By England's Aid; Or, the Freeing of the Netherlands, 1585-1604

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER VI.

  THE LOSS OF THE "SUSAN."

  There were few people in Hedingham more pleased to see the two lads ontheir return than John Lirriper, to whom they paid a visit on the firstday they went out.

  "I am glad to see you back, young masters; though, to say the truth,you are not looking nigh so strong and well as you did when I lastparted from you."

  "We shall soon be all right again, John. We have had rather a roughtime of it over there in Sluys."

  "Ah, so I have heard tell, Master Geoffrey. Your father read out fromthe pulpit a letter the earl had received from Captain Francis tellingabout the fighting, and it mentioned that you were both alive and welland had done good service; but it was only a short letter sent off inhaste the day after he and the others had got out of the town. I wasright glad when I heard it, I can tell you, for there had been noughttalked of here but the siege; and though your lady mother has not saidmuch to me, I always held myself ready to slip round the corner or intoa house when I saw her come down the street, for I knew well enoughwhat was in her mind. She was just saying to herself, 'John Lirriper,if it hadn't been for you my two boys would not be in peril now. Ifaught comes to them, it will be your doing.' And though it was not myfault, as far as I could see, for Captain Francis took you off myhands, as it were, and I had no more to say in the matter than a child,still, there it was, and right glad was I when I heard that the siegewas over and you were both alive.

  "I had a bad time of it, I can tell you, when I first got back, youngsirs, for your mother rated me finely; and though your father said itwas not my fault in any way, she would not listen to him, but said shehad given you into my charge, and that I had no right to hand you overto any others save with your father's permission--not if it were to theearl himself,--and for a long time after she would make as if shedidn't see me if she met me in the street. When my wife was ill aboutthat time she sent down broths and simples to her, but she sent them byone of the maids, and never came herself save when she knew I was awayin my boat.

  "However, the day after the reading of that letter she came in and saidshe was sorry she had treated me hardly, and that she had known atheart all along that it was not altogether my fault, and asked mypardon as nice as if I had been the earl. Of course I said there wasnothing to ask pardon for, and indeed that I thought it was onlynatural she should have blamed me, for that I had often blamed myself,though not seeing how I could have done otherwise. However, I was rightglad when the matter was made up, for it is not pleasant for a man whenthe parson's wife sets herself against him."

  "It was certainly hard upon you, John," Geoffrey said; "but I am sureour mother does not in any way blame you now. You see, we brought homeletters from Captain Vere, or rather Sir Francis, for he has beenknighted now, and he was good enough to speak very kindly of what wewere able to do in the siege. Mother did not say much, but I am surethat at heart she is very grateful, for the earl himself came down tothe Rectory and spoke warmly about us, and said that he should alwaysbe our fast friend, because we had given his cousin some help when hewas roughly pressed by the Spaniards. I hope we shall have another sailwith you in a short time, for we are not going back to the Netherlandsat present, as things are likely to be quiet there now. Although he didnot say so, I think Sir Francis thought that we were over-young forsuch rough work, and would be more useful in a year's time; for, yousee, in these sieges even pages have to take their share in thefighting, and when it comes to push of pike with the Spaniards morestrength and vigour are needed than we possess at present. So we are tocontinue our practice at arms at the castle, and to take part in thedrilling of the companies the earl is raising in case the Spaniardscarry out their threat of invading England."

  Mrs. Vickars offered no objection whatever the first time Geoffreyasked permission to go down to Bricklesey with John Lirriper.

  "I have no objection, Geoffrey; and, indeed, now that you have chosenyour own lives and are pages to Sir Francis Vere, it seems to me thatin matters of this kind you can judge for yourself. Now that you havetaken to soldiering and have borne your part in a great siege, and haveeven yourselves fought with the Spaniards, I deem it that you have gotbeyond my wing, and must now act in all small matters as it pleasesyou; and that since you have already run great danger of your lives,and may do so again ere long, it would be folly of me to try to keepyou at my apron-strings and to treat you as if you were still children."

  So the two lads often accompanied John Lirriper to Bricklesey, andtwice sailed up the river to London and back in Joe Chambers' smack,these jaunts furnishing a pleasant change to their work of practisingwith pike and sword with the men-at-arms at the castle, or learning thewords of command and the work of officers in drilling the newly-raisedcorps. One day John Lirriper told them that his nephew was this timegoing to sail up the Medway to Rochester, and would be glad to takethem with him if they liked it; for they were by this time primefavourites with the master of the _Susan_. Although their mother hadtold them that they were at liberty to go as they pleased, theynevertheless always made a point of asking permission before they wentaway.

