"'Sdeath!" Giles muttered, and passed through into a dark narrow passage, stone-flagged, that led to a door into the garden, concealed outside by a great hedge of yew. The hedge was hollow, having a passage up the middle. Giles and the gentleman went up, and came out at the end into a wood, and then into a meadow, where some of the raw recruits were returning from drill. The gentleman went down to the officer in charge, and questioned him closely. He was a mild-eyed countryman. He had seen no one come out of the wood, but they had only been there ten minutes. Surely there was a misapprehension; no path led from that side of the manor; there was no door on that side. The gentleman bade him go back to the drilling of chaw-bacons. Giles had waited impatiently while he made his enquiries. They came back together, but the other hurried off to his quarters immediately, being wearied of looking for needles in bottles of hay, as he put it, waving his hand to the world, as it were, and adding: "Shall one child be found that is lost in England at this day?" "This child shall be found," said Giles's master quietly. "My Lord Newcastle, you will send out to search everywhere for him." Then he laid his hand on Giles's shoulder. "Of what are you thinking?" he asked. "Of John Dent," said Giles grimly. "John Dent was arrested four hours ago, sir, said the earl. "And is he still in ward?" Giles's master demanded. "Enquiries shall be made," and the earl bowed and retired. In ten minutes he was back. "John Dent is gone," he said briefly. Giles stood for a moment thoughtfully, with bent head. "If you will be so good, my lord," said Giles's master, "as to make out a commission for my friend here, as I directed, and to draw on all loyal persons, in the King's name, for assistance to the utmost, with power to take troops at his pleasure, and a pass to go whithersoever he wills, I shall be glad." Giles looked up. "I thank you--" he began, and the earl, bowing hastily, left master and servant alone. CHAPTER IX MASTER PURVIS TELLS A TALE And what had become of little Dick Chester?