ned to the boy his blood would be on the Archbishop's
head. Yet the Archbishop took him.

So Richard kissed his mother and sisters and ran out, and the first
person he met was his wicked uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. And
Gloucester caught him up in his arms and kissed him, and pretended to
be very fond of him, and took him at once to Edward. The brothers had
not seen one another for some time, and Richard cried out with surprise
when he found how tall Edward had grown--much taller than himself, and
in the joy of meeting at first they were very happy together.

The little boys were kept prisoners in the Tower, and suddenly they
heard that all the preparations which had been made for Edward's
coronation were going to do for the Duke of Gloucester's, and that he
was going to make himself king even while his nephews were alive! Cannot
you imagine how angry a high-spirited boy like Edward must have felt?
But he could do nothing; he was in prison, and no one helped him. Then
came the dreadful news that his two dear friends, his uncle Rivers and
Lord Grey, had been beheaded in Yorkshire. And, worse than all, some
page came talking, and said before Edward that he believed his uncle was
going to have him to walk in his train at the coronation--walk behind
his uncle like a page!

Perhaps Edward cried out, and said furious things at this; for if ever
the Duke of Gloucester had meant to do it he gave up the idea. Perhaps,
also, his idea had been at first just to keep his nephews prisoners
without harming them; but now he saw that every year they grew older
they would be more dangerous to his plans, and so he resolved on a
terrible deed.

He sent for Robert Brackenbury, the keeper of the Tower, and told him
plainly that if he would murder the little princes he should be well
paid. Brackenbury was a brave man, and he refused boldly, saying he
could not do such a wicked thing for all the money in the world. Then
Richard said angrily: 'Will no man do what I want?' And a page who was
sleeping on a couch near the door to guard it heard, and answered that
he knew a man who would do anything the Duke wanted. Richard told him to
fetch this man, who was Sir James Tyrrell, and between them they made up
their dreadful plot. Tyrrell was to ask Brackenbury to give him the keys
of the Tower for one night, and in that night he would see the deed was
done. Now Brackenbury could not refuse. He might guess what was going to
happen; but if he ref