we
wait till dark, and then take our horses and try to get away?"

"You may depend upon one thing, gentlemen," said Sir Godfrey, "the enemy
are far stronger than we think. Every path will be carefully guarded,
our horses are worn-out, and we are safe to be taken."

"But we cannot defend this place, sir," said another.

"Why not? I say, defend it as long as one stone stands upon another."

"But food--ammunition."

"Plenty, sir, for a month," continued the general, "unless all was
carried off by our friends. No fear. Their occupation was too short,
and we took them too much by surprise. Why, look there," he said,
pointing to one corner of the hall, "there are enough of their pieces
there to arm us all. What is it to be, gentlemen? Surrender or fight?"

For answer, hats were tossed in the air, and the carved beams of the
roof rang with the hearty cheers of the Cavaliers, and the cry of--

"God save the king!"

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

WHAT FRED FOUND IN THE WOOD.

"Why, Fred, my boy, what a long face. What's the matter?"

For answer, Fred pointed to the trampled garden, the litter in the park,
and the desolation visible at the Hall, where window casements had been
either smashed or taken off, and rough barricades erected; so that where
all had once been so trim and orderly, desolation seemed to reign.

For the little band of devoted Royalists, under Sir Godfrey Markham, had
offered a desperate defence to every attempt made by the attacking
party, which for want of infantry and guns, had settled down to the task
of starving them out.

The prisoners and the wounded from the barn, irrespective of party, had
been sent to the nearest town; and as no immediate call was being made
upon his services, and his orders were to wait for reinforcements, so as
to render the men under his command something like respectable in
number, General Hedley set himself seriously to the task of crippling
the Royalist forces, by securing the person of Sir Godfrey Markham,
whose influence in the district was very great, and whose prowess as a
soldier had worked terrible disaster to the Puritan cause.

The little siege of the Hall had been going on four days, when Colonel
Forrester, who had been with the relieving party, found his son
contemplating the ruin.

"Yes," he said, "it is bad; but better so than that these Royalists
should be destroying our home, my boy."

"Is it, father?" said Fred, doubtingly.

"Is it, sir?