Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/131

 flames of the burning cat lighted up the walls of the castle and the space round about so that the archers of the garrison were able to shoot with accuracy, and as the besiegers came running up to whip out the flames, or to pour upon the blazing timbers water drawn from the moat, the buzz of the long bow, and the sharp rattling of the crossbows was heard from the ramparts. Many of the Count's men were wounded and not a few were slain, but at last they succeeded in saving the cat from utter destruction.

It was necessary, however, to roll it back from the castle walls in order that the front of it might be repaired and made serviceable once more. This would take another day or two and meanwhile it was impossible to attack the castle walls with the battering-ram, since the protection of the cat was necessary to the men who were pushing the ram against the walls. Luke did not delay the preparation of the ram, but had his men cut the largest tree they could find, clear it of its branches, 107