certain that he will not
blab nor tattle--that is the thing most to be feared. Know you not
Frank Tresham?--my cousin, and my Lord Monteagle's wife's brother."

"Oh ay! I have met him," said Percy. "I wist not it was he you meant."

"I had hope once that Mr Fawkes should bring grist to our mill," said
Gatesby, thoughtfully: "but I see that is but a Will-o'-the-Wisp."

"Mr Fawkes? Oh no! His father was but a younger son--Mr Edward
Fawkes of Farnley, a notary at York, and Registrar of the Consistory
Court there. He left him but a farm of some thirty pound by the year,
and Guy ran through it like a herring through the water. The only hope
by his means would be the borrowing of money from his step-father, Mr
Foster, and methinks he hath a larger heart than purse."

They walked on for a few minutes in silence, when Percy said, "How will
you get hold of these men?"

"Send Tom Winter to Sir Everard, and I will tackle Tresham. Then, when
I return, will we go forth with the mine."

"Done!" said Percy.

And the pair of conspirators came down the hill.

Instead of returning direct to London, Catesby went to visit Robert
Winter at Huddington, Percy going to his own house at the upper end of
Holborn. Catesby remained for three days with Robert Winter, whom he
induced to send for Stephen Littleton of Holbeach and his cousin
Humphrey Littleton. These gentlemen were not, however, initiated into
the plot, but only desired to lend their assistance to "a matter of
weight, and for the especial good of all Catholics."

The Christmas holidays being over, the mining was resumed, the
conspirators having now added to their number Francis Tresham and Sir
Everard Digby. It was not done without some difficulty. The oath was
administered to both; but when they learned to what they had bound
themselves, they recoiled in horror. Sir Everard was disposed of with
comparative ease. His own good sense led him to demur, but no sooner
was he told that three priests had approved of the scheme than, as in
duty bound, the poor weak creature laid his good sense aside, told his
conscience to be quiet, and united cordially and thoroughly in the
project, finding horses, arms, and money, to the amount of 1500 pounds.
If the Church approved, "the prerogative of the laity was to listen and
to obey." Francis Tresham proved less pliable. He at once inquired if
the Roman Catholic peers were to be warned, so as to keep away from
Parliament on t