their way, either severally or in pairs, to Shoreby and the
Goat and Bagpipes.

For his own part, influenced by what he had seen on
board of the Good Hope, he chose Lawless to be his
companion on the walk. The snow was falling, without
pause or variation, in one even, blinding cloud; the wind
had been strangled, and now blew no longer; and the whole
world was blotted out and sheeted down below that silent
inundation. There was great danger of wandering by the
way and perishing in drifts; and Lawless, keeping half a
step in front of his companion, and holding his head for-
ward like a hunting dog upon the scent, inquired his way
of every tree, and studied out their path as though he were
conning a ship among dangers.

About a mile into the forest they came to a place where
several ways met, under a grove of lofty and contorted
oaks. Even in the narrow horizon of the falling snow, it
was a spot that could not fail to be recognized; and Law-
less evidently recognized it with particular delight.

"Now, Master Richard," said he, "an y' are not too
proud to be the guest of a man who is neither a gentle-
man by birth nor so much as a good Christian, I can of-
fer you a cup of wine and a good fire to melt the marrow
in your frozen bones."

"Lead on, Will," answered Dick. "A cup of wine and
a good fire! Nay, I would go a far way round to see
them."

Lawless turned aside under the bare branches of the

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