nt interests, and
conducted many various affairs. He had founded that fellowship of the
Black Arrow, as a ruined man longing for vengeance and money; and yet
among those who knew him best, he was thought to be the agent and
emissary of the great King-maker of England, Richard, Earl of Warwick.

In his absence, at any rate, it fell upon Richard Shelton to command
affairs in Shoreby; and, as he sat at meat, his mind was full of care,
and his face heavy with consideration. It had been determined, between
him and the Lord Foxham, to make one bold stroke that evening, and, by
brute force, to set Joanna free. The obstacles, however, were many; and
as one after another of his scouts arrived, each brought him more
discomfortable news.

Sir Daniel was alarmed by the skirmish of the night before. He had
increased the garrison of the house in the garden; but not content with
that, he had stationed horsemen in all the neighbouring lanes, so that he
might have instant word of any movement. Meanwhile, in the court of his
mansion, steeds stood saddled, and the riders, armed at every point,
awaited but the signal to ride.

The adventure of the night appeared more and more difficult of execution,
till suddenly Dick's countenance lightened.

"Lawless!" he cried, "you that were a shipman, can ye steal me a ship?"

"Master Dick," replied Lawless, "if ye would back me, I would agree to
steal York Minster."

Presently after, these two set forth and descended to the harbour. It
was a considerable basin, lying among sand hills, and surrounded with
patches of down, ancient ruinous lumber, and tumble-down slums of the
town. Many decked ships and many open boats either lay there at anchor,
or had been drawn up on the beach. A long duration of bad weather had
driven them from the high seas into the shelter of the port; and the
great trooping of black clouds, and the cold squalls that followed one
another, now with a sprinkling of dry snow, now in a mere swoop of wind,
promised no improvement but rather threatened a more serious storm in the
immediate future.

The seamen, in view of the cold and the wind, had for the most part slunk
ashore, and were now roaring and singing in the shoreside taverns. Many
of the ships already rode unguarded at their anchors; and as the day wore
on, and the weather offered no appearance of improvement, the number was
continually being augmented. It was to these deserted ships, and, above
all, to thos