  "If the wind is fair we shall not be long away on this trip, mother.Two days will take us up to Rochester; we shall be a day loading there,and shall therefore be back on Saturday if the wind serves, and mayeven be sooner if the weather is fine and we sail with the night tides,as likely enough we shall, for the moon is nearly full, and there willbe plenty of light to keep our course free of the sands."

  The permission was readily given. Mrs. Vickars had come to see that itwas useless to worry over small matters, and therefore noddedcheerfully, and said she would give orders at once for a couple ofchickens to be killed and other provision prepared for their voyage.

  "I doubt you are going to have a rougher voyage than usual this time,young masters," John Lirriper said when the boat was approachingBricklesey, "The sky looks wild, and I think there is going to be abreak in the weather. However, the _Susan_ is a stout boat, and mynephew a careful navigator."

  "I should like a rough voyage for a change, John," Geoffrey said. "Wehave always had still water and light winds on our trips, and I shouldlike a good blow."

  "Well, I think you will have one; though may be it will only come onthick and wet. Still I think there is wind in those clouds, and that ifit does come it will be from the south-east, in which case you willhave a sharp buffeting. But you will make good passage enough down tothe Nore once you are fairly round the Whittaker."

  "Glad to see you, young masters," Joe Chambers said as the boat camealongside his craft. "You often grumbled at the light winds, but unlessI am mistaken we shall be carrying double reefs this journey. What doyou think, Uncle John?"

  "I have been saying the same, lad; still there is no saying. You willknow more about it in a few hours' time."

  It was evening when the boys went on board the _Susan_, and as soon assupper was over they lay down, as she was to start at daybreak the nextmorning. As soon as they were roused by the creaking of the blocks andthe sound of trampling of feet overhead they went up on deck. Day hadjust broken; the sky was overspread by dark clouds.

  "There is not much wind after all," Geoffrey said as he looked round.

  "No, it has fallen light during the last two hours," the skipperreplied, "but I expect we shall have plenty before long. However, wecould do with a little more now."

  Tide was half out when they started. Joe Chambers had said the nightbefore that he intended to drop down to the edge of the sands and thereanchor, and to make across them past the Whittaker Beacon into thechannel as soon as there was sufficient water to enable him to do so.The wind was light, sometimes scarcely sufficient to belly out thesails and give the boat steerage way, at others coming in short puffswhich heeled her over and made her spring forward merrily.

  Before long the wind fell lighter and lighter, and at last Joe Chambersordered the oars to be got out.

  "We must get down to the edge of the Buxey," he said, "before the tidetu
rns, or we shall have it against us, and with this wind we shouldnever be able to stem it, but should be swept up the Crouch. At presentit is helping us, and with a couple of hours' rowing we may save it tothe Buxey."

  The boys helped at the sweeps, and for two hours the creaking of theoars and the dull flapping of the sail alone broke the silence of thecalm; and the lads were by no means sorry when the skipper gave theorder for the anchor to be dropped.

  "I should like to have got about half a mile further," he said; "but Ican see by the landmarks that we are making no way now. The tide isbeginning to suck in."

  "How long will it be before we have water enough to cross the Spit?"Lionel asked as they laid in the oars.

  "Well nigh four hours, Master Lionel. Then, even if it keeps a starkcalm like this, we shall be able to get across the sands and a mile ortwo up the channel before we meet the tide. There we must anchor againtill the first strength is past, and then if the wind springs up we canwork along at the edge of the sands against it. There is no tide closein to the sands after the first two hours. But I still think this isgoing to turn into wind presently; and if it does it will be sharp andheavy, I warrant. It's either that or rain."

  The sky grew darker and darker until the water looked almost blackunder a leaden canopy.

  "I wish we were back into Bricklesey," Joe Chambers said. "I have beenwell-nigh fifteen years going backwards and forwards here, and I do notknow that ever I saw an awkwarder look about the sky. It reminds me ofwhat I have heard men who have sailed to the Indies say they have seenthere before a hurricane breaks. If it was not that we saw the cloudsflying fast overhead when we started, I should have said it was a thicksea fog that had rolled in upon us. Ah, there is the first drop. Idon't care how hard it comes down so that there is not wind at the tailof it. A squall of wind before rain is soon over; but when it followsrain you will soon have your sails close-reefed. You had best go belowor you will be wet through in a minute."

