The soldier went out, and presently returned with the lieutenant.
"Hast thou discovered nothing on thy watch on the outside?" inquired Spikeman.
"We invested the building so closely," answered Venn, "that had a mouse attempted to run away, we had seen and captured it; but no sound has broken the silence, nor aught met our sight."
"Has the whole interior been thoroughly searched?"
"But short time does it require to unshell the kernel of a nut like this," returned the officer, looking round; "and Cowlson reports to me that everything in it, save in the woman's quarters, (which his modesty did not permit him to search,) is as well known to him as the contents of his own cabin."
"I fear that the principal object of our undertaking is defeated," said Spikeman, with a look, of disappointment.
"Yea," said the officer, "the prey hath escaped even as a bird from the snare. What is to be done now, seeing that Sir Christopher is not to be found?"
Spikeman did not hesitate, for he had been considering the course to be adopted in the contingency, and he therefore promptly answered—
"We have not entirely failed. We have at least the woman, and important information may be obtained from her. The hope of working her deliverance, or of making terms with us on her account, may also induce the Knight to put himself in our power."
"I like not," said Venn, "a foray, whose achievement is the making prisoners of Miles Arundel, of honest Philip, and of a sorrowful-looking woman. Meseems it redounds but little to the credit of a file of twenty men."