“Time for what?” demanded Nicholas.

“Time for you to seize those two accursed Devices, Jem and his mother,” replied Nance.  “They are both on yon boards.  Jem is the man in the tree, and Elizabeth is the owd crone in the red kirtle and high-crowned hat.  Yo win knoa her feaw feace when yo pluck off her mask.”

“The monk is gone,” cried Nicholas; “I have kept my eyes steadily fixed on him, and he has melted into air.  What has he to do with the Devices?”

“He is their fate,” returned Nance, “an ey ha’ acted under his orders.  Boh mount, an seize them.  Ey win ge wi’ ye.”

Forcing his way through the crowd, Nicholas ran up the steps, and, followed by Nance, sprang upon the stage.  His appearance occasioned considerable surprise; but as he was recognised by the spectators as the jolly Jem Tospot, who had so recently diverted them, and his companion as one of the three Doll Wangos, in anticipation of some more fun they received him with a round of applause.  But without stopping to acknowledge it, or being for a moment diverted from his purpose, Nicholas seized the old crone, and, consigning her to Nance, caught hold of the leafy frame in which the man was encased, and pulled him from under it.  But he began to think he had unkennelled the wrong fox, for the man, though a tall fellow, bore no resemblance to Jem Device; while, when the crone’s mask was plucked off, she was found to be a comely young woman.  Meanwhile, all around was in an uproar, and amidst a hurricane of hisses, yells, and other indications of displeasure from the spectators, several of the mummers demanded the meaning of such a strange and unwarrantable proceeding.

“They are a couple of witches,” cried Nicholas; “this is Jem Device and his mother Elizabeth.”

“My name is nother Jem nor Device,” cried the man.

“Nor mine Elizabeth,” screamed the woman.

“We know the Devices,” cried two or three voices, “and these are none of ’em.”

Nicholas was perplexed.  The storm increased; threats accompanied the hisses; when luckily he espied a ring on the man’s finger.  He instantly seized his hand, and held it up to the general gaze.

“A proof!—­a proof!” he cried.  “This sapphire ring was given by the King to my cousin, Richard Assheton, this morning, and stolen from him by Jem Device.”

“Examine their features again,” said Nance Redferne, waving her hands over them.  “Yo win aw knoa them now.”

The woman’s face instantly altered.  Many years being added to it in a breath.  The man changed equally.  The utmost astonishment was evinced by all at the transformation, and the bystanders who had spoken before, now cried out loudly—­“We know them perfectly now.  They are the two Devices.”

By this time an officer, attended by a party of halberdiers, had mounted the boards, and the two prisoners were delivered to their custody by Nicholas.