Strong arms, silent tongues, a high courage--that is all we want." "And a few more strong arms to help us at the work, for it will be a labour of Hercules to get it done." At that moment the noise from below burst out anew, and Cuthbert heard no more of this mysterious colloquy.

He had not time to think over the meaning of the words he had heard, or indeed to attach any particular significance to them.

He was always hearing fierce threats bandied about between ardent partisans of Romanist and Puritan, and was beginning to pay small heed to such matters.

He did not realize now that he had surprised any conspirators at their work.

He knocked boldly at the door of the room, to which the place where he stood was plainly the antechamber, and a loud voice bid him enter.
There was no light in the apartment, save that which filtered in through the dirty window, and it was plain that the meeting, whatever its nature, was breaking up.