Sea-Dogs All!

by Tom Bevan

  Chapter VII.

  IN THE TOILS.

  That afternoon the house of Captain Dawe was filled with visitors moreor less illustrious. The dignitaries of the forest and the river wereassembled in solemn conclave. The scare caused by the first rumours ofthe Spanish plot was revived in tenfold magnitude. Morgan's woundedarm was a mute witness to the daring and activity of the foe. Theknight and the forester could describe every lineament of the would-beassassin. The yellow, parchment face, the spare, sinewy body clad inblack doublet and hosen, had been seen for a moment by many a forester.And the woodland men, brimful of superstition, had already invested himwith supernatural powers.

  A belated swineherd had gone in terror to his master with a story thathe had come upon the "men in black" dancing beneath an oak, envelopedin blue flames, and that the smell of the "brimstone" had laid him onthe ground in a stupor from sunset to moonrise, more than an hourafter! The following day, in the early forenoon, he had led atrembling party to the spot, and, sure enough, there was a blackenedcircle in the bracken and the charred bark and singed leaves of thetree to testify to the truth of his tale. Neither swineherd norshepherd nor forester had dared to pass the tree from that hour. Thewoodsman's story was not all exaggeration. He had actually stumbledupon the two villains, Basil and John, trying the kindling propertiesof the bracken, and he had promptly fallen in a swoon from sheerterror. By the common folk his account was believed _ad literam_, andnot all the better sort saw the true inwardness of the occurrence. Sothe assembly had serious matter for thought and discussion.

  The leaders saw the gravity of the situation, and their apprehensionsgrew when they found that those who best knew the forest were becomingrapidly infected with superstitious fears. As a race the Dean men werebrave and tenacious--centuries of border warfare had made them so--buttheir very life amidst the gloom of the trees and the roaring of thestreams, their brains teeming with mythic tales of the dark, deep poolsand echoing caves, made them ready believers in the "uncanny." Theforest could only be guarded by those who knew its devious ways; thenumber of such warders was limited. Now it would be impossible to getany man to keep a lonely watch; sentinels must be posted in groups formutual comfort and assistance, seeing that the tangible danger ofBasil's dagger was to be feared as much as the intangible perils thatsprang from the imagination. To group the watchers was to narrow theguarded area, and it was plain to the council that, at nightespecially, little of the rolling tract of hill and valley could bepatrolled; the foe would have fairly free range.

  One precaution could be taken, and that was promptly done. Orders wereissued that no bracken was to be cut except with the direct sanction ofthe admiral. When cut it was to be carried green, and dried away fromthe trees. Large rewards were also offered to any man who could bringany "man in black," alive or dead, to the admiral. Visions of highpreferment were opened out to those of gentle blood. Suspected personsin the forest area were to be closely watched, and most housesprofessing the Romish faith were under suspicion.

  Johnnie Morgan spent but little time in the society of the volatileDorothy. His heart was full of love, but his head was overloaded withaffairs of state, and the pain in his arm filled the air with"phantoms" in black that blotted out the sweeter picture of a teasing"fairy" in white. The admiral, never so happy as when on the water,went back to Gatcombe on the tide. Sir Walter tramped through thewoods with Morgan, and, now that the council was over, he came back tothe lighter topics of poetry and love-making.

  "Well, Master Morgan," he cried merrily, "and how didst thou fare inthe pretty arbour in the garden?"

  Johnnie's face dropped to a gloomy length. "But indifferently, sirknight. The maid will not be wooed. She is as fickle as April."

  "Then catch her just when she melts into tears; 'tis the morepropitious time. Surely there was one little shower over thy woundedarm. What advantage didst thou reap from it?"

  "Why, none," mourned Johnnie. "'Twas like this. I had wit enough tosee that my unfortunate condition gave me a chance, and, I give thee myword, I manoeuvred to make the best on't. The wench seemed meltingwith pity, and her eyes were moist with kindness, so I made the plunge.But, gramercy! I found myself in a very thorn bush, and hardly escapedwithout a scratching. She'll ha' none of me!"

  Johnnie's brown face was a study. Raleigh glanced at it, and laughedheartily.

  "Keep heart, friend," he said. "Thou wilt find that 'tis as hard amatter to embrace a wayward fairy as to lay a sooty goblin by theheels. But thou'lt do both; a knowing imp hath just whispered the newsin mine ears."

  The forester's face beamed. "Now Heaven bless thee for a cheerfulcompanion!" he cried. "By St. George! I'll _do_ both."

  And so the twain wandered on.

