efore. Art
sure thou hast enough of the linen and the strapping to serve the
purpose? And dost think thou canst apply it rightly? It will be thy
hands, not mine, that must do all that. I shall be far away when
the moment comes. Art sure that thou canst do all as it should be
done? Thou and Bertram will have all the last arrangements to carry
through. How my heart will be in my mouth until I see thee and my
double approaching in the gray light of the morning!"

"I trow we shall not disappoint thee!" cried the boy excitedly;
adding after a moment's pause, "Methinks in the matter of artifice
both Bertram and I can beat thee, albeit thou art the best of us in
other matters. What a boon that that fat, slothful, ignorant monk
no longer shares this room! That might have been a rare trouble.
But since he loves well the soft bed of the guest chamber in lieu
of these hard pallets, he is not like to trouble us again. They put
their trust in the spies around the house. Let their spies do their
worst, I trow we shall outwit them yet."

And the boys took hands again and renewed their impromptu triumph
dance. Their hearts were brimming over with satisfaction and hope.
They had had a tough problem to think out during the past days, but
now it seemed in a fair way of solution.

When the prior had left Chad after the banquet prepared for him, he
professed himself perfectly satisfied that the missing Brother
Emmanuel was not concealed upon the premises yet for all that,
since the Lord of Mortimer had declared himself still dissatisfied,
and because the escape of the monk was difficult to credit, nothing
having been seen or heard of him abroad, he judged it wise still to
keep his watch upon the place, that all might be satisfied that no
precaution had been left untaken.

Sir Oliver had briefly, and with a slight accent of scorn, agreed
with all the prior said, and had professed himself perfectly
agreeable to the arrangement. He had nothing to hide either in his
own comings and goings or in those of any member of his household.
So long as his movements were not interfered with or his liberties
infringed, the whole forest might be alive with spies for all that
he cared. He had not known of the first watch set upon his house,
and he was indifferent to the second. He should be soon leaving
home to seek the king, and all he demanded was that the sanctity of
his house should be duly regarded in his absence. Of course the
prior fully agreed