Part 25 (1/2)
And taking up the lamp, he led the way down a narrow lateral pa.s.sage. When about half-way down it, he stopped before a low door, cased with iron, which he opened, and showed that the recess was filled with large canvas bags.
”Why, this is the powder-magazine,” said Fenwolf. ”I can now guess how you mean to destroy Herne. I like the scheme well enough; but it cannot be executed without certain destruction to ourselves.”
”I will take all the risk upon myself,” said Tristram, ”I only require your aid in the preparations. What I propose to do is this. There is powder enough in the magazine, not only to blow up the cave, but to set fire to all the wood surrounding it. It must be scattered among the dry brush-wood in a great circle round the cave, and connected by a train with this magazine. When Herne comes hack, I will fire the train.”
”There is much hazard in the scheme, and I fear it will fail,” replied Fenwolf, after a pause, ”nevertheless, I will a.s.sist you.”
”Then, let us go to work at once,” said Tristram, ”for we have no time to lose. Herne will be here before midnight, and I should like to have all ready for him.”
Accordingly, they each shouldered a couple of the bags, and returning to the cavern, threaded a narrow pa.s.sage, and emerged from the secret entrance in the grove.
While Fenwolf descended for a fresh supply of powder, Tristram commenced operations. Though autumn was now far advanced, there had been remarkably fine weather of late; the ground was thickly strewn with yellow leaves, the fern was brown and dry, and the brushwood crackled and broke as a pa.s.sage was forced through it. The very trees were parched by the long-continued drought. Thus favoured in his design, Tristram scattered the contents of one of the bags in a thick line among the fern and brushwood, depositing here and there among the roots of a tree, several pounds of powder, and covering the heaps over with dried sticks and leaves.
While he was thus employed, Fenwolf appeared with two more bags of powder, and descended again for a fresh supply. When he returned, laden as before, the old forester had already described a large portion of the circle he intended to take.
Judging that there was now powder sufficient, Tristram explained to his companion how to proceed; and the other commenced laying a train on the left of the secret entrance, carefully observing the instructions given him. In less than an hour, they met together at a particular tree, and the formidable circle was complete.
”So far, well!” said Tristram, emptying the contents of his bag beneath the tree, and covering it with leaves and sticks, as before; ”and now to connect this with the cavern.”
With this, he opened another bag, and drew a wide train towards the centre of the s.p.a.ce. At length, he paused at the foot of a large hollow tree.
”I have ascertained,” he said, ”that this tree stands immediately over the magazine; and by following this rabbit's burrow, I have contrived to make a small entrance into it. A hollow reed introduced through the hole, and filled with powder, will be sure to reach the store below.”
”An excellent ideal,” replied Fenwolf. ”I will fetch one instantly.”
And starting off to the side of the lake, he presently returned with several long reeds, one of which was selected by Tristram and thrust into the burrow. It proved of the precise length required; and as soon as it touched the bottom, it was carefully filled with powder from a horn. Having connected this tube with the side train, and scattered powder for several yards around, so as to secure instantaneous ignition, Tristram p.r.o.nounced that the train was complete.
”We have now laid a trap from which Herne will scarcely escape,” he observed, with a moody laugh, to Fenwolf.
They then prepared to return to the cave, but had not proceeded many yards, when Herne, mounted on his sable steed, burst through the trees.
”Ah! what make you here?” he cried, instantly checking his career. ”I bade you keep a strict watch over Mabel. Where is she?”
”She has escaped with Sir Thomas Wyat,” replied Fenwolf, ”and we have been in search of them.”
”Escaped!” exclaimed Herne, springing from his steed, and rus.h.i.+ng up to him; ”dogs! you have played me false. But your lives shall pay the penalty of your perfidy.”
”We had no hand in it whatever,” replied Fenwolf doggedly. ”She contrived to get out of a chamber in which I placed her, and to liberate Sir Thomas Wyat. They then procured a steed from the stable, and plunged through the pool into the lake.”
”h.e.l.l's malison upon them, and upon you both!” cried Herne. ”But you shall pay dearly for your heedlessness,-if, indeed, it has not been something worse. How long have they been gone?”
”It may be two hours,” replied Fenwolf.
”Go to the cave,” cried Herne, ”and await my return there; and if I recover not the prize, woe betide you both!”
And with these words, he vaunted upon his steed and disappeared.
”And woe betide you too, false fiend!” cried Fenwolf. ”When you come back you shall meet with a welcome you little expect. Would we had fired the train, Tristram, even though we had perished with him!”
”It will be time enough to fire it on his return,” replied the old forester; ”it is but postponing our vengeance for a short time. And now to fix our positions. I will take my station in yon brake.”
”And I in that hollow tree,” said Fenwolf. ”Whoever first beholds him shall fire the train.”
”Agreed!” replied Tristram. ”Let us now descend to the cave and see that all is right in the magazine, and then we will return and hold ourselves in readiness for action.”
VII.
How the Train was fired, and what followed the Explosion.
About ten o'clock in the night under consideration, Surrey and Richmond, accompanied by the Duke of Sh.o.r.editch, and half a dozen other archers, set out from the castle, and took their way along the great park, in the direction of the lake.
They had not ridden far, when they were overtaken by two hors.e.m.e.n who, as far as they could be discerned in that doubtful light, appeared stalwart personages, and well mounted, though plainly attired. The new-comers very unceremoniously joined them.
”There are ill reports of the park, my masters,” said the foremost of these persons to Surrey, ”and we would willingly ride with you across it.”
”But our way may not be yours, friend,” replied Surrey, who did not altogether relish this proposal. ”We are not going farther than the lake.”
”Our road lies in that direction,” replied the other, ”and, if you please, we will bear you company as far as we go. Come, tell me frankly,” he added, after a pause, ”are you not in search of Herne the Hunter?”
”Why do you ask, friend?” rejoined the earl somewhat angrily.
”Because if so,” replied the other, ”I shall be right glad to join you, and so will my friend, Tony Cryspyn, who is close behind me. I have an old grudge to settle with this Herne, who has more than once attacked me, and I shall be glad to pay it.”
”If you will take my advice, Hugh Dacre, you will ride on, and leave the achievement of the adventure to these young galliards,” interposed Cryspyn.
”Nay, by the ma.s.s! that shall never be,” rejoined Dacre, ”if they have no objection to our joining them. If they have, they have only to say so, and we will go on.”
”I will be plain with you, my masters,” said Surrey. ”We are determined this night, as you have rightly conjectured, to seek out Herne the Hunter; and we hope to obtain such clue to him as will ensure his capture. If, therefore, you are anxious to join us, we shall be glad of your aid. But you must be content to follow, and not lead-and to act as you are directed-or you will only be in the way, and we would rather dispense with your company.”
”We are content with the terms-are we not, Tony?” said Dacre.
His companion answered somewhat sullenly in the affirmative.
”And now that the matter is arranged, may I ask when you propose to go?” he continued.
”We are on our way to a hut on the lake, where we expect a companion to join us,” replied Surrey.