Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/112

88 sade, I wish him to see my banner afloat from the top of his donjon tower,"

Luke at once departed to give his orders, and soon there were visible, even from the castle walls, signs of great activity among the besiegers. The cat, pushed forward by men concealed within its shelter, was advanced until its front end overhung the edge of the moat, and then barrows of earth and stones, faggots, and trunks of trees were dropped into the moat, gradually forming a bridge meant to extend across to the base of the gateway. From the overhanging walls above the defenders poured heavy rocks down upon the cat, endeavoring to crush its roof. But the front of it was especially strong, the roof was steep, and the great rocks did little damage. Then an enormous crane was raised upon the battlements above, and a heavy timber was hoisted by chains fastened at one end, so that it could be swung over the walls as soon as the cat should advance within reach. But the besiegers could not be prevented from making their causeway across the moat, since their workmen were completely protected from interference, and the cat was as yet too far from the walls to be reached by things dropped upon it, and too near to be well within the range of the balistæ and catapults.

While the attack on the gateway was pressed