Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/95

Rh of the castle congratulated Hugh upon the use made of the little map, for it was seen that the place chosen by the besiegers for the mangonel was one of those Hugh had marked for it. Consequently the besiegers had been forestalled, and one of the castle engines was already in place to reply to the hostile mangonel. Edgar heard the creaking of the wheels and tackles as the long lever was drawn back ; then came the thud of the great beam, and an enormous rock was thrown through the air. and fell against one side of the castle gate, being shattered into rattling fragments.

"Ah!" said Hugh, "they have overshot the mark. Now while they are adjusting their aim for a second shot, we will see if they cannot be reached by one of our little messengers!"

In a moment their own mangonel was loaded, and after Hugh had carefully aimed at the other one, it was discharged. The rock could be seen rising high in the air for a few moments, and then it came down, falling more and more swiftly until it was heard to crash into the woods beyond. They also had overshot their mark.

Then, to their own surprise, they saw a rock discharged from their other mangonel, which stood on the walls at the further end of the castle. This one fell nearer to the enemy's mangonel, al-