I listened aghast to Mistress Mary, recognizing at once the truth of her words, and feeling my heart sink into my very shoes. All this while I had never thought of aught but getting my lord safe out of the Castle; and now, when this seemed to be a thing possible at last, I was confronted by another and perhaps a worse danger.
"Could he not be hidden away?" I asked.
"Mr. Blewer would find out he was escaped, and raise all Taunton after him," answered Mistress Mary, "and such places as thou or I know, Dicon, would first be searched."
She was silent then a great while, and I had no heart to speak; but suddenly she raised her head and looked me full in the face with shining eyes.
"Dicon," she said, "I see how it must be done!"
"Oh how, fair Mistress?"
"It must be done, not in the dead of night, but at break of day. He must ride forth with thee when the town is beginning to stir."
"Mistress Mary," I cried aghast, "all the town will know him!"
She smiled, and touched my hand with her slim white fingers.
"Foolish boy!" she said softly; and then after a pause for thought she added, "Dicon, wilt do as I say?"