TOM TUFTON'S TRAVELS;

by Evelyn Everett-Green. 

 CHAPTER I. AN ONLY SON. 

 CHAPTER II. OUT INTO THE WORLD. 

 CHAPTER III. IN GAY LONDON TOWN. 

 CHAPTER IV. THE FOLLY. 

 CHAPTER V. WITH LORD CLAUD. 

 CHAPTER VI. BARNS ELMS. 

 CHAPTER VII. MASTER GALE'S DAUGHTER. 

 CHAPTER VIII. THE GREAT DUKE. 

 CHAPTER IX. FARE WELL TO HOME. 

 CHAPTER X. IN PERIL. 

 CHAPTER XI. THE PIOUS MONKS OF ST. BERNARD. 

 CHAPTER XII. BACK IN LONDON. 

 CHAPTER XIII. ON THE KING'S HIGHWAY. 

 CHAPTER XIV. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES. 

 CHAPTER XV. AWAY TO THE FOREST. 

CHAPTER I. AN ONLY SON. 

Good Squire Tufton of Gablehurst lay dying. He had been ailing formany months, knowing his end to be near; and yet, as is so oftenthe case in lingering declines, death was long in coming, so thatthose about him had grown used to the sight of the strong figurewasted to a shadow, and the face shadowed by the wings of thehovering messenger. 

Some members of the household, indeed, had begun to cherish thehope that the master might yet recover, and be seen amongst themonce more; but that hope was not shared by the patient himself, norby the two devoted women who nursed him with tender love. 

His wife and daughter were always with him, relieving each other inturn, and occasionally both yielding place to one of the manyfaithful servants, who were all eager to do what they could for themaster they loved; but in his waking hours the squire seldom missedthe best-loved faces about him. Rachel and her mother seemed tolive their lives about his sick bed, soothing his weariness andpain, and striving with patient resignation to school themselves tosubmission to the will of God, who was about to take their lovedone from them. 

And yet they had kept him with them longer than once seemedpossible. The bright days of summer were doubtless favourable tothe patient. When he could lie with open windows, breathing thepure soft air from woodland and field, he seemed able to make astand against the grim enemy of human nature. But the summer wasnow upon the wane; the golden sunshine was obscured by the firstdriving rains of the approaching equinox; and it seemed to thosewho watched at the sufferer's bedside that his life was ebbing awayas slowly and as steadily as the hours of sunshine in theshortening day. 

Today there was a look upon his face which caused Rachel many timesto turn anxious and beseeching eyes upon her mother, and yet whatshe read in the expression of that worn and gentle countenance onlyconfirmed her own impressions. 

The Squire lay very still and quiet, dozing as it seemed, whilstthe fire crackled cheerfully up the wide chimney, and the raindashed ceaselessly against the windows. He had not spoken for manyhours. There had come into Rachel's heart a terrible fear lest heshould never speak again. The shadow on his face looked so gray;the features had taken so strange and pinched a look. 

Rachel had seen death before in many humble homes, although it had, so far, not touched any of her own nearest and dearest. She hadwatched that creeping shadow before now, for her heart always wentout to the sick and the suffering, and her feet led her to thehomes of those who stood in need of tender sympathy and womanlyaid. But when the shadow gathered upon the face of her own lovedfather, the pressure upon her heart seemed almost more than shecould bear. The tears stole down her cheeks, and her eyes soughtthose of her mother with a glance of almost pitiful appeal. 

The leech had stolen into the room, had stood beside the patient, had shaken his head, and stolen away. He knew that his skill, suchas it was, could avail nothing now; it was but the question of afew hours. 

All day that stupor had continued. Rachel had feared they wouldnever hear his voice, or see the loving glance of his eyes again. She had passed the time between a study of that wasted face, and aneager and restless looking forth from the casement, as though insearch of something or somebody who came not. 

Often she saw servants and messengers hastening this way and that, exchanging words with each other, and starting off afresh; but theone stalwart figure, for which she gazed with aching eyes, appearednot, and often a sigh would break from her lips, whilst from timeto time a tear forced its way to her eyes. 

Dusk was falling now. She could no longer see across the expanse ofpark land which surrounded Gablehurst. She drew the curtains atlast with gentle hands, and piled up the logs upon the hearth. There was a glint of something in her eyes not altogether accountedfor by the tears in them. It was a sparkle which bespoke woundedsensibility--something approaching to anger. 

"O brother, brother, " she whispered, with dry lips, "how can youtreat him so? Have you a heart? How terrible a judgment you seem tobe seeking to draw down upon yourself! What will the end be like, if this is the beginning?"

The flames leapt up with a sudden ruddy glow. The room had beendark before; now it was suddenly flooded with a brilliantpalpitating light. As Rachel turned back to the bed, she saw thather father's eyes had opened. The mists of weakness no longerseemed to cloud his sight. He was looking round him withcomprehension and observation. 

"Where is Tom?"

It was the question they had been expecting all day. It was inanticipation of this that messengers had been scouring theneighbourhood in search of that young ne'er-do-well, Tom Tufton, the good Squire's unworthy son. 

And yet, unworthy as he was--idle, reckless, dissipated, a sourceof pain and anxiety to father, mother, and sister--young Tom wasbeloved by the people in and about his home, albeit they all shooktheir heads over his follies and wildness, and wondered with batedbreath what would befall Gablehurst when the young master should belord of all. 

"Where is Tom?" asked the Squire, in a firmer voice than they hadthought to hear again. 

"Dear father, we have sent for him, " answered Rachel soothingly;"he will be here anon. "

"I would speak with Tom, " said the Squire. "There are things Ineeds must say to him ere I close my eyes for ever. Perchance Ihave already delayed too long. Yet I have waited and waited, hopingfor signs of seriousness in one so soon to lose a parent. Butseriousness and Tom have no dealings together, it would seem. Godforgive us if it be any lack on our part that has made our son thewild young blade that he seems like to be!"

A little sob broke from the mother's lips. It was the bitterestthought of all to the parents; and yet they could not see whereinthey had erred. They had striven to bring up the boy well. He hadhad the same training as his father before him. There had been nolack of firmness, and no lack of love, but the result, as atpresent seen, was terrible to the father and mother. 

The squire heard the stifled sound of grief, and put out his handto clasp that of his wife. 

"Remember he is the child of many prayers, " he said. "We mustbelieve that those prayers will be answered. We must have faith inGod. "

"I will try--I will try, " answered the poor mother; "but oh, myhusband, how shall I hope to cope with that wild spirit when youare gone?"

It was a hard question to answer, for the Squire himself had foundhis son more than a match for him many a time. It was true that hehad done all that man can do to protect wife and daughter from thereckless extravagance of an ungoverned nature; but he knew wellthat Tom was not one to see himself tamely set aside. There weredifficulties ahead for these two women, and the future of his sonlay like a load upon his spirit. 

"I would speak with Tom, " he said, after a brief pause, duringwhich Rachel administered a draught of the cordial which did mostto support the failing strength of the dying man. Just at thismoment the lamp of life seemed to be glowing with fresh strength. It was but the last flicker before extinction, and the wife knewit, but Rachel experienced a glow of hope that perhaps it mightmean a temporary improvement. 

"I will go and see if he has come, " she said. "Perchance they havefound and brought him by now. "

She glided from the room, just giving one backward glance in sodoing, when the expression on her mother's face brought a quickspasm of pain to her heart. There was a strange conflict of feelinggoing on within her, as she trod the corridor with swift steps, andpassed rapidly down into the hall beneath. 

This hall was a great square place, with a glowing fireilluminating it, the dancing shadows falling grotesquely upon thepictured Tuftons that lined the walls, and upon the weapons whichhung, together with trophies of game, between them. In the centreof the hall was an oak table, heavily carved about the legs, and atthis table stood a tall, broad-shouldered young man, clad in thestout leathern breeches and full coat of the period, tossing off asteaming tankard of some spirituous liquor, although the flush onhis face, and the slightly unsteady way in which he held thevessel, seemed to indicate that he stood in no further need ofstrong drink. 

Rachel came swiftly down the staircase, her footfall makingscarcely any sound upon the shallow polished steps. 

"Tom!" she exclaimed, in a voice full of repressed feeling, "howcan you delay drinking here, when your father upstairs is dying, and is asking for you?"

"Dying, quotha!" returned the young man, with a foolish laugh;"methinks I have heard that tale somewhat too often to be scared byit now, sweet sister!" and he patted her shoulder with a gesturefrom which she instinctively recoiled. 

"Tom, have you no heart? He will not last the night through. Gotyou not our messages, sent hours ago? How can you show yourself socareless--so cruel? But tarry no longer now you are here. He hasasked for you twice. Take care lest you dally too long!"

Something in Rachel's face and in her manner of speaking seemed tomake an impression upon the young roisterer. Tom was not drunk, although he had been spending the day with comrades who seasonedevery sentence with an oath, and flavoured every pastime withstrong drink. A man with a weaker head might have been overcome bythe libations in which he had indulged, but Tom was a seasonedvessel by that time, and he could stand a good deal. 

He was in a noisy and reckless mood, but he had the command of hisfaculties. He saw that his sister was speaking with conviction, andhe prepared to do her bidding. 

At the same time, Tom was not seriously alarmed about his father. The Squire's long illness had bred in him a sort of disbelief inany fatal termination. He had made up his mind that women anddoctors were all fools together, and frightened themselves fornothing. He had resolved against letting himself be scared by theirlong faces and doleful prognostications, and had gone on in hiswonted courses with reckless bravado. He was not altogether anundutiful son. He had some affection for both father and mother. But his affection was not strong enough to keep him from followingout his own wishes. He had long been a sort of leader amongst theyoung men of the place and neighbourhood, and he enjoyed thereputation he held of being a daring young blade, not far inferiorin prowess and recklessness to those young bloods about town, reports of whose doings sometimes reached the wilds of Essex, stirring up Tom Tufton's ambition to follow in their wake. 

He always declared that he meant no harm, and did no harm, to any. The natives of the place were certainly proud of him, even if theysometimes fell to rating and crying shame upon him. He knew hispopularity; he knew that he had a fine figure and a handsome face;he knew that he had the sort of address which carried him throughhis scrapes and adventures with flying colours. He found the worlda pleasant place, and saw no reason why he should not enjoy himselfin his own way whilst he was young. Some day he would marry andsober down, and live as his fathers had done before him; but, meantime, he meant to have his fling. 

There were other Tuftons who had done the like before him, as hisfather knew to his cost. Several times had the estate been sadlyimpoverished by the demands made upon it by some of the wildyounger brothers, who had bequeathed (as it seemed) theircharacteristics to this young scion, Tom. The Squire himself hadbeen living with great economy, that he might pay off a mortgagewhich had been contracted by his own father, in order to save thehonour of the family, which had been imperilled by the extravaganceof his brother. 

Tom never troubled himself about these things. He cared little howhis father scraped and saved, if he had but money in his pocketssufficient for the needs of the day. Extravagance in money was lessTom's foible than recklessness in his exploits, and a daringdisregard of authority. No doubt he would have made away with moneyhad he possessed it; but as everybody knew that he did not possessa long purse, and that the Squire would not be likely to pay hisson's debts of honour, he was saved from the temptation of plungingdeeply into debt. People did not care to trust him too far. 

So, as he climbed the shallow stairs three at once, he told himselfthat his father had no need to speak severely to him. He had onlybeen as other young men, and had not got into serious debt ortrouble. Tom had almost persuaded himself, in fact, that he hadbeen on the whole a very estimable sort of youth, and he enteredthe sick room with something of a swaggering air, as much as to saythat he had no cause for shame. 

But at the sight which greeted his eyes, as they met those of thesick man, a sobering change came over him. He had seen deathsometimes, and the sight of it had always painfully affected him. He hated to be brought up short, as it were, and forced to see theserious, the solemn, the awe inspiring in life. He wanted to livein the present; he did not want to be forced to face the inevitablefuture. 

"Tom, " said his father's voice, in weak but distinct accents, "youhave come, and it is well. I have things to say to you which maynot longer be delayed. Take that chair beside me. I would see yourface once again. "

Tom would far rather have lingered in the shadows of thebackground; but his mother had risen and motioned him to take herplace. He sat down rather awkwardly; and mother and daughter, without leaving the room, retired to the background, and sattogether upon a distant settle, holding each other by the hand. 

"Tom, " said the dying man, "I have sent for you because there arethings which I would rather you should hear from my lips than learnfrom others after my death. "

"Oh, you will not die yet, father; you will be better soon, " saidTom uneasily, letting his glance wander restlessly round the roomto avoid the searching gaze of those luminous eyes. 

"Life and death are in God's hands, boy; and I think my summons hascome. Tom, have you been counting upon being master here when I amgone?"

"I don't know that I ever thought much about it, " answered Tom, rather taken aback; "but I suppose I come after you. "

"Yes, Tom, you come after me; but not immediately. I have sosettled my affairs that your mother remains here and administersthe estate until you are five and twenty--that will be three yearshence. By that time the burdens will be cleared away--and I fearyou would never clear them off were you in power. By that time itwill be possible for you to come and live here (I trust a wiser anda better man), whilst the estate can bear the charge upon it of asufficient income to be paid to your mother and sister to live incomfort at Little Gables, which has been willed absolutely to yourmother and to Rachel after her. At present the estate could notbear that drain--unless only to get into fresh difficulties; butthree more years will put things right. During those three years, Tom, you will not be master of Gablehurst. You will have no morepower than you have had in my lifetime. But I hope and trust youwill be a dutiful son to your mother, and will cause her noheart-breaking anxieties, and oppose no vexatious obstacles to hermanagement of the estate. "

It cannot be denied that Tom was taken aback at this. He hadnaturally supposed that he would succeed to his father's positionas squire of Gablehurst without let or hindrance; and it was adecided blow to him to feel that he was still to occupy asubordinate position, squire only in name. It was all very wellwhen his father lived--that was right and natural enough--but tosee his mother ruling, and himself submitting to her rule!--thatwas a thing he had not bargained for. He felt as though he would bethe laughing-stock of all his friends. 

The father saw the look upon his face, and it pained him. 

"You do not like the arrangement, Tom; and yet I know it is thebest which can be made. "

"Oh yes, in a way. I see what you mean. I don't understand scrapingand paring myself; yet, of course, it will be best to get themortgage paid off once and for all. I can see that well enough. ButI confess it will be poor fun living at Gablehurst as a little boytied to his mother's apron strings. I would rather go awayaltogether, and see the world for myself. "

"Well, Tom, " answered the father in the same low, even tones, "yourmother and I have sometimes asked ourselves seriously whether youmight not do better away from home; whether it might not be thebest thing we could do for you to sever you from your presentcompanions, and see if you could not find better ones elsewhere. "

"I have no fault to find with my friends, " said Tom quickly. 

"No, my son, I fear not. But we have much to complain of. "

"I don't see what!" cried young Tom rather hotly. 

"That is the worst of it. Did you see greater harm, our anxietieswould be less. But what are we to think of these cruel sports inwhich you indulge, these scenes of vice and drunkenness where youare constantly found? Even the Sabbath is not sacred to you. Whatis this story we hear of you--that no girl may even go to churchwithout paying 'Tom Tufton's toll' at the lych gate?"

Tom broke into a sudden laugh. 

"They like that toll well enough, father, I can tell you; else theycould go round the other way. Why, you yourself salute the farmers'little wenches on the cheek sometimes--I have seen you do it; andwhy not I the older ones?"

The Squire looked at his son with mournful intensity of gaze. 

"Tom, Tom, I think sometimes that thou dost err more fromthoughtlessness than from wickedness; but, my son, thoughtlessness, if carried to excess, may become wickedness, and may breed vice. Iverily believe that in half thy pranks thou dost mean no greatharm; but thou art growing to man's estate, Tom. It is time thatthou didst put away childish things. What is pardoned to youth, maynot so easily be pardoned to manhood. Have a care, Tom, have acare! Oh, my son, remember that the day will come when thou toomust lie face to face with death, even as I do tonight. Let not therecord upon which thou wilt then look be one of vice andprofligacy. It needs must be that in such a moment our lives seemdeeply stained by sin; but strive so to live that thou mayest atleast be able to say, 'I have striven to do my duty--the Lordpardon all my imperfections!' For, Tom, if thou dost persevere incareless and evil courses, it may be that the power to ask theLord's forgiveness may pass from thee; and if it comes to such apass, may the Lord have mercy upon thy wretched soul!"

The dying man stopped short, a spasm of suffering passing over hisface. The thought had been a terrible one to him. Yet he had beenbred up in the somewhat stern Puritan tenets, and it was not in hiscreed to speak so much of the everlasting mercy as the everlastingjudgment. 

Tom put the cup of cordial to his father's lips, himself somewhatsobered by the words heard and the visions called up. He wasneither callous nor hard-hearted; and his father was dying. In thatmoment he really longed to turn over a new leaf, and cut adriftfrom former temptations. 

"Then, father, let me go, " he said; "let me try afresh in a newplace. I could not do it here perhaps; but I think I couldelsewhere. "

"If that be so, my son, then thou hadst better go, " said the dyingman. "I would that thou couldst have remained to be the stay andsupport of thy mother; but if not, then it may be thou wilt bebetter elsewhere. I have thought often of this. I and thy motherhave talked it over many times. I have even made provision for it, as she will tell thee and show thee. But, Tom, if thou go hence, linger not in London, where, I fear me, thou wouldst soon be ruinedbody and soul. There be stirring things passing in the great worldbeyond the seas. Take ship, and go and see some of these things. Linger not in idleness in the haunts of vice. The world is a biggerplace than thou canst know. Go forth and see it, and learn and findthy manhood's strength. "

Tom's eyes glistened at the thought. It had never occurred to himas possible to leave his native place. Now it suddenly seemed asthough a new life were opening out before him. 

"Where shall I go, father?" he asked. 

The Squire was silent for a while. He had exhausted himself by theenergy with which he had spoken hitherto. When next he opened hislips his words came more slowly and languidly. 

"If I were in your place, boy, I should go forth and see what isdoing at the seat of war. I love not war for its own sake. It is acruel and terrible thing. Yet there be times when it becomes arighteous thing; and methinks England is doing right to allyherself with the foes of France to crush the tyranny of that proudnation, whose king would fain be monarch of all Europe if he could. I know not whether men untrained to arms may enlist themselves inthe ranks of the great Duke of Marlborough, whose genius is winningrenown for England's sons. But were I young, methinks I would goforth and see some of the great things that are doing in the world;and it might well be that a fine grown young fellow, with stalwartlimbs, a firm seat on a horse, and a knowledge of sword play andthe use of firearms, might even find a place in the ranks of thegreat general. Whether or not, he would see life as he had neverseen it before, and learn lessons which might make a man of him allhis life. "

The prospect was attractive and exciting for Tom, who loved a fightas he loved nothing else, and who had a very exalted idea of hisown prowess and skill in arms. He could wrestle and throw betterthan any antagonist he had ever met, and was no novice with pistolor sword. He had the good opinion of his powers which naturallycame to one who had seldom or never found his match in his nativeplace; and already in imagination he saw himself riding at the headof a troop of soldiers, and winning laurels on all sides by hisbravery and address. 

The Squire's voice had sunk into the silence of exhaustion. He hadclosed his eyes, and only opened them again after a long interval. Their glance met that of young Tom, and the father seemed to readsomething of what was passing in his mind. 

"Tom, lad, " he said feebly, reaching forth his hand and trying tograsp the great horny fist of his son, "strive to be humble. Thinknot too well of thyself. Seek counsel from God in all things. Benot wise in thine own eyes. If thou art self willed, vain, andheadstrong, grief and pain will be thy lot. Seek first the kingdomof heaven and its righteousness--"

But here the voice failed; and Tom, his quick nature touched andsobered, rose hastily, and, with a muttered promise of quickreturn, threw himself out of the room, as though afraid to trusthimself there longer. He was such a stranger to keen emotion, thathe fled from before it with a sense of dread. 

The wife came back to her husband's bedside. He looked into herface and said, faintly:

"The lad hath yet a warm heart. "

"I have always felt that, " she answered quickly. "But oh, myhusband, why send him forth to the perils of war?"

"In the hope that the stern discipline of a soldier's life may fithim for the duties which will be his at home. The lad needs aboveall things to learn to obey. Till he has mastered the lesson ofsubmission, he can never be fit to hold the reins of government. That lesson he will learn most quickly in the life of the camp. There he will be no great man, but an overgrown boy to be taughtand drilled. Young Tom needs to find his own level. That is what henever will do at home. He has lorded it over the neighbourhood toolong already. "

"But if he leaves us and goes forth into the world, who will carefor his immortal soul?" asked the mother, with tears in her eyes. 

