much with his elbow, and made divers
remarkable faces--the secretary gave them both to understand that he
desired to be alone. Therefore they took their leaves without delay, and
came out of the house together.

'Are you walking, brother?' said Dennis.

'Ay!' returned Hugh. 'Where you will.'

'That's social,' said his new friend. 'Which way shall we take? Shall we
go and have a look at doors that we shall make a pretty good clattering
at, before long--eh, brother?'

Hugh answering in the affirmative, they went slowly down to Westminster,
where both houses of Parliament were then sitting. Mingling in the crowd
of carriages, horses, servants, chairmen, link-boys, porters, and idlers
of all kinds, they lounged about; while Hugh's new friend pointed out to
him significantly the weak parts of the building, how easy it was to get
into the lobby, and so to the very door of the House of Commons; and how
plainly, when they marched down there in grand array, their roars and
shouts would be heard by the members inside; with a great deal more to
the same purpose, all of which Hugh received with manifest delight.

He told him, too, who some of the Lords and Commons were, by name,
as they came in and out; whether they were friendly to the Papists or
otherwise; and bade him take notice of their liveries and equipages,
that he might be sure of them, in case of need. Sometimes he drew
him close to the windows of a passing carriage, that he might see its
master's face by the light of the lamps; and, both in respect of people
and localities, he showed so much acquaintance with everything around,
that it was plain he had often studied there before; as indeed, when
they grew a little more confidential, he confessed he had.

Perhaps the most striking part of all this was, the number of
people--never in groups of more than two or three together--who seemed
to be skulking about the crowd for the same purpose. To the greater part
of these, a slight nod or a look from Hugh's companion was sufficient
greeting; but, now and then, some man would come and stand beside him
in the throng, and, without turning his head or appearing to communicate
with him, would say a word or two in a low voice, which he would answer
in the same cautious manner. Then they would part, like strangers. Some
of these men often reappeared again unexpectedly in the crowd close to
Hugh, and, as they passed by, pressed his hand, or looked him sternly in
the face; but th