'Things always look so different in the morning,' remarked Silvia good-humouredly. 'But, if it please your Lordship, I am sent by the Brethren to say that they are waiting for you in the front room.'
Yellow-cap felt not at all in the mood to lead a conspiracy; but still he tried to put a good face upon the matter. 'Lead on!' said he; and Silvia opened the door and went before him across a small enclosed yard to another door, on which she tapped; and Yellow-cap, passing in, found himself once more in the presence of his six friends. They were eating devilled bones, and were dressed in long white dominoes. Each had a playbook beside his plate, and they were apparently studying their parts for the morning performance.
'Good morning! Fine day for the deposition,' said Gyp, acting as spokesman for the rest. 'Have a bone?'
'I have no appetite,' replied Yellow-cap. 'Why are you all dressed in white?'
'So that we may be the blacker inside,' said Ruba, looking up from his book.
'It is the court-dress of conspirators,' added Dubb.
'We are clothed in the unwritten pages of history,' continued Dubsix.
'We shall be red hereafter,' said Menin, archly.
'Because we rose against the tyrant,' concluded Atub, with a sigh.
'They are apt to be rather stupid at this hour in the morning,' remarked Gyp, turning to Yellow-cap, 'but they will get warmed to it presently. May I ask whether you are perfect in your part?'