"Has he listened to our words of admonition and warning at home?"asked the Squire, with a strange look in his glazing eyes. "Nay, wife, I feel as I lie here dying, that the life of the soul issomething we poor frail human creatures must not try too much totouch. The Spirit of God will work in His own time. We may pray andweep and plead before God for an erring son, and we believe ourprayers will be answered; but it will be in His time, not in ourown. And time and place are no barriers with Him. He will do forTom, I will not doubt it, what we have failed to do with all ourpains and care. "

The mother wept silently--for the husband whose life was ebbingaway; for the son over whose heart she seemed to have so littlecontrol; for herself, soon to be left alone in the world, with onlyher daughter for her prop and stay. She was not a weak or helplesscreature. She had been in her husband's confidence, and had beenhis helpmeet throughout their married life. She was well able tocarry on single-handed the course of action he had pursued throughhis long rule at Gablehurst; yet not the less for this did she feelthe desolation of her approaching widowhood; and it seemed anadditional sorrow (although she recognized its necessity) that Tomwas also to be taken from her. 

A mother's love for her only son is a very sacred and compellingthing. Tom had not been a comfort or support to his parents; he waslikely, if he remained, to be a source of endless trouble to hismother during her reign at the old house; yet none the less did itseem to her a heart-breaking thing to have to part from him. 

The light about them grew more dim as the fire burned with a steadyglow instead of with dancing flames. Rachel had lighted a lamp, yetit did little to illumine the great room. The sick man lay asthough asleep. 

Presently the mother spoke in a whisper to her daughter. 

"Fetch Tom, " she said. 

Rachel knew what that meant, and her heart beat to suffocation. Shecrept from the room, and returned with her brother, and they stoodside by side at one side of the bed, whilst their mother knelt atthe other. 

Once the dying man opened his eyes, and looked from one to anotherof those about him, though whether he saw them they did not know. Then his eyes closed, he gave a sigh, and turned upon his pillows. 

The Squire of Gablehurst had passed to his last account. 

CHAPTER II. OUT INTO THE WORLD. 

"You had better let me go, mother. I shall do no good here. "

Tom stood before his mother with a flush upon his handsome face--aflush that was one partly of shame, partly of anger, with a dash ofexcitement and eagerness thrown in. 

His mother was in tears. She had been uttering words of reproachand sorrow; for after a period of wonderful steadiness immediatelysucceeding his father's death, young Tom had broken out into hiswild ways again, and her fond hopes of seeing him grow into hercomfort and stay were dashed ruthlessly to the ground again. Theimpression made upon him by the death of the Squire was growing dimnow. His old companions were tempting him back to their ranks, andhe had neither strength of purpose nor the resolute desire toresist their overtures. 

"You had better let me go. You know my father said it. I have neverdone any good here, and I never shall. I want to see the world, andI see nothing here. Gablehurst and Gablethorpe are too narrow forme. I will go to foreign lands, and come back to you with a betterrecord to show. I think I could make a fine soldier, but in thismiserable little place a man has no scope. "

"A man has scope to become a good landlord, a kind master, aGod-fearing head of his household, " said the mother, with a sigh inher voice. 

But Tom interrupted impatiently:

"That is all very well when one is the master. Perhaps when I comeback I can be all that myself; but now I am a dummy--a nobody, andthey all make game of me for being a mock squire! My father himselfknew that no man of spirit would stand such a humiliatingarrangement. If he could not trust me to succeed him, he did wellto arrange for me to go elsewhere. He said you would tell me whatprovision he had made for me to do so. "

The moment had come that the mother had so long dreaded. She had toface the separation from her son, and to send him forth into theworld alone. But the experiences of the past weeks had taught herthat perhaps this was the best thing that could happen to youngTom. In Gablethorpe he had no chance of getting away from evilassociates. In a different place he might find friends of adifferent stamp. 

She rose and silently unlocked a great oaken press, clamped withiron, a place where the Squire kept all his valuable papers, andsome of the heirlooms which had come down to him from hisforefathers. Tom looked on with curious eyes. He had alwaysexperienced, from childhood upwards, a certain sense of awe whenthat press was unlocked and thrown open. He now observed hismother's actions with great curiosity. 

"Come, Tom, and lift down that box, for it is heavy, " she said; andTom came forward and carefully lifted down a small iron-boundchest, which, for its size, was in truth remarkably heavy. This boxwas placed upon the table, whilst the mother locked up the safeonce more. 

Then she selected a small key from a number in a bag at her girdle, and offered it to her son. 

"There, Tom, the box and its contents are yours. You will findwithin five hundred golden pieces--guineas every one of them, bright and new from the mint. Your father saved them up for you formany long years, in case it should ever become needful that youshould leave home to see the world. Always it was his hope that youwould remain at home to be his comfort and stay; but if that couldnot be, then would he wish to send forth his only son in such amanner as beseemed his condition in life. "

Tom's eyes sparkled. A flush mounted to his cheek, and his handshook a little as he put the key into the lock. 

It was all true. There lay, in neat rolls, more money than he hadever seen in all his life--a fortune for a prince, as it seemed tohim in his youthful inexperience. The admonitions and counsel ofhis mother fell on deaf ears. Tom's busy brain was planning athousand ways in which his wealth might be expended. He would goforth. He would see the world. He would win fame and fortune. Hewould never return to Gablehurst until he brought with him a namewhich should cause the ears of those who knew him to tingle byreason of the fame he had won!

"Nay, but boast not of the future, my son, " pleaded the mother, with a note of anxiety in her voice; "and be not over confident. The times are perilous, and you are but an untried youth. Boastingis not well. "

But Tom could not listen. He laughingly repeated his boast, and wasoff to the stables forthwith, to pick for himself the best horsesfor his ride to London. For, of course, he must first go there, tofit himself out for his journey beyond seas, and find out where thearmy of the Duke was at present to be found. 

Vague rumours of the great victory had penetrated to the wilds ofEssex; but where Blenheim was, and what the victory was all about, the rustics knew as little as "Old Kaspar" of the immortal balladof later days. The squires were little less vague in their ideas asto the scope and purpose of the war. It was to abase the power ofFrance--so much they knew, and was unpopular with the Tories ofJacobite leanings, for the reason that the French king wassheltering the dethroned monarch of the Stuart line. But then thegreat Duke who was winning all these victories was said to be astanch Tory himself; so that it was all rather confusing, and Tomwas just as ignorant and ill-informed on all these topics as thehinds who tilled his fields. He had never cared to inform himselfof what was passing in the world, and the newspapers had alwaysseemed to him very dull reading. 

Now, however, he wished he knew a little more; but he told himselfthat he should quickly pick up everything in London. His heart beatat the thought of seeing that wonderful city; and although hecarelessly promised his mother not to linger there long, he was byno means sure that he would not make a good stay, and learn thefashions of the gay world before he crossed the sea. 

He was quite of the opinion that, clad in a new suit of fashionablemake, he could ruffle it with the best of the young bloods abouttown. He was now all in a fever to be off. He selected for hisattendant a young groom, with whom he had long been more intimatethan his father approved. His mother in vain besought him to takefaithful old John, or at least Peter, whom they had known fromboyhood; but Tom would have nobody but young Robin, and declaredthat he and Robin, mounted upon Wildfire and Wildgoose--two of thebest and fleetest horses ever reared in the meadows roundGablehurst--could distance any highwaymen who might try to stopthem, or shoot them down if they could not shake them off. 

For these were days when travelling was none too safe, and thetransit of the heavy bag of golden guineas made an additionalsource of danger. For there were highway robbers and footpads, whoseemed to have a seventh sense for the scenting of gold. It wasprobable that they had spies and confederates in all sorts ofplaces, and that they were warned beforehand when travellers rodewith money and valuables upon their persons. 

It was, therefore, small wonder that mother and sister looked withsomewhat sinking hearts at the handsome young fellow, in hisworkman-like, if rustic, riding dress, as he sat upon his horse atthe hall door, giving a last look round him at the little crowdgathered to see him ride away. 

"You will write and tell us of your safe arrival in London; and bevery careful how you cross Epping Forest, " said the mother. 

And young Tom answered gaily, --"Oh, never fear for me. Wildfire andI can ride through and ride down anything! I will send a letterfrom London, but after that you must not look for anything butsilence. When men cross the seas, and live amid battles andmarches, letters can scarce be written, still less safely carried. "

He stooped from his saddle, and once more kissed both mother andsister. Then the servants and tenants crowded round, full of goodwishes for a prosperous journey and a happy return; and Tomanswered them with gay words of promise. He would come back again, covered with fame and glory. They would hear of his doings beforethey saw him again, and when he came back he would "take toll againof all his old playmates;" and so saying, he looked laughinglyround upon the blushing girls, who had paid Tom Tufton's toll manya time, between jest and earnest, by the lych gate. 

They all admired and liked the handsome lad, even though his wayswere more wild and reckless than the elders could approve. But alldeclared that it would do him all the good in the world to go outand see life in other places. It would cool his hot blood, andteach him wisdom; and, after all, lads always would be lads tillmanhood's cares and lessons had tamed them. 

So Tom rode away in high spirits, Robin following on Wildgoose, with the saddlebags strapped in front of him. They did not takemuch with them, as Tom meant to equip himself in town, and waswearing his finest home-made suit upon the journey. He had hisprecious guineas carefully secured about his person. They wereheavy, it is true, but he liked to feel the weight of them, and toknow that they were safe. 

For many miles he was constantly receiving hails from friends andcomrades; sometimes a band of young men would ride with him for afew miles, and then, wishing him good luck, return home again. Atsome houses which he passed, bright eyes would look out from thewindows, and kerchiefs would be waved in greeting and farewell. 

Tom may perhaps be forgiven for regarding himself somewhat in thelight of a young prince riding forth to see the world. Everythingin his past life had combined to give him a good opinion ofhimself, and make him fancy himself irresistible alike with men andwomen. For he was undoubtedly the strongest and handsomest youth inhis own small world. 

He sang and whistled as he rode along in the crisp morning air. October had dashed the trees with vivid tints of red and gold. Acrisp touch of frost was in the air, and though the noonday sun wasbright and hot, there were indications of approaching winter plainto be seen. 

They baited their horses for an hour at a little inn where Tom wasslightly known; but when he spoke of pressing on, and asked wherethe next halting place was, mine host advised his remaining wherehe was till morning, as he was now close to the forest boundaries, and not only were the paths somewhat intricate, but there werealways footpads, if not worse, lurking in the recesses of the wood, ready to pounce upon unwary travellers, especially after sundown. 

"And the light goes quickly beneath the trees. For my part, I wouldrather travel by the waxing light of early morn than by the fadingglow of an autumn evening. "

Tom had meant to arrive at this inn full two hours before he did;for he had allowed his friends to hinder him on his way, and hadstopped all too often to exchange a word with some maiden watchingfrom a window or by a gate. He had intended reaching a littlevillage known to Robin, situated in the forest itself, before nightfell; and even as it was, he was by no means prepared to abandonthe hope of getting there. 

Robin was not afraid of darkness or of footpads. He had a very goodknowledge of the forest, and was eager to press on. It was stillquite light, and Tom was in all the fervour of his firstimpetuosity. So, as soon as the horses were baited and themselvesrefreshed, they mounted once more, and pushed gaily along, feelingthemselves quite equal to repel any wretched footpads who might tryto assault them. 

As for the regular highway robbers, well armed and well mounted, they favoured better-frequented routes than this. Open heaths weretheir favourite hunting grounds, though they liked well enough tolie in hiding in the forests when they had brought too muchnotoriety upon themselves. These unfrequented forest paths did notoffer them sufficient hope of booty to attract them in largenumbers, and Tom had no fear of meeting an enemy too strong forhim. 

But security is not always safety, as Tom was destined to find tohis cost. In spite of their best efforts, and the gallant responsemade by their good horses, dusk fell whilst they were stillthreading the tortuous forest paths, and Robin was fain to admitthat he would be puzzled to find the way in the dark; indeed, hewas not certain that he was on the right track now. 

It was impossible to ride fast in the gathering darkness, and uponso rough a way; and Tom had more than once suggested that theyshould make their bed in some hollow tree, and wait for daylightbefore pursuing their journey. 

They had halted in an open place, and were just discussing thematter, when--whiz!--a bullet grazed the flank of Wildgoose, andthe mettlesome creature reared straight into the air, threateningto fall backwards over his rider. 

"Mark ho!" cried a loud voice, and there was a crackling of theunderwood all round. 

"It is the footpads!" cried Robin. "I have beard that call before;"and in a moment the travellers had their pistols out, and werewarily awaiting the first sign of attack. 

It was not long in coming. Three men with blackened faces sprangout from different places, and the crackling of the underwoodshowed that more were lurking out of sight. 

Tom took steady aim, and brought down the foremost villain at thefirst shot; but Robin was not so lucky. He winged his man, but didnot drop him, and the next moment four stalwart figures had sprungout to the aid of their comrades, and the travellers weresurrounded. 

Tom set his teeth hard, a great fury in his heart. He took aimagain, and another of his assailants dropped as he pulled thetrigger; then, setting spurs to Wildfire, who was well-nighdistracted with terror at the noise and the flash in the darkness, he rode clean over the man who had sprung at his bridle rein, andcalling to Robin to follow him, he sped away in the darkness at apace which was risk to life and limb. 

The footpads seemed taken aback by this move, for they had reckonedthat a headlong flight into the recesses of the forest would be toogreat a peril to be risked; and indeed it was a headstrong courseto take. But Tom was in a headstrong mood, and his horse was besidehimself with fear. Both man and beast were well used to recklessriding, and Tom had eyes like a cat, whilst Wildfire had both thewonderful sight and wonderful instinct of his race. Tom lay alongthe horse's back, now on this side, now on that, dodging, swaying, manoeuvring, in a fashion which showed marvellous horsemanship, andall the while listening eagerly for the sound of Wildgoose'sfollowing steps. 

But he heard nothing. The silence of the forest was unbroken savefor the noise he made himself. It became plain at last that he wasalone. Robin and Wildgoose had either lost his track, or had notfollowed him. 

And a sudden doubt surged into Tom's brain as to whether or notRobin had betrayed him to the footpads. Was it not Robin who hadconnived at all the halts upon the way in the morning, Robin whohad advised pushing on, and had undertaken to find the way by dayor night? Robin was a son of the forest himself. Might he not havefriends amongst these very outlaws? Had not his father warned himbefore this that he did not trust Robin, and did not like his son'sintimacy with the young man?

All these thoughts came surging into Tom's brain as he rode onthrough the dark forest. He was loath to harbour doubts of hisservant and friend; but he could not lay them to rest, do what hewould. 

But for these doubts he would have ridden back in search of hiscomrade. As it was, he set his teeth somewhat grimly, and rodeonwards. Robin had no money about him. He would escape with theloss of his horse, and could follow his master on foot to London ifhe chose. It was not worth while to risk life and fortune inattempting the rescue of a fellow who might be a villain and atraitor. 

It seemed a heartless thing to do to leave Robin to his fate, butfor all that Tom could not make up his mind to turn back and searchfor him; for he felt it was quite probable he would only fall intoa cunningly-devised ambush. But he could not ride all night throughthe forest. He might fetch a circuit all unknowingly, and findhimself in the midst of the footpads again. The moon had now risen, and was giving a faint light. By its aid Tom was able to examinethe nature of the ground about him, and presently saw at a shortdistance a dark, arched cavity in the face of a mass of gravellyrock which rose up on his left hand. It had the appearance of acave, and Tom got off and carefully examined the loose shale roundthe mouth of it for the trace of recent footsteps. He did not wantto fall into the hands of a band of marauders. 

But he could not see any trace of footmarks, either of man orbeast; and the cave was tempting to one who had ridden since earlymorning. There was a pool of water close at hand, where his horseeagerly stooped to quench his thirst; and Tom loosed the girths, and left the creature to browse at will; for Wildfire was as tameas a dog, and knew his master's voice well. He could be trusted notto wander far away, and to come back at the sound of whistle orcall. Indeed, it was probable that he would presently find his wayinto the cave, and lie by his master's side. 

Tom found that he could make himself comfortable enough in thelittle cavern. It was not very deep, but it afforded protectionfrom the cold night wind; and a great heap of leaves at the endbespoke the fact that other travellers had utilized the placebefore. Tom had a little food in his wallet, which he munched insilence, feeling his spirits somewhat damped by the events of thelast hour, and yet he was as fully resolved as ever to see life andtaste of adventure before he returned home again. 

His adventures had begun rather before he had bargained; but, afterall, that was the way of life. He would learn in future to trustnobody and to believe in nobody. All men were liars--did not theScriptures say as much? It was as well to learn that lesson soon aslate. He would not waste a regret upon Robin. His horse was the onefriend in whom he would trust. He at least would never betray ordesert him. 

Presently Wildfire, having eaten his fill of herbage, came andsnuffed at the cave's mouth with a whinny of inquiry. On hearingTom's voice, he stepped lightly in, and after standing for a whilebeside his master, lay down between him and the opening to thecave, so that Tom was well shielded from the keen night air, andcould sleep as snugly as in his bed at home. 

Sleep he did, and soundly too; for the day's ride had wearied him, and he was of the age and temperament when slumber is seldom wooedin vain. How long he slept he knew not; but he was aroused atlength by a movement of Wildfire. The horse had lifted his head, and was snorting slightly as if in anxiety or fear. 

Tom looked out. The gray of dawn was in the sky, and between himand the light stood a tall, motionless figure, outlined clearly inthe cave's mouth by the coming glow in the east. It was the figureof a man. He held in his hand a great horse pistol, and wasevidently studying with some curiosity the sleeping figures whoseslumbers he had disturbed. 

Tom would have sprung to his feet, but the man called out in aclear, sharp voice:

"Keep where you are, or I fire!"

The hot blood surged into Tom's cheeks; but for once prudence tookthe upper hand of valour, and he remained sitting upright behindthe still recumbent figure of Wildfire. He had restrained the horsefrom rising by the pressure of his hand. He knew by hearsay thatrobbers seldom fired upon a good horse if there were a chance ofmaking a capture of so valuable an acquisition. He might findshelter behind the body of the good steed yet. 

"What do you want with me?" he asked, speaking as calmly as hecould, but bitterly regretting the carelessness which had omittedto load again his pistol after the brush with the footpads of theprevious night. He had meant to do it before falling asleep, butdrowsiness had come quickly upon him, and he was now practically atthe mercy of the man who stood in the cave's mouth, for there wasno way of escape save past him. 

"I only want your money, my young friend, " answered the man, whoseface was becoming more visible every moment in the growing light. "I doubt not you have a bag of gold pieces somewhere upon yourperson. Give them up to me, and you shall go your way in peace. "

The veins on Tom's forehead swelled with rage and impotent fury. Heset his teeth, and his voice sounded hoarse and choked. 

"You will have to take my life first, " he said. 

"Nay, but that is folly, " remonstrated the elder man, who had arather fine face, and much of the air and manner of a gentleman, asTom was quick to perceive. "I desire no man's death; I only ask forhis gold, which is, after all, but the dross of the earth; and lifefor a fine young fellow like yourself is full of joyous promise, even though he carry no purse with him. "

"I tell you, " answered Tom, in the same stubborn way, "that if youtake my money, you will have first to take my life. Here have Ibeen leading the life of a dog or of a boor all these years--squire'sson though men call me. I have seen nothing, I have learned nothing;I have consorted with low hinds; I have been no better than the swinein the fields. Now at last I have my liberty and a bag of gold givento me. I am sent out to see the world, and to enjoy life. Take mygold from me, and I must perforce go back to the old life. I wouldchoose death sooner. Therefore, sir, let us fight like men for thissame bag of gold; for I will defend it with every drop of my blood!"

And in spite of the peril of so doing, Tom sprang to his feet andstood facing his antagonist with the air of a man whose blood isup, and who will prove no mean adversary. 

"Come now, I like that spirit, " said the other. "In these days ofdandies and ruffled courtiers, stuffed with fine-sounding words butpuling cowards at heart, it refreshes the spirit to meet ayoungster of your sort. Tell me your name, young master, and let ustalk this matter over together. I have ever sought to mingle mercyand discretion with the need for making a livelihood out of myfellowmen. "

Tom was surprised into a short laugh at this unexpected address. 

