Near the Old Jewry ran a narrow street where dwelled many workers in metal--ironsmith, coppersmith, silversmith, goldsmith--not the great known workers but the lesser ones that the great hired. A narrow street of poor houses, dark and noisy, or dark and still. The children were poured into the street, the women sat in the doors or clacked up and down. From some houses came always the clink of metal upon metal, from others the workers went away to other places of work. At night they returned. Now the sun cleansed all, now the fog came dull-footed into the street and the houses and stayed. Jankin, a worker for an armourer, opened the door of an old house. A large room, which was a workshop, and four small rooms, and out of the house had recently been carried a bier. The man who died had been an old, independent metal worker. Here still were his furnace and his tools. Whatever had been his family it was gone; apprentices who had dwelled with him were away to other masters. “But his custom would come back,” said Jankin. “The whole thing for so many pounds. Something down, but the most could be worked out. ’Tis said there’s a ghost in the house, and so they don’t sell or rent it easily.” The man with him said, “I rent it and buy the tools.” Jankin answered, “If you do the work you used to do, master, ’t will be like planting a tree in a flowerpot!” “No. And ‘master’ me no more, Jankin!” “_Diccon Dawn._ It comes strange! But many a man and a great man is in danger. Well, you were never much in London, master, and you’re changed. Eh, those days I was with you in Paris! I hear them still between hammer strokes, and they come around me like fairies. And you’ll live here?” “Aye.” “The great vase you made for the cardinal! Tall as a man, and a wreath of silver dancers! And he would have you to sup with him--and even I in the hall had venison pasty and marchpane and such wine as Saint Vulcan drinks!” “Let us go to the owner.” _Five days ago Wander Forest._ Owner of the house, heir of the dead man’s furnishings, was found. Yes, yes! let and sell on easy terms, Jankin, who was responsible, answering for Richard or Diccon Dawn, and the latter’s gold pieces also answering. The long June day saw the whole completed, key in the hand of Diccon Dawn, and still two hours lacking of sunset. Quoth Jankin, “I can get you plain work to start on.” He stood a middle-aged, surly, doggedly faithful man. “If you chose to work with me again, Jankin--?” Jankin regarded workroom, regarded street through wide, low window. “Well, I will! I’d like to watch tree break flowerpot!”