“Oh! those men may,” said the secretary, hastily. “I meant the people from the village.”
“Well, we shall see,” said Roy.
“But what makes you say that the enemy are near?” said the secretary, giving him a searching look.
“The messenger who brought the news. Farmer Raynes.”
“Farmer Raynes?”
“Yes; he was taken and escaped.”
At that moment Ben came up with a grim look of satisfaction upon his countenance.
“Morning, sir,” he said to the secretary. “You see the enemy have found us out. Ready for them?”
“I? What do you mean?”
“Ready to doctor some of us as gets our heads and legs knocked off by cannon-balls. I beg pardon, Master Roy, sir, her ladyship’s a-signalling to you yonder. What does she say to the enemy coming?”