  The great drops were pattering down on the deck and causing splashes asof ink on the surface of the oily-looking water. Another half minute itwas pouring with such a mighty roar on the deck that the boys belowneeded to shout to make each other heard. It lasted but five minutes,and then stopped as suddenly as it began. The lads at once returned tothe deck.

  "So it is all over, Master Chambers."

  "Well the first part is over, but that is only a sort of a beginning.Look at that light under the clouds away to the south of east. That iswhere it is coming from, unless I am mistaken. Turn to and get themainsail down, lads," for although after dropping anchor the head sailshad been lowered, the main and mizzen were still on her.

  The men set to work, and the boys helped to stow the sail and fasten itwith the tiers. Suddenly there was a sharp puff of wind. It lasted afew seconds only, then Joe Chambers pointed towards the spot whence ahazy light seemed to come.

  "Here it comes," he said. "Do you see that line of white water. That isa squall and no mistake. I am glad we are not under sail."

  There was a sharp, hissing sound as the line of white water approachedthem, and then the squall struck them with such force and fury that thelads instinctively grasped at the shrouds. The mizzen had brought thecraft in a moment head-to-wind, and Joe Chambers and the two sailors atonce lowered it and stowed it away.

  "Only put a couple of tiers on," the skipper shouted. "We may have toupsail again if this goes on."

  The sea got up with great rapidity, and a few minutes after the squallhad struck them the _Susan_ was beginning to pitch heavily. The windincreased in force, and seemed to scream rather than whistle in therigging.

  "The sea is getting up fast!" Geoffrey shouted in the skipper's ear ashe took his place close to him.

  "It won't be very heavy yet," Joe Chambers replied; "the sands breakits force. But the tide has turned now, and as it makes over the sandthere will be a tremendous sea here in no time; that is if this windholds, and it seems to me that it is going to be an unusual galealtogether."

  "How long will it be before we can cross the Spit?"

  "We are not going to cross to-day, that's certain," the skipper said."There will be a sea over those sands that would knock the life out ofthe strongest craft that ever floated. No, I shall wait here foranother hour or two if I can, and then slip my cable and run for theCrouch. It is a narrow channel, and I never care about going into itafter dark until there is water enough for a craft of our draught overthe sands. It ain't night now, but it is well nigh as dark. There is nomaking out the bearings of the land, and we have got to trust to theperches the fishermen put up at the bends of the channel. However, wehave got to try it. Our anchors would never hold here when the sea getsover the sands, and if they did they would pull her head under water."

  In half an hour a sea had got up that seemed to the boys tremendous.Dark as it was they could see in various directions tracts of whitewater where the waves broke wildly over the sands. The second anchorhad been let go some time before. The two cables were as taut as ironbars, and the boat was pulling her bows under every sea. Joe Chambersdropped a lead-line overboard and watched it closely.

  "We are dragging our anchors," he said. "There is nothing for it but torun."

  He went to the bow, fastened two logs of wood by long lines to thecables outside the bow, so that he could find and recover the anchorson his return, then a very small jib was hoisted, and as it filled twoblows with an axe severed the cables inboard. The logs attached to themwere thrown over, and the skipper ran aft and put up the helm as theboat's head payed off before the wind. As she did so a wave struck herand threw tons of water on board, filling her deck nearly up to therails. It was well Joe had shouted to the boys to hold on, for had theynot done so they would have been swept overboard.

  Another wave struck them before they were fairly round, smashing in thebulwark and sweeping everything before it, and the boys both thoughtthat the _Susan_ was sinking under their feet. However she recoveredherself. The water poured out through the broken bulwark, and the boatrose again on the waves as they swept one after another down upon herstern. The channel was well marked now, for the sands on either sidewere covered with breaking water. Joe Chambers shouted to the sailorsto close-reef the mizzen and hoist it, so that he might have the boatbetter under control. The wind was not directly astern but somewhat onthe quarter; and small as was the amount of sail shown, the boat layover till her lee-rail was at times under water; the following wavesyawing her about so much that it needed the most careful steering toprevent her from broaching to.

  "It seems to me as the wind is northering!" one of the men shouted.

  The skipper nodded and slackened out the sheet a bit as the wind camemore astern. He kept his eyes fixed ahead of him, and the men keptgazing through the gloom.

  "There is the perch," one of them shouted presently, "just on herweather-bow!"

