tmeats," pasties, and hard-boiled eggs, sufficient
for twenty days, in order to avoid exciting the suspicions of their
neighbours by constantly bringing fresh provisions to a house supposed
to be occupied by one person alone. The labour was very severe,
especially to Catesby and Percy, on account of their unusual height.
The oozing in of the water was a perpetual annoyance. But one day,
something terrible occurred.

As the amateur miners plied their picks with diligence, the toll of a
bell was suddenly heard. John Wright, who was furthest in the mine,
stopped with uplifted tool.

"Blessed saints! what can that be?"

Work was unanimously suspended.

"It comes from the very midst of the wall!" said Catesby, growing a
shade paler.

"_Refugium peccatorum, ora pro nobis_!" piously entreated Percy,
crossing himself.

"Call Mr Fawkes," suggested Christopher.

Mr Fawkes was summoned, by his official name of Johnson; and coming
down into the cellar, declared that he also distinctly heard the uncanny
sound.

"'Tis the Devil that seeketh to make stay of our work," pronounced
Percy--a most improbable suggestion, for Satan surely had no cause to
interfere with his servants when engaged in his own business.

"Have we here any holy water?" asked Catesby.

"Ay, there is in the bedchamber," said Fawkes.

"Pray you, fetch it quickly."

The holy water was at once brought, and the wall was sprinkled with it.
At that moment the tolling ceased.

"Blessed be our Lady! the holy water hath stayed it," said Percy.

After a few minutes' pause, the work was recommenced: but it had gone on
for barely an hour when again the unearthly bell began its work. Once
more the benitier was brought, and the wall sprinkled; whereupon the
diabolical noise stopped at once. For several days these processes were
repeated, the bell invariably being silenced by the sprinkling of the
blessed element. At least, so said the conspirators.

About the second of February, there was another scare. A strange
rushing noise was heard on the other side of the wall, from what cause
was unknown; and Catesby, as usual the chief director, whispered to
Fawkes to go out and ascertain what it was.

Fawkes accordingly went upstairs, and out into the street. A waggon
stood before the door of the House of Lords, and men were busy carrying
sacks and tubs from the cellar to the waggon. Charcoal only was then
sold by the sack; sea-coal being disposed of in tubs