"I am Tom Tufton of Gablehurst, " he began, but was quicklyinterrupted. 

"What! the son of the good Squire of Gablehurst! Lad, is this thetruth?"

"Ay, verily, " answered Tom, somewhat taken aback. "Did you know myfather? Alas! he is dead. "

"Dead! What! Is that so? Then the world is the poorer by one goodman. And you are his son, and called by his name! What are youdoing away from home? Are you not master there?"

"No, " answered Tom, with a flush on his cheek. "I am to see theworld first. My mother will rule for me till I be five and twenty. I have money given me, and I am to seek fame and fortune afar. Thatis what I said to you. Take my money from me, and I must needsreturn to the life I have left--and I would sooner die!"

"Tut, tut, boy. Speak not so wildly; nor think that I will touch apenny of your good father's gold. I am not sunk so low as that. Didhe ever speak to you of Captain Jack, whom he once saved from thegallows?"

Tom shook his head. His father had not been a talking man. 

"It was years ago now, " said the man thoughtfully, "and I did tryfor long after that to lead a different life; but in the end I cameback to the one I love the best--the free life of the road. Butbelieve me, Tom Tufton, your father's act of clemency has neverbeen forgotten. I too have shown mercy many a time and oft. I havemy own code of honour and chivalry. I want money badly enough; butI will touch none of yours. I want a good horse; but I will lay nofinger on yours. Go your way in peace, and drink your fill of theworld's pleasures; but remember that if the time should come whenyou want a friend and a place of refuge, ask at The Three Ravenstavern on the skirts of this forest for news of Captain Jack, andwhensoever you may come to me, I will share my last penny and mylast crust with you, for love of the good man your father, whosaved my unworthy life. "

The man spoke with visible emotion and Tom was moved also, hescarce knew why. A sudden sense of liking--almost of love--sprangup in his heart towards this freebooter. He laid a hand upon hisarm. 

"Take me clear of this forest, " he said, "and I will leave Wildfirein your hands as a token of gratitude. I have bethought me oftenthat in London town he would pine his heart away. He loves thegreen glades of the woodland, and the free air of the fields andforests. Methinks you would be a kind master; and he is a lovingand faithful creature. I might even lose him in London, where, theytell me, rogues abound. I would sooner leave him in your hands; andif I want him back some day, I will ask him of Captain Jack. "

The bargain was struck. Captain Jack accompanied Tom to thefarthest limits of the forest, giving him meantime much informationabout life in London, and astonishing him by the intimate knowledgehe possessed of life in every grade of society. 

Tom listened in wonder and amaze; but Captain Jack answered hisquestions in such a way as to leave him little the wiser. Hemanaged, however, to make friends with Wildfire almost as quicklyas with his master; for the two men rode by turns, and CaptainJack's horsemanship was of that finished kind which every horseunderstands and responds to. 

"You are right not to take such a creature into London, " saidCaptain Jack, after trying the paces of Wildfire over a stretch ofspringy turf. "Some sharper would soon make away with him; but itwill be a clever man who filches him from me! I will guard him asmy greatest treasure, and he will be worth more to me than theguineas you carry in your bag. "

"And his brother is somewhere in the forest, " said Tom; and he toldthe story of Robin and Wildgoose, to which Captain Jack listenedwith a look of amusement. 

"Clever fellow! clever fellow!" he muttered, "he will make one ofthe brotherhood one of these days!"

Tom began to realize, with a grim sense of humour, that he wasaiding and abetting the mischievous schemes of some notorioushighwayman, and that his father's two favourite young horses, bywhich he set such store, were destined to become the property ofthe gentlemen of the road!

At the limits of the forest Tom and his companion parted. He hadbeen put upon the highroad, and given careful instructions as tothe way he must take. Moreover, Captain Jack had given him apassword, which, he said, would protect him from molestation;although a traveller on foot was not in the same danger as one whorode a fine horse. 

It cost Tom a pang to turn his back on Wildfire; but he felt socertain that the horse would pine in London, or be stolen away, that he preferred to leave him in the hands of a kind master whowould treat him well. 

"Take your fill of life. Keep open eyes, and believe every man tobe a rogue till he prove himself an honest fellow, " was the partingadvice of his companion, for whom he had already taken rather astrong liking; "and if ever town becomes too hot, come and joinCaptain Jack; and if ever you should chance to knock up againstLord Claud, tell him that his old master sends him greeting andfelicitations, and is watching his career with admiration anddelight. "

With that the captain turned and galloped away; and Tom was leftlooking after him, wondering what the meaning of this last chargecould be. 

CHAPTER III. IN GAY LONDON TOWN. 

Tom Tufton walked through Bishopsgate, and along the crowded dirtythoroughfare towards the Poultry, with a jaunty air of unconcernthat did credit to his powers of dissimulation. 

It was Captain Jack's parting word to him to dissemble all outwardsigns of astonishment at what he might see when he entered thecity; to walk on without stopping to stare or gape, to look asthough such sights were of everyday occurrence in his life, and tobear himself with a bold and self-sufficient air, as much as totell the world at large that he was very well able to take care ofhimself, and that roisterers and bullies had better let him alone. 

Tom acted his part with considerable acumen; but within he wasconsumed by astonished bewilderment, which increased as he turnedwestward towards Cheapside, and approached the still fashionableregions of Holborn and its environments. 

The streets appeared to the country-bred youth to teem with life. Everything he set eyes on was strange and wonderful. The shops withtheir wares displayed, and noisy apprentices crying out to buyers, or exchanging fisticuffs with each other by way of interlude; thecoaches carrying fine ladies hither and thither, tightly laced, swelled out with hoops, their hair so towering in its lace andpowder as to provoke the query as to how it had ever attained suchgigantic proportions; the gay gallants in their enormous perukes ofpowdered hair, and their wonderful flowered vests and gold-lacedcoats--all these things provoked the keenest wonder and amazementin Tom's breast; albeit he walked on without pausing to examine onemore than another, or to exchange a word with any save somehonest-looking shopman, of whom he would ask the way to MasterCale's shop just off Holborn. 

If Tom had lost on the way to London his servant and both hishorses, he had at least gained some information which might be ofmore value to him than all the rest of his possessions; for CaptainJack had told him to go to Master Cale's and lodge with him, telling him who had sent him, and had added that he would put himin the way of becoming a proper gentleman of fashion, withoutfleecing him and rooking him, as would inevitably be the case if hefell into the clutches of those birds of prey always on the lookoutfor young squires from the country coming up to learn the ways ofthe world, with a plentiful supply of guineas and inexperience. 

Master Cale seemed to be well known, and he was directed to hishouse in almost the same words by each person he asked. Master Calewas a perruquier of no small popularity, who had risen throughhonesty and ingenuity to be one of the most fashionable tradesmenof the day. He also sold vests or waistcoats, lace-edged neckcloths, gloves, sword scarfs and girdles, generally of his owndesign; yet though his shop was regularly crowded with gallants andcourtiers, the man himself managed to preserve much of the honestyand simplicity which had been his making in the days gone by. Everybody liked and trusted Master Cale, and he was said to be thebest-informed man in London town on matters connected with thecourt and its fashionable throng of hangers on. 

As Tom walked onwards he realized for the first time in his lifewhat a rustic-looking fellow he must appear. He had felt himselfsmart enough at home in his leather breeches, brown friezedouble-breasted coat, scarlet vest, and riding boots, his hair tiedbehind with a scarlet riband to match the vest. But as he beheldthe fine gentlemen lounging arm in arm along the streets in theirhuge curled wigs, gorgeous waistcoats reaching sometimes to theknees, gold embroidered coats, with huge cuffs turned back almostto the elbows, and scarfs of every hue of the rainbow supportingtheir swords, he felt himself a mere boor and bumpkin, and wonderedmuch whether Master Cale would ever be able to turn him out a finegentleman, fit to associate with those he saw in the streets. 

As he pursued his way westward, he met parties of young rakes androisterers setting out for the theatres, the play being then anearlier function than it has become of late years. 

These men were swaggering along arm in arm, exchanging ribald jestswith each other, and insulting the inoffensive passers by withcoarse remarks interlarded with oaths, and, whenever occasionoffered, tripping them up with their swords or canes and landingthem in the gutter. 

Some of these worthies wore cockades or badges, and later on Tomlearned to know them as Darby captains, Tash captains, orCock-and-bottle captains, according to the special sort ofmarauding which they favoured. He met one party of the dreadedMohocks, or Mohawks, reeling along half intoxicated already, andripe for any offensive mischief, which later in the day they werecertain to perpetrate. They eyed the young rustic askance as itwas, and Tom heard a whisper go through their ranks:

"Pity 'tis so early i' the day, or we'd sweat him rarely. "

But he held his head high, and swaggered along as though he felthimself a match for all and any who might attack him. Yet inwardlyhe felt that he would never go abroad in town without a sword athis girdle. What the "sweating" might be, he knew not; but he wasassured that it was some sort of assault upon his person. 

At length he reached his destination, which was a shop of fineappearance in Drury Lane, just off the main thoroughfare ofHolborn. It was then a street of some pretensions, albeit a narrowone, and Tom's eyes soon espied the name he was in search of overthe door of a shop round which a score or more of gallants werelounging. In the doorway itself stood a very fine youth, at leasthe was fine as to his raiment, although he wore no wig and was butan apprentice of better figure and deportment than most. He wasdisplaying to the admiring crowd a mighty fine waistcoat ofembroidered satin, worked in gold and colours very cunningly, andtrimmed with a frosted-gold cord of new design and workmanship. Itwas this waistcoat, which the young man called the Blenheim vest, that had attracted the crowd, and Tom could not at first get nearthe door, so much chaffering and laughing and rough play was goingon round it. 

So he filled up the time by seeking to understand the extraordinaryjargon which was spoken by the young dandies, in which he was notparticularly successful (for in addition to a marvellous assortmentof oaths, they talked a mixture of bad English, worse French, andvilest Latin), and in examining the signboard which hung out overthe doorway of Master Cale's abode. 

This sign had been painted to the perruquier's own design, at atime when there threatened to be a reaction in favour of naturalhair in place of the monstrous perukes so long worn. The picturerepresented a young man clad in all the finery of a fop of Charlesthe Second's court, save only the peruke, hanging by his hair fromthe limb of a giant oak, with three javelins in his heart, whilstbelow sat weeping a man in royal crown and robes; and below thispicture there ran the following legend:

"O Absalom! O Absalom!O Absalom! my son, If thou hadst worn a periwigThou hadst not been undone. "

In the window of the shop was set out an array of the mostwonderfully curled wigs, perfect marvels of the perruquier's art;and, indeed, the size of the young dandies' heads was a study inextravagance quite as wonderful in its way as the towers upon theheads of the ladies. 

When presently the group had moved away, and the apprentice in thefine vest had a moment's leisure, Tom came forward and asked ifMaster Cale were within. 

The youth regarded him with some insolence of manner, but as hemight be addressing a future customer from the country, he repliedwith a show of civility that Master Cale was in the room behind theshop, curling the perukes of some gentlemen, but that Tom could goinside and wait if he liked. This he accordingly did, and soon theapprentice was surrounded by another crowd, and was taking ordersthick and fast for the Blenheim vest. 

The talk bewildered Tom, who, however, needs must listen, andpresently he was attracted towards the inner room, where half adozen young men, with heads almost as bald as those of infants, were arguing and laughing about the curl and fashion and set oftheir wigs, which were all standing in a row upon the blocks, andbeing cleverly and carefully manipulated by the deft hands of asmall and dapper man, in a neat but not inelegant suit of browncloth, ornamented by rather large silver buttons, whom Tom saw at aglance must be Master Cale the perruquier, although all hiscustomers called him "Curley. "

Heads were turned upon Tom's entrance, but the gentlemen onlyvouchsafed him a haughty stare, whilst the perruquier bid him beseated till he had leisure to attend to him. He then adjusted uponeach head its own wig, amid much jesting and gossiping that was allGreek to Tom; after which the gallants filed out with much noiseand laughter, and the little man turned to his unknown customer. 

"What can I do for you, young sir?" and his eyes instinctivelysought the head of the rustic youth, which was crowned with his ownfairly abundant locks of dark brown. 

"I come to you, Master Cale, with a few words in writing from onecalling himself Captain Jack, whom I met in Epping Forest, and whotold me I should be fleeced and beggared in a week if I fell intothe hands of the sharpers of London town; but that if I soughtlodging and counsel from you, I might learn my lesson without beingruined thereby. Here is the note he sent to you. "

The shrewd face of the little perruquier had taken an almost eagerlook as the name of Captain Jack passed Tom's lips. His eyesscanned the youth from head to foot, and when Tom took out andhanded him the note which had been given him, he seized it and readit eagerly, after which he turned to his new client, and said:

"This billet, young sir, would be enough to secure you a welcomefrom me. Tell me of my good friend Captain Jack. Ah! if he couldhave but stuck to honest trade, he and I might have made ourfortunes together ere now. Never was such a figure for showing offcoat or vest or sash, or a head upon which a peruke sat with adaintier grace. But come, let us sit down together and quaff a cupof wine, and you shall tell me all your history. "

Dusk was falling between the high walls of the houses, and businesswas over for the day. Cale led his guest into a room on thebasement floor, where a simple but substantial refection had beenlaid out. He called out to his apprentice to get his supper in thekitchen; and when the door was shut upon the pair, he listened withinterest whilst Tom gave a very fairly accurate history of his ownlife up till the present moment. 

Then the little man shook his head with an air of wisdom. 

"The best advice I could give you, my young friend, is that youshould go home to your mother and your friends in Essex, and seekto learn no more of the wickedness of the world than you knowalready. But I suppose no words of mine would induce you to takethat course. "

"Certes no, " answered Tom with a short laugh. "I am sick of thecountry. I have come forth to see the world, and see it I will, orknow the reason why. "

"Ah yes, so says every moth that flutters round the candle, tillhis wings be burnt away, and he left the shattered remnant of whathe erstwhile was, " responded Cale, with a wise shake of the head. "But no man ever yet was found wise enough to take experience atsecond hand. So if you are bent on seeing the world--which, let metell you, is an evil thing at best--I will try, for the love I bearto Captain Jack, and indeed to all honest youths, to put you in theway of seeing it with as little hurt to yourself as may be. And soyou are thinking of foreign travel?"

"I was, till I saw what London was like, " answered Tom; "but, i'faith, I am in no haste to quit it till I have seen its sights andtasted of its pleasures. Methinks I might go far, and spend muchgood gold, and not find the half of the diversion which the streetsof London afford. "

"Oh, if it be diversion you seek--"

"It is, " answered Tom frankly; "diversion, and the game of life asit is played elsewhere than in the lanes of Essex. I have seenenough in one afternoon to excite a thirst which can only beallayed by drinking from the same fountain. So no more talk ofEssex, or even of lands beyond the seas. I will e'en get you towrite a letter to my mother, telling her that I am safely arrivedin London town; and knowing that, she must make herself easy, for Iwas never one who could easily wield a pen. I was always readierwith the sword or the quarterstaff. "

"There will be fine doings in London town, too, " remarked Cale, rubbing his nose reflectively, "when the Duke lands, and iswelcomed by all the town as the great victor of Blenheim. Yes, certainly, you should stay to witness that sight. Afterwards we cantalk of what you had better do. They are always wanting fine-grownyoung fellows for the army. Perhaps when your store of guineas isgone, London will not hold you so fast. "

"My store will last a long while, " answered Tom, confidentlyslapping his inner pocket where the bag of gold rested. "I havefive hundred golden guineas, the legacy of my father; and to thatmy mother added another hundred, to fit me out with all thingsneedful for my travels, which things could not well be purchased inEssex. Now Captain Jack bid me at once hand over to you my money, which, he said, would melt in my pocket like snow, if it were notfilched away by thieves and rogues. He bid me place one hundredguineas with you for my board and outfit, and trust that you woulddo honestly by me; and the rest was to be put into your keeping, tobe doled out to me as I should have need. It seems a strange thingto be taking the counsel of a highway robber in such matters. But Ilike you, Master Cale; and I am just wise enough to know that myguineas would not long remain mine were I to walk the streets withthem. So here I give them into your keeping; I trust you with myall. "

"I will give you a receipt for the amount, my friend. Many men havemade me their banker before now, and have not regretted it. Youshall have a comfortable room above stairs, and you can either beserved with your meals there, or take them with me, or at somecoffee house, as best pleases you; and as for the outfit--why, itwill be a pleasure to clothe a pretty fellow of your inches infitting raiment. But be advised by me; seek not to be too fine. Quiet elegance will better befit your figure. I would have youavoid equally the foppery of the court beaux and the swaggeringself-importance of those they call the bully beaux, with whom youare certain to make acquaintance ere long. "

Tom was willing to listen to advice in these matters, and thelittle perruquier soon threw himself almost with enthusiasm intothe subject of the young man's outfit. They spent above two hourslooking over cloths and satins and scarfs, trying effects, andfitting on perukes. Tom had never before imagined how important andengrossing a matter dress could be, nor how many articles of attirewere necessary to a man who wished to cut a good figure. 

But at last he grew weary of the subject, and said he would faintake a stroll in the streets, and breathe the outer air again. Hefelt the stifling presence of encircling walls, and longed to getout into the starlit night. 

"The streets are none too safe at night for peaceful citizens, "remarked Master Cale, with a shake of the head. "But I have aperuke to take to a client who lives hard by Snowe Hill. If youneeds must go, let us go together; and gird on yonder sword ere youstart. For if men walk unarmed in the streets of a night, they arethought fair game for all the rogues and bullies who prowl fromtavern to tavern seeking for diversion. They do not often attack anarmed man; but a quiet citizen who has left his sword behind himseldom escapes without a sweating, if nothing worse befall him. "

"And what is this sweating?" asked Tom, as the pair sallied forthinto the darkness of the streets. 

Here and there an oil lamp shed a sickly glow for a short distance;but, for the most part, the streets were very dim and dark. Lightsgleamed in a good many upper windows still; but below--where theshutters were all up--darkness and silence reigned. 

"Sweating, " answered Cale, "is a favourite pastime with the bulliesof London streets. A dozen or more with drawn swords surround ahapless and unarmed passer by. They will close upon him in acircle, the points of their swords towards him, and then one willprick him in the rear, causing him to turn quickly round, whereuponanother will give him a dig in the same region, and again he willjump and face about; and so they will keep the poor fellow spinninground and round, like a cockchafer on a pin, until the sweat poursoff him, and they themselves are weary of the sport. But, hist! Ihear a band of them coming. Slip we into this archway, and let thempass by. I would not have my wig box snatched away; and there is nolimit to the audacity of those bully beaux when they have drunkenough to give them Dutch courage. Discretion is sometimes betterthan valour. "

So saying, he pulled Tom into a dark recess, and in a few minutesmore there swaggered past about six or eight young roisterers--singing, swearing, joking, threatening--more or less intoxicatedevery one of them, and boasting themselves loudly of the valiantdeeds they could and would do. 

They did not see the two figures in the archway. Indeed, thegreatest safety of the belated citizen was that these bullies weregenerally too drunk to be very observant, and that a person inhiding could generally escape notice. After they had passed by, Cale continued his way quietly enough, following the noisy party ata safe distance, as they too seemed bound towards Snowe Hill. 

They were approaching the top of the hill when a sudden sound ofshrieking met their ears, mixed with the loud laughter andhalf-drunken shouts of the roisterers. Tom caught his companion'sarm and pulled him along. 

"That is a woman's voice!" he cried quickly. "She is crying forhelp. Come!"

"Beshrew me if I ever again walk abroad with a peruke at night!"grumbled Cale, as he let himself be hurried along by the eager Tom. "I am not a watchman. Why should I risk my goods for every sillywench who should know better than to be abroad of a night alone?Come, come, my young friend, my legs are not as long as yours; Ishall have no wind for fighting if you drag me along at this pace!"

It was the urgency of the cries that spurred Tom to the top of hisspeed. The laughter was loud and ceaseless, but the shrieks werebecoming faint and stifled. Tom's blood was boiling. He pictured tohimself a foul murder done. A few seconds before they reached thespot a new sound greeted their ears--a sort of rattling, boundingnoise--which provoked another peal of uncontrollable laughter. 

Then a voice was heard shouting:

"The watch! the watch! or some fellows with swords!"

