"Many?" "Five." "Be they weaklings like you, or strong fighting men?" I said, turning to young Peter. "Strong men, giants," he said quickly, and then he tried to qualify his words as though he were afraid that difficulties would hinder me. For the first time I found pleasure in the thought of accepting the mission. It fired my blood to think of doing battle with these sturdy Killigrews. They were Papists too, and I had been taught to hate them from my childhood. I longed for some reckless work to do. At first it had seemed tame and mean to carry away a chit of a maid from Endellion Castle, and take her to Treviscoe, that she might become the wife of Peter Trevisa. I surmised, too, that young Peter thought quite as much of Restormel as he did of the maid. But to go into a house where there were five young fellows who were giants, and take away a maid who was closely guarded, aroused all my love for adventure. "What is this Endellion Castle?" I asked. "Is it one of the old Cornish fortresses?" "Part of the castle still stands," replied young Peter. "The grandfather of the present Colman Killigrew built the present house adjoining it." "It is well guarded, I suppose?" "Yes," replied young Peter reluctantly. "Colman Killigrew and all his sons are rebels at heart. In his father's days he and his family supported King James; they long for a Catholic to be on the throne, and there is a rumour that they are planning against our good King George." "Hath anything been proved against them?" "No, not proved, but matters look suspicious. Rumour saith, that should there be a rebellion he could command five hundred swords. There is a strong Papist feeling in the neighbourhood of Endellion." "And the maid, is she a Papist?" "Her father, Godfrey Molesworth, was a strong Protestant, but Heaven only knows what they have persuaded her to be." This information caused new thoughts to come into my mind, and I determined to remember what he had told me. "Are Colman Killigrew and his sons beloved by the neighbouring families?" I asked presently. "He is both beloved and hated. Some of the Catholics are his friends, but others mistrust him sorely." These matters came out slowly. Evidently young Peter did not care about discussing them. Perchance he was afraid lest I should shrink from trying to carry out his plans when I knew them. I was silent for some time. I pondered much over what I had heard.