Several days passed by after this conversation, during which Long Sam
was constantly absent. Other circumstances had occurred which made Jack
more suspicious than ever. He had been waiting all day for his
companion, when, as Long Sam had not returned at ten o'clock at night,
it being past the usual time of retiring, Jack went to his bedroom, into
which, as the entrance was in rather a public position, he securely
bolted himself. After he had been asleep for some time he awoke with a
start, and was greatly surprised to hear voices close to him. At first,
he thought himself transported back to the old house at the Hagg, and
that the sounds he heard proceeded from the ghosts which were said to
haunt it. However, on sitting up, and more perfectly recovering his
senses, he perceived that the speakers were real personages in close
proximity to him. Although a gleam or two of light came through a
partition which separated him from the room where he supposed them to
be, he was unable to find any chink or opening through which he could
observe what the speakers were about. As he had not been placed there
intentionally for the purpose of hearing the conversation, he did not
feel that he was guilty of eavesdropping, or that it was his duty to
refrain from listening to what was spoken. There appeared to be a
number of persons collected together, two or three of whom took the lead
among the others.
"My friends, I have to thank you for meeting me here to-night," were the
first words Jack heard uttered. "We have an important object to carry
out, and it requires all the nerve and courage we possess to ensure its
success. We have a rightful cause, and that should strengthen our arms
for any deed which may be necessary. Remember we are not acting for
ourselves, but under the full authority and sanction of our lawful
sovereign, King James. It becomes necessary for his interests, and for
our own, and for that of all England, and moreover for that of the only
true and pure faith, which we profess--the faith of Rome--that the
Usurper should be removed. You perceive, then, that we lift the
responsibility off our own shoulders upon those who give us authority to
act. I should be myself ever far from advocating assassination, or any
other unlawful way of getting rid of a rival, but in this instance it
seems that no other mode presents itself. I hope, then, that you are
prepared to go through with the plan I have to propose, by whatever way
it is to be carried out, or whatever may be the consequences."
"Yes, yes, we are all prepared!" exclaimed several persons.
"Stay, friends!" cried another; "say not that all are prepared. We are
all ready to draw our swords in a lawful quarrel and in an open manner,
such as true soldiers may fight for, but there are other ways at which
Sir George has hinted, and it may be that some of them are not such as
honourable men would desire to engage in."
"What mean you, Captain?" exclaimed the first speaker. "Do you dare to
affirm that I propose any scheme which is not honourable and lawful?
Whatever I do, or whatever I say, I act under the authority of my true
and only sovereign, King James. I acknowledge no other, and therefore I
feel myself at liberty to draw my sword in opposition to any one who
claims the title of my king."
"How are we to be sure that you have this authority, good sir?" asked
the former speaker. "I have served under the banners of many leaders,
and have always been faithful to those who trusted me; but before I draw
my sword against the Prince of Orange I should like to know that it is
according to the wish of James, late King of England, who by that means
may recover his own."
"Here, then, incredulous men," exclaimed the person who had been
addressed as `Sir George;' "listen to the commission I have received
from King James himself:--
"`Our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby fully authorise, strictly
require, and expressly command, our loving subjects to rise in arms and
make war upon the Prince of Orange, the usurper of our throne, and all
his adherents, and to seize for our use all such forts, towns, and
strongholds within our dominion of England as may serve to further our
interest, and to do from time to time such other acts of hostility
against the Prince of Orange and his adherents as may conduce most to
our service. We judge this the properest, justest, and most effectual
means of procuring the Restoration and their deliverance, and we do
hereby indemnify them for what they shall act in pursuance of this our
royal command, given at our court of Saint Germain-en-Laye, the 27th of
December, 1695.'
"This will, I hope, satisfy you, gentlemen, that we are not acting
without due authority; moreover, you should be aware that the Duke of
Berwick came over to England a few months ago, and visited many of the
principal adherents of King James, who are all ready, on the signal
which we shall make them, to rise in arms, and raise the standard of our
lawful king. He is also at the present moment prepared to put himself
at the head of an army of 20,000 French soldiers, who are drawn out of
the different garrisons of the neighbourhood of Calais. There is also a
fleet ready to bring them across as soon as they receive the signal
which we are preparing to give. The French king has promised to support
King James, and will follow with another army, which will be as soon as
possible collected."
"That appears a well-arranged, straightforward scheme, such as soldiers
and men of honour can engage in," observed another speaker.
"I am glad you think so, Captain," observed Sir George; "and I feel very
sure, that as soon as the signal I have spoken of is given, we shall
have hundreds like yourselves flocking to the royal standard."
