visit me here, and, if I go out at all, it will not be
until after dark."

For a fortnight they remained at the house. After dark each day, a
man paid Mr. Jervoise a visit. He was the magistrates' clerk, and
had an apartment in the castle. From him they learned that a
messenger had been despatched to London, with an account of the
evidence taken in Sir Marmaduke's case; and that, at the end of
twelve days, he had returned with orders that all prisoners and
witnesses were to be sent to town, where they would be examined, in
the first place, by his majesty's council; and where Sir
Marmaduke's trial for high treason would take place. They were to
be escorted by a party of twelve troopers, under the command of a
lieutenant.

The fugitives had, before, learned that the search for Mr. Jervoise
had been given up; it being supposed that he, with his son and
young Carstairs had, with their accomplices, all ridden for the
coast at the first alarm, and had probably taken ship for France
before the orders had arrived that all outgoing vessels should be
searched.

Harry and Charlie had both been away for two or three days, and had
been occupied in getting together ten young fellows, from the two
estates, who would be willing and ready to attempt to rescue Sir
Marmaduke from his captors' hands. They were able to judge, with
tolerable accuracy, when the messenger would return from London
and, two days previously, the men had been directed to ride, singly
and by different roads, and to put up at various small inns in
Manchester, each giving out that he was a farmer in from the
country, either to purchase supplies, or to meet with a customer
likely to buy some cattle he wished to dispose of. Charlie had paid
a visit to Lynnwood, and had gone by the long passage into the
Priest's Chamber, and had carried off the gold hidden there.

As soon as it was known that the messenger had returned, Herries
had borrowed a horse, and had ridden with a note to the farmer,
telling him to go up to the hills and bring the horses down, with
one of his own, to the place where he had parted from them, when
they entered Lancaster. There he was met by Mr. Jervoise and the
lads and, mounting, they started with the spare horse for
Blackburn, choosing that line in preference to the road through
Preston, as there were troops stationed at the latter town.

The next day they rode on to Manchester. They went round, that
evening, to the various inns where th