s here."

"What, did they 'tack you here?"

"Yes, and were beaten off, and came down to you."

"Well, it wasn't very neighbourly to send 'em down to us," said the man
sourly.

"You should have beaten them off, and sent them back again," said Mark,
smiling.

Then the order to march came, and the little band of sturdy men went off
at a solemn tramp, Dummy carrying a couple of lanterns and a box slung
from his shoulder, well supplied with torches, candles, and slow match,
for the powder which it did not fall to his lot to bear.

As they passed over the bridge, the wounded men clanged to the gates,
and two of them took their places on the tower above, while, as the
party tramped across and turned to descend the zigzag, a thought came to
Mark, and he turned back to glance at the window of his bed-chamber, as
he wished that Ralph Darley were uninjured and marching by his side to
help in the rescue of his father and sister.

There were two faces at the casement: those of Mary and Master Rayburn;
and as the lad descended the slope they waved their hands to him. The
next minute the cliff-side hid them from view.

The march in the calm bright evening was uneventful. Everything was so
beautiful that it seemed hard to realise the horrors which had taken
place during the past night, till Mark looked to right or left, and saw
the bandages of several of the men. Nick Garth, too, was limping, but
he resolutely kept on declaring that it was nothing to mind.

The Steeple Stone was left to the right, for there was this time no
party of allies to meet; and very soon the great heavy mass of barren
rocky hill loomed up before them, higher and higher, till the party were
out from among the trees which had so far concealed their march, and
proof was soon given that they were observed.

For all at once something was seen to be in motion, and Dummy shouted:

"There: I told you so!"

At the distance they then were, the object seen might have been a sheep
or goat, slowly moving up the higher part of the mountain; but before
long it stood out on the ridge, clear against the golden evening sky,
plainly enough now a man.

Mark judged that after watching them the sentinel waved his hand to some
one below, for the movement was seen, and a few minutes later another,
and again another figure came up to stand clearly marked against the
sky; and after a time all descended, their course being tracked down the
barren hill face, till they d