Immediately the whole band broke up and rushed helter-skelter inall directions. Not that the bullies feared the watch one whit. Thewatchmen were mostly poor, old, worn-out men, who could do littleor nothing to impose order upon these young braggarts. Indeed, theywere so often maltreated themselves, that they just as often as notkept carefully away when cries were raised for help. But, havinghad their fun, the roisterers were ready to disperse themselves;for some of the citizens would rise in a white heat of rage, andtake law into their own hands, in which case it happened that thedisturbers of the peace came off second best. One of them had seenTom's tall figure and the sword in his hand as he ran beneath alamp, and had fancied that some more determined rescue than thatafforded by the watch was to be given. So the band dispersedshouting and hooting; and Tom and Cale found them scattered erethey came up to them. 

"But where is the woman?" asked Tom, looking round; "they have notsurely carried her off?"

"Oh no--only sent her rolling down the hill in a barrel!" pantedCale; "it is a favourite pastime with the youths of London town. One party will put a barrel ready in yon doorway on purpose, and ifit be not removed, it will like enough be used ere morning. We hadbest go in search of the poor creature; for ofttimes they are soreput to it to get free from the cask--if they be stout in person atleast. "

And, indeed, as they neared the foot of the hill, they heard agroaning and stifled crying for help; and, sure enough, they founda buxom woman, the wife of a respectable citizen, tightly wedgedinto the cask, and much shaken and bruised by her rapid transitdown the hill, although, when released with some difficulty, shewas able to walk home, escorted by her rescuers, and bitterlyinveighing against the wickedness of the world in general andLondon's young bullies in particular. 

"The best thing, good dame, is not to be abroad at such an houralone, " advised Cale. 

"Yes, truly; and yet it was but the matter of a few streets; and itseems hard a woman may not sit beside a sick neighbour for a whilewithout being served so on her way back. My husband was to havecome for me; but must have been detained. Pray heaven he has notfallen in with a band of Mohocks, and had the nose of him splitopen--to say nothing of worse!"

"Are men really served so bad as that?" asked Tom, as the twoturned back from the citizen's house whither they had escortedtheir grateful protegee. 

"Worse sometimes, " answered Cale, with a shake of the head. "ThoseMohocks should be wiped out without mercy by the arm of the law;for mercy they show none. They have read of the horrid crueltiespractised by the Indians whose name they bear, and they seek to dothe like to the hapless victims whom ill-fortune casts in theirway. There be men whose eyes they have gouged out, and whose noseshave been cut off, whose brains have been turned by the terror andagony they have been through. And yet these men go free; andlaw-abiding citizens are allowed to quake in their beds at thesound of their voices in the street, or the sight of their badgeseven in broad daylight. I call it a sin and a shame that suchthings can be. Well, well, well, let us hope that, when the greatDuke comes home, he may be able to put a stop to these things. Evenin warfare, men say, he is merciful, and will permit no extortionand no cruelty. We citizens of London will give him a right royalwelcome; perchance we may be able to crave a boon of him in return. He--or, rather, his wife--is all-powerful with our good Queen Anne;and she would not wish a hair of a man's head hurt could she buthave her way. "

"By the Duke you mean the great Duke of Marlborough, who has donesuch great things in the war? But what is the war about? Can youtell me that, for I have never rightly understood?"

Cale was a great politician in his own eyes, and was well versed inthe politics of the day. He strove hard to make Tom understand theintricacies of the Spanish succession, the danger of allowing Spainto be ruled by one of the Bourbons, and the fear of theall-powerful French king, who seemed like to rule Europe, if theallied powers could not make head against him. Tom did his best tounderstand, and got a rather clearer view of the situation than hehad before; but what interested him most was the information thatthe Duke would come over to England shortly, and that a magnificentreception was to be given to him. 

Whigs and Tories had alike grown proud of the victorious general, and the war had become popular from success, though the drain onthe country was great. The Queen was personally liked, although shewas but a small power in the kingdom; and for the time beingJacobite plots were in abeyance. So long as she lived, nobody waslikely seriously to desire the return of the banished Stuarts; but, of course, there was the future to think for. Anne had no child tosucceed her; and the thought of the Hanoverian succession was by nomeans universally approved. Still for the moment the Jacobiteagitation was in abeyance, and all England rejoiced in thehumiliation of so dangerous a foe as the great monarch of France. 

Cale was full of stories of court gossip respecting the Queen andthe Duchess of Marlborough, whose affection for one another was abyword throughout the realm. The Duke and Duchess were also mosttenderly attached; and the private lives of Anne and her PrinceGeorge, and of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, presented abright contrast to the general laxity of morals prevailing at thetime. The rather austere rule of William and Mary had not reallypurged the court of vicious habits, though such had been steadilydiscouraged. Anne had not the force of character to impose her willupon her subjects; and extravagance, frivolity, and fopperyflourished amazingly. 

Tom felt his head in a perfect whirl as Cale chatted on of thisthing and that, passing from politics to court life, and then tothe doings of the wealthy classes, of which he had an intimateknowledge. 

"By my faith, London must be a marvellous place to live in!" quothTom, when at last he had been shown to the chamber prepared for hisreception. "I feel as though I had been a year away fromGablehurst. Prithee, bestir to get my clothes ready, good MasterCale; for I shall know no rest till I have been abroad myself, andhave seen these gay doings with mine own eyes!"

CHAPTER IV. THE FOLLY. 

A very fine fellow did Tom Tufton feel a few days later, when, arrayed in all his new finery, he surveyed himself from head tofoot in Master Cale's long mirror, kept in the best light affordedby the back room, for the benefit of the fops and dandies whodesired to see the effect of the finery purchased from thefashionable perruquier. 

Cale had used discretion, and urged the same upon Tom, in the selectionand fashion of his garments, and had sternly discountenanced anythinglike undue extravagance and foppery. Tom had insisted upon the Blenheimvest, with its rich flowering on the white satin ground, and itstrimming of golden cord; but for the rest he had permitted Cale toselect what he would, and was perfectly satisfied with the long coatof claret-coloured cloth, with a modest trimming of gold cord, andturned-back cuffs (showing the white lawn full shirt sleeve beneath), which set off his tall and well-made figure to advantage. The breecheswere of the same cloth, but showed little, as silk stockings were drawnhigh up over them, almost meeting the vest or waistcoat, which wasalways long. He had shoes with high though not extravagant heels, andgilt buckles; a gold cord with tassels adorned his jaunty three-corneredhat; and his girdle and sword belt were of gold silk and cord. 

But perhaps Tom was most proud of his periwig--an addition to hisoutfit which he had insisted upon rather against the advice ofCale, who had offered to curl and powder his own hair in animitation of the prevailing mode. But Tom would not be denied thefashionable peruke. He had spent the best part of each day seatedbehind a screen in Cale's inner shop, listening in a species offascination and amaze to the talk of the young dandies who dailyresorted thither. Cale told him that he would thus best learnsomething of the language and gossip of the day, and be better ableto hold his own when he went abroad; and Tom already felt that hepossessed command of a thousand new epithets and words, to saynothing of the meaningless oaths and blasphemies, which made a partof the stock in trade of every fashionable man's vocabulary. 

And now he stood regarding himself with complaisant satisfaction, feeling that he could ruffle it with the best of them. He had heardtoo much talk of periwigs not to feel resolved to wear one himself. Unless he did so, he felt he should never take his place in theworld of fashion. His natural hair had therefore been cut close tohis head, the peruke was fitted on, and fell in bushy curls to hisshoulders. 

Tom could not forbear a smile as he turned his head this way andthat to judge of the effect. He felt indeed a pretty fellow, prepared to take his share in the drama of life going on about him. 

"Harry Gay shall be your companion, " said Cale, who had assisted atthe toilet with the interest of a connoisseur, and who did notattempt to disguise his satisfaction at the result. "Harry is asgay as his name, but he is a well-meaning youth, and will neitherrob you himself, nor suffer others to do so without warning you. Heknows London well, and the life has hurt him less than it hurtsmost. He is brave without being a bully; he can play, and knowswhen to stop. He is afraid of no man, and so he is left alone. Hehas a good heart, and is to be trusted; and here he comes in goodtime to take you under his care. "

The young man who now lounged in with a smiling face and a nod ofrecognition to Cale, was not unknown to Tom. He had seen himseveral times, and had taken a liking for him, which the otherreciprocated. Harry Gay was the son of a leading merchant citizen, a man of some importance and mark, who was able to give his sonevery advantage that money could purchase, and the means to enteralmost any circle short of that of the court itself. 

But he had also transmitted to his son a certain hard-headedshrewdness, which stood him in good stead in the gay life he wasnow leading. Harry had the sense not to try to push himself amongstthe high-born dames and gallants, where he would be regarded as aninterloper, and only admitted to be fleeced of his gold; butcontented himself with a more modest sphere, where he was a man ofsome little mark, and could lead as well as follow, if he had themind. 

Entering the back shop, Harry cast an approving glance at Tom, andnodded his head towards Cale, at the same time taking a pinch ofsnuff from his box, and handing it to the perruquier. 

"Does you credit, Curley, does you great credit. A chaste andsimple costume, but elegant withal--uncommon elegant, i' faith. Shouldn't mind a suit of the same myself, if I had our youngfriend's inches. 

"Well, friend Tom, and how do you feel? Learned to take snuff yet?No! Ah, well, 'twill come by degrees. 

"Put some more scent upon his person, Curley; he must smell like aperfumer's shop; and so--give him his gold-tasselled cane, and thegloves with the golden fringe. A muff? No! Well, perchance thosegreat fists would look something strange in one, and the day isfine and mild. 

"So, if you are ready, friend Tom, we will sally forth. To thecoffee house first, and afterwards, an it please you, to the play. 

"Farewell, Curley; I will bring you back your nursling safe andsound. He shall not be rooked or robbed today. But how long I shallbe able to hold the cub in leading strings remains yet to beproved!"

Tom was in far too good spirits to take umbrage at this name. Hefelt anything but a cub as he walked down the street beside hisscented and curled and daintily-arrayed companion, unconsciouslystriving to copy his jaunty step, and the little airs and graces ofhis manner. 

"We will to the Folly, " said Harry, as they stepped out intoHolborn and turned their faces westward. "You have not yet seen theriver, and the Folly is a floating structure moored in the water onthe farther shore opposite to Somerset House, of which you may haveheard. It is not the most fashionable resort; but, for my part, Ilike it well. There is always good company to be had there, and weare not interrupted every moment by the incursions of drunkenroisterers, who spend their day in reeling from tavern to tavern, or coffee house to coffee house, in search of some new story totell, or some fresh encounter to provoke. "

Tom listened eagerly to all his friend told him as they went theirway towards the river. So far he had not cared to show himself inthe streets till after dusk, as he had become foolishly ashamed ofhis rustic garb. He was immensely interested in all that he beheld, and in the stories his companion told him about the places theypassed, the persons they met, and the occupants of the coacheswhich were now rolling to and fro through the streets, takingladies and their fine gentlemen friends either to the park, or somefashionable rendezvous. 

Great indeed was his interest and amazement as they reached thesteps beside the river, and Harry signalled to a waterman to bringup a wherry alongside to take them to the Folly. He had neverimagined anything so wide and grand as this great flowing river, lined with its stately buildings, and bearing on its bosom morevessels than he imagined that the world held! Had it not been forhis fear of betraying undue ignorance, he would have broken into atorrent of questions; as it was, he sat in wide-eyed silence, gazing about him like a savage suddenly transported into the worldof civilization--not a little to the amusement of his cicerone. 

The Folly was a floating structure not unlike a large houseboat ofthe present day. Its guests could walk to and fro upon the roof, orfind warmth and entertainment within its walls, as did Harry andhis friend; for although the sun shone, the wind blew cold upon thewater, and it was pleasanter within the warmed interior, wherealready a sprinkling of guests had assembled. 

The place was divided into two rooms for the public accommodation. The first of these was a bar and gaming room. A buxom androsy-cheeked damsel was presiding at the bar, and several youngdandies leaned their elbows upon it, and strove to engage her inconversation. Some others were already seated at a table, and werethrowing the dice, laughing and swearing ceaselessly over theirgame. The second room was quieter at present, and upon the tablethere lay strewn about the various newspapers and pamphlets of theday. Two or three men were reading them, and discussing the news ofthe hour as they sipped their coffee or chocolate. 

Harry led the way into this place, ordered coffee for himself andhis friend, and, whilst nodding familiarly to the occupants of theroom, possessed himself of a few papers, and pushed some of themacross to Tom. 

"A new pamphlet by Jonathan Swift, I see, " he remarked carelessly, with a wink at his pupil. "You know his Tale of a Tub, Tom?Monstrous clever thing that! It tickles one to death reading it. Sodo his pamphlets--sharpest things out. Some talk of Defoe as hisrival; but, for my part, I never read anything that rivals Swift'swritings! Pity he has such a sharp edge to his temper. They say hewill never get promotion. "

Tom took up the pamphlet, and tried to look as though he werereading it with appreciation; but he had never been much of astudent, and the comings and goings of a constant stream ofvisitors engrossed him far more than the printed words, the meaningof which he understood no whit. 

It was much more interesting to him to listen to what thefrequenters of the coffee house were saying amongst themselves; andgreatly did he admire the ease and readiness with which Harry tookhis share in the conversation. 

"Has my Lord Godolphin found a worthy pen to sing the praise of thevictor of Blenheim yet?" he asked of a man who appeared to be areferee on matters literary. "The last I heard was that he wasscouring London, tearing his periwig in pieces in despair that therace of poets was extinct, and he could only find the most wretcheddoggerel mongers, whose productions were too vile to be tolerated. Has the noble lord found a better rhymster? Or will the victory ofthe great Duke have to go unsung by the Muse?"

"What! have you not heard the end of that matter? Why, my LordHalifax declared that he knew the man worthy of the occasion; buthe would not reveal the name unless it was promised that he shouldbe excellently well treated. And this man is none other than JosephAddison, a fellow of the University of Oxford, and a man wellthought of and pensioned, too, by the late King William. But sincethe death of His Majesty, the poet has been living in poverty andobscurity in a humble lodging hard by the Haymarket. There it wasthat he received a visit one day from the two noble lords; and ithath since been whispered that a poem is a-preparing so fine inquality and so finished in style, that my Lord Godolphin is now fitto dance a hornpipe for joy, and has promised a bountiful reward tothe genius whose brain has devised and whose hand has penned thelines. They say that the poem is to be called 'The Campaign, ' andthat it is one of the finest the world has ever seen. "

Whilst this sort of talk was going on in one corner, there werecounter-conversations, more interesting to Tom, being carried on inother parts of the room. One band of bully beaux, somewhat theworse for drink already, were telling stories of scandal andduelling, to which Tom could not but listen with ill-concealedinterest. Others were discussing the last new play, or the last newtoast. A few fine dandies sat combing their periwigs as they talkedof the latest fashions, taking snuff freely, and sprinklingthemselves with perfume from a small pocket flask, if they wereever too nearly approached by some commoner person. 

As time passed by the quieter men, who had come early to read andtalk politics and literature, withdrew themselves and took theirdeparture. Harry Gay was claimed by a party of dashing-lookingyoung rakes, who insisted that he should come and play a game oftic-tac with them in the outer room; and as Tom made no move toaccompany him, he left him in his seat in the corner to look on andlearn all he could. 

Tom, indeed, was quite fascinated by the scene around him, and hadno desire to tear himself away. Presently one of the men from thegroup of bully beaux (as Tom had dubbed them, not by any meansincorrectly) moved nearer to him, and took the chair vacated byHarry; and gradually the group reformed, with Tom as one of itsmembers. The others addressed him, asking his name and his history. Tom was reserved as to this last, but spoke in a frank and easy waywhich seemed to win upon his comrades. There were four of them, andwhatever might be their real names, Tom found out that they wereknown amongst themselves, and by the world of the tavern, by thefollowing cognomens: "Slippery Seal, " "Bully Bullen, " "ThirstyThring, " and "Dicing Dick. "

Tom was not sure that he liked or approved these new comrades, butat least their conversation interested and excited him. They toldof duels fought in the ring at Hyde Park, or at the back ofMontague House; of the exploits of highwaymen, and the executionsat Newgate, which were plainly favourite spectacles with them. Theytold of the doings of themselves and other marauders in the streetsof London, and roared with laughter over their exploits. Tom, ashamed of his real disgust, strove to laugh too, for he dreadedabove everything to be thought a man lacking in spirit; but perhapshis face betrayed more than he meant, for his comrades began togibe him in a fashion which made his hot blood rise; and he mighthave got into trouble before Harry could come to the rescue, had itnot been that a sudden hush fell upon the room, whilst the wordwent round, spoken in every intonation of curiosity, respect, andadmiration:

"'Tis Lord Claud himself! Hither he comes! Certes, but he is a finefigure of a man! So he has not grown too fine for his old haunts, though men did say that he was the pet and the favourite of all thecourt ladies!"

At that name, heard once before from the lips of Captain Jack, Tomlooked round in great curiosity and eagerness. Immediately he wasgratified by the sight of the entrance into the inner room of theperson who was the cause of all this subdued commotion. 

The newcomer was a very handsome man, of slender and gracefulproportions, tall and elegant, and dressed in the extreme offashion, yet with a taste that robbed foppery itself of anyappearance of absurdity in his case. He looked quite young at thefirst glance; but a keen and practised eye could detect lines inthat gay and handsome face which only time could trace. Probably hewas past thirty by some years, yet many men of five and twentylooked older. The only thing in which he differed materially fromhis brother dandies was that he wore his own hair in lieu of thewig; but so abundant and beautiful was it, lying upon his shouldersin large curls of tawny golden hue, and clustering with a graceabout his temples that no wig ever yet attained, that not the mostardent upholder of the peruke could wish him to change the fashionof his coiffure, which, in fact, gave to his outer man a touch ofdistinction which was well borne out by the elegance of hisdeportment and costume. 

Tom stared his fill at the newcomer, who was attended by several ofthe habitues of the coffee house, and received their welcome with alanguid grace and indifferent goodwill. He was speedilyaccommodated with the best seat in the room. Conversation washushed to listen to his words; the most fragrant cup of coffee wasbrought to him by the beauty of the bar herself, and his orderswere dispatched with a celerity which was lacking to any othercustomer. 

Small wonder was it that Tom, gazing and marvelling, asked in awhisper of the man next him:

"Who is it?"

"Lord Claud, of course, you rustic cub, " was the scornful reply, for politeness did not distinguish Tom's new friends. "Any foolabout town could tell you that much. "

"I know it is Lord Claud, " answered Tom, somewhat nettled; "but whois Lord Claud? That is what I meant by my question. "

Another laugh, not a whit less scornful, was the reply to thissecond query. 

"He'll be a clever fellow who tells you that, young greengoose fromthe country!" was the answer, only that the words used were moreoffensive, and were followed by the usual garnishing of oaths andby blasphemous allusions to Melchisedec, from which Tom gatheredthat nothing was known to the world at large as to the parentage ordescent of the man they called Lord Claud, and that this title hadbeen bestowed upon him rather as a nickname than because it was hisby right. 

The babble of talk, hushed at the entrance of the newcomer, beganto rise again when he took up one of the journals, and appeareddisposed for reading rather than conversation. Tom, unable to takehis eyes off the elegant figure, still continued to ask questionsrespecting him, but was more puzzled than enlightened by the natureof the replies. 

"There had been other Clauds before him, " one of the men remarked. 

Another added that it was easy to be rich when the king was made topay toll. 

Slippery Seal wished, with a laugh and an oath, that he were halfas slippery as the great Lord Claud; and Bully Bullen remarked thatif he could but get such a reputation for duelling, he would playthe bully to better purpose than he did now. 

This band of four were getting noisy and quarrelsome. They had beendrinking steadily ever since they came in, and their cups of coffeehad been tinctured by something much stronger. They were getting uptheir energies for their nightly prowls about the city, and thoughtit no bad start to bait young Tom first. Of course he had betrayedhis ignorance and rusticity in a hundred little ways. Although hebegan to understand a little of what passed around him in theinterlarded speech of the day, he could not frame his tongue to anyadequate imitation of it yet. He had learnt, alas, to swear in hisold life; but there is a fashion even in oaths, and his were toorustic in form to pass muster here. 

As the bully beaux got deeper in their cups, so did their baitingof young Tom increase in offensiveness and coarseness. The hotflush of anger kept rising in the young man's face, and there weremoments when a fight was imminent, which was perhaps what theaggressors desired. Harry was still in the outer room, or he wouldhave interposed, for it was not a nice thing to be the butt of aset of braggarts and bullies, and this fashion of drawing a youngman into their clutches was by no means unusual. 

