In the King's Name Part 16

"Oh, then, I'm in a regular smuggler's den, I suppose. What place is this I am in?"

"The old chapel, Hilary. They say it's haunted, and for the moment, when I saw you, I was frightened."

"What! are there ghosts here?" said Hilary, glancing inside.

"Yes, they say one walks there sometimes."

"I only wish he had walked here last night, and left the door open,"

said Hilary. "But I say, Addy, how funny that we should meet again like this."

"Yes, isn't it, Hilary? And yet," said the girl thoughtfully, "it is not funny, but sad, for the days are not so happy now as they were when we played together years ago."

"And we've both grown so," said Hilary thoughtfully. "But look here,"

he exclaimed, as a sudden thought struck him. "I want to see somebody.

I'm not going to be made a prisoner here in my own country. I'm not cross with you, Addy, but I must have this set right. Where is Sir Henry?"

As he asked the question a distant voice was heard calling the young girl's name, and she turned, ran, and was out of sight in an instant.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

A TEMPTING OFFER.

Hilary sat upon the window-ledge and listened, but he heard no further sound; so, coming to the conclusion that though he was extremely indignant he was also still uncommonly hungry, he drained the jug of milk, and went on steadily until he had finished his bread, after which, feeling better, he let himself down from the ledge, which was anything but a comfortable place, and began walking up and down the little chapel.

For a few minutes he was too indignant to do more than think about his position; and he kept on muttering about "A gross case of kidnapping!"

"Cowardly scoundrels!" "Insult to king's officer!" and a few more such expressions; but having partaken of food he felt easier and soon had another good look round the place.

It was only a portion of the old chapel, and had evidently been patched and used for different purposes of late years, so that its old religious character was to a great extent gone.

"I don't think it would be so very hard to get out," he said to himself, "if a fellow made up his mind to it, and--hallo! here's some one coming at last."

His quick ears had detected footsteps, followed by the unlocking of a door; then the steps pa.s.sed over a boarded floor in some empty echoing room.

Then he heard voices, and the unlocking of another door, when the voices and steps sounded plainer, and he began to understand how it was that his shouts had not been heard, for the people, whoever they were, now seemed to come down along a stone pa.s.sage before they stopped at and unlocked the door of his prison.

As the heavy old door was thrown open Hilary saw two things--one which made him very cross, the other which made him very glad.

The sight that roused his anger was Sir Henry Norland, in elegant half-military costume, with high riding boots and spurs; the other was a rough, ill-looking man, carrying a tray, on which was bread, a cold chicken, and what seemed to be a flask of French wine.

Certainly Hilary had just partaken of food, but a draught of milk and some bread seemed only provocatives to fresh eating in the case of a young growing fellow who had been fasting for considerably more than twenty-four hours.

"Set the tray down, Allstone," said Sir Henry. "Don't wait," he continued; "I'll lock the door after me when I come out."

"The skipper said I was to keep charge of the young lad," said the man, surlily.

"Keep charge, then," said Sir Henry sharply, "but wait outside."

The man scowled and withdrew, whereupon Sir Henry held out his hand.

"Well, Hilary," he said, "you and I seem to meet under strange conditions."

"May I ask, Sir Henry," cried Hilary sharply, and without looking at the extended hand, "why I am seized, bound, and kidnapped in this disgraceful way?"

"Certainly, my dear boy," said Sir Henry; "but let me tell you at once that I had nothing whatever to do with it."

"Who had, then?" cried Hilary, with the blood flaming in his cheeks.

"That I cannot exactly answer; but from what I can learn it seems that you were found prying rather too closely into the affairs of some friends of mine, and they pounced upon you and carried you off."

"Yes, and I'll pounce upon some of them," cried Hilary, "and carry them off."

"When you get your liberty," said Sir Henry with a smile.

"Yes; when I get my liberty," cried Hilary; "and that sha'n't be long first. Even now my commander will be searching for me."

"Very likely, Hilary," said Sir Henry; "but you must be very hungry. I have only just learned of your being here, and that you had not been attended to. The habits of my friends here are somewhat nocturnal, and hence they are irregular by day. Come, sit down, man, and eat. We campaigners are not so particular as some people."

He seated himself upon the straw as he spoke, and looked up so frankly and with such friendly eyes at the young man, that Hilary was slightly softened.

"Adela is here," he said.

"Yes, I know; I have seen her this morning, Sir Henry."

"Seen her! Oh, yes, I see--from the window. But come, fall to."

Hilary glanced at the chicken and the bread, and felt disposed to resent his rough treatment, especially as just then the donkey brayed loudly, and fired off a salute of kicks against the side of the shed where he was confined; but there was a specially tempting brown side to that chicken, which looked tender and seductive, and Hilary argued that he should not be able to stand long upon his dignity if he starved himself, so he seated himself tailor-fashion beside the tray, and began to carve.

"You'll take some, Sir Henry?" he said sulkily.

"With pleasure," was the reply; and Sir Henry allowed himself to be helped, Hilary's carving being of a very primitive kind, but he managed to hack off a leg and a wing, and pa.s.sed them to Sir Henry, who, in return, cut some bread, and poured out a gla.s.s of wine.

The chicken came fully up to its looks, and those who discussed it were very busy for some little time.

"There is only one gla.s.s," said Sir Henry. "Will you drink first, Hilary?"

"No, Sir Henry. After you."

"But I stand in the place of your host," said Sir Henry smiling.

"However, I will set you the example after the good old custom, so as to show you that the wine is not drugged."

"His majesty King Charles of England!" said Sir Henry, drinking a hearty draught before wiping his lips on a French cambric handkerchief. Then he refilled the gla.s.s and pa.s.sed it to Hilary.

"His majesty King George the Second of England," said Hilary taking the gla.s.s, "and down with the Pretender!"

He said this defiantly, as he gazed full in Sir Henry's eyes; but the latter only smiled.

"You foolish boy," he said lightly; "how little you know what you are saying."