heir enemies had convinced themselves of their identity;
and in London they were less easily found. Eva did not know the
whole story--it was Paul who supplied the missing links later; but
she told how a great part of the band had gone forth to seek them
in the city--how word had presently been brought by a mounted
messenger that the fugitives had escaped, just when they were
certain they had them fast--that all roads were being watched for
them, but that those who still remained in the forest were to keep
a close lookout, lest by some chance they should return by the way
they had come.

The band had been scouring the woods all that day in different
detachments, and they had brought in Paul just before dark. The
prince had escaped their vigilance, and Paul had maintained silence
under their cruel questioning. Eva knew no more of him than the
farmer, but all were full of hope that he had escaped. Well indeed
for both--if Paul knew his hiding place--that he was out of the
power of the robbers. They would scarce in any case have let him
escape with his life, after the ill will many of them bore him; but
had he continued to set them at defiance by his silence, there is
no knowing to what lengths their baffled rage might not have gone.
Eva had heard of things in bygone days which she could not recall
without a shudder, and the farmer and Jack, with clenched hands and
stern faces, vowed that they would leave no stone unturned until
the country was rid of these lawless and terrible marauders.

"We have stood enough; this is the last!" cried the burly owner of
Figeon's. "We will raise the whole countryside; we will send a
deputation to the bold Earl of Warwick; we will tell him Paul's
history, and beg him to come himself, or to send a band of five
hundred of his good soldiers, and destroy these bandits root and
branch. If these outrages are committed in the name of the House of
York, then I and mine will henceforth wear the badge of Lancaster.
What we simple country folks want is a king who can keep order in
this distracted land; and if that brave boy who dwelt beneath our
roof, and was kindly and gracious to all, is our future king, well,
God bless and keep him, say I, and let the sceptre long be held in
his kindly hands!"

In the village of Much Waltham next day the wildest excitement
prevailed. Jack was down at his sister's house with the dawn to
tell how Paul had been rescued from the hands of the robbers the
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