Suddenly, as matters seemed to be getting ripe for some outbreak offury on Tom's part, which might well lead to disastrous results, asudden clear, resonant voice rose above the hubbub, and dominatedall other tones by a peculiar property impossible to describe. 

"Let that lad alone, you cowards!" spoke the voice, in tones ofunmistakable authority. "Get out of this place, you swaggeringbullies! Are we to have no peace even in this inner room, for yourfilibustering ways? Go and bluster out yonder, if bluster you must. Speak a single word of insolence to me--" and here the blue eyesseemed to flash fire--"and I will have every one of you ducked inthe Thames three times ere you take a step from hence! Now, willyou go quietly?"

It was strange to see the change which came over these young rakesthe moment that the clear, cold tones of Lord Claud's voice fellupon their ears. They stopped, they cringed, they looked one at theother, and then back at him, as a whipped dog looks at the masterwho rates him. Thirsty Thring, who had drunk the most deeply, andwho was in consequence most filled with Dutch courage, venturedonce to look as though he were about to resist, or to dispute themandate of Lord Claud; but no sooner had he provoked that flash ofthe eyes, than he too was cringing more humbly than his fellows. 

To the great amazement of Tom, they took up their hats, and slunkfrom the room like so many whipped curs. He heard them the nextminute chartering a wherry to take them to the shore once more. 

Lord Claud had taken up his paper again, but meeting Tom's bashfulglance of mingled gratitude and admiration, he remarked to him witha quiet smile:

"You are a stranger to London and its sons, lad; take this bit ofadvice from one who knows both well: Never let any man badger andinsult you. Take no word from any; but return it with a blow or asword thrust. Make your name feared--it is the surest road tosuccess. Tavern and street brawls are taken little note of by theadministrators of the law; but better a few weeks' discipline inNewgate, than to be the butt and victim of a set of vulgar streetswaggerers and swashbucklers such as those worthies we have justseen depart. "

Tom had risen and had slowly approached Lord Claud. Now that thehour for the play had all but come, the room was thinning of itsguests. He felt more courage to speak to this strange being, whoseemed so great a personage. 

"I thank you, sir, for sending them away. I will seek to followyour good counsel in the future. "

And then, after a moment's hesitation, he added, "Sir, are theremore than one Lord Claud in this great city of London?"

"Not that I am aware of, " answered the other, with a lighting ofthe eyes. "Some would tell you that one was enough even for so vasta city and realm as this!"

"Because, " continued Tom, "I was charged with a message for oneLord Claud, and I marvel that it can be your worshipful self, forhe that sent it was a strange man to speak of himself as yourmaster. "

A laugh shone in the dark blue eyes of the other. 

"In sooth I call no man my master, " he answered lightly; "but tellme the name of him who sent this message, and I shall know if it befor me or not. "

"He called himself Captain Jack, " answered Tom, "and I met with himbetwixt my home in Essex and this city. He was dwelling in theheart of the great Forest of Epping. "

Upon Lord Claud's face there had come a look of vivid interest andpleasure; yet he laid a finger upon his lips, as though to cautionTom, who, indeed, had spoken in a tone too low to be heard by anyone else. 

"Any news of or from Captain Jack is right welcome in mine ears, "he said; "but this is not the time or place in which to speak ofsuch things. Come tomorrow morning early to my lodgings in theMall--any man will direct you to them--and there we will speak atease. Forget not--tomorrow morning by ten o' the clock, ere mylevee has begun. I shall expect you. Farewell, good youth, and keepyour distance with those gentlemen you have just left. They wouldlike to spit you as a goose is spitted, but I would see you againere that consummation be achieved!"

He nodded to Tom, and took up his paper again; and Tom, turninground, encountered the amazed glance of Harry, who had come in tofind him, and discovered him in friendly converse with the greatestman of all the company. 

"How now, Tom! But you have a mettlesome spirit after all, if youcan scrape acquaintance with Lord Claud. I have been in his companymany a time, but never a word has he vouchsafed to me. And are youinvited to his lodgings? Surely my ears must have deceived me!"

"In sooth he asked me, but it is only to hear a message I chance tobear from an old friend of his. Harry, tell me who is this LordClaud? Men seem to worship the ground he treads upon, and yet tofear him, too, more than a little. "

It was after they had reached the streets again that Tom put thisquestion, and Harry answered it by a knowing shake of the head. 

"I should have the makings of a fortune in me, " he answered, "if Icould tell who Lord Claud was. There be many fine ladies, andcurled darlings of fashion, who would give much to know thatsecret. "

"But if he be a lord--"

"Ah, indeed--a wise 'if'! He is no more a lord than I am! That muchI can tell you. But the name fits, and he wears it with a grace. There be ladies in high places, too, who would not be averse toshare it with him, and be my Lady Claud, even though no other namemight be hers. "

"But he is very rich; and rich men--"

"Rich!--ay, verily; and so should I be rich, if every time my pursewas empty I helped myself to Her Majesty's gold, as it traversedthe road from place to place!"

Tom stopped short as though he had been shot. 

"A highwayman!" he gasped. 

Harry bestowed upon him a sage glance and a mocking laugh. 

"That is your word, not mine, my friend. Breathe it not before hislordship! But there be many who swear that he is none other than agrandson of the famous Claud Duval of olden days, and that he rollsin the wealth he has filched from royalty itself. "

"And yet he lives like a prince, and all the world pays him court!"

"Oh yes--it is the way of the world; a successful villain is asmuch an idol as a successful general. The tide may turn. All highpositions have their dangers. Remember nothing has ever been provedagainst him; but men think and whisper, though not in his presence. Town talk may or may not be true; and the ladies like him none theless for the tales that circulate about him. But come now, no morequestions, or we shall be late for the play!"

CHAPTER V. WITH LORD CLAUD. 

Cale shook his head; but Tom was resolute. He had fallen under thespell of the so-called Lord Claud's personality--like many anotherbefore him--and whatever the upshot of the matter might be, he wasgoing to accept the invitation accorded him, and visit thatpersonage in his lodgings. 

"Have a care, lad, have a care, " advised the little perruquier. "All is not gold that glitters; and many a fine lad has been led tohis ruin ere now by following some headlong fancy of his own. "

"I will be careful, " answered Tom, with the careless confidence ofinexperience. "Did I not come back last night with nothing spentsave the price of the theatre and my coffee and supper? You saidyourself I had done well. So give me now ten guineas, and I will begone; for I was told to be early. "

Tom had no difficulty, once he had reached the Mall, in findingLord Claud's rooms; for everybody knew where they were situated, and looked with some respect upon Tom for inquiring. He wasreceived at the door by a very fine lackey, and taken up a widestaircase, so richly carpeted that the footfall could not be heardupon it. Everywhere his eyes rested upon strange and costlyproducts of foreign lands, such as he had never dreamed ofheretofore. Later on he learned that Lord Claud had won thissumptuous suite of rooms from a rich young nobleman at the gamingtable, and had stepped into its luxury and collected treasures withnever an effort on his part. It was the fashion of the day to stakehouse and lands, wealth, and even honour, upon the cast of the diceor the fall of the cards; but that Tom did not yet know. 

He followed the servant into a large and lofty bedchamber, the likeof which he had never seen before. He could have spent an hour inexamining all the rich and curious things it contained; but a voicehailed him from the bed, and there lay Lord Claud, in a nest ofsnowy pillows, his golden head and fair complexion giving him analmost girlish aspect, albeit the square set of the jaw and thepeculiarly penetrating glance of the dark-blue eyes robbed the faceof any charge of effeminacy. 

He was clad in a sort of dressing jacket of silk and lace, fineenough for any lady; and the bed was draped in silk from theIndies, worked in a fashion that set Tom agape. A few volumes ofpoetry, half a dozen letters, scented and delicately twisted, and asilver salver bearing an empty cup stood beside him. His servantremoved this latter, and at a sign from his master withdrew; andTom was motioned to take the lounging chair which stood beside thebed, and from the recesses of which he could watch Lord Claud, ashe did, with a sense of fascination. 

"Early afoot, in sooth, my young spark from the country! Ah, it isa fine habit, that of early rising. I practised it once myself, soI speak with authority. But what would you in this Babylon? And, i'faith, what is there to do before the afternoon to tempt a man fromhis couch? I have scarce had four hours' sleep as it is. There wasno getting away from my Lady Betty's reception last night. Egad, Ibelieve that fair votary of the Graces ruins more young bloods thanany sharper in the town! Have a care of your guineas, my youngfriend, if ever you find yourself sitting down to the card tablewith her!"

"That is not likely, " answered Tom modestly. "I am but the son of acountry squire. I have come to London to see somewhat of the lifethere; but I look not to consort with the fashionable ones of theearth. "

"We shall see, we shall see. A golden key opens all doors--atleast, nearly all. And you have not come empty-handed from home, Iwarrant. And that reminds me of your words of yesterday. You bringme a message from my quondam friend, Captain Jack. I would hearnews of him; so tell me all the tale. "

Tom told the tale simply enough, and Lord Claud listened withunaffected interest, nodding his head once or twice at hearing theterms of the message delivered for himself. 

"Ah, good Captain Jack! So he is still in the free forest! Well, well, well, perhaps he has chosen the better part. There be timeswhen I look back at the old free life of peril and adventure, andmy soul sickens at the weary round I see day by day. Who knows butthe time may come when I will break these gossamer bonds! Ah, Imight do worse--I might do worse--ere my youth and courage arefooled and squandered away. "

He seemed almost to have forgotten that he had a listener, and tobe musing aloud; but, catching the wondering glance of Tom's eyes, he recollected himself with a smile, and stretching out a white yetmuscular hand, he said, with an air of winning grace:

"My young friend, I have taken a liking to you. I like you becauseyou bring to my jaded senses a whiff of the free air of field andforest, as well as a message from one to whom I owe much. I am sickto death of the inanities of the dandies and fops of the town. Shall we be friends and comrades, good Tom? I trow you might doworse than make your Mentor of me--little though I look the part ofthe preceptor of Telemachus!"

Tom could scarce believe his ears at this proposition; he blushedand stammered almost as though it were some fair lady wooing him tofriendship. Lord Claud laughed at his embarrassment, and presently, taking up one of the notes beside him, threw it across to Tom, saying:

"Read that, my young friend; I have a reason just at this momentwhy I would fain have a trusty friend beside me. What! thou canstnot make sense of the jargon! Well, it is jargon; in that thou artright, honest Tom. Men talk in a fashion which fools might gibe at. But 'tis the fashion, the fashion, and what would you? Be i' thefashion--or perish! That is the choice before us. "

"But how can I serve you, my lord?" asked Tom eagerly. 

"Hast ever taken part in a duel, good fellow?" asked Lord Claud, with a keen glance at the stalwart youth. 

"I have fought many a battle in play and in earnest, " answered Tom, "with my fists, with the sword, and with the quarterstaff. I haveno knowledge of the ways of town fights, such as I heard talk of inthe Folly yesterday; but--"

"But you have a stout arm, an honest heart, and a tongue that willnot wag when it is bidden to be silent? Is that so, honest friendTom?"

"My lord, I would not speak a word to living soul if you bid me besilent; and I would stand by you to the death!"

"'Tis a sudden liking you have taken for my unworthy self. "

"Prove me, my lord, if it be not as sound as it be sudden. "

Lord Claud stretched out his hand, and Tom's great fist met it. 

"This liking on sight is a strange matter; yet I seldom mistake myman. Tom, I am going to trust you to act as my second in a littleaffair I have with another gentleman tomorrow morning, in a certainspot of which I have knowledge. Another man was to have acted forme--he has, indeed, made all the arrangements; but, as yon noteinforms me, he was mixed up in a brawl last evening at the gaminghouse, and lies abed with a broken arm. 'Tis not a matter I wouldhave get wind, else there be a dozen men who would serve my turn. Ihad rather one silent, steady comrade than a score of chatteringjays. So you shall be my friend, Tom, and see what duelling islike. "

"You are not in danger of death, my lord, or grievous bodily hurt?Else I fear I should break the rules of the game and dash to yoursuccour!"

"Tush, boy!" answered the other, with a gleam in his eyes, "I haveyet to find my match with the rapier; I shall get off without ascratch, you will see. Whether or not I kill my man will dependupon his behaviour. I love not slaughter for its own sake, butthere be those whose jaunty insolence rouses the devil within me;and then I strike and spare not. "

"And for what cause do men fight duels?" asked Tom. 

"The question is a wide one, and smacks of innocence on your part, Tom. Generally a woman is the cause; but there be other matterstoo--wounded self-esteem or vanity, revenge, envy, evil passions ofall sorts. But, egad, in these days it takes little to provoke thecombat! Why, it is but a few months ago that two young sparks metin mortal conflict because, forsooth, one of them had declared thatVenus was the goddess of love and beauty, whilst the other affirmedthat it was Aphrodite!" and Lord Claud leaned back upon his pillowsand laughed aloud; laughing still more when he found that he had toexplain to Tom the nature of the confusion which had prompted theduel. 

Time was fast flying as the two oddly-assorted comrades talked, andsoon the valet appeared at the door with the perruquier in hiswake, informing his master that several gentlemen waited below, andthat all was in readiness for the morning toilet. 

"Heigh-ho!" sighed the young exquisite. "Why can we not rise fromour couches like the beast of the field, give ourselves a shake, and be ready for the day's work? These levees are the bane of mylife. But fashion, fashion, fashion! She is the goddess of thehour. Tom, sit over yonder, and watch the follies of thy kind. Keepa quiet tongue, and I'll see you are not baited. 

"And now, let in the popinjays and chattering monkeys; for thesooner we begin, the sooner comes the end!"

The next two hours presented a marvellous spectacle to Tom. Therewere perhaps some eight to twelve young sparks about town comingand going during that time, some remaining the whole toiletthrough, others roving off to other similar scenes. Whilst theperruquier plied his skilful hands in the curling, powdering, andarranging of Lord Claud's abundant golden hair, which some days waspowdered and some days left as nature had ordered, they sat besidehim in a row upon the bed and chattered of all the latest bits ofscandal, the wittiest retorts of this or that sprightly dame, theon dit of the town, the quarrels of the gaming houses, and thedoings of the court. 

When Lord Claud left his bed and began arraying himself in the softand costly array provided by his valet, his friends amusedthemselves by joining with him in the perfuming of his person;borrowing his essences to sprinkle upon their own fine clothes, washing their hands in milk and perfume to make them white anddelicate; and calling to his valet to re-tie and arrange theirlace-edged cravats in imitation of the style affected by LordClaud. 

Some of them removed their wigs, and asked the perruquier to givethem an extra powdering; others got at the cosmetic boxes upon thetoilet table, and gave a touch of carmine to cheeks which thenight's revel had left wan. Some gave infinite pains to thearrangement of a patch to resemble a dimple; and all desired to diptheir handkerchiefs in the silver bowl of rare scent which wasoffered almost the last thing to the master of all these luxuries. 

Tom sat in his corner and looked on in amaze. He had felt himself avery pretty dandy whilst being arrayed in his new clothes in Cale'sshop, but he felt like a raven amongst peacocks in this company;and it would have taken nothing short of the testimony of his owneyes to convince him that these were men and not women engaged inall this pranking and personal adornment. 

Many curious glances had been thrown in his direction at the first;and a few of the guests sauntered up from time to time, and enteredinto conversation with him. Tom observed, with some satisfaction, that there was respect, if not admiration, in their manner, and hewondered what had caused this; for yesterday he had receivedmockery and taunts as his portion from men of much less distinctionthan Lord Claud's friends. 

He had not heard the words Lord Claud had spoken to his guests ontheir arrival--or, rather, he had not understood them, since theywere spoken in the French tongue. 

"A friend of mine--a fine young fellow--a son of the forest--bestlet alone, gentlemen, by those who value a sound skin, " Lord Claudhad said, with a careless laugh. 

His friends drew their own conclusions, and looked at Tom withrespect. Lord Claud knew exactly what they were thinking, andlaughed in his sleeve. 

The valet was now perfuming the gloves, and giving just the jauntycock to his master's hat which best suited its shape. 

"Now, gentlemen, I will bid you farewell for the present, " saidLord Claud. "I and my friend have business of our own. We may meetagain at the play ere long. Off with you each to his own favouritetavern. For my part, I have other fish to fry today. "

With that he swept them a fine bow, and the room cleared as if bymagic. It was one of this man's arts that he could rid himself ofthe buzzing crowd by one look or gesture when he had the mind. Valet and perruquier followed the retreating guests, and Lord Clauddrew a breath of relief. 

"There, honest Tom; we are well rid of the chatteringmagpies--screaming peacocks were the better word, or paintedpopinjays. Now to business; for I must keep a steady head and quiethours today. Are you anything of a swordsman, my friend?"

"I was accounted a good enough fighter in my own village, " answeredTom; "but everything here is so different. My methods may beuseless against the skill of men trained in a different school. "

"We will put that to the test, and that quickly, " said Lord Claud;and forthwith he led his companion out of the house and throughseveral unfamiliar streets, till he reached a building ratherlarger than its surrounding neighbours, into which he walked withthe air of one well used to the place. 

First they passed through a large hall, the floor of which wasthickly sprinkled with sawdust; but, without pausing, Lord Claudmounted a staircase in the corner, and led Tom into a large upperroom, the walls of which were adorned by rapiers with buttons atthe end, where a man was sitting polishing the foils and humming atune to himself. He rose instantly upon seeing Lord Claud, and madea deep bow. 

"I have come to try a bout at sword play with a friend of mine, "explained the latter, stripping off his coat, and signing to Tom todo the same. "Give us two well-matched weapons; for we have nonetoo much time to spare measuring and comparing. "

Tom's blood quickened at the feel of the rapier in his hand. He hadalways loved these encounters with the sword, whether in play orearnest. He had not lacked training of a certain rude sort, and hiswrist was strong and supple, his eye wary and keen; moreover, hehad length of reach and strength of muscle. After the first boutLord Claud gave him an approving nod, and, looking at the man whostood by, remarked:

"There is the making of a fine swordsman in the lad, is there not, when he has learnt more finesse and quickness?"

"The gentleman does well, " answered the man, with a shrewd glanceat Tom's tall and well-knit frame. "He may be worsted in a shamfight, but, methinks, in sober earnest he would be an ugly customerto meet. "

In the next bout Lord Claud showed his antagonist some of thedexterous feats of rapid sword play, with the result that Tom wasrather hard pressed; but for all that he did not lose his head, andsoon began to master the tricks of attack and defence, the quicklunge and the quick recovery which perplexed him at first; and inthe next bout he showed so much skill and address that his opponentand the onlooker alike applauded. 

"Very good, Tom, very good, " said Lord Claud. "You will make anotable swordsman one of these days. Now I shall leave you here foran hour with worthy Captain Raikes, and he will give you a lessonin fencing which you will not fail to profit by. After that I willcome back for you, and take you elsewhere. 

"Captain Raikes, I have a little affair on hand tomorrow morning. Iwould fain try a pass with you, to see that my hand has lostnothing of its cunning. "

"Not much fear of that, my lord, " answered the master of the place, as he took the rapier from Tom; and the next minute the youth fromthe country stood in silent admiration and amaze, whilst the twoblades crossed and flashed, and twined and clashed, with aprecision and masterly deftness which aroused his keen delight andenvy. To become a proficient like that would be something worthliving for; and his quick eyes studied the movements and methods ofthe two adversaries, till he felt he had begun to have some littlenotion of the tricks by which such results were attained. 

When Lord Claud came back to fetch him, at the end of thestipulated hour, it was to find young Tom without coat, vest, orperuke, and bathed in perspiration; but so keenly interested in thenew science, that it was all his comrade could do to drag him away. 

"Egad, Tom, but you will make a pretty swordsman one of these days!Captain Raikes says he has never had a more promising pupil. Youhave winded him as well as yourself. But all that exertion musthave given you an appetite. We will to Pontac's and refreshourselves; and when you have cooled down, I will take you to see aman as great in his way as Captain Raikes with the foils. Oh yes, you can come again at your leisure for another lesson. But I haveno fears for you, tomorrow, even now. Whatever may betide, you areno child with the sword. "

The coffee house to which Lord Claud now conducted him was a muchfiner and more select place than the Folly, and Tom was muchinterested in the fine company there, all of whom welcomed LordClaud heartily, and seemed to desire to draw him into talk. 