  The skipper nodded and held on the same course until abreast of theperch, which was only a forked stick. The men came aft and hauled inthe mizzen sheet. Chambers put up the helm. The mizzen came across witha jerk, and the sheet was again allowed to run out. The jib came overwith a report like the shot of a cannon, and at the same moment splitinto streamers.

  "Hoist the foresail!" the skipper shouted, and the men sprang forwardand seized the halliards; but at this moment the wind seemed to blowwith a double fury, and the moment the sail was set it too split intoribbons.

  "Get up another jib!" Joe Chambers shouted, and one of the men sprangbelow. In half a minute he reappeared with another sail.

  "Up with it quick, Bill. We are drifting bodily down on the sand."

  Bill hurried forward. The other hand had hauled in the traveller, towhich the bolt-rope of the jib was still attached, and hauling on thishad got the block down and in readiness for fastening on the new jib.The sheets were hooked on, and then while one hand ran the sail outwith the out-haul to the bowsprit end, the other hoisted with thehalliards. By this time the boat was close to the broken water. As thesail fille
d her head payed off towards it. The wind lay her right over,and before she could gather way there was a tremendous crash. The_Susan_ had struck on the sands. The next wave lifted her, but as itpassed on she came down with a crash that seemed to shake her inpieces. Joe Chambers relaxed his grasp of the now useless tiller.

  "It is all over," he said to the boys. "Nothing can save her now. Ifshe had been her own length farther off the sands she would havegathered way in time. As it is another ten minutes and she will be insplinters."

  She was now lying over until her masthead was but a few feet abovewater. The seas were striking her with tremendous force, pouring adeluge of water over her.

  "There is but one chance for you," he went on. "The wind is dead on theshore, and Foulness lies scarce three miles to leeward."

  "THE NEXT FEW MINUTES IT WAS A WILD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE"]

  He went into the cabin and fetched out a small axe fastened in thecompanion where it was within reach of the helmsman. Two blows cut theshrouds of the mizzen, a few vigorous strokes were given to the foot ofthe mast, and, as the boat lifted and crashed down again on the sand,it broke off a few inches above the deck.

  "Now, lads, I will lash you loosely to this. You can both swim, andwith what aid it will give you may well reach the shore. There arescarce three feet of water here, and except where one or two deeps passacross it there is no more anywhere between this and the land. It willnot be rough very far. Now, be off at once; the boat will go to piecesbefore many minutes. I and the two men will take to the mainmast, but Iwant to see you off first."

  Without hesitation the boys pushed off with the mast. As they did so acataract of water poured over the smack upon them, knocking them for amoment under the surface with its force.

  For the next few minutes it was a wild struggle for life. They found atonce that they were powerless to swim in the broken water, which, as itrushed across the sand, impelled alike by the rising tide behind it andthe force of the wind, hurried them along at a rapid pace, breaking inshort steep waves. They could only cling to the mast and snatch abreath of air from time to time as it rolled over and over. Had theynot been able to swim they would very speedily have been drowned; but,accustomed as they were to diving, they kept their presence of mind,holding their breath when under water and breathing whenever they wereabove it with their faces to the land. It was only so that they couldbreathe, for the air was thick with spray, which was swept along withsuch force by the wind that it would have drowned the best swimmer whotried to face it as speedily as if he had been under water.

  After what seemed to them an age the waves became somewhat lessviolent, though still breaking in a mass of foam. Geoffrey loosed hishold of the spar and tried to get to his feet. He was knocked downseveral times before he succeeded, but when he did so found that thewater was little more than two feet deep, although the waves rose tohis shoulders. The soft mud under his feet rendered it extremelydifficult to stand, and the rope which attached him to the spar, whichwas driving before him, added to the difficulty. He could not overtakethe mast, and threw himself down again and swam to it.

  "Get up, Lionel!" he shouted; "we can stand here." But Lionel was tooexhausted to be capable of making the effort. With the greatestdifficulty Geoffrey raised him to his feet and supported him with hisback to the wind.

  "Get your breath again!" he shouted. "We are over the worse now andshall soon be in calmer water. Get your feet well out in front of you,if you can, and dig your heels into the mud, then you will act as abuttress to me and help me to keep my feet."

  It was two or three minutes before Lionel was able to speak. Evenduring this short time they had been carried some distance forward, forthe ground on which they stood seemed to be moving, and the force ofthe waves carried them constantly forward.

  "Feel better, old fellow?" Geoffrey asked, as he felt Lionel making aneffort to resist the pressure of the water.

