"To hell with your maybe not!" the first replied. And he drove his pike
deep into the hay and turned it viciously.

The two on the top controlled themselves. Tignonville's face was livid;
of himself he would have slid down amongst them and taken his chance,
preferring to die fighting, to die in the open, rather than to perish
like a rat in a stack. But La Tribe had gripped his arm and held him
fast.

The man whom the others called Simon thrust again, but too low and
without result. He was for trying a third time, when one of his comrades
who had gone to the other side of the lane announced that the men were on
the top of the hay.

"Can you see them?"

"No, but there's room and to spare."

"Oh, a curse on your room!" Simon retorted. "Well, you can look."

"If that's all, I'll soon look!" was the answer. And the rogue, forcing
himself between the hay and the side of the gateway, found the wheel of
the cart, and began to raise himself on it.

Tignonville, who lay on that hand, heard, though he could not see his
movements. He knew what they meant, he knew that in a twinkling he must
be discovered; and with a last prayer he gathered himself for a spring.

It seemed an age before the intruder's head appeared on a level with the