Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/178

152 running feet, softened, but still audible. Thereupon they redoubled their work at the bellows, and kept at it so long as they could see that the sulphur was burning.

Satisfied at last that the miners were driven from their work, they withdrew the tube, and filled up the trench again, knowing that it would be some time before the tunnel would clear itself of the sulphurous smoke. Then the whole party retired into the castle, after Edgar and Hugh had seen that the guards were alert and ready to give the alarm if the attempt to breach the wall were resumed. A strong body of men slept that night upon the battlements just opposite the weakened point, ready to defend it if it were opened. But the night passed away without an alarm, probably because the Count preferred to make his attack upon several points at the same time, and thus compel the garrison to divide its forces. Besides, the Count's dismissal of the Friar showed that he had no fear of interference from without, and was confident of his ability to capture the castle whenever all was ready to make a vigorous attack upon it; but he felt it a waste of force to press upon a single point at a time.

That night the Friar slept soundly enough, being wearied by all his exertions from early morning until after midnight; but Hugh, expecting a