rt touching our matter."

"You, Mr Catesby! Truly, I never thought to see you struck into your
dumps. But what now, I beseech you?"

Gentlemen did not, at that time, speak to each other without the
respectful prefix of "Mister," though they might now and then speak of
an acquaintance without it. When intimacy was so great as to warrant
laying it aside, the Christian name took its place.

"Well, look you here," said Catesby. "We are all men of birth, but not
one of us is a man of money. You, 'tis true, have my Lord
Northumberland behind you, but how long time may he tarry? Were he to
die, or to take pepper in the nose, where then are we? All is naught
with us at once, being all but mean men of estate."

"My cousin of Northumberland is not like to play that prank, or I err,"
answered Percy, who well knew that Lord Northumberland was not in all
cases cognisant of the use made of his name by this very worthy cousin:
"as to death, of course that may hap,--we are all prone to be tumbled
out of the world at short notice. But what then is your project? for
without you have some motion in your mind, good Mr Catesby, I read you
not aright."

"To be sure I have," said Catesby with a smile. "But first--if I
remember rightly, your friend young Louvaine is not he that can aid us
in this juncture?"

"Hasn't a penny to bless himself with," replied Percy, "save his wage
from my Lord Oxford, and that were but a drop in the sea for us. His
old grandmother can do but little for him--so much have I picked out of
his prattle. But, surely, Mr Catesby, you would not think to take into
our number a green lad such as he, and a simpleton, and a Protestant to
boot?"

"Take into our number!" cried Catesby. "Good Mr Percy, you miss the
cushion [make a mistake]. A good tale, well tinkered, should serve that
companion, and draw silver from his pockets any day. What we lack is
two or three men of good estate, and of fit conditions and discreet
years, that may safely be sworn--and I think I know where to find them."

"I'll lay my crown to pawn you do!" exclaimed Percy admiringly. "Pray
you, who be they?"

"Sir Everard Digby, of Tilton, in Rutland; and my cousin, Frank Tresham
of Rushton."

"Good men and true? Both are strange to me."

"Ay; Digby is a staunch Catholic, but may lack some persuasion to join
us. Tresham--well, I count he may be trusted. His money-bags be heavy,
though his character is but light. I will make