our arrest they would be safe.  As we took out the documents, the commission which we borrowed from the preachers met our eyes, and it struck me that, armed with this, we might be enabled to do you service.  I therefore at once purchased cloaks and hats fitting for us as worthy divines from London, and then, riding a mile or two into the country, we changed our garments, and entered the good city of Edinburgh as English divines.  We proceeded direct to the house of the chief presbyter, to whom the letters of commission were addressed, and were received by him with open arms.  I trust that we played our part rarely, and, in truth, the unctuousness and godliness of William Long passeth belief, and he plays his part well.  Looking as he does far older than I—­although in these days of clean-shaven faces I can make up rarely for thirty—­he assumed the leading part.  The presbyter would fain have summoned a number of his divines for a discussion this evening.  But we, pleading fatigue, begged him to allow us two days of rest.  He has, however, invited a few of his fellows, and we are to wrestle with them this evening in argument.  How we shall get out of it I know not, for my head is altogether in ignorance of the points in issue.  However, there was, among the documents of the preachers, one setting forth the points in which the practice of the sect in England and Scotland differed, with the heads of the arguments to be used.  We have looked through these, and, as well as we could understand the jumble of hard words, have endeavored to master the points at issue, so we shall to-night confine ourselves to a bare exposition of facts, and shall put off answering the arguments of the other side until the drawn battle, which will be fixed for the day after to-morrow.  By the way, we accounted for the absence of our colleague by saying that he fell sick on the way.”

“But what is the use of all this risk?” Harry asked, laughing at the thought of his two followers discussing theology with the learned divines of the Scotch Church.

“That, in truth,” Jacob said, “I do not yet exactly see; but I trust that to-morrow we shall have contrived some plan of getting you out of this prison.  I shall return at the same time to-morrow evening.”

“How did you get in here?” he asked.

“I had an order from the chief presbyter for entry.  Saying that I believed I knew you, and that my words might have some effect in turning you from the evil of your ways, I volunteered to exhort you, and shall give such an account of my mission as will lead them to give me a pass to see you again to-morrow night.”

The following evening Jacob again called, this time accompanied by William.  They brought with them another dress similar to their own.  Their visit was an hour later than upon the preceding evening.

“I learned,” Jacob said, “that the guard was changed at eight o’clock, and it is upon this that the success of our scheme depends.  William will immediately leave, and as he has been seen to enter by the guards without, and by those at the prison gate, he will pass out without questioning.  In half an hour a fresh guard will be placed at both these points, and you and I will march out together, armed with permission for two preachers to pass.”