Although dressed in the height of the fashion, and not withouttheir fopperies and extravagances, the company here interesteditself less with private scandal than with public affairs, andthere was much talk of the war abroad, and of the return of theDuke of Marlborough, which it was now thought would take placebefore long. 

"But he has first to go to Berlin, to cajole the King of Prussia tosend help to Italy, to the Duke of Savoy, " cried one of thecompany, who seemed best informed on military matters. "It willtake a good one to wring eight thousand soldiers out of His Majestyof Prussia, but if any man can do it, it will be Johnny Churchill!I remember him even when we were boys together. He had a tonguethat would flatter the nose off your face, if you did but listen tohim! A voice of silver, and a hand of iron--those are the giftswhich have made the fortunes of my Lord of Marlborough. "

"Ay, an iron hand for keeping money when once the fingers haveclosed upon it!" laughed one. 

"And a wife who rules the Queen, and is bent upon making herhusband the greatest man in the kingdom--though she will alwayskeep the upper hand of her lord, you will see. Marlborough, whom nocombination of military prowess can daunt, trembles and turns palebefore the frown of his wife!"

"Yet it is not fear but love which makes him tremble, " saidanother. "Although their children are grown to adolescence, heloves her yet as dotingly as ever youthful swain loves the Phyllisof his boyhood's amours!"

"That is nothing to sneer at, " remarked Lord Claud, speaking forthe first time. "Rather should we thank Heaven, in these days ofprofligacy and vice, that we have a Queen upon the throne who lovesher husband faithfully and well, and a general, victorious in arms, who would gladly lay down his victor's laurels for the joy ofliving in peaceful obscurity at the side of his wife!"

Nobody laughed at Lord Claud's speech, though it would haveprovoked mirth if another had given utterance to the sentiment. Thetalk went on, however, in the same vein, and Tom listened insilence, trying to digest as much as he could of the news of theday. 

Lord Claud did not remain long; and when they were in the streettogether, Tom asked him of the great Duke, and what had been saidof him. Was he really treacherous and false, loving money above allelse, and careless of the good of the realm, so long as he built uphis own fortunes securely?

"The Duke's career is not without its black spots, " answered LordClaud. "It is known by all that he deserted the late King James theSecond; but there were reasons solid and sound for that. Thedarkest passage in his life is his intrigues against His MajestyKing William, for which he was disgraced for some time. But for allthat his genius is marvellous, and I am very sure he is loyal tothe core to good Queen Anne; albeit a man who will not openly allyhimself with either Whig or Tory faction must expect to makeenemies in many quarters. "

"And does he indeed love money so well?"

"Second to his wife, or men do him great injustice. But though theylaugh and sneer at him, I misdoubt me if he loves wealth betterthan his traducers; only he keeps a firmer grip upon it, havingindeed no taste for vulgar dissipation. Why, even as a youth he wasmighty prudent. "

Here Lord Claud began to laugh, as though tickled by some memory;and on being questioned further, he told Tom the tale. 

"You must know that John Churchill was a marvellous pretty fellow, with just the same languid grace of bearing that he has kept allhis life; and of which you may judge the effect yourself, good Tom, ere many weeks be passed. He was a youth about the court of Charlesthe Second, and the Duchess of Cleveland took notice of thehandsome, witty lad, and sometimes had him in her rooms to amuseher. Once they so chanced to be there together, when the steps ofthe King were heard approaching; and as His Majesty was like tothink evil of a matter where no evil was, the Duchess was sore putto it, and looked so affrighted, that young Churchill gallantlysprang from the window, at the risk of breaking his leg if not hisneck. The Duchess sent him a present of five thousand pounds thenext day; and what does the lad do? Most of his sort would havesquandered it at play in a week; but Johnny Churchill was of adifferent kidney. He goes and purchases with it an annuity; so thatcome what may, he may never be left quite destitute in his oldage!"

And Lord Claud again burst into a hearty laugh, in which Tom nowjoined. 

They were now approaching a narrow street hard by the Haymarket, and his companion knocked at a lowly door, which was opened by asombre-looking man in a shabby suit of clothes. 

"Is your master within?" asked Lord Claud, who seemed known to allthe world; and the next minute he was striding up the stairs, twosteps at a time; Tom following, and marvelling much at the darknessof the humble abode, and at Lord Claud's purpose in coming. 

A door on the second floor was thrown open, and Lord Claud steppedgaily in. 

"Ha, Master Addison, " he cried, "I have come to offer to you mytardy congratulations for that yet more tardy recognition of meritwhich has been your portion at last! And so the great ones of theland have been forced to come beseeching in person? Ha! ha! that isvery good. And may my friend here--young Esquire Tufton, ofGablethorpe, in the county of Essex--have the privilege of hearingsome of those wonderful lines which are to take the country bystorm? Come, Master Addison, you know that I am a lover of goodmetre and fine sentiment. The words must needs be tingling in yourears, and lying hot upon your tongue. Let us hear the roll of them, and I warrant that all London town shall soon be in a ferment tohear them, too!"

The man of letters was attired in a neat but poor suit of clothes, and his surroundings were humble and even sordid; but his face wasneither peevish nor careworn, but wore an expression of dignifiedcontentment and scholarly repose. The walls of his lodging werelined with bookcases, upon which many a volume was stacked. Poor hehad been for long, but he had not been in the straits that many menof letters were reduced to in those days. On his desk were strewnpages of manuscript verse which caught the eyes of the visitors atonce. 

"By my halidome! if that be not the poem itself!"

"The rough copy alone, the rough copy, " said Addison, who waswalking up and down the narrow room, his eyes aglow, his face alittle flushed. "The fair one is in the hands of the printers. MyLord Godolphin came himself to hear it read but a few short daysago, and took it off with him then and there. "

"Delighted with it, and vowing that you should be the first poet ofthe times, if report be true!" cried Lord Claud. 

"He did express his satisfaction, " answered the poet quietly. "AndI doubt not I shall receive some mark of favour at no distant date. But not all the favour of Queen or courtier can give me the titleto poet. That lies in a sphere which not the most powerfulpotentate can aspire to touch. The voice of posterity alone canmake or mar that title!"

"But let us hear something of this great poem, " cried Lord Claud. "As I say, it must be burning upon your tongue. Prithee do us thegrace to recite us portions of it. "

It was a request palatable to the eager soul of the poet, all onfire with the work which had occupied his thoughts and pen for somany long weeks. He still kept up his pacing to and fro; but as hewalked he gave utterance to the well-conned passages of his work, throwing into the words a fire and a spirit which kindled the sparkin Lord Claud's eyes, and even made young Tom's heart glow withadmiration and wonder, albeit he had never been the votary ofletters. 

If high-flown, the language of the day kept it in countenance. Nothing simple would have found favour at that date. And no onecalled the sentiments forced, even though there seemed to be slightconfusion sometimes between Marlborough and the Deity. Thewell-known lines upon the battle of Blenheim itself were given witha wonderful fire and force:

"'Twas then great Marlbro's mighty soul was proved, That in the shock of charging hosts, unmovedAmidst confusion, horror, and despair, Examined all the dreadful scenes of war, In peaceful thought the field of death surveyed, To fainting squadrons sent the timely aid, Inspired repulsed battalions to engage, And taught the doubtful battle where to rage. So, when an angel by divine commandWith rising tempest shakes a guilty land--Such as of late o'er pale Britannia passed--Calm and serene he drives the furious blast, And, pleased the Almighty's orders to perform, Rides in the whirlwind, and directs the storm. "

"Excellent! excellent!" cried Lord Claud, when the poet at lastflung himself into his chair, exhausted by his own flow ofeloquence. "That will take them! That will hit them! My goodfriend, your fortune is made. 

"Capital, was it not, Tom? Why, it has raised a sparkle in yourcalm bucolic eyes!

"'Tis a fine poem i' sooth, Master Addison; as fine a piece of workas any man of this day ever produced. You might have seen it allyourself. You have had information, one can see, from highquarters. Now tell me, I pray, something in detail of this greatbattle;" and forthwith poet and gallant fell to discussing thecampaign in such a fashion as filled Tom with wonder at hiscompanion, such as he was always feeling. 

Lord Claud seemed to have such a masterly knowledge of militarydetail, that it was hard to believe he had not at some time been asoldier himself; and his knowledge of public affairs, and of theintricacies of foreign and home politics, struck the country-bredyouth as something little short of marvellous. 

For hard upon two hours did the two men sit talking, with papersand diagrams before them; and when at last Lord Claud rose, Addisongripped him hard by the hand, and declared he was the best companyhe had seen for many a long day. 

"We are too late for the play, Tom, my lad, " said Lord Claud, asthey reached the street. "But, for my part, I have been betterentertained; and if I have wearied you, I crave pardon. "

"I am no whit wearied, " answered Tom promptly; "but I marvel muchat your knowledge of men and things. "

Lord Claud laughed slightly and lightly. 

"Keep open eyes and ears as you go along in life, Tom, and you willlearn many things in your turn. And now, methinks, we will takehorse to Earns, and lie there tonight. It will be better for usthan the long ride in the cold of the early morning. "

CHAPTER VI. BARNS ELMS. 

"You can ride, Tom?" Lord Claud had said, as they saunteredhomewards from the poet's lodgings. 

Tom replied that whatever else he was lacking in, he mightcertainly lay claim to horsemanship; and the pair walked ontogether, Lord Claud sunk in thoughtful silence, his companionalways ready to give his attention to the sights of the streets, which had lost none of the attraction of novelty as yet. 

"Ho! ho! ho!" laughed a voice behind them; "Master Tom thegreengoose has found fine company!"

"A fine comrade, truly, will he find he has got! What becomes ofall the strapping young fellows whom my Lord Claud takes pains tonotice and befriend?"

"They are like the butterflies--flutter for a season and are nomore seen after!"

"Or like the buzzing fly who is lured within the spider's web! 'Tiseasy fluttering in, but there is no getting out!"

"Ay, ay, the gallows noose must feel mightily like the strand ofthe spider's web to the silly fly. And as the spider pounces uponhis victim ere it be dead, and sucks away its life blood, so doesthe hangman cut down his victim alive and cut out his living heart!Oh, 'tis a fine sight! a fine sight! Young Tom must e'en go and seethe next execution at Tyburn!"

These words were spoken with caution, and yet every one of themfell full upon Tom's ears. These ears, be it noted, were very keenones, as is often the case with those who have tracked game andhunted the fallow deer in the free forest. Moreover, Tom had notyet grown callous to the sounds of talk and laughter in thestreets. He must needs listen to all he heard, and these phraseswere plainly meant to meet his ear. 

He glanced at Lord Claud to see if he had heard, but there was nochange in the thoughtful face. His companion appeared lost in hisown reflections, and Tom, dropping a pace behind, looked back tosee who had spoken. 

As he had surmised, it was the four bully beaux whom he had met atthe Folly the previous day. So much had happened in the interim, that Tom could have believed it a week ago. At his look they allburst into jeering laughter, but it did not appear as though theydesired speech of him, or any sort of encounter, for they plungedhastily down a side street, and Tom saw that Lord Claud had justturned his head to see what hindered his companion. 

"Pay no heed to drunken roisterers i' the streets, Tom, " advisedhis mentor; "a quarrel is quicker provoked than mended, except atthe sword's point, and unseemly is brawling at street corners. Yonfellows bear you some ill will for my threat yesterday. They willdo you a bad turn if the chance offers. They are an evil crew, andmy Lord Mayor has been warned against them ere now; but it isdifficult in these days to give every man his deserts. London wouldbe depopulated if all who merited it were transported to theplantations of Virginia. "

A little later they met Harry Gay sauntering from one playhouse toanother. He looked with a sort of amused surprise at Tom, whopaused to send a message to Master Cale, to tell him that he wouldnot be at home that night, and was not to be troubled after in anywise. 

"Do you lodge with Lord Claud?" asked Harry, with a curious glancetowards the elegant figure sauntering on, and exchanging bows withthe fine ladies in the coaches. 

"I know not; but I ride forth with him ere long on some errand Iwot not of. Have no fears for me, good Harry, I can take care ofmyself well enow. "

"You have good confidence, my young friend. I trust it is not thepride which goes before a fall. It savours of peril to steer one'sbark over unknown waters, or to follow a road which leads no manknows whither;" and Harry nodded his head in the direction of LordClaud, with a gesture that was as eloquent as any words could be. 

"Tush!" answered Tom, with something of the careless indifferencehe had caught from Lord Claud and his associates; "I have come tosee the world, and see it I will. If there be peril, why, so muchthe better. I am sick to death of sitting at ease in the safeshelter of home. A man can die but once, and he had better livefirst. "

"Just so, just so, " answered Harry with some emphasis; "that isexactly the sentiment I would most impress upon your inexperience. A man should live to drink the cup of life, ere it be snatched fromhis grasp. "

Tom nodded and passed on, not pausing to ponder upon the meaning ofthe words he had heard. Indeed, he had small time to ponder, forhis comrade was quickening his steps, and he had to hasten to reachhis side. 

"My stables lie this way. We will go and look at the hackneys, andmake choice of one fit to carry those great limbs of yours, myworthy friend. As for me, a light-made barb will suffice; but ittakes bone and muscle to carry all that bone, " and he clapped hishand upon Tom's shoulder with a little laugh. 

The stables were neither very bright nor savoury according tomodern ideas, but for the times they were thought a marvel ofperfection. Tom's eyes soon got used to the dimness, and he wasquickly in a high state of rapture at the evidences of breeding andpace in the horses stabled there. 

That they knew their master well was plain, for all heads wereturned at the sound of his voice, and each animal gave a low whinnyof pleasure at the approach of Lord Claud. He took carrots from abasket and dispensed them with impartiality to his stud; and, meantime, he and his head groom talked together in low tones, andpresently Tom was called to the conclave. 

"Nell Gwynne will carry you best, Tom. But she may give you alittle trouble. It is not every rider she will brook upon her back;yet if you can master her, she will bear you to the world's endfaithfully. "

Tom approached the mare indicated, who looked at him, laying backher ears and showing the whites of her eyes, sidling a little overin her stall with the evident intention of trying to get a kick atthe stranger. But Tom coolly walked up to her head, and begancaressing her with a perfect fearlessness which presently disarmedher suspicion. She was accustomed to see men flinch and quailbefore her, and despised the race accordingly. But the few who badno fear of her she recognized as her masters, and she gave them thelove of her heart and the best of her powers. 

"That will do, Tom, " said Lord Claud's voice from behind; "you havewon my lady's capricious fancy. 

"Bring up the mare and Lucifer in an hour's time, saddled andbridled, and fed for the evening, " he added, speaking to theservant; "you will probably have them back some time tomorrow, butof that I cannot speak with certainty. "

He took Tom's arm as he left the yard, saying in his nonchalantfashion:

"Sometimes after one of these affairs of honour it is well to takeoneself off for a while. Her Majesty is as much against thesettlement of private quarrels by the appeal to the sword as everKing William was. However, fashion is too strong even for goodQueen Anne. But it is better not to do more than wing your man. Ifyou kill him, you run a risk of getting into trouble. But I have nointention of doing so, unless he provokes me beyond endurance. "

"Is he a man of note?" asked Tom, with pardonable curiosity. 

"In his way he is; you probably would not know the name; but he hasfriends in high places: He and I have never loved each other. Hehas balked me more than once, and I have had my revenge at thegaming table and in other places, which he is not likely to forgiveor forget. The other day he sought to provoke me by almost openinsult. It was not a woman, Tom. I have enough on my hands withoutembroiling myself in affairs of gallantry. There are women, doubtless, who are worth the championship of honest men; but in ourworld of London town they are few and far between. Let them andtheir quarrels alone, Tom, if you would keep out of trouble. "

Lord Claud was speaking now with a sarcastic intonation ratherunusual with him. He was more thoughtful and grave than Tom hadever seen him, but the youth did not dare to ask the cause. Indeed, it seemed to him that a man who had a duel to fight upon the morrowwith a dangerous adversary had reason enough for gravity andthought. 

"Tom, " said Lord Claud suddenly, breaking a rather long silence, "Ifeel sometimes that I have had enough for once of the trammels oftown life. I am weary of the slavery of levee, and gaming table, and playhouse. There are better things in life than foppery andidle dissipation. What do you think of it all, my honest Tom?"

"I find it vastly entertaining, " answered Tom truthfully; "but Ifeel me something out of place amongst all the fine fops I meeteverywhere. "

"You would like to travel and see the world? There is another worldbesides that of London town. "

"I would see more of London town ere I leave it, " answered Tomfrankly; "but I would fain see other things and places, too. "

"Wilt come farther afield with me, if I go?" asked Lord Claud, witha quick sidelong glance at the tall figure of his companion. "A manof thews and sinews, who knows not fear, is the comrade in whom myheart delights; but there be so few of them amid yon crowd ofpainted popinjays. "

The compliment tickled Tom's vanity, just as the preference shownhim from the first by so great a man as Lord Claud touched hisnaturally quick affections. 

"Let me but see this wonderful city first, my lord, and I willfollow you to the world's end!" he cried impulsively. 

"You shall have your wish, trusty Tom, " answered Lord Claud, hisface clearing and his brilliant smile shining forth. "In sooth, Ihave no desire to quit it just yet. I would fain be one of those towelcome back the great Duke, who will be here ere the year closes;and you should not miss seeing the pageant which will greet thevictor of Blenheim. It may even be that the Duke himself will findemployment for his poor servants. 

"Hast ever heard of the secret service, Tom? No? Well, there beopenings enow for men of courage and resource. It may be that youand I may find work for us to do. When all Europe is at war, country with country, and kingdom with kingdom, there is work andto spare for trusty messengers, stout of heart and strong of arm. Who knows but that such luck as that may come in our way?"

Tom listened agape, feeling as though his horizon were growingwider every hour. He had been scarce more than a week in town, and, behold, all life seemed changed about him. Already he had beenplunged into an adventure which would probably end in the spillingof blood; and now the prospect was opening out before him of traveland adventure of a kind of which he had never dreamed. It seemedimpossible that he could be the same raw rustic youth who, a fewshort months ago, was accounted the greatest roisterer of his owncounty. His doings in the past seemed just the outcome of boyishspirits. He had been nothing but a great boy in those days; now hefelt that his manhood was coming upon him by leaps and bounds. 

At Lord Claud's lodging a repast was awaiting them which was initself a further revelation to Tom. He was mightily hungry, too, and fell upon the good cheer with an appetite that entertained hishost. The food he found most excellent, though seasoned somethingtoo strongly for his palate. But the wines were less to his taste, and he presently made bold to ask for a tankard of homely ale, which was brought to him from the servants' quarters; Lord Claudleaning back with his glass in his hand, and smiling to see therelish with which Tom enjoyed the simple beverage. 

"Ah, the time was when I could quaff a tankard of ale with any man, and it may well be that I will do the same again in the future. Butnow, Tom, we must come and don riding gear, for the horses will beround ere long. Oh, have no concern as to that. My man will haveready all that you will need. But those silken hose and thatbroidered vest are little suited to the saddle. "

And, in very sooth, Tom found himself quickly fitted with a pair ofstout leathern breeches, a cloth waistcoat, and a pair of ridingboots adorned with silver spurs. A riding switch was put in hishand, and he stood flicking his boots at the top of the staircasetill Lord Claud joined him, dressed in a quiet and mostirreproachable riding suit, which became the elegance of his figurealmost better than the frippery of the first toilet. 

The horses stood at the door. Tom walked up to the great mare andrenewed acquaintance with her before swinging himself lightly tothe saddle. She made an instinctive dart with her head, as thoughto seek to bite his foot; but he patted her neck, touched herlightly with the spur, and sat like a Centaur as she made a quickcurvet that had unseated riders before now. 

The next minute the pair had started forth in the murky twilight ofthe autumn evening; but the moon was rising and the mists weredispersing. Before they had left the houses behind they could seethe road clear before them, and were able to give their impatientsteeds their heads, and travel at a steady hand gallop. 

Tom had approached London from the north, so that all this countrywas new to him. He delighted in the feel of a horse betwixt hisknees again; and the vagaries of the high-bred mare, who shied anddanced at every flickering shadow, kept his pulses tingling and hisheart aglow during the whole of that moonlight ride. 

