Three of them flew
over the heads of the peasants, but the others crashed down among
them, slaying and terribly mutilating two of the bearers of the
tree and striking several others to the ground. The battering ram
was instantly dropped, and before the Scotchmen had time to lift
another missile the peasants were beyond their reach.
"Lesson number two," Malcolm said. "What will our friends do next,
I wonder?"
The peasants were clearly at a loss. A long consultation was held,
but this was not followed by any renewal of the attack.
"I think they must have made up their minds to starve us out,
sir," the sergeant remarked as the hours went slowly by without
any renewal of the attack.
"Yes; either that, sergeant, or a night attack. In either case I
consider that we are safe for a time, but sooner or later our fate
is sealed unless aid comes to us, and therefore I propose that one
of you should tonight try and bear a message to the Lech. We can
lower him down by the bell rope from this window in the angle where
the tower touches the church. Keeping round by the church he will
be in deep shadow until he reaches the other end, and will then be
close to the ruins of the village. Before morning he could reach
our camp."
"I will undertake it myself, sir, if you will allow me," the sergeant
said, while the other men also volunteered for the duty.
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