“Once in our possession, the treasure will never find its way to the royal Exchequer—of that you may be quite certain, Lovel,” replied Osbert. “But what do you propose to do? Your connection in the affair will assuredly be suspected.” “I shall provide for my safety by flight,” said Lovel. “This very night I shall quit the Tower secretly, and remain in concealment till your proposed insurrection will enable me to appear with safety.” “If we succeed, as I trust under Heaven we shall, your services shall not be forgotten, Lovel,” observed Osbert. “You shall have a better post under Elizabeth than that which you now occupy under Philip and Mary.” “I have said that I do not seek reward,” rejoined Lovel; “but since, in abandoning this post, I shall sacrifice all, it is but just that I should have some compensation.” “You shall have compensation in full, doubt it not, Lovel,” said Osbert. “And now let us finally arrange our plans for to-night. How many persons are there in Saint Thomas’s Tower?” “Only three,” replied Lovel. “Croyland, the keeper of the gate, his man, and a sentinel. Stay! I had forgotten. One of the gigantic warders, Magog, is there at this moment, but I do not think he will remain there till night, and if he should, he will be no hindrance to us, since all will be conducted with so much formality that suspicion will be disarmed. We will go together to Saint Thomas’s Tower, and if my instructions to Sir Henry Dudley are carefully carried out, no difficulty will be experienced.” What answer was made to this by Osbert, Xit could not tell. Fancying he heard a movement towards the door, he beat a hasty retreat, and left the Jewel House, perfectly content with the information he had obtained. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] CHAPTER VII. HOW THE CONSPIRATORS WENT IN AT TRAITORS’ GATE BUT CAME NOT OUT AGAIN. Night, anxiously expected both by plotters and counter-plotters, arrived at last. Within the lower chamber of Saint Thomas’s Tower were Magog and Xit, but the two other gigantic warders, with Rodomont Bittern and his comrades, kept out of sight, lest Lovel’s suspicions should be awakened. Croyland, the keeper of the Tower, had been made a party to the plan, and consented to act as Xit directed. The night was dark, and the mist hanging over the river, and almost shrouding Saint Thomas’s Tower from view, was favourable to the project of the conspirators. Some quarter of an hour before the time fixed for the arrival of the barge, Lovel, accompanied by Osbert, who was well armed, and wrapped in his cloak, quitted the Jewel House, and proceeded to Saint Thomas’s Tower. The door was opened by Croyland, who had a lamp in his hand, which he raised for a moment to survey Osbert, and then, apparently satisfied with his scrutiny, ushered them into the guard-chamber, which done, he returned to fasten the door.