Lord Claud said little. He too had need of some horsemanship, forthe black barb he rode was full of fire and spirit. Both riderskept a sharp lookout as they rode along, for there was never anysecurity from footpads and highway robbers once they were clear ofthe houses. However, there was no indication that any suchlight-heeled gentry were abroad that night, and the travellersreached the little hostelry whither they were bound without anyadventure. 

Here they were evidently expected. The host came out with an air ofgreat respect, and took their horses. Within, a plentiful supperwas prepared for them, to which Tom was ready to do justice afterhis ride, though Lord Claud ate little and drank less. Upstairs acommodious chamber with two beds had been prepared. A fire of logsburnt cheerily on the hearth; and it was plain that some valet hadbeen there earlier in the day, for night clothes and toiletaccessories lay about in profusion, to say nothing of a pair ofshining rapiers carefully laid upon the mantel shelf. 

Lord Claud took these down and examined them with care. Then hehanded one to Tom. 

"Just a few passes, trusty Tom, as is my habit ere sleeping thenight before a duel. I like to make test of the weapon with which Ishall meet my antagonist in the morning. "

Tom was delighted to show off his newly-learned skill, and wascomplimented by Lord Claud on his progress. 

"My adversary's second may desire to cross swords with you, Tom, "remarked Lord Claud as he began to undress. "'Tis a foolish habit;but you must not seem to shrink. Show him that you care nothing forhis sword, and I will then interpose to stop the second fight. Itmay not be offered; but, again, it may. "

And, as the pair prepared for bed, the elder man instructed hiscompanion in all the details of duelling, that he might be preparedto play his part on the morrow with confidence and aplomb. 

"I have a few excellent rules of my own, Tom, and I have never beenworsted once, and only once wounded. I neither drink, nor dice, nordance, nor weary myself the previous day. I go overnight to theplace of meeting, and I retire to bed early and sleep sound. I takea modest breakfast, without wine or spirit, an hour before themeeting; and I come to the ground with a head as cool and a hand assteady as though no such thing as danger or death existed in theworld. Some men pride themselves on sitting up and dicing anddrinking away the night, to show their own courage and theircontempt for their adversary. I prefer to show mine by leaving himprostrate on the field!"

It certainly seemed as though Lord Claud's methods were good, forhe slept like a child all night, better than Tom did, who had beengreatly excited by the events of the day and the prospect of themorrow; and when he was dressed upon the following morning, stillin his sober riding suit that became him so well, Tom thought hehad never seen anybody looking so thoroughly master of himself andhis circumstances. The very glance of the eye seemed to bespeakvictory, as did the quiet resolution of the grave mouth. 

Breakfast over--an early meal taken by the light of candles, yetexcellent of its kind--and the pair went forth together, Tomcarrying the two rapiers, as it was his duty to do. 

The sun was just about to rise, and the mists lying over the riverand fields were growing silver in the light, as they came in sightof the group of elms which had seen so many foolish and bloodycontests between angry men, some of whom scarce knew why theyfought at all, save that it was the fashion. 

From the opposite direction three other figures wereapproaching--two tall men and one little one. 

"They bring a surgeon, " quoth Lord Claud, with a smile on his face;"perchance they are wise. For myself, I never trouble to do so. Icount a leech a needless encumbrance. "

Tom looked curiously at the two foremost men as they drew near. Oneof them struck him in particular. He was very tall and verystrongly made, though clumsy in figure and swarthy in face. He hadthe look almost of a foreigner, Tom thought, with black eyes thattwinkled with an evil and sinister expression, and never showedmore than as a slit between half-shut lids. He was marked withsmallpox, and had taken no pains, today at any rate, to disguisethe ravages of that malady. He walked a little in advance of hiscompanions, and when he got near to Lord Claud he stopped and madea sweeping bow, his eyes the while scanning Tom's face and figuremost closely. 

"This is not the gentleman who waited on me, " he said in a raspingvoice. 

"No; that gentleman is laid up in his bed, and cannot keep hisappointment; but this one will do the business equally well. 

"Mr. Tufton of Gablehurst; let me present him to you, Sir James. "

The swarthy man looked Tom over from head to foot with an insolentstare. 

"A fine young cub, " he said at length, "and well grown for hisyears. One of the gang, I suppose?" and there was an ugly sneerupon his thick lips. 

Tom looked at Lord Claud, wondering what the meaning of those wordscould be; but the quiet face looked as if carved in marble, saveonly that the eyes glowed like fire in their sockets. 

He signed to Tom to produce the rapiers; and the second man cameforward and examined and tested them, selecting that which hisprincipal should use. Then the ground was stepped, the most levelplace selected, and the two combatants stripped off coat andwaistcoat, and prepared for the fray. 

Tom drew his breath hard as he watched the commencement of thefight, and his face was full of anxiety, as he felt that the manaddressed as Sir James had weight and length of reach beyondanything that Lord Claud could command. But for a while both themen fought warily and without attempting to get to close quarters, and Tom began to lose his first breathless excitement, and to watchthe play of shining blades with more coolness and observation. 

Two rounds had been fought, and neither man was wounded. But whilstLord Claud looked just as cool and steady as at the start, the darkadversary was flushed and inclined to pant, and the beads of sweatstood upon his forehead notwithstanding the briskness of themorning air. 

Then Tom began to understand where Lord Claud's advantage lay. Ifhe could tire out his adversary by keeping on the defensive, thenat the last he might get his chance, and lunge at him when he wouldscarce be able to parry the thrust. 

It was easy to see that his weak point was slowness of recovery. His thrusts were quick and well planted, he had an excellent guardand mastery of the weapon; but he was slow in recovering aftermaking a lunge, and the longer the fight continued the more evidentdid this defect become. And it was plain that he was aware of it, for though he pressed upon his antagonist with great determinationand with much dexterity of sword play, he was afraid to takeadvantage of his longer reach and lunge at him boldly; for he knewthat if Lord Claud avoided the thrust, he would almost certainlyhave at him with a counter lunge before he had time to parry. 

And, in fact, that was what did at the last happen, after the fighthad lasted so long that Tom thought half an hour must surely havegone by. Both antagonists showed signs of weariness. It had evenbeen suggested that enough had been done to satisfy the claims ofhonour; but to that suggestion neither principal would listen. 

Sir James was much distressed. Sweat poured from his brow, hisbreath came in deep gasps, his face was growing purple. Lord Claudlooked white, but otherwise had not changed in aspect, and thedeadly battle light in his eyes was growing brighter and keener. 

His heavy antagonist now saw that nothing could serve his purposebut an exercise of sheer weight and brute force, and he pressed onand on with such fury that Tom almost cried aloud in his fear. ButLord Claud was wary and watchful; he gave way for a while, onlyparrying the thrusts, and that with not so much force as before;then suddenly Sir James made a furious lunge, and calling out in astrangled voice, "Have at you now!" he all but buried his rapier inhis adversary's body. 

All but--yet not quite; for just at the moment when it seemedimpossible to parry the furious stroke, Lord Claud made a curiousupward twist of the wrist, caught his adversary's blade and turnedit so that it glanced aside and passed him, whilst he sprangtowards him at the same instant, and saying quite coolly, "Sir, methinks your physician would recommend blood letting in yourheated condition, " he thrust straight and true at his burlyadversary, running the shining blade into his shoulder in such afashion that the tip of the rapier reappeared red with blood behindhim, and he fell forwards with a smothered bellow like that of abull who is ringed, so that Lord Claud had need of all hisquickness to withdraw his rapier in time. 

Second and surgeon sprang to the side of the wounded man; but LordClaud said quite quietly:

"'Tis no mortal wound. He has not got his deserts this time. Areyou satisfied, gentlemen, or do you want more with us?"

The second looked up at Tom's stalwart figure, hesitated a moment, and then professed that he desired to carry matters no further. 

Lord Claud handed the rapiers to Tom, coolly resumed his discardedgarments, took off his hat with a courtly bow, and walked off withhis customary air of easy grace. 

"Come, Tom, " he said, "we have managed that well. The brute willnot die, but will only keep his bed a while, and doubtless rise totrouble us again in days to come. They say he has never felt awound before, and boasts himself invulnerable. He will littlerelish the lesson he has had today. But he will never forget orforgive; so have a caution when he is your neighbour in anycompany. He will rail at his second for not pinking you; but 'twashis own words that daunted the man. He thought he saw in you averitable son of the forest, terrible in wrath, invincible inskill--" and Lord Claud suddenly threw back his head and began tolaugh unrestrainedly. 

"I did not understand him, " quoth Tom. 

"Marry, no--and no need you should! You had better not understandtoo much of the things you see and hear in the world, honest Tom. And now let us to a more hearty breakfast, and back again to town. I must show myself today with a lordly grace, and prove to all theworld that I need shrink from no man's gaze. As for yon black bull, be sure he will breathe no word of this thing. It would ill matewith his pride for the world to know that he had been spitted likea capon by one whom he has dared to gibe at as the white hind ofthe forest!"

Lord Claud's mood had completely changed. He was gay and merry, andeager after pleasure. He took Tom hither and thither to half adozen fine houses, where the ladies gazed with a certain awestruckadmiration at this "untamed son of the woods, " as it pleased LordClaud to call him, whilst they loaded with favours the brilliantyoung spark, who seemed, when in the mood, to have power to win allhearts. 

He was a "dear tormenting devil, " or a "mad fellow, but withal atrue Prince Charming;" and just as he talked sound sense andpolitics with the poet yesterday, so now he beat even the finest ofthe ladies and their beaux at high-flown nonsense about goddessesand heroes, and the Arcadian bowers where they made a pretence ofliving and moving. 

At the play, to which they went later, he moved from box to box, from tier to tier, taking snuff with the men, saying charmingnothings to the ladies; the centre always of a laughing throng, whose proximity must surely have been distressful to any persons sounfashionable as to desire to listen to what the actors weresaying. He even went behind and upon the stage, as spectators werestill permitted to do, although there was less of this confusionthan a few years before; and he was eagerly welcomed wherever heappeared. 

From the play they repaired to more gay houses, where Tom speedilylost his ten guineas at basset, but was too excited to care, andpaid over his stakes with a lordly indifference that did credit tohis powers of observation and imitation. 

It was long past midnight ere they bent their steps homewards, andthen, as it was far too late to seek the shelter of Master Cale'sabode, Tom betook himself once more to Lord Claud's lodgings, andwas speedily sound asleep in the most soft and sumptuous bed it hadever been his lot to lie upon. 

CHAPTER VII. MASTER GALE'S DAUGHTER. 

It was Sunday morning, and Tom was making his way, towards the hourof noon, to the house of the perruquier, which he had quitted somefour days past, with no intention of so long an absence. 

The streets were unwontedly quiet, and the cries of the apprenticesat the doors of the shops were pleasantly missed. The shops weremost of them shuttered up, and the apprentices, clad in their best, were all away to some sport of their own selection in byways andalleys, or lingering about the parks with a knot of footmen andlackeys, watching the fine folk walk in and out. For the commonsort were not admitted as yet within the precincts of the parks, and even the gentlefolks had to leave their servants behind; sothat it may well be guessed there was plenty of gossiping andhustling to be had at the gates, if any had a taste for it. 

Tom was a far finer figure coming home than he had been in goingout. He wore a coat of azure velvet, and his vest was a perfectcataract of fine point de Venise. His shoes were of white leatherwith red heels, and his stockings of the finest white silk. He hadfelt ashamed of his plain claret cloth, which had seemed so fine atfirst, when taken to the houses of the fine hooped and powderedladies; and Lord Claud had had him fitted with this suit at his owncostumiers, bidding Tom regard it as a small token of friendshipand gratitude. 

Tom had delighted in his fine appearance as he was taken the roundof the fashionable houses; but now, as he neared his formerlodgings, he found himself wishing he had put on the more sobersuit. He felt that Master Cale's eyes would rest upon him with agrave disapproval, and he had not yet grown indifferent to theopinion of the man who had so befriended him. 

The perruquier's shop was close shut up, the sign swinging idlyoverhead. But the door in the rear stood ajar, and Tom softlypushed it open and entered. 

He paused on the threshold, surprised by an unfamiliar sound--thesound of a fresh young voice singing a gay little snatch of song insome upper chamber. He mounted the stairs softly, the sound of thevoice growing clearer, and at last he knew that the singer must bein the upper parlour, where, when the day's work was all finished, the perruquier and any lodger he might chance to have spent theevening hours if they did not go abroad. 

This parlour was free to Tom, who, however, had not so far troubledit much with his presence; but now he pushed open the door withpardonable curiosity, and beheld at once the singer of the quaintlittle refrain. 

A slim young maiden was standing at the window, looking down intothe street below. She wore the simple dress of the citizen class, arather full skirt of cloth--of a finer texture perhaps than some, and of a dark crimson colour which well became her--and the lacedbodice and full sleeves of the day. Round her throat she had a finewhite muslin kerchief edged with lace, and her apron was of thesame. She had plainly been wearing a hood of cloth like her dress, but this was now lying on the table; and her pretty dark brownhair, rather ruffled, was bound by nothing save a snood of crimsonriband. Her profile was turned to Tom, and he saw a sweet, little, merry face, with a nose a trifle tip-tilted, and a cheek the colourof a damask rose. 

It seemed as though the opening of the door had been heard, for themaid exclaimed in a merry voice:

"O father dear, I do love your picture of Absalom and David! Ithink the king's great periwig is most beautifully depicted. But Iwould like a companion picture on the other side--the mule runningaway with Absalom, and the periwig left hanging on the tree!"

Then turning full round a laughing rosy face and a pair of roguishhazel eyes, the maid suddenly found herself face to face with thisvery fine young gentleman, and in a moment the smile died away, although there was no displeasure in the glance of curiosity andadmiration which she bestowed upon him. 

Tom made his best bow, and the maiden dropped him a prettycourtesy, saying with frank fearlessness:

"You are surely my father's lodger, of whom he spoke to me. I craveyour pardon for not sooner seeing you. But I knew not that you werein the house, and thought it must needs be my father at the door. "

Tom advanced and stood beside her in the window. The pair regardedeach other with a frank and friendly curiosity. 

"Are you Master Cale's daughter, pretty maiden?" asked Tom. 

She nodded her head archly, whilst Tom hastened to ask:

"But how comes it then that I have never seen you before? I thoughthe lived alone, with only his housekeeper, shopman, and apprenticein the house. "

"And so he does, " answered the maid. "He will not have me to dwellhere. As soon as my mother died, when I was but eight years old, hesent me away to my aunt in Highgate, with whom I have remained eversince. Fain would I come back and keep house for him, but he willnone of it. He says that his house is no place for me, and he willnever let me visit him even of a week day. But upon most Sundays heeither comes forth to fetch me, or my aunt brings me hither to him. Last Sunday the rain poured down so lustily that we were e'enforced to bide at home; but whenever it is possible we spend theday together, and I love to come into the town and walk abroad withhim there, and see such sights as may be seen upon the Sabbathday. "

"And is your aunt with you today?" asked Tom. 

"She brought me hither after we had attended service at St. Paul's, which I love to do. But now she has gone to visit some gossip ofher own. Father and I will have the afternoon together and alone, and this we love best of all. He always gives holiday to apprenticeand shopman, so that we can have the house to ourselves, and enjoyourselves after our own fashion. "

"I trust I shall not mar your happiness if I ask to share yournoontide meal, " said Tom humbly. 

"Oh no, sir, we shall be proud of your company, " answered the girl;"if you are not too fine a gentleman to sit at board with humblecitizens. 

"Ah, there is my father's step! Doubtless he comes to say thatdinner is ready. He will not let me soil my fingers with cookingwhen I come; but I can cook right well for all that--" and thereshe stopped short, for Cale was already entering, and he gave quitea start as his glance fell upon the resplendent figure standingbeside his daughter, though his face cleared and put on a slightlyquizzical look as he recognized who the young spark was. 

"Ho! ho! my young friend, so I see you back at last! It is plainthat you have been with mighty fine company since you left myhumble roof. I almost marvel that Curley Cale's lodging isaccounted fine enough to hold your worshipful self longer!"

Tom suddenly felt a qualm of shame and disgust at his finery. Itwas all very well for men like Lord Claud, but he felt that it madehim ridiculous to be tricked out like a peacock, in lieu of wearingthe more sober and becoming raiment chosen for him with such careby Master Cale himself. His cheek glowed as he made reply:

"It is but a suit that was given me to appear at the house of somefine lady last evening. I would gladly be rid of it now, and, withyour leave, will don more sober raiment. I love not to be prankedout like this; but what would you, when all the world does thelike?"

Cale smiled his shrewd little smile, the maiden's eyes expressedopen admiration for the costly frippery, but Tom hastened away andchose for himself one of the seemly but well-cut and fashionablesuits that had been left for him since he quitted the house a fewdays before; and when he descended to join the party of two at theboard, as he had been invited, he felt much more like himself, andlooked much more suited to his surroundings, than he had done whenhe first appeared there. 

Father and daughter received him kindly, and Rosamund's eyes werefull of eagerness as she turned them upon him. He had learned bythis time that her name was Rosamund, though her father generallycalled her Rosy. 

"I pray you, fair sir, " she said, with a pretty imperiousness ofmanner, "tell us some of the things that you have seen and heardthese last days. My father says you have been keeping fine company, and I would learn what that is like; for I am but a humblecitizen's daughter, and I live my life away in the country, so allI know of the gay doings in the town I must needs hear from myfather, who tells me as little as ever he can!"

And she looked towards him with a charming pout upon her lips, though her eyes were full of love beneath their merry sparkle. 

"I am but a country-bred youth myself, Mistress Rosamund, " answeredTom, who had laid aside all his fine gentleman airs, and felt adeal more comfortable in consequence, "and this town and its gaydoings are as strange to me as they can be to you. I am all agapeat what I see and hear; but a man must needs keep his astonishmentto himself, else he becomes the butt and the gibe of all thecompany. "

And forthwith, by no means reluctantly, Master Tom began to giveaccount of his doings of the past days, only keeping quite silenton the subject of the duel, for he had learned that that was amatter which Lord Claud wished to remain secret. 

Rosamund listened as Desdemona might have done to Othello, and Calehimself was considerably interested, though he shook his head whenhe heard that already Tom had lost all the money he had about him, and was even in debt to Lord Claud for losses he had been unable tomeet at the moment, and which his patron had settled for him. 

"Keep away from the gaming tables, Tom; keep away from the gamingtables, " he said. "Did I not warn you that you would be fleeced androoked if you tried that sort of thing on?"

Tom laughed a little, and said he knew beforehand he should lose, as though that were an excuse. But Cale only shook his head; andRosamund asked eagerly:

"But who is this great Lord Claud, fair sir? He seems a wonderfulperson, and fain would I see him with mine own eyes. He seems akind and generous man, and wondrous clever and beautiful. Pray tellme who he is?"

Tom looked across at Cale, and made answer:

"I' sooth, Mistress Rosamund, I know not. Perchance your father maybe better instructed. "

Cale shook his head. His face was very grave. 

"That is a question which I doubt if any man in London town cananswer. Every man knows Lord Claud by name and fame, but none cantell who he is, nor whence come his wealth and power. Mark me, Tom, it behoves you to have a care how you fall beneath the spell of hisbeauty and his kindliness. He has made friends before this ofhandsome, powerful lads, not long from the country, and amongstthese many have disappeared and never been heard of more, whilstothers have fallen into crime, and have languished in Newgate, orpaid the forfeit of their lives upon the gallows. "

Rosamund shrank and grew pale; whilst Tom looked the perruquierfull in the face, and said:

"Truly I can believe that many men who plunge into dissipation andvice may come in time to a bad end. But why charge that upon LordClaud? He can only be held responsible for his own life, and helives and thrives in favour with all. "

"Like a green bay tree, " answered the perruquier thoughtfully. "Ihave often seen the wicked in great prosperity; but their downfallcomes at last. "

"Do you call Lord Claud wicked?" asked Tom rather hotly. 

"No, " was the quiet reply; "I judge no man; but I do say thatworldly prosperity is no test of true merit. The wicked may be fatand flourishing for long; but the Lord will avenge at the last. "

"But, father, " cried pretty Rosamund eagerly, "for what crimes werethe poor young men hanged of whom you spoke just now?"

"Most of them suffered for the crime of robbery on the king'shighway. "

Tom again flushed rather deeply. He had heard hints and innuendoesbefore this, and his wits were beginning now to piece thingstogether. He was angry, yet he scarce knew why. 

