t Grant and some of the
servants should be sent on in front, with instructions to make a raid on
a livery-stable in the town, kept by a man named Bennock, and seize as
many horses as they could get.

Robert Winter, riding behind, saw the men sent on, and pressing forward
to the front, inquired the meaning of it. When told the intention, he
combated it strongly, and did his best to dissuade Catesby from it. The
man who had swallowed the camel of the Gunpowder Plot was scandalised at
the idea of horse-stealing! [Note 2.]

"I pray you, no more of this!" said Robert Winter. "It will but further
increase the wrath of the King."

"Some of us may not look back," said Catesby.

Robert replied with some spirit, for he knew himself to be among the
less guilty of the plotters. "Yet others, I hope, may; and therefore, I
beg you, let this alone."

Catesby looked up with a faint, sad smile, and tired sleepless eyes.
"What, hast thou any hope, Robin? I assure thee, there is none that
knoweth of this action but shall perish."

When the body of the conspirators reached Warwick, about 3 a.m., the
horses were almost ready for them to mount. Ten were seized at the the
livery-stable, and a few more were either stolen or borrowed from the
Castle. Thus provided, and now about eighty in number, they rode on to
Grant's house at Norbrook. On arrival here, they despatched Bates to
Coughton, with a letter to Garnet from Digby. This letter was read by
Garnet to Greenway, both of whom are represented by Bates as spotlessly
ignorant of the plot until that moment. Greenway returned with Bates,
at his earnest request, attired in "coulored satten done with gould
lace," and was met by Catesby with the exclamation--

"Here is a gentleman who will live and die with us!"

From Norbrook Robert Winter despatched a servant in advance, summarily
ordering his wife to "go forth of the house, and take the children with
her," which the obedient Gertrude did. About two o'clock on the
afternoon of the sixth, thirty-six worn-out men arrived at Huddington,
to be re-armed from Robert Winter's armoury; after which, finding
himself rather at a loss in the housekeeping department, the master of
the house recalled his Gertrude to minister to the comfort of himself
and his guests.

That submissive lady did her duty, and leaving the children with the
neighbour at whose house she had taken refuge, returned to her own
kitchen to superintend a hastily-prep