The Boy who sailed with Blake | Page 5

their shoulder. They had, I discovered from the remarks which
reached me, just landed.
"Do you bring any news?" I inquired.
"Fine news, young sir," answered one of the men. "Prince Maurice has
been driven away from Plymouth, which he tried to take, but couldn't.
But, as maybe he will pay a visit to Lyme, we have brought you
powder and shot, and other munitions of war, and no doubt Colonel
Blake will make good use of them."
Having obtained all the information I could from the communicative
seaman, I hurried on with the satisfactory intelligence to the works,
where I found my father leaning on his spade, pretty well tired out by
his unusual exertions. The light of the lantern I brought, however,
enabled us to proceed, and he recommenced digging with as much
energy as before.
As we were running backwards and forwards, I could see numerous
other lights all along the line, within a few yards of each other, marking
the spots where the people were working.

It was nearly midnight before our task was concluded. Not one of us
had felt hungry or thirsty. My father then insisted on our returning
home, and on our way we left Lancelot and Dick at their respective
homes.
We found Audrey and Margaret sitting up for us, both looking
somewhat pale, naturally supposing that if the finishing of the
earthworks was so important, immediate danger was to be apprehended.
Supper over, we knelt in prayer, which, on all occasions and under all
circumstances, was our wont. Then retiring to bed, I for one slept like a
top. Next day was like the previous one.
The news that Prince Maurice, at the head of a vast army, was
marching into Dorsetshire, spread through the town and incited every
one to renewed exertions. Volunteers, who came in from all sides, were
being drilled by Colonel Weir and other officers, most of them having
to learn not only the use of the pike and sword, but how to load and fire
an arquebuse or musket.
The soldiers and townsmen were still labouring away at the
fortifications, when one morning, as Lancelot, Dick, and I were
employed at the top of an embankment, my father helping us, we saw a
horseman who had been on outpost duty come galloping down the hill
towards the town.
"The enemy are near at hand!" he exclaimed, as he rode up to where
Colonel Blake and Governor Ceely stood. "They will be here anon. I
could see them defiling along the road like a host of ants. I had to ride
hard to escape their advance guard."
On receiving this news, the colonel ordered the drums to beat to arms.
Parties were sent out to strengthen the two outposts, and the troops and
townsmen, with the volunteers, hastened to the lines.
"How many fighting men have we?" I asked of my father, as I watched
the defenders taking up their appointed positions.
"Colonel Blake brought five hundred men with him, and, maybe, with

the townsmen and volunteers from the neighbourhood, we shall muster
well-nigh another five hundred," he answered.
"A thousand men to withstand twenty thousand?" I asked in a doubtful
tone.
"Each man of the one thousand will count for twenty when fighting in a
just cause," he answered. "Colonel Blake thinks that we can not only
withstand, but drive back the Malignants, or he would not wantonly
throw away our lives."
We watched eagerly for some time, when at length horse and foot, gay
banners flying, cuirasses and helmets glittering in the bright sun,
appeared over the brow of the distant hills. On they came, until every
height was crowned, and we saw drawn up in battle array what
appeared to us an army sufficient at a single charge to overwhelm our
slender defences.
There they remained. We could see horsemen galloping to and fro on
the sides of the hills, but as yet not a shot had been fired.
Sentries were posted along our whole line, and the men were ordered to
sit down and take their dinners. I saw my father look graver than usual.
"Ben," he said, "I have been consulting with Master Kerridge, and he
agrees with me that it would be wrong to allow you boys to expose
your lives. I promise you that if you can render service to the cause you
shall be employed; and you must all three give me your words that you
will remain where I place you, and not come forth until you are sent
for."
Very unwillingly Lancelot and Dick and I gave the promise exacted
from us, though we were more content when my father took us to the
church, and told us that we might remain in the tower, whence, as it
overlooked