“Now, my man,” said Mr. John.  “Do you eat and drink while I do the talking.  I understand you are a man of your hands, and that you have business elsewhere.”

“I must be in Lancashire by the end of the week, sir.”

“Very well, then.  We have business enough for you, God knows!  This is Mistress Manners, whom you may have heard of.  And after you have looked at the places we have here—­you understand me?—­Mistress Manners wants you at her house at Booth’s Edge....  You have any papers?”

Owen leaned back and drew out a paper from his bag of tools.

“This is from Mr. Fenton, sir.”

Mr. John glanced at the address; then he turned it over and broke the seal.  He stared for a moment at the open sheet.

“Why, it is blank!” he said.

Owen smiled.  He was a grave-looking lad of eighteen or nineteen years old; and his face lighted up very pleasantly.

“I have had that trick played on me before, sir, in my travels.  I understand that Catholic gentlemen do so sometimes to try the fidelity of the messenger.”

The other laughed out loud, throwing back his head.

“Why, that is a poor compliment!” he said.  “You shall have a better one from us, I have no doubt.”

Mr. Thomas leaned over the table and took the paper.  He examined it very carefully; then he handed it back.  His father laughed again as he took it.

“You are very cautious, my son,” he said.  “But it is wise enough....  Well, then,” he went on to the carpenter, “you are willing to do this work for us?  And as for payment—­”

“I ask only my food and lodging,” said the lad quietly; “and enough to carry me on to the next place.”

“Why—­” began the other in a protest.

“No, sir; no more than that....”  He paused an instant.  “I hope to be admitted to the Society of Jesus this year or next.”

There was a pause of astonishment.  And then old Sir Thomas’ deep voice broke in.

“You do very well, sir.  I heartily congratulate you.  And I would I were twenty years younger myself....”

II

After supper that night the entire party went upstairs to the chapel.

Young Hugh Owen even already was beginning to be known among Catholics, for his extraordinary skill in constructing hiding-holes.  Up to the present not much more had been attempted than little secret recesses where the vessels of the altar and the vestments might be concealed.  But the young carpenter had been ingenious enough in two or three houses to which he had been called, to enlarge these so considerably that even two or three men might be sheltered in them; and, now that it seemed as if the persecution of recusants was to break out again, the idea began to spread.  Mr. John FitzHerbert while in London had heard of his skill, and had taken means to get at the young man, for his own house at Padley.