After a little grumbling on both sides the boys disposed themselves to sleep, each wondering somewhat over the character of the other, and determining to make a better acquaintance shortly.

CHAPTER VI.

A narrow escape.

During the next few days Harry was kept hard at work delivering the various minute documents which he had brought in the hollow of his stick.  Sometimes of an evening he attended his master to the houses where he had taken such messages, and once or twice was called in to be present at discussions, and asked to explain various matters connected with the position of the king.  During this time he saw but little of the apprentice Jacob, except at his meals, and as the boy did not touch upon his frequent absence, or make any allusion to political matters, when in their bedroom alone at night, Harry hoped that his suspicions had been allayed.

One morning, however, on waking up, he saw the boy sitting upright in bed, staring fixedly at him.

“What is the matter; Jacob, and what are you doing?”

“I am wondering who and what you are!” the boy said.

“I am Roger, your fellow apprentice,” Harry replied, laughing.

“I am not sure that you are Roger; I am not sure that you are an apprentice,” the boy said.  “But if you were, that would not tell me who you are.  If you were merely Roger the apprentice, Dame Alice would not pick out all the tit-bits at dinner, and put them on your plate, while I and Master Hardwood have to put up with any scraps which may come.  Nor do I think that, even for the purpose of carrying his cloak, our master would take you with him constantly of an evening.  He seems mighty anxious too, for you to learn your way about London.  I do not remember that he showed any such care as to my geographical knowledge.  But, of course, there is a mystery, and I want to get to the bottom of it, and mean to do so if I can.”

“Even supposing that there was a mystery,” Harry said, “what good would it do to you to learn it, and what use would you make of your knowledge?”

“I do not know,” the boy said carelessly.  “But knowledge is power.”

“You see,” Harry said, “that supposing there were, as you say, a mystery, the secret would not be mine to tell, and even were it so before I told it, I should want to know whether you desired to know it for the sake of aiding your master, if possible, or of doing him an injury.

“I would do him no injury, assuredly,” Jacob said.  “Master Fleming is as good a master as there is in London.  I want to find out, because it is my nature to find out.  The mere fact that there is a mystery excites my curiosity, and compels me to do all in my power to get to the bottom of it.  Methinks that if you have aught that you do not want known, it would be better to take Jacob Plummer into your confidence.  Many a man’s head has been lost before now because he did not know whom to trust.”