against us.

"This is what I feared, though I must needs make light of it," he
said.

"It cannot harm us here," I answered.

"All round this court on three sides the buildings are of wood;
sheds and storehouses they are and of no account, but if one falls
across the well mouth--what then?"

"Then we are like to be stifled," said I; for even now the smoke
grew thicker, even so far down as we were. And when I looked out
and up there was naught but smoke across the well mouth, and with
that, sparks.

"Pent up and stifled both," said the quavering voice of the
sacristan from behind us. "How may we get out of this place till
men come and raise the ruin that will cover us? And who knows we
are here but ourselves?"

"Forgive me for bringing you to this pass," said the prior gravely,
after a little silence.

The smoke grew even denser, and we must needs cough, while the
tears ran from my eyes, for the stinging oak smoke seemed trapped
when once it was driven down the well.

"I have known men escape from worse than this," I said, thinking of
Lodbrok, and turning over many wild plans in my mind.