Scarcely had Fowell heard three sentences when he laughed and glanced at Merrylips. "Faith," said he, "this falleth pat as a stage-play! You say yonder, corporal?" The man nodded, and pointed to the stone gatehouse by which they had entered the court. "Ten minutes hence, then," bade Fowell, "send him unto me in the long parlor." When he had dismissed the corporal, Fowell took Merrylips by the hand, and motioned to Rupert to walk at his side. "Since you are not afraid of what we may do to you," he said, smiling down at Rupert. Neither Rupert nor Merrylips felt much like smiling, but they went obediently whither they were led. They entered the great house, and found themselves in a dim entrance hall, where one or two lackeys were loitering, and a trooper in muddy boots stood waiting on the hearth. At the farther end of the hall was a door, and when Fowell had brought them to it, he halted them on the threshold. "Now wait you here like good lads for one minute," he said, "and seek not to run away a second time, for I am not Kit Woolgar." He smiled as he said this, but there was something in his eyes that made even Rupert think it would not be well to disobey him. So Rupert and Merrylips stood waiting, while Dick Fowell went into the next room. He left the door ajar behind him, and they could not help hearing something of what was said inside. Almost at once they heard a woman cry indignantly:-- "Art thou stark mad, Dick? To think that I, forsooth, would look upon a brace of wretched malignants that thou hast taken prisoner! Why hast thou brought such fellows hither? Is thy father's house to be made a bridewell?" Then they caught the murmur of Fowell's words but not their sense, and after that they heard a girl's voice say:-- "Sure, Dick must have reason for this that he doth ask." Then another merry young voice struck in:-- "Are these prisoners of thine very desperate rogues to look on, Dick?" "Why," said Fowell, slowly, "they've neither of them shaved for some days, and they're travel-stained, and ragged thereto, yet I'll go bail they will not fright you sorely. Shall I bid them in, good mother?" A nod of assent must have been given, for next minute, though no word had been spoken, Fowell pushed the door wide. "Come you in, you two desperate malignants!" he said, and his eyes were dancing with the jest that he was playing upon his mother. Rupert and Merrylips stole quietly into the room. It was a long parlor, with lozenge-shaped panes in the windows and faded tapestry upon the walls. Midway of the room, by a cheery fire, sat a portly, middle-aged gentlewoman in a gown of silk tabby. Near her two young girls, with chestnut hair, were busy with embroidery frames. At sight of the two children all three exclaimed aloud. "Dick, thou varlet!" cried the old gentlewoman. "Are these your ruffian Cavaliers?" said the elder, and taller, of the two girls.