in line.

CHAPTER TEN.

ROY VISITS THE POWDER-MAGAZINE.

"Now, Ben, what next?"

"The thing I've been thinking, sir, is that, little as it be, we must
make the most of our garrison. It's war time now, and if you'll give
the order I'll march the men to the armoury and serve out the weepuns
and clothes."

Roy nodded, gave the word for the men to march, counter-ordered it, at a
hint from Ben, and then, telling them to face right, put himself at
their head, and marched them to the long, low room at once.

Ben began to serve out the buff jerkins and steel caps.

"Can't stop for no trying on now," he said; "you must do as we used in
the army,--change about till you get them as fits you."

This done, the firelocks and bandoleers followed, and, lastly, to each
man a belt and sword.

And all the time the old soldier handed every article to the recipient
with a grave dignity and a solemnity of manner which seemed to say, "I
am giving treasures to you that I part from with the greatest regret,"
and he finished with--

"Now, my lads, look here: it's a great honour to bear arms in the
service of your king, and if you're carrying Sir Granby Royland's arms
you're carrying the king's, so take care of 'em. A good soldier
wouldn't have a speck of rust on his helmet or his sword; they're as
bright as I can make 'em now, and as sharp, so mind they're always so.
Now go to your new quarters and put 'em on--proper, mind; and your
master, the captain here, will have a parade in an hour's time."

The men went off, leaving Roy wondering at the calmness with which he
stood by listening while old Ben talked to the men and kept on referring
to him as "your master."

Ben now turned to him. "What do you say, sir?" he said. "Don't you
think we had better go down and see if all's right in the
powder-magazine?"

"But it's in the cellar, Ben, and you'd want a light."

"Hardly fair, sir, to call it the cellar. I believe it's one of the old
dungeons where they used to shut people up in the good old times."

"That would be darker still, Ben. How are we to see?"

"Hav