Some of them came
to the wall to curse us, and among them whom should I see but a
big man with a white face, red hair and a touch of Anthony's fire
upon his cheek? What make you of that, Squire Nigel?"
"That this man had crossed from the castle to the fort."
"In good sooth, it must indeed be so. There are not two such
ken-speckled men in the world. But if he crossed from the castle
to the fort, it was not above the ground, for our own people were
between."
"By Saint Paul! I see your meaning!" cried Nigel. "It is in your
mind that there is a passage under the earth from one to the
other."
"I am well sure of it."
"Then if we should take the small fort we may pass down this
tunnel, and so carry the great castle also."
"Such a thing might happen," said Simon, "and yet it is dangerous
also, for surely those in the castle would hear our assault upon
the fort and so be warned to bar the passage against us, and to
slay the prisoners before we could come."
"What then is your rede?"
"Could we find where the tunnel lay, Squire Nigel, I know not what
is to prevent us from digging down upon it and breaking into it so
that both fort and castle are at our mercy before either knows
that we are there."
Nigel clapped his hands with joy. "'Fore God!" he cried. "It is
a most noble plan! But alas! Simon, I see not how we can tell
the course of this passage or where we should dig.
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