"And a great deal more. It meant that they'd taken the place, and I felt then that I must die. I don't know how long they were there. It was hot and stifling, and there was smoke, and a man rushed in, and said the prisoners had escaped, and set fire to the place." Ralph shuddered and was silent, till Mark began bathing his face again, when he seemed to revive a little, and wandered on: "Fire burned so fast--crawled out--through the window--Minnie's fish-pool--castle burning so fast--father--Minnie--help!--oh help!" CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. DRAWING TOGETHER. Mark bathed the sufferer's face again, but there was no return to consciousness, and growing more and more alarmed, he hurried to his father's chamber and woke him, Sir Edward as he leaped up, still dressed, snatching eagerly at his sword. "You, Mark?" he cried. "The enemy?" "Yes--no, father. Come quickly. Young Darley's here, dying." "Young Darley here!" "Yes, in my room," cried Mark wildly. "I've sent for Master Rayburn, but come and do something; we mustn't let the poor fellow die." And in a wild incoherent way, he told Sir Edward all he knew. "Then in their disappointment they went on down there," cried Sir Edward, as excited now as his son. "The fiends! the monsters!" he continued, as he entered his son's room. "Poor boy! Oh, Mark, lad, but for God's mercy, this might have been you. Oh! who can think about the old family enmity now? How long is it since you sent for old Rayburn?" "Ever so long, father. Oh, I say, don't--don't say you think he'll die, father!" "Heaven forbid, my boy," said Sir Edward softly, and he laid his hand gently on the wounded lad's brow--and kept it there as Master Rayburn entered the room. "You've heard, then!" he cried, throwing down his hat and stick, and beginning to examine his patient. "Yes, Mark tells me. Is it all true?" "True, yes," growled Master Rayburn. "I find they attacked you, were beaten, and then went across and round by the down to Cliff Castle. When I got there it was in ashes, burnt out, and the wretches had gone back with what plunder they could save, and two prisoners to their den." "Two prisoners?" "Yes--put your finger here, Mark, while I clip off his hair. Here's a bad cut--Sir Morton badly hurt, and his sweet young child, Minnie." "Oh!" cried Sir Edward excitedly. "But is this true--are you sure?" "I had it from one of his men, Nick Garth. Badly wounded too. But he and three others broke out of their window where they were prisoned, in a tower chamber, and out of revenge, to keep the enemy from keeping the place, as they were going to do, they set it on fire." "Who did?" said Sir Edward sharply. "Nick Garth and Ram Jennings. He's wounded too. A fine chance for you now, Eden. You can march in and take possession of your enemy's lands."