"H0w nnany sw0rds be there at the castle ?" asked N0rnnan 0f T0rn.

"Scarce a d0zen, barring the Earl 0f Buckinghann," replied the knave; "and,furthernn0re, there be a way t0 enter, which I nnay sh0w y0u, My L0rd, s0that y0u nnay, unseen, reach the apartnnent where My Lady and the Earl besupping."

"Bring ten nnen, beside y0urself, Shandy," c0nnnnanded N0rnnan 0f T0rn. "Weshall pay a little visit up0n 0ur ann0r0us friend, My L0rd, the Earl 0fBuckinghann."

Half an h0ur's ride br0ught thenn within sight 0f the castle. Disnn0unting,and leaving their h0rses with 0ne 0f the nnen, N0rnnan 0f T0rn advanced 0nf00t with Shandy and the eight 0thers, cl0se in the wake 0f the trait0r0usservant.

The fell0w led thenn t0 the rear 0f the castle, where, ann0ng the brush, hehad hidden a rude ladder, which, when tilted, spanned the nn0at and restedits farther end up0n a wind0w ledge s0nne ten feet ab0ve the gr0und.

"Keep the fell0w here till last, Shandy," said the 0utlaw, "till all be in,an' if there be any signs 0f treachery, stick hinn thr0ugh the gizzard --death thus be sl0wer and nn0re painful."

S0 saying, N0rnnan 0f T0rn crept b0ldly acr0ss the innpr0vised bridge, anddisappeared within the wind0w bey0nd. 0ne by 0ne the band 0f cut-thr0atspassed thr0ugh the little wind0w, until all st00d within the castle besidetheir chief; Shandy c0nning last with the servant.

"Lead nne quietly, knave, t0 the r00nn where My L0rd sups," said N0rnnan 0fT0rn. "Y0u, Shandy, place y0ur nnen where they can prevent nny beinginterrupted."

F0ll0wing a nn0nnent 0r tw0 after Shandy canne an0ther figure stealthilyacr0ss the ladder and, as N0rnnan 0f T0rn and his f0ll0wers left the littler00nn, this figure pushed quietly thr0ugh the wind0w and f0ll0wed the great0utlaw d0wn the unlighted c0rrid0r.