departed discontented, like a man robbed.

All this I heard, and more than ever chafed at the slackness of our
laggard steeds. How I wished that, looking round, I might but see Ludar
spurring at my side!

Alas! I saw him not. But one day, as we neared Chester, I did see a
face in a troop that had joined ours on the road, that made me rub my
eyes, and wonder if ghosts truly walked on earth.

If it was not Peter Stoupe, my old fellow 'prentice, it was as like him
as one pea is to another. Nay, once, when, to satisfy myself, I made a
pretext to ride near him, I could have sworn I heard the humming of a
psalm-tune amid the clatter of the hoofs.

Our troops parted company a day after, and I was left marvelling if all
this world and the next were marching towards Ireland.

Early next day I had no leisure left me to cogitate more on that; for
Tom Price reined his horse in beside mine, and said:

"Humphrey, here is a message come from the Captain in hot haste, to
prevent our going north, and ordering us to Dublin."

I let my reins fall with a groan on my steed's neck. Tom heeded it not,
but continued:

"The Spaniard, it is said, has been gathering in the northern seas, and
is coming down on the western Irish coast, where he counts on the
papists of the country to further him. We are ordered to stay in Dublin
for orders from my Lord Deputy. Why, how black you look, comrade!"

"Who would not? You know, Tom Price, why I came on this venture. I
were better in London, unless our journey lead us to Castleroe."

Tom laughed, and I could have knocked him from his horse, had he not
quickly added:

"Gently, my fire-eating jack printer. I came not to tell thee only
this. The Captain addeth these words: 'Send me six trusty men here, for
my affairs require such before I am free to join you. Send them forward
with all speed. Do you cross leisurely to Dublin, and there await me.
I am in hopes it may not be needful for me to return again thither.
Send trusty men, and speedily.' What say you, Humphrey? Art thou a
trusty lad? Could I trust thee to pick out five honest fellows like
thyself and show them the way to a certain pair of black eyes and rosy
lips on the banks of the Bann?"

I loved Tom Price like a brother then, and told him as much. In an
hour's time I had chosen five stout fellows, all of whom I could trust
with my last farthing, and whom I could count on for any service. I had
them armed to the teeth,