  At Dean Tower, Andrew Windybank passed an uncomfortable afternoon. Hismeeting with the dangerous Basil had affected him more than hisrejection by Dorothy. As the day advanced his agitation increased. Heknew of the meeting at Captain Dawe's. No invitation had been extendedto him, and he was aware from this that his loyalty was suspected.Tidings of the attack upon Raleigh went the round of the household.Later, towards evening, a fisherman came up from Newnham with salmon,and he was full of gossip concerning the deliberations of the admiral'scouncil. The fellow dropped some broad hints that stung the ears ofthe Windybank domestics. At supper Master Andrew felt that hisattendants were uneasy and suspicious, and this increased hisagitation. Night and its solitude brought him no relief. Thehousehold betook itself to rest. The master alone remained up andawake.

  The night was gloriously clear, and the moonlit forest was likefairyland. The windows of the chamber in which Windybank awaited thestroke of midnight faced towards the river, and the sheen of its broadwaters was plainly visible. He sat without a light, and the silverybeams from without cast fantastic shadows on the oaken floor and thedark panelling of the low walls. The carved furniture stood distortedand grotesque. The woodwork creaked as it cooled from the heat of theday, and a mouse that scuttled sharply across the floor brought thewatcher to his feet with an exclamation of alarm. His nerves werestrung to respond to every sight and sound. Again and again heresolved that he would not sit up or have further dealings with theplotters. Loyalty and manliness and the fear of evil report pulled himone way; greed, ambition, desire for revenge, terror of Father Jeromeand the thunders of the Church pulled him another. His mind was sotorn with dissension and struggle that at last he gave up all endeavourto fix a path for himself. He sat blank and apathetic, conscious onlythat he was carrying out the order so menacingly given to him by Basil.

  Midnight came, and he roused himself and stood up. He listened forsigns of wakefulness in his household, but, within and without, thehour was soundless. He stole across the room to the window, thenhesitated. Pressing his burning temples with his hands, he tried tocome to some decision as to his conduct. Should he quietly summon afew of his men, bring in the plotters and arrest them? If he did this,surely it would atone for the dealings he had had with them? Honourwhispered, "Get thee to thy slumbers, and go to-morrow to the admiraland make thy confession." He turned away from the lattice. A slightrattle attracted his attention. The blood rushed from his face,leaving him as cold as death. The dark form of Basil, silhouetted bythe moonlight, was confronting him. One glare of angry reproach fromthe sinister eyes was enough. He opened the casement; Basil steppedin, and Father Jerome followed.

  The two stood and eyed him severely. The priest laid his hand on hisshoulder, and the ghost of a smile flickered across his palecountenance. Many a poor wretch had found that smile a herald oftragedy. Such it now appeared to the hapless owner of Dean Tower.

  "'Tis past midnight, my son," said Jerome.

  Windybank made no reply. The grip on his shoulder tightened with astartling suddenness. "'Tis past midnight, my son."

  "Yes?--is it? I was coming, good father," faltered the victim.

  "When thou art doing the work of a king--of the Holy Father-
-of God,"whispered the priest, "thou shouldst put wings upon thy feet. Takeheed, my son! We love thee" (the smile deepened); "we look to thee todo great things and earn great rewards. Let not our dearest hopes bedisappointed."

  Windybank glanced at Basil. There was death in the fanatic's eyes."Forgive me," he murmured, and sank upon his knees.

  Jerome raised him, and imprinted a cold kiss upon his forehead. "Sit,"he said.

  "The admiral hath held a council at Newnham to-day, and thou hast lostheart because a few dull wits have been pondering together," pursuedthe priest. "Dost thou know their plans?"

  "Partly, father."

  "A child might laugh at them! Our brave Basil here will reduce theirwatchmen to a jelly of terror before this moon wanes. When flies catchspiders, then these fools will catch us. Now hearken. If thou dostshow the white feather again, thou diest; Basil hath sworn it. That isall that I have to say to thee by way of threat or reproof. Now this,by way of encouragement. We _cannot_ fail. 'Tis the Church againstheretics, the Holy Father against apostates, the mightiest king inChristendom against a vain and foolish woman. My plans are perfected.A vessel manned by stout hearts will be here, in the river, a monthfrom to-day. Men who laugh at danger and have never known defeat willbe aboard of her. They will land at my signal, and must find allthings ready for the last blow. These miles of woodland will beablaze; no guard, such as the admiral can set, will prevent us. I wantthine aid. 'Tis an honour for thee to be linked with our holy cause;beware how thou dost carry the dignity. This house of thine must behiding-place and headquarters for me. I shall come and go when Iplease, and, be assured, I shall time my movements so that none shallknow of them. A safe asylum in the forest is necessary. I have chosenthis. I command; thou dost obey. Have I made it plain to thee?"

  Windybank's dry lips murmured "Yes."

  "Thou hast an enemy?"

  "I have."

  "Basil hath set his mark upon him."

  "I know it."

  "If thou art faithful, thy rival dies. Now lead us to the chamber ofwhich thou hast told us. Basil and I are weary, and would sleep.Come, thou shall wait upon us and make us secure."

  The men in black slept at the Tower that night.