"
This unexpected failure greatly damped the spirit of the peasants,
and there was much consultation among them before any fresh move
was made. As he saw that they were fully occupied, and paying no
heed to the tower, Malcolm said to his men:
"I am going outside; prepare to help me up over the door again
quickly if necessary.
Leaving his sword behind him, he took a leap from the step above
the inclined plane and landed at the bottom, and at once threw
himself down outside. With his dagger he removed the hoops of one
of the barrels, and scattered the contents thickly along the front
of the tower. None of the peasants perceived him, for there were
many bodies lying round the foot of the tower; and even had any
looked that way they would not have noticed that one prone figure
had been added to the number.
Crawling cautiously along Malcolm pushed two other barrels before
him, and opening them as before, spread the contents of one upon
the ground near the side of the tower, and the other by the hinder
face. The thick black layer on the snow would have told its tale
instantly to a soldier, but Malcolm had little fear of the peasants
in their haste paying attention to it. When his task was completed
he crawled back again to the door and laid a train from the foot
of the slide to the powder without.
"I will remain here," he said, "for the present.
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