gelus
that I left the chamber, and when I came back there was the coffer,
broken and empty, upon my table."

"Do you suspect no one?"

"There was a varlet who hath come with the last few days into my employ.
He is not to be found, and I have sent horsemen along both the Udimore
road and that to Rye, that they may seize him. By the help of Saint
Leonard they can scarce miss him, for one can tell him a bow-shot off by
his hair."

"Is it red?" asked Chandos eagerly. "Is it fox-red, and the man a small
man pocked with sun-spots, and very quick in his movements?"

"It is the man himself."

Chandos shook his clenched hand with annoyance, and then set off swiftly
down the street.

"It is Peter the Red Ferret once more!" said he. "I knew him of old in
France, where he has done us more harm than a company of men-at-arms. He
speaks English as he speaks French, and he is of such daring and
cunning that nothing is secret from him. In all France there is no more
dangerous man, for though he is a gentleman of blood and coat-armor he
takes the part of a spy, because it hath the more danger and therefore
the more honor."

"But, my fair lord," cried the Mayor, as he hurried along, keeping pace
with the long strides of the soldier, "I knew that you warned me to take
all care of the papers; but surely there was no matter of great import
in it? It was but to say what stores were to be sent after you to
Calais?"

"Is that not everything?" cried Chandos impatiently. "Can you not see,
oh foolish Master Wintersole, that the French suspect we are about to
make some attempt and that they have sent Peter the Red Ferret, as they
have sent him many times before, to get tidings of whither we are bound?
Now that he knows that the stores are for Calais, then the French near
Calais will take his warning, and so the King's whole plan come to
nothing."

"Then he will fly by water. We can stop him yet. He has not an hour's
start."

"It may be that a boat awaits him at Rye or Hythe; but it is more like
that he has all ready to depart from here. Ah, see yonder! I'll warrant
that the Red Ferret is on board!"

Chandos had halted in front of his inn, and now he pointed down to the
outer harbor, which lay two miles off across the green plain. It was
connected by a long winding canal with the inner dock at the base of the
hill, upon which the town was built. Between the two horns formed by the
short curving piers a small schooner was running out