dvancing this time from the direction of Helleston. Three of them
(he added) carried guns.

Roger made his dispositions precisely as before, save that he now loaded
each of his guns with ball, and again met his visitors at the gate.

"Don't fire, that's a dear man!" cried a voice through the bars; and Roger
wondered; for it belonged to a young yeoman from St. Keverne, and its tone
was friendly.

"Hey, Trevarthen? What brings you here?" he demanded.

"Goodwill to help ye, if you're not above taking it. You've been served
like a dog, Stephen; but we'll stand by you, though we go to Launceston
jail for it. Open the gate, like a good man."

"You'll swear 'tis no trick you're playing?"

"If we mean aught but neighbourliness, may our bones rot inside of us!"
Trevarthen took oath.

Roger opened the padlock and loosened the chain. "I take this very kind
of you, friends," he said slowly.

"Why, man, 'tis but the beginning!" the cheerful Trevarthen assured him.
"Once we've made the start, you'll find the whole country trooping in; it
but wants the signal. Lift your hand, and by nightfall you can have
fivescore men at your back: ay, and I'm thinking you'll need 'em; for
Sandercock went back no farther than Nansclowan, and there he'll be
getting the ear of Sir John, that arrived down from London but yesterday."

"Right's right," growled Roger, "and not even Sir John can alter it."

"Ay, and he won't try nor wish to, if we stand to you and put a firm face
on it. But in dealing with Sandercock he deals with the law, and must
point to something stronger than you can be, standing here alone.
Trust Sir John: he's your friend, and the stouter show we make the more we
help him to prove it."

"There's something in what you say," agreed Roger.

"Why, 'tis plain common sense. A fool like Sandercock wants a lesson he
can understand, and he'll understand naught but what stares him in his
ugly face."

All that day driblets of volunteers arrived at Steens' gate, and at
nightfall a party of twoscore from Porthleven, the widow's native village,
where it seemed that her conduct was peculiarly detested. Plainly the
whole country was roused and boiling over in righteous wrath. Roger, who
had brooded so long alone, could hardly credit what he saw and heard, but
it touched him to the heart. That day of rallying was perhaps the
sweetest in his life. Most of the men carried guns, and some had even
loaded themselves with provisi