The Young Castellan: A Tale of the English Civil War
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CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.
OLD JENK'S MIND IS TROUBLED.
Two days passed before Roy was able to ask what he wanted. For duringthis interval General Hepburn seemed too much immersed in affairs tomore than give him a friendly nod when they met at meals. Men werebeing constantly sent out with despatches, and others came. Then thecavalry regiment was always going and coming, "sweeping the country,"Ben said, when Roy sat talking by the old soldier, who was more injuredthan he would own to, and spent most of his time on a stone seat in thesun.
"Tchah! not I, sir," he said, peevishly. "My lady's got her hands fullenough. We chaps know how to manage with clean water, fresh bit o'linen, and keep quiet in the sunshine, and natur' does all the rest.We're getting on right enough.--Eh, comrades?"
"Couldn't be better," said the corporal. "Soon be ready to begin again,Master Roy, when you see your chance."
Words like these, and a hint or two again and again from the sick men inthe hospital, could not fail to set ideas growing in Roy's brain; buteverything was confused and misty yet, and the time went on. Poor oldJenk crept up to the four men, and always had the sunniest spot in thecorner given to him, and here he would settle himself, nursing his swordin his lap, and go fast asleep.
"Yes, sir," said Ben, one day; "you see he's so very old. I believeafter all he's a hundred, and it's a honour to him, I say. Mean to liveto a hundred myself if I can. But see how he sleeps; I don't believehe's quite awake more than three hours a day, and I dessay he'll justcome to an end some time in his sleep."
"Poor old fellow," said Roy, softly, as he laid his fresh young handupon the gnarled and withered fingers that rested upon the sword acrossthe old man's knees.
"Ah, he has been a good soldier in his day, Master Roy, but it's rum howhe can't see that he's not a fine strong man now! Why, you might reallynigh blow him over, and all the time he keeps on talking about what he'sgoing to do to Master Fiddler as soon as he gets a chance."
"What! he doesn't threaten to attack him?"
"Don't threaten, sir?" said Ben with a chuckle. "But he just do; andthen he's going to retake the castle singlehanded."
"But he mustn't have a sword; he'll be making some trouble."
"Well, if he makes an end to Master Pawson, sir, I think he may just liedown and die at once like a regular hero, for he'll have done the finestthing he ever did in his life."
"Oh, nonsense, Ben! You and all of you must mind the poor old fellowdoes nothing foolish."
Ben growled and shook his head, for his ideas were not at all inaccordance with his young master's.
"You need not look so sour, Ben," Roy hastened to say. "Master Pawsonwill get his deserts some day."
"Yes, sir," said the old soldier, sourly; "his sort generally seem to inthis precious world. His deserts seem to be your father's fine oldproperty to wallow in, and get fatter and rounder-faced every day. He'dbetter not go and sit and read big books belonging to your father atopof either of the towers when I'm nigh, sir, for I'll pitch him off assure as he plays the fiddle."
The men laughed.
"Oh, you may grin," said Ben, "but I mean it. You know, I s'pose,Master Roy, as they've emptied his room and carried everything into yourfather's library,--fiddle and all. Oh, how I should like to smash thatcaterwaulin' thing!"
"I did not know it, Ben," said Roy, thoughtfully. "I keep away fromthere as much as I can. But I say, Ben," he continued, smiling, as helaid his hand upon the old soldier's knee, "your wound is hurting you agood deal to-day."
"Awful, my lad, awful; it's getting better, but it feels as if a hungrydog was gnawing the bone."
"I thought so."
"Why, how did you know, my lad?" said Ben, innocently.
"Only by your manner. But look here," continued Roy, "I want very badlyto see that place where the enemy got in."
"Ay, and so do I, sir. I've lain awake at nights with that placeworrying me more than my big chop as ought to ha' been well by thistime. I don't understand it yet, only I expect as he let 'em in. So hefilled all the long underground passages with the men, and got 'em thereready to go up the towers when the signal was given? I daresay he giveit with his miserable squeak of a pipe."
"I'm going to ask General Hepburn to let me see the place."
"And he won't let you, of course. You'll have to give the sentriessomething, and perhaps they may."
"No; I'm not going to do anything underhanded, Ben. I shall ask thegeneral himself."
"Oh come, I like that, sir," said Ben, derisively. "He didn't doanything underhanded along with Fiddler Pawson, did he?"
"Wound shooting, Ben?" said Roy, drily.
The old soldier chuckled, and the boy rose and went straight to thegeneral's snug quarters in a little place adjoining the dining-room toprefer his request.