The Blackthorn Key

As Tom's mother dresses Christopher in Tom's old clothes, Christopher remembers when he and Tom first became friends, three months after Christopher's apprenticeship began. Having read one of Master Benedict's books about catapults, Christopher wanted to build one. Once he'd made it, he went to Bunhill Fields to test it with rotten fruit, hitting Tom with a pomegranate. Christopher was scared and expected Tom to be mean, but they became friends instead. Together, they worked to create a better catapult using yew.

Back in the present day, in the bakery, Christopher goes downstairs to find Tom and his sisters are working. Tom wonders what Christopher's next plan is, and Christopher shows him the ledger page. He explains that it contains a message. When Tom asks why he didn't give it to Lord Ashcombe, Christopher explains that the final line, "nemini dixeris" (132), means "tell no one."

Christopher and Tom begin decoding the page. Christopher already knows the code, which Master Benedict showed him, reading backwards and ignoring dots and capitals. This leaves them with the message "Hugh's 4th below the lions the gates of paradise" (134). Tom wonders if Hugh was the murderer, but Christopher emphasizes that the message says Hugh's fourth, though they don't know what this means.