cotch Settlement, has worked deep upon the minds of those who advanced
their money upon that speculation; in the total, a larger sum than ever
yet was raised in Scotland. Our emissaries have fanned the flame up to
the highest pitch."

"To my thoughts, good father, there needed not further discontent. Have
we not our king dethroned, and our holy religion persecuted?"

"True, my son--true; but still we must lose no means by which we may
increase the number of our adherents. Some are swayed by one feeling,
and some by another. We have contrived to throw no small odium upon the
usurper and betrayer of his wife's father, by exposing and magnifying,
indeed, the sums of money which he has lavished upon his courtesan,
Mistress Villiers, now, by his heretic and unsanctified breath, raised
into the peerage by the title of Countess of Orkney. All these items
added together form a vast sum of discontent; and could we his Catholic
majesty to rouse himself to assert once more his rights by force of
arms, I should not fear for the result."

"Had I not been betrayed," observed Sir George, musing, "before this the
king would have had his own again."

"And thrice blessed would have been the arm that had laid the usurper
low," rejoined the Jesuit; "but more of this hereafter. Your lady hath
had much converse with me. She thinks that the character of the man who
commands that cutter is such as to warrant his services for gold--and
wishes to essay him."

"The woman Corbett is of that opinion, and she is subtle. At all
events, it can be tried; for he would be of much utility, and there
would be no suspicion. The whole had better be left to her arrangement.
We may employ, and pay, yet not trust him."

"That is exactly what Lady Alice had proposed," replied the Jesuit.
Here Lilly came out to tell her father that the morning meal was ready,
and they all returned to the cave.

That evening the boat was launched, and the Jesuit went over with Sir
George, and landed at Cherbourg, from whence they both proceeded with
all expedition to the court of King James.

We have entered into this short detail, that the reader may just know
the why and the wherefore these parties in the cave were introduced, and
now we shall continue our most faithful and veracious history.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

IN WHICH SMALLBONES IS SENT TO LOOK AFTER A POT OF BLACK PAINT.

We must now return to the cutter, which still remains at anchor off the
Point