"But what is to be that signal, may I ask?" inquired another, who had
not before spoken. "I am willing to draw my sword at the command of the
King, but I never like to take a leap in the dark, and am better pleased
when all matters are explained clearly beforehand."
"It is not usual for a general to give a sketch of his campaign to his
subordinates," answered Sir George, in a haughty tone. "There are
certain matters of which it is better that as few as possible should be
informed. I trust that this reply will satisfy you."
"It must, by my faith!" mattered the old officer; "but, for my part, I
have no taste for these secret plots; I would rather a band of brave
fellows had been collected together, and that King James's standard had
been raised, and that then we had marched through the country, gathering
strength in our progress."
"To be cut to pieces by Dutch William's soldiers, or to be surrounded
and strung up like foot-pads!" observed another speaker.
"There are difficulties in our way, but they are such as brave men will
gladly encounter."
Such was the strain in which the conversation continued. As yet nothing
was said which might lead Jack to suppose that any immediate outbreak
was likely to occur. Yet his suspicions were aroused, and he could not
help fancying that the voice of the speaker who was addressed as "Sir
George" was very like that of Long Sam. If so, he felt that he himself
would be in some way implicated in the plot.
At length the party appeared to be breaking up, and most of the persons
who had formed it took their departure. Still some remained; and at
length he heard the door bolted and barred behind those who had gone
out. Those who remained poked up the fire and drew their chairs round
it.
"All will go well!" exclaimed the person who had been addressed as "Sir
George."
"And now let us see to the more important part of our work. While Dutch
William lives, or at all events is at liberty, King James will not move
from his present position, and even the King of France cannot beard the
lion in his den. As long as the Protestants have a leader they will be
united, and a rising of the adherents of King James will be hopeless;
but once let the head of William be laid low, and before they have time
to make arrangements to secure another Protestant sovereign, King James
can be brought over, and the Catholic religion again be established in
the land. The end sanctifies the means, as my excellent
father-confessor assures me, and I therefore have no compunction as to
that matter. King James has sent over a number of his `gentlemen of the
guard' and others, who have come as it were on their private concerns,
but who are all prepared to unite, as soon as they receive directions
from me, to carry out any scheme I may propose. To those who are
squeamish I have suggested merely that we seize and bring away the
Prince of Orange, carry him on board ship, and thence convey him over to
France: but that will never do; before he could be got to the Thames he
would be rescued, and our necks would have to answer for our folly.
There is but one safe plan, and that is to set upon him armed with
pistols and strong pushing-swords, and thus at once to put him to death.
As soon as he is dead his own adherents even will be afraid to assault
us, not knowing who may next be at the head of affairs, What say you,
gentlemen?--I have spoken plainly to you."
"I have been advised on this matter before," was the answer. "With you,
I feel that which you propose is the only way of proceeding, especially
if by that means we can establish again our religion in the land. If
once we can gain the upper hand, we may without difficulty so oppress
and keep down these Protestant heretics that we may compel them to come
over to the true faith, or drive them from the country."
"We are all agreed, then, my friends?" said the leader of the plot.
"Listen, then, to the plan which I have arranged. The king, as you
know, frequently drives out from his palace at Kensington for the
purpose of hunting in Richmond Park, and takes boat near Turnham Green
to cross the Thames to the Surrey side. I have arranged several
leaders, each of whom has five men well mounted to act under him. They
will be well-armed with blunderbusses, musketoons, pistols, and
well-sharpened swords. There is a spot at Turnham Green where the road
is narrow, with high hedges and ditches on each side, so that a coach
and six horses cannot easily turn on a sudden. Just about there, also,
there are some shrubs and bushes which will afford shelter to our men.
We have spies in the palace who will give us exact information of the
hours and days when the king goes forth in his coach; and as he has but
a small body of guards with him, there will be little risk of a
miscarriage. All we have now to do, is to fix the day for the carrying
out of the scheme. It is well conceived, and cannot fail; and,
moreover, if any of those engaged in it have qualms of conscience, I am
able to promise them full absolution, should the king fall by their
hands."
Jack was horrified at what he heard. What course was he to pursue?
Should he at once make his way to the palace and give information of the
atrocious plot? It was not at all likely, should he do so, that he
would be believed. He lay on his bed in deep distress of mind. That
his companion who had brought him to London was engaged in the plot, he
had no doubt whatever; indeed, he fully believed that he was one of the
leaders.
While he lay thus, considering what course to pursue, he heard some of
those who had been in the room take their departure. One, however,
remained, and he thought he recognised the heavy footsteps of the
principal speaker. He kept walking up and down the room, occasionally
muttering to himself. Jack was on the point of dropping off to sleep
when again the door opened gently, and another person entered hurriedly.
