His brothers slept on the opposite side of the big room.  None of the sounds which were so astonishing Bertram would penetrate to their sleeping senses.  Had the eldest boy not been awake at the beginning, he would scarce have heard the sound, so cautious and soft it was.  But this noise was something new.  It was like hands fumbling and groping in search of something.  Bertram held his breath to listen, growing hot and cold by turns.  But he drew some of his clothes cautiously towards him, and silently slipped into his nether garments.  He felt that if there were some unseen enemy striving in mysterious fashion to penetrate into this room, he could better meet him if he were clothed, however scantily, than he could do as he was; and he had ample time to put on even his doublet and hose, and to cover himself up again in bed, with his small poniard closely held in his hand, before there was any further development of that strange night’s drama which he was so breathlessly watching.

That something or somebody was seeking to find entrance into the room, he could not doubt for a moment; but, on the other hand, it seemed an incredible surmise, because the wall along which the unknown visitor had plainly felt his way was an outside wall, and if there really were any person thus moving, he must be walking along some secret passage in the thickness of the wall itself.

Such a thing was not impossible.  Bertram knew of more than one such passage contrived in the thickness of the wall in his ancient home, and all the family were acquainted with a certain secret hiding place that existed, cleverly contrived in the rambling old building, which, with its various levels and its wilderness of chimneys, might well defy detection, even with the most skilled search.  But the boy knew of no such passage or chamber in connection with their sleeping room, and he was sure his parents did not know of one either, or any member of the household.  Therefore it was immensely surprising to hear these uncanny sounds, and it was small wonder if they did give rise to a wave of supernatural terror, of which the boy was man enough to feel ashamed the moment reason had time to assert her sway.

“I have done no wrong; I confessed but three days since, and received blessing and absolution.  If any spirit were to come to visit this room, it could do me no hurt.  Besides, methinks a spirit would pass easily along the straightest place, and would not need to fumble thus as if in search of hidden bolts.

“Ha! what is that!  Methought some spring shot back.  Hist! here it comes!”

The boy lay back upon his bed, drawing the clothes silently up to his very eyes.  The moonlight had shifted just a little, and no longer illumined his face.  That was now in shadow, and would scarce reveal the fact that he was awake.  He lay perfectly still, scarce daring to draw his breath, and the next moment a strange thing happened.