style="font-size:15px;"> “Well, I don’t,” said Bracy shortly, “young as I am. Those fellows have come as spies, and I’m more and more convinced that they are the set who harassed us as we came.”
“I begin to think you are right, old man,” said Roberts.
“Well, of all – That scoundrel is going to offer to shake hands with Graves!”
“No, he isn’t,” replied Roberts softly. “Doesn’t like the look of the old man’s eyes. Made a sort of shy at him. Now they’re off, after picking up all that they could about our strength and position. Well, it isn’t right, perhaps, for us to pull our superior’s actions to pieces; but I don’t think Wrayford is right.”
“And Graves seems to think as you do,” said Bracy thoughtfully as he watched the departure of the chiefs. “Look! those fellows are not missing much with their rolling eyes. I wonder what they think of our lads. The poor fellows don’t show up very well against these stout hill-men.”
“They showed up well enough yesterday,” said Roberts tartly. “Pooh! What has size got to do with it? Well, I’m glad they’ve gone; but I should like to know what they are saying to one another.”
“Talking about the strength of the gates, you may depend, and whether this would be a good place to make their first attack when they come to put the garrison to the sword,” said Bracy slowly.
“Well, you are a cheerful sort of a fellow for a companion,” said Roberts, laughing.
“That’s what they came for, cheerful or not.”
“Perhaps so; but coming to do a thing and doing it are two different matters. Well, the show is over, and we may come down. Let’s go and see about getting our new quarters a little more ship-shape. I want to see what the men are doing.”
“Not yet,” said Bracy. “I want to watch these fellows back to their own men, to see what they are about.”
“You can’t tell from this distance.”
“Not much; but my glass is very powerful, and I want to try and judge from their actions what is going on yonder.”
“All right; I’ll stop with you.”
Two-thirds of the guards mounted were dismissed, and soon after, the walls and towers were pretty well deserted. The two young officers remained, however, Captain Roberts dreamily watching the wondrous panorama of snowy mountains spreading out to the north as far as the eye could reach, while Bracy sat with his double glass carefully focussed and resting upon the stone parapet, watching the departing chiefs, who strode away looking proud and haughty, and apparently without holding any communication with one another till they were well on their way, when Bracy noted that they suddenly began to talk with a good deal of animation.
Bracy kept up his watch till they reached their followers, who closed round them in a very excited way.
It was just then that Roberts roused himself from his reverie.
“Hullo, there!” he cried; “’most done? Can’t make out anything, can you?”
“Yes; there’s a regular mob of fighting-men crowding round those fellows, and they’re holding a regular meeting.”
“Good little glass. I say, old man, I’ll swop with you. Mine’s a bigger and better-looking binoc. than yours. Anything else?”
“One of the party – I think it’s the one with the scar on his face, but I can’t be sure – ”
“Can’t you tell him?”
“Not at this distance.”
“Then I won’t swop. It’s not such a good glass as I thought. Well, what next?”
“He’s telling his experiences, and the beggars are lancing about, roaring with laughter.”
“Can you see that?”
“Yes, quite plainly.”
“Then I think I will swop, after all. Can’t hear what they say, I suppose?”
“Hardly.”
“Humph! Not so good a glass, then, as Pat’s, that brought the church so near that he could hear the singing. Go on.”
“He’s gesticulating. Now he’s marching up and down stiffly like Graves did while the conference was going on.”
“Well, of all the impudence! But no flam: can you really make out all that?”
“Perfectly. Now he is taking off his puggree and pretending to take a handkerchief out and mopping his bald head.”
“Like Wrayford does. Why, the scoundrel stood as stiff as a poker when he was here and let the others do the talking.”
“Yes, while he was studying his part. Now they’re laughing again and stamping about and holding their sides. He is going through everything he noted for their amusement, and telling them what absurd-looking people the English are.”
“Oh yes,” said Roberts; “we’re a very humorous lot, we British – very amusing indeed, but best at a distance, for we’re rather prickly, and easily induced to make use of our knives. What next?”
“The show’s over; and look – you can see that?”
“What! that flashing in the sunshine?”
“Yes; every man has drawn his sword and is waving it in the air. He must have said something which excited them.”
“Made ’em all draw and swear that they’d cut us to pieces and fling us in the river, I dare say.”
“Oh, there you are!” cried a familiar voice, and the tall, thin subaltern hurried to their side. “I say, what do you think of that for a fit?” he cried, stopping, and then holding out one foot. “Just as if they had been made for me.”
“If you say any more about them I’ll take them away again,” said Bracy, smiling.
“Then mum it is, for I wouldn’t be so cruel to my poor plantigrades. They haven’t been so happy and comfortable for months. Watching those Dwats?”
“I’ve been doing so,” said Bracy, closing his glass and returning it to its case. “What do you think of them?”
“Think they’re a set of humbugs. They’ve come here hunting for information and pretending to be friends; and the worst of it is, old Wrayford believes in them.”
“Nonsense! He couldn’t be so weak,” cried Roberts.
“Oh, couldn’t he? But he could. He hasn’t been the same man since he was cut down about a month ago. Poor old man! he’s as brave as a lion still, but he has done several weak things lately which none of us like. What do you think that thick-lipped, black-bearded ruffian proposed?”
“I don’t know,” said Bracy eagerly.
“To send on a couple of hundred of his cut-throats to help to defend the fort against the enemy.”
“He proposed
