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Just now it is poor and fallen in estate, but if it is again placed in credit and honor, thou, who art the son of the house, shalt have thy suit weighed with as much respect and consideration as though thou wert my peer in all things, Such is my answer. Art thou satisfied?" "I could ask no more," answered Myles. That night Myles lodged at Mackworth House.
Gascoyne and Wilkes exchanged looks, and then the former blew a long whistle. So that afternoon a gloomy set of young faces were gathered together in the Eyry fifteen of the Knights of the Rose and all knew why they were assembled. The talk which followed was conducted mostly by Myles.
"Why, this," said Blunt, wiping his bleeding lip. "That fellow, Myles Falworth, hath been breeding mutiny and revolt ever sin he came hither among us, and because he was thus mutinous I would punish him therefor." "In that thou liest!" burst out Myles. "Never have I been mutinous in my life." "Be silent, sir," said Sir James, sternly. "I will hear thee anon."
Then turning to Handy and his friend: "We'll guarantee to have everything all right on time, so far as the academy is concerned, and if you fellows do the rest and provide and arrange the entertainment, we'll make Gotown hum on Saturday night." "You mean it, eh?" asked Weston. "I'm chirpin', I am," replied McGowan. "Next Saturday night?" inquired Myles. "Sure." "It's payday, too."
A half-dozen of the Knights of the Rose came over to where Myles stood, gathering in a body behind him and the others followed, one after another. The bachelors were hardly prepared for such prompt and vigorous action. "What is to do?" cried one of them, who stood near the two lads with the buckets. "Why fetch ye not the water?"
"Nay," said Myles, with his lips twitching and writhing, "I will not be silent. I am friendless here, and ye are all against me, but I will not be silent, and brook to have lies spoken of me." Even Blunt stood aghast at Myles's boldness. Never had he heard any one so speak to Sir James before. He did not dare for the moment even to look up.
The other struggled to thrust him away, but Myles, letting go the gisarm, which he held with his left hand, clutched him tightly by the sword-belt in the intense, vise-like grip of despair. In vain the Earl strove to beat him loose with the shaft of the gisarm, in vain he spurred and reared his horse to shake him off; Myles held him tight, in spite of all his struggles.
The other lads were sometimes occupied by their household duties when sports were afoot in which they would liked to have taken part. Myles was always free to enter into any matter of the kind after his daily exercise had been performed at the pels, the butts, or the tilting-court.
Sometimes it seemed to Myles as though he and his blind father were the centre of a great web of plot and intrigue, stretching far and wide, that included not only the greatest houses of England, but royalty and the political balance of the country as well, and even before the greatness of it all he did not flinch. Then, at last, came the beginning of the time for action.
"Ay, ay, Myles, I know thy humility," replied Bradford with his smile of gentle subtlety. The captain shot an inquiring glance out of his red-brown eyes, and in turn laughed a little uncomfortably. "Nay now, thou 'rt laughing at me, Will. I claim no great meed of humility to be sure, and yet thou knowest lad, that if I could serve this emprise better by carrying a musket in the ranks"
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