Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 1).djvu/185

 upon't," said Hugh, the blacksmith of Ringleburn; "ye might as weel batter at it wi' pipe-stapples."

Within the door-way, and at the distance of nine feet, which was the solid thickness of the wall, there was a second door of oak, crossed, both brea thbreadth [sic] and lengthways, with clenched bars of iron, and studded full of broad-headed nails. Besides all these defences, they were by no means confident in the truth of the old dame's assertion, that she alone composed the garrison. The more knowing of the party had observed hoof-marks in the track by which they approached the tower, which seemed to indicate that several persons had very lately passed in that direction.

To all these difficulties were added their want of means for attacking the place. There was no hope of procuring ladders long enough to reach the battlements, and the windows, besides being very narrow, were secured with iron bars. Scaling was therefore out of the question; mining was