The Black Tor Part 37

"Couldn't help it, sir. 'Bliged to, or I should have shouted for joy.

Get seven more? Have a dozen, sir, or twenty. Every man-jack'll want to go."

"No: seven," said Ralph firmly. "There'll be nine from the Black Tor, so we shall be eighteen."

"What! nine o' them coming to help, Master Ralph!" cried Nick, whose jaw dropped in his astonishment.

"Yes: they are as much at enmity with the rascals as we are."

"But, Master Ralph--"

"Now, no arguing, Nick; do as I tell you. Get Ram Jennings, and six men who have been injured by the gang, and I'll have swords and pikes ready at ten. Not a word to a soul."

"Isn't the chief coming?"

"No: I am the chief to-night, and my father will not know."

"But what'll he say to me?"

"Nothing. I take all the blame."

"But he'll be mad about our going with a lot o' Black Torers."

"I tell you I am answerable for everything."

"Yes, but--"

"Look here, Nick: do you want to rout out Captain Purlrose and his gang?"

"Do I want to, Master Ralph? Do I want to get his head under a stone, and sarve it like I would a nut? Yes, I doos."

"Then pick the men. Bind them to be silent, and meet me as soon as the lights are all out. Will you do this?"

"Won't I?" said the man exultantly; "and won't we?--Master Ralph, sir, I am proud on you.--Well, this is going to be a treat! But, say, Master Ralph, will them Edens fight 'longside of us without being nasty?"

"Yes, because it's against a common enemy," said the lad.

"Common? They just are, sir. Commonest muck o' men. Fit for nothing but putting under ground. Why, how I should like to take my old mother with us, and let her loose at that there captain. I wouldn't give much for his chance. Shall I tell her?"

"No!" cried Ralph. "Not a soul. Everything must be done in secret, and the rascals up at Ergles taken by surprise."

"You trust me, Master Ralph," said the man; "and when Master Captain Purlrose finds who's come, he will be surprised. We'll hang him for a scarecrow at once, of course?"

"No: bring him here a prisoner, and my father will settle that."

"Very well, sir. We'll take him, dead or alive oh; but if I had my way, I'd like to turn him over to my mother and all the women him and his have robbed. Why, do you know, sir, night afore last the beggars carried off a pickle-tub and two feather beds. And they call themselves men."

Nick Garth spat on the ground in his disgust, closed one eye as he looked at his young master, gave his mouth a sounding slap, and went round at once to garden, stable, and barns, to quietly enlist the little force, making each man swear secrecy, so that at nightfall not another soul save the initiated had the slightest inkling of what was going on, either at Cliff Castle or the Black Tor.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

ALLIED FORCES.

The crescent moon sank like a thin curve of light in the western sky soon after nine o'clock that night. At ten the last light disappeared at both places connected with the adventure, when Mark Eden lowered himself from his window on to the top of the dining-hall bay, and from thence to the ground.

Soon after, there was a faint whispering and c.h.i.n.king, and three dark figures, carrying swords and pikes, descended the steep zigzag to the bottom of the great tongue of rock, where six men were lying down waiting; and a few minutes later, all well-armed, they were tramping in single file through the darkness toward Steeple Stone. Their young leader, armed only with his sword, and wearing a steel morion of rather antiquated date, which could only be kept in place by a pad formed of a carefully folded silk handkerchief, was at their head; and in obedience to his stern command, not a word was spoken as they made for the appointed tryst.

A similar scene had taken place in the dry moat of Cliff Castle; and at the head of his little party of eight, Ralph Darley was silently on his way to the Steeple Stone, a great rugged block of millstone-grit, which rose suddenly from a bare place just at the edge of the moor.

The night was admirable for the venture, for it was dark, but not too much so, there being just enough light to enable the men to avoid the stones and bushes that lay in their way, which was wide of any regular path or track.

Ralph's heart throbbed high with excitement, and in imagination he saw the gang of ruffians beaten and wounded, secured by the ropes he had had the foresight to make Nick Garth and Ram Jennings bring, and dragged back at dawn to the Castle to receive the punishment that his father would measure out.

He was a little troubled about that, for he felt that it was possible some objection might be raised by Mark Eden; and he was also a little uneasy about the first encounter of the two little bands of men so hostile to one another. But his followers were amenable to discipline, and one and all so eager for the fray, that he soon forgot all about these matters in the far greater adventure to come, and marched steadily on, keeping a bright look out, till he was nearing the solitary rock.

"See any one, Nick?" he whispered to his head man.

"No, sir. All as still and lonesome as can be."

"Then we are first," whispered Ralph. "I am glad. We'll march close up, and then crouch down round the stone till the others come."

Nick grunted; and they tramped softly on over the gra.s.s and heath, with all looking grim and strange, the utter stillness of the night out there adding to the solemnity of the scene.

But they had not taken half-a-dozen paces toward the block, seen dimly against the starless sky, when there was a sharp c.h.i.n.k, and a familiar voice cried:

"Who goes there?"

"`Allies,'" said Ralph promptly.

"Halt!" cried the leader.

"Advance!" came back; and directly after, the two lads were face to face, comparing notes.

"Began to think you were Purlrose's men," whispered Mark.

"And I that you had not come."

"Been here some time, and the lads are all lying down. Now then, what are our plans? I want to get to work."

"March together in single file, about five yards apart, straight for the cave. Get within fifty yards, halt, and let two advance softly to reconnoitre."

"Can't do better," said Mark softly. "But we must keep very quiet, in case any of them are out marauding."

"Yes, of course. When we get up to the mouth of the cave, we must halt on one side, light our torches, and rush in. We must leave it to the men then."

"Oh yes; they'll do it. They've all got their blood up. We must succeed."