kneeling audience with a well-chosen word
of praise, promise, or encouragement for each one. Then he bade the
farmer set meat and ale before the two foresters, and took his two
clerical spies to the window-seat, where he conversed with them in low
tones.

"Thy two recruits, son Basil, are not overburdened with brains."

"The better shall they serve our purpose, my father. We want blind
tools rather than thinking men. I have them in the hollow of my hand.
Thews and sinews are theirs, and an intimate knowledge of the woods.
If they will but carry out my bidding without question, I shall be well
content."

"Thou art right.--And now, son John, how hast thou sped upon thine
errands?"

"Well, father, the bracken will be fit to cut in a month. I have
ordered loads to be prepared for me in all parts of the forest. The
soil of the woodlands is everywhere green with the curling fronds; and
where I do not cut, the foresters and miners will be preparing heaps to
carry away for litter and bedding. By the end of July the forest
beneath the oaks will be covered with a carpet of stuff as combustible
as tinder. Let us but fire it at Newnham, Littledean, Blakeney,
Coleford, and at Speech by the courthouse, and we shall lay tens of
thousands of oaks in blackened ruin. Philip of Spain has but to
scatter the present small navy of England, for no more ships can be
built, and there will be nothing to oppose his landing."

"Thou hast done well. Our plans are fully ripe, but apparently the
time is not quite come. We will separate for a month and remain in
strict hiding. The admiral's suspicions are aroused. If we suddenly
disappear at the moment when he becomes active in searching for us, his
fears will be allayed. But at the appointed moment we must come forth
without a sign of warning, do our work, and begone again. Our tools
must be frightened into secrecy. I will do that. Let us now join them
at breakfast."

It was not the fault of Father Jerome that the breakfast party was not
a happy affair. Perfectly at ease himself, and satisfied with his
morning's work, he was in the mood for decorous jollity; but although
his two immediate satellites responded to his lead, and indulged in a
few feeble jests, the farmer and foresters hardly vouchsafed a word or
a smile. In part, maybe, this was due to the poverty of the wit of
their sable companions, but the three were obviously ill at ease.
Greed and a sort of religious fana