Come." And as he spoke he drew the lad along.
His foot was upon the topmost stair of the flight, when of a sudden the stillness of the house was broken by a loud knock upon the street door.
Instantly--as though they had been awaiting it there was a stir of feet below and the bang of an overturned chair; then a shaft of yellow light fell athwart the darkness of the hall as the guardroom door was opened.
"Back!" growled Galliard.

"Back, man!" They were but in time.

Peering over the balusters they saw two troopers pass out of the guardroom, and cross the hall to the door.

A bolt was drawn and a chain rattled, then followed the creak of hinges, and on the stone flags rang the footsteps and the jingling of spurs of those that entered.
"Is all well ?" came a voice, which Crispin recognized as Colonel Pride's, followed by an affirmative reply from one of the soldiers.
"Hath a minister visited the malignants ?" "Master Toneleigh is with them even now." In the hall Crispin could now make out the figures of Colonel Pride and of three men who came with him.

But he had scant leisure to survey them, for the colonel was in haste.
"Come, sirs," he heard him say, "light me to their garret.