  "Yes, I am better now," Lionel said.

  "Well, we will go on as we are as long as we can; let us just try tokeep our feet and give way to the sea as it takes us along. The quickerwe go the sooner we shall be in shallower water; but the tide is risingfast, and unless we go on it will speedily be as bad here as it waswhere we started."

  As soon as Lionel had sufficiently recovered they again took to thespar; but now, instead of clasping it with their arms and legs, theylay with their chest upon it, and used their efforts only to keep itgoing before the wind and tide. Once they came to a point where thesand was but a few inches under water. Here they stood up for someminutes, and then again proceeded on foot until the water deepened totheir waists.

  Their progress was now much more easy, for the high bank had broken therun of the surf. The water beyond it was much smoother, and they wereable to swim, pushing the spar before them.

  "We are in deep water," Geoffrey said presently, dropping his feet. "Itis out of my depth. Chambers said there was a deep channel across thesands not far from the island; so in that case the shore cannot be faraway."

  In another quarter of an hour the water was again waist-deep. Geoffreystood up.

  "I think I see a dark line ahead, Lionel; we shall soon be there."

  Another ten minutes and the water was not above their knees. They couldsee the low shore now at a distance of but a few hundred yards ahead,and untying the ropes under their arms they let the spar drift on, andwaded forward until they reached the land. There was a long mud bankyet to cross, and exhausted as they were it took them a long time to dothis; but at last they came to a sandy bank rising sharply some tenfeet above the flat. They threw themselves down on this and lay forhalf an hour without a word being spoken.

  "Now, Lionel," Geoffrey said at last, raising himself to a sittingposition, "we must make an effort to get on and find a shelter. Thereare people living in the island. I have heard that they are a wild set,making their living by the wrecks on these sands and by smuggling goodswithout paying dues to the queen. Still, they will not refuse usshelter and food, and assuredly there is nothing on us to tempt them toplunder us."

  He rose to his feet and helped Lionel up. Once on the top of the bank alevel country stretched before them. The wind aided their footsteps,sweeping along with such tremendous force that at times they haddifficulty in keeping their feet. As they went on they came uponpatches of cultivated land, with hedgerows and deep ditches. Half amile further they perceived a house. On approaching it they saw that itwas a low structure of some size with several out-buildings. They madetheir way to it and knocked at the door. They knocked twice before itwas opened, then some bolts were withdrawn. The door was opened a fewinches. A man looked out, and seeing two lads opened it widely.

  "Well, who are you, and what do you want?" he asked roughly.

  "We have been wrecked in a storm on the sands. We were sailing fromBricklesey for Sheerness when the storm caught us."

  The man looked at them closely. Their pale faces and evidentlyexhausted condition vouched for the truth of their story.

  "The house is full," he said gruffly, "and I cannot take in strangers.You will find some dry hay in that out-house, and I will bring you somefood there. When you have eaten and drunk you had best journey on."

  So saying he shut the door in their faces.

  "This is strange treatment," Geoffrey said. "I should not have thoughta man would have refused shelter to a dog such a day as this. What doyou say, Lionel, shall we go on?"

  "I don't think I can go any further until I have rested, Geoffrey,"Lionel replied faintly. "Let us lie down in shelter if it is only forhalf an hour. After that, if the man brings us some food as he says, wecan go on again."

  They went into the shed the man had pointed out. It was half full ofhay.

  "Let us take our things off and wring them, Lionel, and give ourselvesa roll in the hay to dry ourselves. We shall soon get warm after that."

  They stripped, wrung the water from their clothes, rolled themselves inthe hay until they felt a glow of returning warmth, and then put ontheir c
lothes again. Scarcely had they done so when the man came inwith a large tankard and two hunks of bread.

  "Here," he said, "drink this and then be off. We want no strangershanging round here."

  At any other time the boys would have refused hospitality socheerlessly offered, but they were too weak to resist the temptation.The tankard contained hot-spiced ale, and a sensation of warmth andcomfort stole over them as soon as they had drunk its contents andeaten a few mouthfuls of bread. The man stood by them while they ate.

  "Are you the only ones saved from the wreck?" he asked.

  "I trust that we are not," Geoffrey replied. "The master of the boattied us to a mast as soon as she struck, and he and the two men withhim were going to try to get to shore in the same way."

  As soon as they had finished they stood up and handed the tankard tothe man.

  "I am sorry I must turn you out," he said, as if somewhat ashamed ofhis want of courtesy. "Any other day it would be different, but to-dayI cannot take anyone in."

