e day in a round of amusement,
making themselves mightily popular with their companions. They
remained until hard upon ten o'clock in one house, and from thence
returned straight to their inn, which was already shut up and dark,
although the door had been left open for their return.

Up to their room they went, and there Lord Claud's manner suddenly
changed. He seemed to throw off his careless gaiety as if it had
been a garment, and at once the lines of his face began to change
and harden. His eyes gleamed with a steady fire, and his voice lost
all its soft indolence of tone.

He went to a cupboard, which he unlocked, and there Tom saw two
bundles which appeared to contain clothes, and two saddles and
bridles, which he knew had come from Lord Claud's stables.

He looked from them to Lord Claud in questioning wonder.

"How got they there?"

"We brought them with us--secreted in the carriage. Now, Tom, we
must no longer delay. We have stern and quick work to do this
night; and then back to London with the reward that is ours by
right, though they force us to take it by violence. The people here
will swear that we slept this night within doors. You saw the
landlord look out of his window as we entered to make sure who we
were. He will be in bed now, sleeping the sleep of the just. You
may be sure he will wake no more till five of the clock; and long
ere that we shall be back--our work accomplished.

"Off with those fine trappings, and put on these clothes. Then to
saddle the nags, and so steal forth. I know all the tricks of the
locks; we shall have nought to stay us."

Whilst he was speaking Lord Claud was unrolling one of the bundles,
and quickly transforming himself into such a creature as Tom had
never seen before, though he had heard such described many times.
His fine clothes were exchanged for a strong shabby riding suit of
common cut and texture, that presented no distinct features, and
would be most difficult either to describe or identify. He had a
great pair of horse pistols stuck in his belt, and also wore a
dangerous-looking weapon--something between a sword and a cutlass.
His golden hair was tucked away beneath the collar of his coat, and
his head was covered by a frowzy dark wig, that looked like
untrimmed natural hair. He quickly blackened his face with soot
from the chimney, and put on a black crape mask.

A more villainous-looking creature, and one more utterly unlike
Lord Claud, the exquisite,