Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/185

Rh pairs! Come—who will be our David, to slay this Philistine with a sling?"

The men sprang to their work gayly, and wound up the strong tackles that drew the levers downward. Then dropping the jagged rocks into the slings, they released the triggers, and the mangonels sent their loads through the air toward the enemy—the swaying, threatening tower which seemed to be walking toward them.

The shots directed upon the siege-tower, were the first sign of life from the garrison, and it seemed as if their discharge was taken as a signal for a general advance. The troops at the edge of the wood came at a rapid rate across the level ground and then up the plateau toward the front of the castle. The great ram, which was unseen, made known its presence by beginning to beat loudly for admittance through the cracking wall, and the three mangonels the besiegers had set up now hurled their great missiles against the front of the castle as fast as they could be loaded and discharged. Thus there were three attacks to be met at the same time, and it was necessary to divide the garrison of about one hundred men in the most effective manner to repel the three advances.

As had been previously agreed, Hugh took command of those who hoped to defeat the en-