on gazed at his leader, and fell back with astonishment. "My dear
Ricky! but how are we to do it?"

Richard, still perusing his flint, replied: "We must manage to get a
file in to him and a rope. It can be done, I tell you. I don't care what
I pay. I don't care what I do. He must be got out."

"Bother that old Blaize!" exclaimed Ripton, taking off his cap to wipe
his frenzied forehead, and brought down his friend's reproof.

"Never mind old Blaize now. Talk about letting it out! Look at you. I'm
ashamed of you. You talk about Robin Hood and King Richard! Why, you
haven't an atom of courage. Why, you let it out every second of the
day. Whenever Rady begins speaking you start; I can see the perspiration
rolling down you. Are you afraid?--And then you contradict yourself. You
never keep to one story. Now, follow me. We must risk everything to get
him out. Mind that! And keep out of Adrian's way as much as you can. And
keep to one story."

With these sage directions the young leader marched his
companion-culprit down to inspect the jail where Tom Bakewell lay
groaning over the results of the super-mundane conflict, and the victim
of it that he was.

In Lobourne Austin Wentworth had the reputation of the poor man's
friend; a title he earned more largely ere he went to the reward God
alone can give to that supreme virtue. Dame Bakewell, the mother of Tom,
on hearing of her son's arrest, had run to comfort him and render him
what help she could; but this was only sighs and tears, and, oh deary
me! which only perplexed poor Tom, who bade her leave an unlucky chap
to his fate, and not make himself a thundering villain. Whereat the
dame begged him to take heart, and he should have a true comforter. "And
though it's a gentleman that's coming to you, Tom--for he never refuses
a poor body," said Mrs. Bakewell, "it's a true Christian, Tom! and the
Lord knows if the sight of him mayn't be the saving of you, for he's
light to look on, and a sermon to listen to, he is!"

Tom was not prepossessed by the prospect of a sermon, and looked a
sullen dog enough when Austin entered his cell. He was surprised at the
end of half-an-hour to find himself engaged in man-to-man conversation
with a gentleman and a Christian. When Austin rose to go Tom begged
permission to shake his hand.

"Take and tell young master up at the Abbey that I an't the chap to
peach. He'll know. He's a young gentleman as'll make any man do as he
wants 'em! He's a m