“A screw started in the framework, belike,” said another. “It will make more noise ere long, when set against yon walls.”
All laughed hoarsely at the grim jest; but the laughers little dreamed what was going on within a few feet of where they stood!
CHAPTER XVI
The Boldest Deed of All
But even had they seen what was passing so near them, the stout Englishmen would hardly have believed their own eyes.
While the pretended soldier was drawing off the attention of those who guarded the tower, two men, fully armed, had crept, one behind the other, along a deep trench that ran close to it, and worming their way beneath the huge fabric, had begun to saw in two the props that supported it!
If they were detected by the English (as was likely enough) it was, as both well knew, certain death; but this was the least of their perils, for should the tower give way one second sooner than they had calculated, they would be crushed to atoms by its fall. Bolder deed was never done by man, and small blame to the brave English yeomen if they had no suspicion of an attempt which, even in that age of rash and reckless valour, might well have seemed too daring to be possible.
Slowly and surely the perilous task was done, and the two heroes crawled back through the sheltering trench. But just as they issued from it, they came face to face with an English archer!
“Ha! what means this?” cried the man, starting back. “Who are ye, fellows? Speak or die!”
The sole reply was a blow from the foremost stranger that laid him dead. The other despatched a second man, and a third fell by the pretended man-at-arms with whom he had just been talking.
“Treason!” shouted the fourth. “Up with ye, lads! bows and bills!”