or no. 'Don't fear to shake it; it's a friendly one and
a hearty one, though it has no fellow. Why, how well you look and how
bluff you are! And you--God bless you, sir. Take heart, take heart.
We'll find them. Be of good cheer; we have not been idle.'

There was something so honest and frank in Joe's speech, that Mr
Haredale put his hand in his involuntarily, though their meeting
was suspicious enough. But his glance at Edward Chester, and that
gentleman's keeping aloof, were not lost upon Joe, who said bluntly,
glancing at Edward while he spoke:

'Times are changed, Mr Haredale, and times have come when we ought to
know friends from enemies, and make no confusion of names. Let me tell
you that but for this gentleman, you would most likely have been dead by
this time, or badly wounded at the best.'

'What do you say?' cried Mr Haredale.

'I say,' said Joe, 'first, that it was a bold thing to be in the crowd
at all disguised as one of them; though I won't say much about that, on
second thoughts, for that's my case too. Secondly, that it was a brave
and glorious action--that's what I call it--to strike that fellow off
his horse before their eyes!'

'What fellow! Whose eyes!'

'What fellow, sir!' cried Joe: 'a fellow who has no goodwill to you, and
who has the daring and devilry in him of twenty fellows. I know him of
old. Once in the house, HE would have found you, here or anywhere. The
rest owe you no particular grudge, and, unless they see you, will only
think of drinking themselves dead. But we lose time. Are you ready?'

'Quite,' said Edward. 'Put out the torch, Joe, and go on. And be silent,
there's a good fellow.'

'Silent or not silent,' murmured Joe, as he dropped the flaring link
upon the ground, crushed it with his foot, and gave his hand to Mr
Haredale, 'it was a brave and glorious action;--no man can alter that.'

Both Mr Haredale and the worthy vintner were too amazed and too much
hurried to ask any further questions, so followed their conductors
in silence. It seemed, from a short whispering which presently ensued
between them and the vintner relative to the best way of escape, that
they had entered by the back-door, with the connivance of John Grueby,
who watched outside with the key in his pocket, and whom they had taken
into their confidence. A party of the crowd coming up that way, just as
they entered, John had double-locked the door again, and made off for
the soldiers, so that means of ret