had passed he heard footsteps approaching the door. There was a
pause; then the outside bars were taken down, and a key turned in the
lock. A deep silence fell on the slaves. Then a voice called, "Number
36!"

"What is it?" replied Gervaise, without raising himself from his seat on
the bedding. "I have done my share of work today, and earned my night's
sleep."

"It is a knight from the English auberge; he has come to fetch you. It
seems that you are to go there as a servitor."

"What a cursed fortune," Gervaise muttered, in Turkish, "just when a
road to freedom is open! I have a good mind to say I am ill, and cannot
go till the morning."

"No, no!" one of the others exclaimed. "They would only drag you out,
and when they saw that there was naught the matter with you, would
suspect that there must be some reason why you did not want to go,
when, as every one knows, the position of the servitors is in every way
preferable to ours."

"Now then, why are you delaying?" a voice said sharply, and a warder
entered with a lighted torch. "Get up, you lazy hound! It will be worse
for you if I have to speak again."

"I am coming," Gervaise grumbled. "I was just asleep."

He rose, as if reluctantly, and went forward. The warder gave him an
angry push, followed him out, and locked and barred the door after him.

"I suppose this is the right man?" Sir John Boswell said.

"This is Number 36, Sir Knight, the same who was taken over to your
auberge the other day," and he held the light close to Gervaise's face.

"Yes, that is the man. Follow me," he added, in Turkish. The gate of
the courtyard was unbarred, and they passed out unquestioned. Sir John
strolled on ahead. Gervaise followed him a pace or two behind. Not until
they had passed through the gate of the castle did Sir John turn.

"I have not spoken to you," he said, "as we may have been watched. Keep
your news until we reach the auberge."

Upon entering it they went up at once to Sir John Kendall's apartments.

"Well, Sir Gervaise, the strip of cotton was brought to us safely. What
is your news?"

"It is very serious, Sir John, and I have been in terrible anxiety since
I dropped it out, lest it should not come to hand in time. As it is,
you have till midnight to make your preparations." He then repeated the
statement made by the galley slave.

"By my faith," Sir John Kendall exclaimed, "this is a pretty plot
indeed! And had it succeeded, as it certainly would hav