d time; the string
twanged unevenly, and the arrow fell short. With a groan of despair
the sailor threw the bow aside, and called to the boy to fetch the
arrows. "'Tis no use," he cried; "I shall ne'er master the trick on't
again; left hand and eye will not go together as did right hand and eye
in the old days. Time was when I could outshoot thee three matches in
four; now should I miss the side of a house at a hundred paces. Thy
left arm serves thee better than thy right ever did. I know no better
marksman."

Nick pulled musingly at his sandy beard. "In truth," he admitted, "it
seemeth as though nature intended me for a left-handed man; 'tis
wonderful what skill I have acquired with it in a few months of
practice. Wilt thou not try again?"

"Not to-day. I'll to the witch-woman under the cliffs, and get her to
say some charms that have power over the left side of a man." Ned
strode moodily off, and Nick followed him. At the stile that led into
the highway they met Dan Pengelly coming in search of them. Yards away
his excited countenance heralded news. "They've turned up at last!"
he cried.

"Master Morgan and Rob?"

"No; the Papishers."

"How?"

"Get ye to the 'Blue Dolphin,' and Dame Gregory will tell ye all. I'll
be in hiding on the opposite side of the way, and a whistle will bring
me across. Give your legs full play. I'll not be seen with ye. Needs
must that we deal craftily when the devil's in person amongst the foe."

"Rest easy, Dan. Come on, Ned," cried Nick. And the two brothers
swung off for the harbour side of the town and the back parlour of the
"Blue Dolphin." Whilst they clatter along the cobbled highway, we will
explain their errand.

When Dan Pengelly babbled secrets into the ears of Brother Basil, he
unwittingly gave that worthy a new scheme of revenge. For some months
after the failure of the plot to burn the forest, the ex-monk had
remained in hiding amidst the mountains of South Wales. He stayed near
Newnham long enough to learn from the farmer at Arlingham the precise
fate of Father Jerome, his co-conspirator John, and Andrew Windybank.
Being assured of their deaths, and the absolute failure of the Spanish
plot, he disappeared. The foresters hoped, and at length believed,
that he was dead; they had learned that he was the fiercest and most
unscrupulous of the fanatics, and rumour had quickly clothed him with
all sorts of unholy attributes. That he was not dead, but