"Ah, but they would be. My father's own tenants!" "I dunno, sir. If times are going to be like we hear, you'll find people pretty ready to go over to the strongest side." "Oh, nonsense! There isn't a man round here who wouldn't shout for the king." "Quite right, sir," said Ben. "I believe that." "Then why do you throw out such nasty hints?" "'Cause I've got my doubts, sir. Lots on 'em'll shout for the king, but if it comes to the pinch and things are going wrong, I want to know how many will fight for the king." "Every true man, Ben." "Azackly, sir; but, you see, there's a orful lot o' liars in the world. But we shall see." "Well, we've got to keep the castle, Ben." "We have, sir, and keep it we will, till everybody's about wounded or dead, and the enemy comes swarming and cheering in, and then they shan't have it." "Why, they'll have got it, Ben," said Roy, laughing, but rather uncomfortably, for the man's words as to the future did not sound pleasant. "Ay, and I shall take it away from 'em, sir; for if the worst comes to the worst, I shall have made all my plans before, and I'll do a bit o' Guy Fawkesing." "What do you mean?" "Why, I should ha' thought you'd ha' understood that, sir." "Of course I do; but how could you blow up the castle?" "By laying a train to the powder-magazine, knocking the heads out of a couple o' kegs, and then up it goes." "Powder--magazine--kegs?" cried Roy. "Why, we haven't one, and I wanted to talk to you about getting some. How's it to be done?" "By going to your father's lib'ry, sir, and opening the little drawer as he keeps locked up in the big oak table. There's the keys there." "Yes, of the wine-cellars, Ben; but no--Oh, absurd!" "Is it, my lad? I think not. Think it's likely as your grandfather and his father would have had swords and pikes and armour, and big guns and little guns, and not had no powder to load 'em with?" "Well, it doesn't sound likely, Ben; but I'm sure we have none here." "Well, sir, begging your pardon for contradicting my master, I'm sure as we have." "Down in the cellars?" "Down in one of 'em, sir." "But I never knew." "Perhaps not, sir; but I've been down there with your father, and I don't suppose it's a thing he'd talk about. Anyhow, there it is, shut up behind three doors, and I'll be bound to say dry as a bone. It's very old, but good enough, may be. All the same, though, Master Roy, the sooner we try what it's like the better, and if you'll take my advice you'll have one of the big guns loaded and fired with a good round charge. That'll try the gun, scale it out, and give 'em a hint for miles round that, though Sir Granby's gone to the wars, his son's at home, and his dame too, and that they don't mean to stand any nonsense from a set o' crop-eared rascals. That'll do more good, Master Roy, than a deal o' talking, and be less trouble." "We must do it at once, Ben," said Roy, decidedly.