a troop to
Barnstaple--at once. You can go and help."

This last was to Fred, who accepted the duty eagerly, and the next
minute he was making his way with his father in the direction of the
knot of prisoners, whose armour shone in the light of the glowing pile.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

A FRUITLESS SEARCH.

As Colonel Forrester and his son approached the prisoners, who were
lying about on the grass in a variety of easy, careless attitudes,
gazing at the fire, which had now assumed terrible proportions, Fred
became aware of the fact that in place of being despondent, the
Cavaliers were chatting away in the most indifferent manner.

But their conversation ceased, for from behind came a loud crashing
noise, caused by some floor falling, and a buzz of wonder and admiration
arose as the glowing windows suddenly belched forth flame, spark, and
glowing flakes of fire, in so many eddying, whirling columns, which rose
up and up to mingle and gild the lower surface of the cloud of smoke
which glowed with orange and purple and red, while sparks flashed and
glittered as they darted here and there like the flakes of a snowstorm
suddenly changed to gold.

The scene was glorious now, for after a moment's pause, the burning wood
which had fallen formed fresh fuel to the mighty furnace within the
thick walls, and the flames rushed up with renewed violence, illumining
the scene far and near. Great sombre trees grew visible, brightened by
the wondrous glow; the lawn seemed to be cut up into paths of light, and
further away, ruddy reflections flashed from the lake; while the noble
old Hall seemed to stand out against a dark background, with every
angle, battlement, and vane clearly cut, till the smallest carving was
plainly defined.

But for the horror of the scene, Fred could have stood and gazed with
delight at the wondrous series of changes that were taking place; the
clouds of smoke, which seemed to form vast spirals, ever turning, and
rolling over, now dull red, now bursting into light, as if from fires
therein; the eddying scintillations which crackled and exploded, and
disappeared; the ruddy tongues of flame which darted in and out as if
the long low windows were monstrous dragons' mouths, from which the
darting forks came to play over golden stony lips, and lick the mullions
and buttresses around. Then came a fresh explosion, as pent-up gases,
generated by heat, burst forth to augment the fire with hiss, crackle,
and