  "I thank you for what you have given us," Geoffrey said. "Can you tellus which is the way to the ferry?"

  "Follow the road and it will take you there. About a couple of miles.You cannot mistake the way."

  Feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed the lads again started.

  "This is a curious affair," Geoffrey said, "and I cannot make out whythey should not let us in. However, it does not matter much. I feelwarm all over now, in spite of my wet clothes."

  "So do I," Lionel agreed. "Perhaps there were smugglers inside, or somefugitives from justice hiding there. Anyhow, I am thankful for thatwarm ale; it seems to have given me new life altogether."

  They had walked a quarter of a mile, when they saw four horsemen comingon the road. They were closely wrapped up in cloaks, and as theypassed, with their heads bent down to meet the force of the gale andtheir broad-brimmed hats pulled low down over their eyes, the boys didnot get even a glimpse of their features.

  "I wonder who they can be," Geoffrey said, looking after them. "Theyare very well mounted, and look like persons of some degree. What onearth can they be doing in such a wretched place as this? They must begoing to that house we left, for I noticed the road stopped there."

  "It is curious, Geoffrey, but it is no business of ours."

  "I don't know that, Lionel. You know there are all sorts of rumoursabout of Papist plots, and conspirators could hardly choose a moreout-of-the way spot than this to hold their meetings. I should not beat all surprised if there is some mischief on foot."

  Half a mile further three men on foot met them, and these, like theothers, were closely wrapped up to the eyes.

  "They have ridden here," Geoffrey said after they had passed. "Theyhave all high riding-boots on; they must have left their horses on theother side of the ferry. See, there is a village a short distanceahead. We will go in there and dry our clothes, and have a substantialmeal if we can get it. Then we will talk this business over."

  The village consisted of a dozen houses only, but among them was asmall public-house. Several men were sitting by the fire with pots ofale before them.

  "We have been wrecked on the coast, landlord, and have barely escapedwith our lives. We want to dry our clothes and to have what food youcan give us."

  "I have plenty of eggs," the landlord said, "and my wife will fry themfor you; but we have no meat in the house. Fish and eggs are the chieffood here. You are lucky in getting ashore, for it is a terrible gale.It is years since we have had one like it. As to drying your clothes,that can be managed easy enough. You can go up into my room and takethem off, and I will lend you a couple of blankets to wrap yourselvesin, and you can sit by the fire here until your things are dry."

  A hearty meal of fried eggs and another drink of hot ale completed therestoration of the boys. Their clothes were speedily dried, for thelandlady had just finished baking her week's batch of bread, and halfan hour in the oven completely dried the clothes. They were readyalmost as soon as the meal was finished. Many questions were asked themas to the wreck, and the point at which they had been cast ashore.

  "It was but a short distance from a house at the end of this road,"Geoffrey said. "We went there for shelter, but they would not take usin, though they gave us some bread and hot ale."

  Exclamations of indignation were heard among the men sitting round.

  "Ralph Hawker has the name of being a surly man," one said, "but Ishould not have thought that he would have turned a shipwrecked manfrom his door on such a day as this. They say he is a Papist, thoughwhether he be or not I cannot say; but he has strange ways, and thereis many a stranger passes the ferry and asks for his house. However,that is no affair of mine, though I hold there is no good in secretways."

  "That is so," another said; "but it goes beyond all reason for a man torefuse shelter to those the sea has cast ashore such a day as this."

  As soon as they had finished their meal and again dressed themselves,the lads paid their reckoning and went out. Scarcely had they done sowhen two horsemen rode up, and, drawing rein, inquired if they weregoing right for the house of one Ralph Hawker.

  "It lies about a mile on," Geoffrey said. "You cannot miss the way; theroad ends there."

  As he spoke a gust of wind of extra fury blew off one of the riders'hats. It was stopped by the wall of a house a few yards away. Geoffreycaught it and handed it to the horseman. With a word of thanks hepressed it firmly on his head, and the two men rode on.

  "Did you notice that?" Geoffrey asked his brother. "He has a shavenspot on the top of his head. The man is a Papist priest in disguise.There is something afoot, Lionel. I vote that we try and get to thebottom of it."

  "I am ready if you think so, Geoffrey. But it is a hazardous business,you know; for we are unarmed, and there are, we know, seven or eight ofthem at any rate."

  "We must risk that," Geoffrey said; "besides, we can run if we cannotfight. Let us have a try whatever comes of it."