His words, however, were arrested, for at the moment another arrow struck him in the throat, and he fell back into the arms of those around him.

Quickly now the arrows of the English archers flew into the courtyard.  The confusion which reigned there was indescribable.  The citizens with shouts of alarm took to their heels.  The men-at-arms were powerless against this rain of missiles, and the knights, hastily closing their visors, shouted contradictory orders, which no one obeyed.

In the confusion no one noticed the prisoner.  Seizing a moment when the attention of all was fixed upon the wall, he leaped from the platform, and making his way unnoticed through the excited crowd of men-at-arms, darted down a narrow lane that divided the castle from the wall.  He ran along until, 100 yards farther, he came to a staircase by which access to the battlements was obtained.  Running lightly up this, he kept along the wall until he reached the turret.

“Thanks, my noble Cnut!” he exclaimed, “and you, my brave fellows.  But I fear you have forfeited your lives.  There is no escape.  In a minute the whole force of the place will recover from their confusion, and be down upon us from both sides.”

“We have prepared for that,” Cnut said.  “Here is a rope hanging down into the moat.”

Glancing over, Cuthbert saw that the moat was dry; and after a final discharge of arrows into the crowd, the six men slid one after another down the rope and made their way at full speed across the country.

CHAPTER XIX.

Dresden.

It was some ten minutes before the men-at-arms rallied sufficiently from their surprise to obey orders.  Two bodies were then drawn up, and proceeded at a rapid pace towards the staircases leading to the wall, one on each side of the turret in which they believed that the little body of audacious assailants were still lying.  Having reached the wall, the soldiers advanced, covering themselves with their shields, for they had learnt the force with which an English clothyard shaft drawn by a strong hand flies.  Many had been killed by these missiles passing through and through the cuirass and backpiece.

No reply being obtained to the summons to surrender, they proceeded to break in with their battle-axes the door of the little turret.  Rushing in with axe and pike, they were astonished to find the place empty.  A glance over the wall showed the rope still hanging, and the manner of the escape became manifest.  The fugitives were already out of sight, and the knights, furious at the escape of the men who had bearded them in the heart of the city with such audacity, and had slain the lord baron and several of his knights, gave orders that an instant pursuit should be organized.  It was, however, a full half hour before the city gates were thrown open, and a strong troop of knights and mounted men issued out.