In Honour's Cause Part 2

"Didn't you hear? They say he wrote to some one in Hanover saying that he could not understand the English, for when he came to the Palace they told him it was his, and when he looked out of the window he saw a park with a long ca.n.a.l in it, and they told him that was his too. Then next day the ranger sent him a big brace of carp out of it, and when they told him he was to behave like a prince and give the messenger five guineas, he was astonished. Oh, he isn't a bit like a king."

"I say, do be quiet. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Of course you don't," said the lad merrily. "But you mustn't think of going fishing now. Hark! there are the Guards."

He hurried to the window, through which the trampling of horses and jingling of spurs could be heard, and directly after the leaders of a long line of horse came along between the rows of trees, the men gay in their scarlet and gold, their accoutrements glittering in the sunshine.

"Look well, don't they?" said Andrew Forbes. "They ought to have given my father a command like that. If he had a few regiments of horse, and as many of foot, he'd soon make things different for old England."

"I say, do be quiet, Drew. You'll be getting in trouble, I know you will. Why can't you let things rest."

"Because I'm a Royalist."

"No, you're not; you're a Jacobite. I say, why do they call them Jacobites? What Jacob is it who leads them?"

"And you just fresh from Winchester! Where's your Latin?"

"Oh, I see," cried the boy: "Jacobus--James."

"That's right; you may go up. I wish I was an officer in the Guards."

"Behave yourself then, and some day the Prince may get you a commission."

"Not he. Perhaps I shall have one without. Well, you'll go with me this evening?"

"Oh, I don't know."

"That means you would if you could. Well, I'll manage it. And I'll soon show you what the people in London think about the King."

"Sh! some one coming."

The two lads darted from the window as one of the doors was thrown open, and an attendant made an announcement which resulted in the pages going to the other end to open the farther door and draw back to allow the Prince and Princess with a little following of ladies to pa.s.s through, one of the last of the group turning to smile at Frank Gowan and kiss her hand.

The boy turned to his companion, looking flushed and proud as the door was closed after the retiring party.

"How handsome the Princess looked!" he said. "Hush!" said Forbes.

"Pretty well. Not half so nice as your mother; you ought to be proud of her, Frank."

"I am," said the boy.

"But what a pity!"

"What's a pity?"

"That she should be in the Princess's train."

"A pity! Why the Princess makes her quite a friend."

"More pity still. Well, we shall be off duty soon, and then I'll get leave for us to go."

"I don't think I want to now."

"Well I do, and you'd better come and take care of me, or perhaps I shall get into a sc.r.a.pe."

"No, you will not. You only talk as you do to banter me."

"Think so?" said Andrew, with a peculiar smile. "Well, we shall see.

But you'll come?"

"Yes," said Frank readily, "to keep you from getting into a sc.r.a.pe."

CHAPTER TWO.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

The water in the ca.n.a.l looked ruddy golden in the light glowing in the west, as the two pages pa.s.sed through the courtyard along beneath the arches, where the soldiers on guard saluted them, and reached the long mall planted with trees.

"Halt! One can breathe here," said Frank, with his eyes brightening.

"Come along; let's have a run."

"Quiet, quiet! What a wild young colt you are!--This isn't the country."

"No; but it looks like a good makeshift!" cried Frank.

"Who's disloyal now? Nice way to speak of his Majesty's Park! I say, you're short enough as it is."

"No, I'm not. I'm a very fair height for my age. It's you who are too long."

"Never mind that; but it's my turn to talk. Suppose you get cut shorter for saying disloyal things under the window of the Palace."

"Stuff! Rubbish!"

"Is it? They give it to the people they call rebels pretty hard for as trifling things," said Andrew, flushing a little. "They flogged three soldiers to death the other day for wearing oak apples in their caps."

"What? Why did they wear oak apples in their caps?"

"Because it was King Charles's day; and they've fined and imprisoned and hung people for all kinds of what they call rebellious practices."

"Then you'd better be careful, Master Drew," said Frank merrily. "I say, my legs feel as if they were full of pins and needles, with standing about so much doing nothing. It's glorious out here. Come along; I'll race you to the end of this row of trees."

"With the people who may be at the windows watching us! Where's your dignity?"

"Have none. They wouldn't know it was us. We're not dressed up now, and we look like any one else."

"I hope not," said Andrew, drawing himself up.