"Hear ye that now!" cried Myles, flinging down the block again and
turning to his two friends. "Beaten with straps because, forsooth, he
would not fetch and carry quickly enough to please the haste of these
bachelors. Oh, this passeth patience, and I for one will bear it no
longer."

"Nay, Myles," said Gascoyne, soothingly, "the little imp is as lazy as a
dormouse and as mischievous as a monkey. I'll warrant the hiding was his
due, and that more of the like would do him good."

"Why, how dost thou talk, Francis!" said Myles, turning upon him
indignantly. "Thou knowest that thou likest to see the boy beaten no
more than I." Then, after a meditative pause, "How many, think ye, we
muster of our company of the Rose today?"

Wilkes looked doubtfully at Gascoyne. "There be only seventeen of us
here now," said he at last. "Brinton and Lambourne are away to Roby
Castle in Lord George's train, and will not be back till Saturday next.
And Watt Newton is in the infirmary.

"Seventeen be'st enou," said Myles, grimly. "Let us get together this
afternoon, such as may, in the Brutus Tower, for I, as I did say, will
no longer suffer these vile bachelors."

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. He