"Colonel Frank came expecting an easy task with this small out-of-the- way castle. But it was not so easy as he thought. On two sides, as you see, sir, no mortal man could get at it. And on the other two, Fulke had guarded himself so well that by the end of a fortnight the Roundheads were not an inch nearer getting the place than they had been when they began. "The rage of the colonel knew no bounds, and he vowed all sorts of vengeance. You may fancy one of his men did not join in his threats. Many a time that fortnight Captain Morgan wished a shot from the castle might find him out and end his misery. And yet whenever he was tempted to desert or quarrel with his colonel the thought of the lady left with no protector at the mercy of such a man held him to his post. All he could do was once or twice to urge the colonel to raise the siege, or come to terms with its master. But Frank was bent on vengeance, and at last poor Morgan had to desist for fear of getting suspected himself. "About three weeks after the siege had begun, when the Roundheads were beginning to lose spirit, and Morgan's hopes were beginning to rise once more, a trooper rushed into the colonel's tent to say he had found a small cave below the top of the cliff which seemed to run up under the castle. The colonel's eyes blazed at the news, and he ordered the man to lead him instantly to the spot. Do you see a square grey patch on the face of the cliff up there, sir, nearly at the top, under the south corner?" "Yes; what is it?" "That's the mouth of the cave. At least, it's not a cave now, for it's filled up. But it was there the trooper, under cover of night, led the colonel and the captain. They didn't do more than mark the place then, for fear an alarm might be given by a sentinel within. "`Now,' says Colonel Frank, `the castle's ours; and not a soul inside it shall be there by this time to-morrow.' "`What shall you do?' says Captain Morgan, pale, and with a shaky voice. "`Do? Art thou a dunce, Morgan? Without doubt, at the end of that cave is a way up into the castle; and though the passage be too narrow for all my troop, three men and a captain will suffice to lay faggots and light them at the door. What say you, comrade?' "`What!' cries Morgan, `would you burn the place? No, no, colonel; we will capture it if we can, but it is no soldier's work to burn men in their beds!' "`Fool!' exclaims the colonel, in a passion, `it is no captain's work to read sermons to his colonel, sirrah! These rebels shall be smoked out like all other vermin!' "`But,' says the captain once more, and very pale--`but I hear there is a lady in the castle, and--' "`Peace, sir, on your peril!' exclaims the colonel, `and hold yourself ready to obey orders when I shall give them.'