The Black Tor: A Tale of the Reign of James the First

There had been plenty going on in Mark's absence of an hour or two, and as soon as he had seen the recruits to their little force settled down in the hall to rest and refresh, h...

Ralph Darley's first step was to get his right hand beside his left, and his feet once more upon the ledge, but the ivy gave way a little more at this movement, and he paused. B...

Days had passed, and strange reports were flying about the sparsely inhabited neighbourhood. Fresh people had seen the witches in their long gowns, and it was rumoured that if a...

All at once Dummy Rugg uttered a peculiar snort, and started up in a sitting position, with the thought still fresh in his brain that he must rouse up Mark from his nap.

The crescent moon sank like a thin curve of light in the western sky soon after nine o'clock that night. At ten the last light disappeared at both places connected with the adve...

"Father can't be pleased," thought the lad, as he hurried in through a heavy oaken door, strengthened by the twisted and scrolled iron bands of the huge hinges, and studded with...

Master Rayburn received the raven's addled egg, and gave Ram Jennings a groat for his trouble, and for telling him all about how it was obtained, and what followed, keeping the...

Ralph Darley's disposition led him to determine to say nothing about what had passed, but his lame legs forced him to confess how it was his ankles were so bad, and Sir Morton w...

"Ah, there he goes," said Mark, beneath his breath, as he stood motionless, and watched a large raven flapping along, high overhead, in the direction he was taking. "Perhaps tha...

"How can I help it?" said Mark one morning, as he was sauntering down by the river. "I did not mean to meet him, and here he is again. Hallo! he has got a fresh sword."

Mark bathed the sufferer's face again, but there was no return to consciousness, and growing more and more alarmed, he hurried to his father's chamber and woke him, Sir Edward a...

Eden, fresh from Linkeham, on account of a terrible attack of fever ravaging the school to such an extent that it was considered wise to close it for a time, was enjoying the pl...

Master Rayburn was anxiously expected at the Black Tor, Mark's first act having been to send Dummy Rugg down to his cottage to ask him to come up; and not finding him there, the...

Neither of the lads answered, for a feeling of confusion which troubled them. They felt abashed at being seen in each other's company; but they had to stop, for the old man plan...

Fate seemed to be determined that the young people of the rival families should become intimate, in spite of all the stringent rules laid down by the heads; for Ralph was out on...

But the men did not come on, and the two lads, now breathing hard from their exertions, had time to think as well as recover their breath, for the men, after carefully approachi...

Captain Purlrose and his merry men had found a place just to their liking, where they lived like pigs in a hole of the earth, and as voraciously. He chuckled and crowed as they...

There was a sound in the darkness as if several men had drawn a deep breath together, and then for a few moments all was very still, so still that Mark started when he heard his...

The perspiration broke out in great drops upon Mark Eden's face; and for some minutes he hung there, expecting moment by moment that each was his last, for he knew that he could...

Master Rayburn, the old scholar, angler, and, in a small way, naturalist, had no pretensions to being either physician or surgeon; but there was neither within a day's journey,...

"Hi! Nick! Nick, I say, hallo!" Ralph Darley ran as he shouted at a couple of his father's men, who were descending the slope on the eastern side of the castle, each shouldering...

Eden recovered his presence of mind on the instant, and looking coolly up at Nick Garth, who had shouted at him so insolently, he replied haughtily: "What is it to you, sir? Be...

Ralph looked on and listened, as a low growl arose; but, bully and coward or no, it was evident that Captain Purlrose was master of his men, who stood listening and nodding thei...

Sir Edward met them as they ascended the slope, Mark having been taking mental notes all the way of the trend of the hills and the valley, seeing for certain that, in spite of i...

It was a savage fight, and before Mark and Ralph, who rushed desperately into the _melee_, not to lead their men, but to separate them, could succeed in beating down the menacin...

About as rugged, fierce-looking a gang of men as a lad could set eyes on, as they struggled up the steep cliff road leading to the castle, which frowned at the summit, where the...

The rattling of a handful of tiny pebbles took Mark Eden to his window that morning--for it was beginning to grow grey in the east when he went to his bed, Sir Edward insisting...

The blockade was strictly kept up at the mouth of the cavern, Sir Edward having cast aside, at all events for the time being, every feeling of enmity; and in spite of the many d...

Dummy Rugg caught the pony, after seeing that his young mistress was unhurt at Master Rayburn's cottage; and, perfectly calm now, the girl insisted upon remounting, the old man...

The two lads stood there motionless for a time, wondering what the lantern-bearer could be doing, for he evidently had no suspicion of his being watched. Then as they saw that i...

Siege was now commenced, Ergles being to all intents and purposes an impregnable natural castle. Provisions and other necessaries were brought up, and the force was divided into...

Time glided away as fast in the days of James the First as it does in the reign of our gentle Queen; and a year had gone by in the quiet peaceful vale, where, to a man, all who...