Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/80

56 keep up communication with it throughout the siege. In fact, the Count did not believe the siege would be long. His spies had seen something of the preparations made by Edgar, but they knew that the garrison was not very strong and had not been re-enforced. So, although the Count brought certain machines and supplies with him, he really hoped and expected to capture the castle by a vigorous assault.

When Hugh came upon the walls and stood by the young lord's side, he carefully surveyed the arangements [sic] of the Count's forces, and then remarked, as if relieved:

"Good! The Count thinks that he will be able to take this little place by storm! That will waste his time, and he will lose some men as well."

"How do you know?" Edgar asked. "Is it because he has begun no siege-works?"

"Yes," Hugh replied, "and also because the men do not lay aside their weapons. See—those men at the rear are bringing forward scaling-ladders, and beams with which they hope to cross the moat. They have no great skill to guide them, I am thinking, or they would know that they should first destroy the palisade so that they would not be galled by a flank-fire. My lord, shall we make ready to receive them?"

"By all means, Hugh," Edgar replied. "I