he edge of the
reversed flap-mouth of this pit. Fitzooth's hand rested at last upon the
top rung of a ladder, and slowly the truth came to him. Quickly he drew
himself up and whispered the discovery to the other.

In an instant, then, their fears were dispelled. Will would have gone
down first into the pit had not Robin stayed him. Stuteley was anxious
that his young master should come to no harm; and where a danger
appeared an earthly one, he was quite willing to bear the brunt of it.
It was thought of the Yellow Woman which dried up all the courage in his
small, wiry body.

Robin carefully descended the ladder and found himself soon upon firm
rocky ground. Stuteley was by his side in a flash: and then they both
began feeling about them to ascertain the shape and character of this
vault. Hardly had they commenced when Robin's quick ears took warning.
Sound of a quiet approach was plain.

The darkness of the pit was suddenly illumined, and the lads found
themselves suddenly faced by the beams of a lanthorn suspended at about
a man's height in the air. From the blackness behind the light they
heard a voice--Warrenton's!

"Save me, masters, but you startled me rarely!" cried he, waving the
lanthorn before him to make sure that these were no ghosts in front of
him. "I have but this minute left Master Montfichet, having carried his
horse to him in safety. He rides into Nottingham to-morrow, unattended.
I would that I might be squire to him!"

"Did you indeed bring horse and arms down this ladder, Warrenton?"
enquired Robin, with his suspicions still upon him. "Truly such a horse
should be worth much in Nottingham Fair! I would dearly have loved to
see so brave a business----"

"Nay, nay, lording," answered Warrenton, with a half-laugh. "See"--and
again he waved his light, showing them where the underground passage,
for such it was, sloped upward to another and larger trap, now closed.
"This way is one of the many secret ones about Gamewell, master: but do
you keep the knowledge of it to yourselves, I beg, unless you would wish
hurt to our future lord of Gamewell."

Warrenton spoke thus with significance, to show Robin that he was not to
think Geoffrey's claims to the estate would be passed by. Robin Fitzooth
saw that his doubts of Warrenton had been unfair: and he became ashamed
of himself for harboring them.

"Give me your hand, Warrenton, and help me to climb these steps," said
he, openly. "'Tis dark, for all yo