"Ah, Ellis, what news do you bring?" asked the occupier of the room.
"Bad news indeed, Sir George," answered the other. "I was in the
neighbourhood of the residence of the Earl of Portland two days back,
when I saw Captain Fisher passing by. Although he was disguised I knew
him, and, aware that he was acquainted with all our secrets, I followed
him closely. I watched him till he entered the Earl's house, and,
though Lord Portland himself was out, he remained there till the return
of his lordship. This made me dread that his purpose was to denounce
us. I was made sure of this, when, after waiting a considerable time,
Lord Portland himself came forth, and drove at full speed to the palace.
Still I had no certain information of what Fisher had been about, and I
therefore kept the matter secret; watching only carefully the
proceedings of all those who are acquainted with our plot. I kept a
watch also at the Earl's door, and at length received notice that
Captain Pendergrast had also visited the Earl; and only this very night
I have obtained information that he and La Rue have both been at the
palace. As you know, also, this morning the king gave orders that his
coaches and guards should be made ready to go out hunting as usual, but
suddenly, just at the moment they were to set forth, notice was sent to
them that the king was unwell, and could not go abroad that day.
Putting these things together, I am sure that the king has been warned
of our plot, and that those who are in it will ere long be seized. He
probably now only waits till he has learned the names of our party, and
ascertained where each of us are to be found."
"Ellis, you deserve my gratitude!" exclaimed Long Sam. "It is time then
that each of us should seek his safety in flight. I shall be off this
moment; and I will leave the raw youth I have brought with me from the
north to pay the score as best he can. He knows nothing; and if he is
taken up and clapped into prison, he can do me no harm. Will you come
with me? Here's a horse at your service."
"Thank you, Sir George," answered the other man, "I have business to do
which must be done this night, in London, and I hope to get on board
ship before daybreak and be off for France. I will not delay longer
here."
Saying this, Ellis took a hurried departure, uttering but a short
farewell to his companion. Long Sam immediately followed him out of the
room. Jack sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes to be sure that he had not
been dreaming.
"This, then, is the plot in which Mr Harwood has been engaged," he
thought to himself. "I can serve him best by giving him information
that it has been discovered. If I remain long here, I shall probably,
as Long Sam observes is likely, be seized and sent to prison. Instead
of paying the score, I will leave the horses to do that, and take the
one which will most quickly carry me along the road to Sherwood Forest."
Jack, on this, quickly dressed himself in a rough riding-habit, and
packed his other garments into his valise. Having loaded his pistols
and seen to their priming, he stuck them in his belt, and, carrying his
valise under his arm, with his boots in his hand, he silently stole
down-stairs. Without difficulty he found his way into the room where
the conspirators had met; then, putting on his boots, he made his way to
the stables. He dared not strike a light, but, knowing well the
positions of the horses, and the place where the saddles were hung up,
he hoped to find no difficulty in getting off. He quickly opened the
stable-door, and was about to enter, when a deep voice exclaimed,
"Stand, or you're a dead man!"
He felt sure the person who spoke was Long Sam.
"Don't fire," he answered, calmly, "you will gain nothing by so doing!"
"Then tell me what you are about to do, youngster," exclaimed Long Sam,
stepping forth, leading a horse by the bridle.
"I have as much right to take a midnight ride as you have," answered
Jack. "I don't wish to stop you, but if you go your way, I claim a
right to go mine."
"You are crowing loudly, my lad!" said Long Sam, with a curse.
"I have no wish to crow," answered Jack, "but if you have to ride to
save your life, I wish to do the same to save my liberty. If you
attempt to stop me I will give the alarm, and you well know what the
consequences will be. You wish to make a tool of me--you will find that
if you still attempt to do so, you will cut your own fingers."
"You are a sharp lad," answered Long Sam, or Sir George Barclay, for
Jack before long had reason to know that such was the real name of his
late companion. "You have found out a great deal more than I supposed.
However, I believe you honest: and now make the best of your way out of
this city. If you can give notice to any of our friends that they are
in danger, you will be rendering them an important service, which,
perhaps, some day or other they will be able to repay; and if not, you
may rest satisfied that you have performed a kind action."
Saying this, Sir George led his horse through the gateway of the inn,
which was left ajar, probably by pre-arrangement, and disappeared in the
darkness. Jack quickly saddled the steed which had been bestowed on him
by Master Pearson, and took his way northward by the road along which he
had come to Hammersmith. As soon as he was at a distance from any
houses, he clapped spurs to his horse and galloped over the ground at as
fast a rate as the bad state of the roads would allow.