"Do you mean to say, Master Cale, " he asked, "that men accuse LordClaud of being the accomplice of highwaymen and footpads?"

And then he himself remembered the words of the message with whichCaptain Jack had entrusted him, and a strange thrill seemed to rundown his spine. 

"Men say nought of him openly, " answered Cale, "but they whisperamong themselves. For my part, I know nothing of Lord Claud and hisdoings. But I know that there have been marvellous clever anddaring deeds done upon the road; that the king's money chests havebeen rifled again and again of gold, transmitted by the Treasuryfor the pay of the soldiers in foreign lands, and that none of thegold has ever been recovered. Now and again an obscure person hasbeen captured, and has suffered death for complicity in such acrime; and it has been told me that several of such have beenstalwart and stanch youths, who had at one time been seenfrequenting Lord Claud's lodgings, much noticed and petted by him. What truth there be in such talk I know not. Nor have I any desireto know. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing; and the voiceof rumour is but little to be trusted. "

"Very little, I should think, " answered Tom quickly; for he hadalready conceived a great attachment towards Lord Claud, and itirked him to think that men should speak of him as one who was afalse friend, and the accomplice in crimes for which otherssuffered whilst he reaped the spoil. 

A man, especially in his hot-headed youth, seldom believes what hehas no mind to; and Tom certainly had no disposition to believe anyharm of Lord Claud. 

So the talk drifted to other channels, and when presently Rosamunddeclared with pretty insistence that she must not be cheated of herwalk abroad in the streets. Tom asked if he might make one of theparty without intruding; and the bright eyes of the girl gaveeloquent answer. 

So they sallied forth together, and Master Cale played cicerone, and showed Tom many strange and wonderful things, telling himabsorbing stories the while. He showed him the limits of theravages of the Great Fire, which he could remember well, as he wasten years old at the time. He took them into many of the churchesafterwards built by Wren, and Tom stood lost in amaze at themagnificent proportions of the great St. Paul's, the inside ofwhich he had not seen till today. He was shown also the site of oneof the Great Plague pits; and Rosamund clung trembling, yetfascinated, to her father's arm whilst he spoke of the things thathad happened in those gruesome days. 

He himself had been sent away into the country during the terriblevisitation; but his father had remained and had survived, and fromhim he had learned all manner of strange tales, which Rosamundloved to hear him tell, though they always blanched her cheek, andbrought a look of terror into her pretty eyes. 

Tom thought this was a pleasanter way of spending the afternoonthan listening to the braggings of the coffee house bullies, orwatching the mummery of the play, when scarce a word could be heardfrom the actors, owing to the laughter and talk that buzzed allround the house. The clamour from the footmen's gallery alonealmost sufficed to drown the sound from the stage; and, indeed, ashort time later on, the disgraceful behaviour of the servants whoattended their masters and mistresses to the play became sointolerable that the free gallery was closed to them, causingregular riots every night, till military aid had to be summoned. 

But Rosamund thought it must be delightful to see a play, andwanted to hear all he could tell her about it; and so well pleasedwere the pair with their conversation, that Master Cale, bethinkinghim of an old friend hard by, with whom he liked to exchange afriendly word from time to time, bid them walk up and down thestreet together for a brief time, until he should pay his visit andjoin them again. 

This suited the young people very well, and they exchanged a goodmany confidences together. Tom told her of his home at Gablehurst, and of his mother and sister, and the father who was gone; and shetold him of her quiet life in her aunt's house, and how she wouldso greatly like to remain always with her father, and watch thelife of this wonderful city. 

But Tom could well understand how the perruquier would shrink frompermitting his innocent and pretty daughter to dwell beneath hisroof. His trade brought thither all manner of fine dandies andyoung bloods, and if it were known that there was a pretty maidenwithin doors, there would be no end to their attempts to get sightof or speech with her; and any girl's head might be turned by theflowery nonsense that would be spoken and written to her. 

"Believe me, you are better where you are, Mistress Rosy, " answeredTom. "I would not have my sister Rachel here, now that I have seenwhat London is like. It is a place for men to see at least once intheir lives; but women are better away from it. I looked about atthe painted faces, the towering heads, and the huge hoops the othernight, and I said to myself, that if my mother or sister were tomake of themselves such objects as that, I should be ready to sinkinto the ground for shame--to say nothing of the ogling, and fantapping, and silly jargon of talk which would put a chatteringmonkey to shame!"

If Tom was quoting Lord Claud's moralizings, he quoted them in allgood faith; for he had been honestly disgusted by the glimpses hehad had of the goings on of fine ladies in their houses, and couldbetter appreciate the simplicity and true affection of his ownwomankind than he had ever done before. 

At this moment there smote upon his ears the unwelcome sound ofmocking laughter that seemed familiar to him. 

"Ho, ho, ho! So the country bumpkin has found a mistress already!So he has had to leave the fine ladies, and mate with one of hisown sort after all! Ho, ho, ho! She has a neat foot and ankle, atany rate! Let us see what sort of a face there is under the crimsonhood!"

Tom felt the girl's hand clutch fast hold of his arm, and his bloodbegan to tingle in his veins. He was mightily glad that he hadbuckled on his sword before coming out; although, as he had put ona heavy cloak, it was possible the bullies were not aware of that. 

"Which house did your father enter, Mistress Rosamund?" he askedquickly. 

"I did not note, " she answered, looking round with frightened eyes;"but methinks it was the one with the steps and the little recess. "

Tom, making a few rapid strides, whisked her quickly within theshelter of the doorway, saying, as coolly as might be:

"Knock, and ask to join your father, if he be within. I will soonsettle these impudent fellows behind. "

Then he faced about quickly, just as the four bullies he had metbefore came swaggering up, ready for any mischief and fighting thatmight be afoot. 

"Come, Master Greengoose, let's see what sort of taste you have infaces! You are a fine hand at making friends! Let's see how youfare with the ladies!

"Nay, mistress, do not turn so coyly away and draw your hood overthose bright eyes--"

But the speaker got no further, for Tom's sword bad come flashingfrom its sheath, and with a quick turn of the wrist he hit thefellow full on the mouth with the hilt, so that he fell backspluttering and swearing, the blood starting from his lips. 

"Is that enough, " said Tom sternly, "or will you have more?"

It was Thirsty Thring who had received the buffet, and he was theleast disposed of all that worthy quartette to show fight to aresolute adversary; but Bully Bullen came swaggering up, drawinghis sword with a great air of assurance. He had been the hero ofmany a tavern brawl before, and reckoned his skill as something tobe feared. 

"So, young rooster! Wouldst crow so lustily on your dung heap? D'yethink you're to be cock o' the walk in all London town? Are honestcitizens to be set upon, and their teeth knocked out, to pleaseyour lusty humours? Take that, you young cub, and learn manners toyour betters!"

He made a fierce and sudden lunge at Tom as he spoke, expectingthat he had an untrained and inexperienced adversary to deal with. But Tom had had three lessons already from Captain Raikes, as wellas bouts with Lord Claud by way of amusement; and with hardly aperceptible effort he parried the thrust, and making his keen bladetwine round the clumsier one of his opponent, he jerked the weaponclean out of his hand, and sent it flying half across the road. 

"A fig for your boasting!" he cried contemptuously. "You had bestget out of my sight, lest I run you through for your impudence!"

Slippery Seal, seeing how matters were going, now raised a cry forhelp. 

"Help! help! Watchmen, to the rescue! Here is a desperate youngruffian seeking to murder the Queen's subjects in broad daylight!Help, I say, and take the young braggart before the magistrates!Cannot peaceable citizens walk the streets without being set uponby such bullies as that yonder?"

Two watchmen at that moment came hastening up, and looked at thecombatants with questioning eyes. Tom was flushed, and his swordwas still in his hand; but Rosamund had been admitted to the house, and was going hot-foot in search of her father, to come and put astop to the fight; for she bad perfect faith in his power to doanything he had a mind to. 

"We four can testify, " said Slippery Seal, with a voice of greatunction, "that as we were peaceably passing down the street, thisyoung fellow, of whom we know no good, made a sudden and unprovokedattack upon honest Master Thring there, whose mouth is stillbleeding from the blow. Thereupon Master Bullen drew his sword toprotect him; but he was set upon so furiously, that had he not beena notable swordsman he must needs have been killed. As it was, hissword was dashed from his band, and there it lies in the roadwaybefore your eyes. I say, how long are pious and peaceable citizensto be treated thus? Do your duty, my good fellows, and take thisyoung man into custody. A taste of the stocks will do him a vastdeal of good, and we will bear testimony against him with rightgood will. 'In the mouth of two or three witnesses--' you know whatsays the Scripture. "

"Ay, you blasphemer and liar, we know well what says the Scripture:'Thou shalt not bear false witness;' and again, 'The mouth thatspeaketh lies shall be stopped. '"

Looking round quickly, Tom saw Master Cale, with his daughterclinging to his arm, standing in the doorway of the house, andsternly regarding the scene. 

"Watchmen, " he said, "if you make any prisoners today, take youthose four bullies, who are but too well known in these streetsalready. It is they who delight to set upon strangers, and insultand frighten innocent maidens. Take you them, and I will bearwitness against them; for I saw the scene with my own eyes. Wouldto heaven that honest citizens could rid their streets of suchspawn!

"But I tell you, you mischievous scum, the day will come when wewill no longer stand this swaggering and bullying. We are a patientpeople; but you can provoke us too far. I know you four right well. I would sit you in the stocks in a row, or have you whipped at thecart's tail from Newgate to Tyburn; and perchance the day may comewhen--"

But the miscreants did not wait to hear the end of this harangue. They well knew that no tale of theirs could stand for a momentbefore the witness of a man respected as Master Cale theperruquier. Fearful lest the watch, who had let go their hold ofTom, should in turn lay hands on them, they fled helter-skelter, but as they went they breathed out threats of being even with Tomanother time, and he knew well that this encounter had changed themfrom the merely jeering enemies they had shown themselves at firstinto real antagonists full of bitter animosity and hatred. 

The watch were never too eager to take up evildoers who werepossessed of swords and were strong of body. They were glad enoughthat Master Cale had vouched for Tom's honesty, and that the otherfour had betaken themselves away. Hard knocks and sometimes fatalinjury were often the portion of these old men, so incapable ofkeeping order in the streets; and thankful were they when any frayended in the manner of this one. 

But Cale's face was rather grave as he turned homewards, hisdaughter clinging to his arm, and Tom marching upon her other sidewith his head high in the air. 

"I thank you, my good lad, for being so stout a champion to mylittle girl, " he said; "and yet I would it had not happened; for itis ill work making enemies in these days of lawlessness andduelling. "

But Tom gave a little laugh. He had no desire to make boast of hisprowess; yet he felt that he could settle a score of quarrels withsuch besotted creatures as the four he had put to rout so lately, and be no manner the worse for it himself. He was not at all sorryfor the adventure. He felt a flutter of pride and pleasure in theshy glances shot at him from the dark eyes beneath the crimsonhood. He had made of himself a hero in the eyes of pretty Rosamund, and he liked that experience well enough. 

"Fear not for me, my good friend, " he answered, in a tone that hadcaught a little of the lofty ring of Lord Claud's. 

"A man cannot go through life without making enemies as well asfriends. But as for such creatures as we have just quitted, why, they are not worth a thought! I heed them no more than the waspthat buzzes round my head. They are the scum and off scouring ofthe earth--all brag and boast, but ready to run at the first hintof danger!"

Rosamund's eyes shot forth another look of admiration; but Calesaid quietly:

"Yet it is this very scum and off scouring of the earth who havebefore now kidnapped and shipped off to the plantations of Virginiahonest men of stout heart and stalwart frame; for there is greatdemand for able-bodied men there, and good prices are paid for boneand muscle. So again I say, have a care, Tom, have a care. I wouldnot have you entertain one coward fear, yet I would have youcareful not to provoke needless animosity; for we live in perilousand evil days. "

The colour had faded from Rosamund's cheeks at these words, and shetimidly laid a hand upon Tom's arm as he marched beside her. 

"Fair sir, you will be careful, " she said, in a soft and pleadingvoice. "If hurt were to come to you for having so gallantlybefriended me, I should know no peace or happiness again!"

Tom looked with a smile into the face of the speaker; and Caleheard the words, and saw the look. He gave a little sigh, andwalked on in deep thought. 

It was Tom and Rosamund who did the greater part of the talking, even after they got home and partook of the dish of tea. This thencostly beverage was reckoned by Rosamund as a Sunday treat, andsipped with great relish; and Tom took it for the first time, saying he would e'en make shift to like it, since Mistress Rosevouched that it was good, although he had hitherto refused it whenoffered at the houses of the fine folks he had visited. 

So in talk and tea drinking an hour slipped away; and then theperruquier rose and bid Rosamund get her hood and come; for it washigh time to fetch her aunt, and go back to Highgate. 

Tom would have liked to accompany them once more, but some instinctrestrained him from making the offer. He bade adieu to Rosamund ather own door, and went back to sit by the fire and muse of all thethings that had happened to him during this momentous week. 

CHAPTER VIII. THE GREAT DUKE. 

"Now, Tom, keep your eyes well open. He is about to appear!"

Tom was standing, tall and silent, feeling singularly out of placein that gorgeous company, in a magnificent reception room, brilliantly lighted, and crowded from one end to the other with athrong of highly-born and fashionable persons. 

He had been introduced by Lord Claud into this gay assembly, andwas already half disposed to wish himself away. 

Tom had been several weeks in town now; and after his firstencounter with Lord Claud, which had led to such close intimacy fora few days, he had seen nothing of that remarkable personage forthe space of two or three weeks. 

Although perhaps a little piqued that his patron had not sent himso much as a line of invitation, or seemed to remember hisexistence, Tom was not sure that he regretted his lack of memory. Lord Claud had certainly fascinated his imagination, and won hisaffections; but he seemed to be a mysterious character, whosefriendship might not prove too desirable a possession. It was nothis place, he thought, with the simple pride of the countryman, toseek to thrust himself upon a man so much greater than himself. Sohe had gone about seeing the sights of the town with Harry Gay, spending his money with some freedom, and indulging in a littleplay and dicing at various houses of entertainment. But he keptwithin moderate bounds in his pleasures, both because he desired toeke out his funds as far as possible, and because he did not wishto fall under the displeasure of his kind host, Master Cale, thefather of pretty Rosamund. 

Tom thought a good deal about Rosamund during the week, andregarded Sunday as the red-letter day of his calendar. Master Caledid not forbid him to be of their company upon the afternoons whenthey walked abroad, and he and the maid were excellent friends bythis time, and exchanged many gay quips and sallies together. Rosamund always made him tell the story of his past week in somedetail; and Tom had therefore another motive for keeping free fromscenes and company which would have made his story unfit hearingfor her pretty ears. 

Already he had begun to think that when he had travelled and seenthe world, and was ready to go home and take up the duties which atfive and twenty would devolve upon him, he would return with fargreater contentment and pleasure if he could take back Rosamund ashis wife. He could not fancy that any life would be dull andmonotonous shared with her, nor any home dreary that was lightenedby the sunshine of her presence. 

The image of Rosamund had begun almost to obliterate that of LordClaud in his imagination, when suddenly one day he found himselfagain in company of that gentleman at the coffee house he generallyfrequented. 

Lord Claud laid a friendly hand upon his shoulder, saying, with alight laugh:

"O Tom, Tom, whom I called so trusty, I fear me you are as fickleas any maid! But what does the prophet when the mountain will notcome to him? He even puts his pride in his pocket and goes to themountain. You are a solid mountain in your way, good Tom; and hereis the prophet come after you!"

Tom looked up, half ashamed, half flattered, the charm of LordClaud's presence beginning at once to make itself felt. 

"My lord, I could not think you wanted such a humble person asmyself! And you had but to send me a line to Master Cale's if youdid, " he stammered. 

Lord Claud dropped into the seat next him, laughing a light, low-toned laugh. 

"I like your simplicity, my honest Tom. Keep it as long as you can;for it is a quality rarely met with in these days, and smells assweet as lavender in country gardens. I have not been wont to needto ask my friends to visit me. They swarm about my rooms like beesround honey, so long as there be honey to gather from my hive. Howdo you think you are going to live, my young friend, when yourstore of guineas is melted, if you have not learned that noble artof picking and stealing, which our young blades of fashion practisewith such success and grace?"

So the acquaintance was renewed, Tom quickly falling again beneaththe spell of the strong personality of Lord Claud. He had notentirely ceased his sword practice with Captain Raikes during thepast weeks, and now was to be found at his hall almost every day. Lord Claud himself would sometimes come and watch and applaud; andmore than once, as the two had walked away together, linked arm inarm, his patron had said:

"Good swordsmanship is an art to be greatly prized. It makes a manrespected and feared. It gives him distinction with his fellows. Besides, one never knows when it may be useful for the saving ofone's skin. A man who can wield the rapier with skill, master hishorse as you can, honest Tom, and shoot fair and true with pistoland musket, may go through life to a merry tune, and even die atlast in his bed, if he has a mind for so respectable an end!"

The days were shortening to their darkest by now. Snow fell in thestreets, and made walking disagreeable. Tom found it pleasant toride along beside Lord Claud, mounted upon the mettlesome mare, Nell Gwynne, who appeared kept just now for his especial use andbehoof. He still spent his Sundays at his lodgings; but prettyRosamund was not always able to come across when the snow lay deepalong the country roads. Tom began to think less of her again, andmore of his patron and friend; being, as may have already beengleaned, a youth of impressionable nature, easily moulded by thecharacter of his associates, although not without a latent firmnessof will which might develop into sterling metal in time, though, perhaps, not until the admixture of dross had been purged away bythe action of the furnace of trial. 

All London was now agog over the return of the victor of Blenheim. The great Duke of Marlborough had been upon his way home for sometime. In the middle of December he reached London, and took hisseat in the House of Lords; and it was said that early in the nextyear there would be a monstrous fine procession from the Tower toWestminster, in which all the trophies of war would be solemnlyparaded. 

Tom was as excited as anybody over all this, and as eager to obtainsight of the great Duke. Lord Claud had promised that he should notonly see him, but be one of the same company at some fine housewhere he would show himself. Tom had often been to grand enoughhouses already with his friend; but it seemed to him overmuch tosuppose that he could be introduced into any company of which theDuke of Marlborough was to be a member. 

Lord Claud, however, was not given to vain boasting. The open-housefestivities of Christmas were approaching. He himself had won theentree to an extraordinary number of fashionable houses; and thisevening here was Tom, come with his patron to a nobleman'sdwelling, standing in the crowd of fashionable grandees, all in aflutter of excitement to see the hero of the hour at closequarters. 

"Keep your eyes open, Tom; you cannot fail to see him as he passesthrough the room. You are lucky in being able to look over theheads of all the crowd. No tiptoeing lady can intercept your vieweven with her towering headdress!"

This was hardly true; for there were ladies whose headdresses wereof such monstrous proportions that the dame of five feet stoodseven feet high, taking the heels of her shoes and the tower on herhead into consideration! But luckily these extravagant follies wereconfined only to the few, the majority of the ladies being contentwith a headdress of more moderate dimensions. 

There was a great buzz of talk going on as it became known that theDuke was approaching--some eager to know if the Duchess would bewith him; others laughing at the name, and vowing that Mrs. Morleycould never bear to part with her dear Mrs. Freeman even for anhour!

The doors at the end of the room were thrown suddenly open. Themaster of the house appeared, leading with great distinction ofmanner a little knot of guests, who passed through the crowdedouter reception room at a slow pace, returning the many salutationsof the company with great show of goodwill, disappearing presentlybehind the curtains which shut off the innermost room where thelady of the house was awaiting them, with some of the more selectand high-born guests. 

"That is the Duke, " said Lord Claud to Tom, indicating a tall andelegant man, who looked to him hardly old enough for the general ofso many victorious battles. He was singularly handsome, with alanguid grace of bearing that seemed strange in a soldier. He spokein a peculiarly modulated and refined voice, and plainly possessedthe art of saying the right thing to the right person, and that atthe right moment. His silver tongue had done as much good servicein keeping the Allies in harmony, as his military genius in formingcombinations and defeating the ends of the enemy. 

At his side was the Duchess, a fine-looking woman of commandingpresence, not beautiful, but with a very elegant figure andremarkably abundant hair, which she wore in a more tasteful waythan most of the company. A few paces behind came another notablefigure, that of Marshal Tallard, the French general whomMarlborough had taken prisoner at Blenheim, and whom he had broughtwith him to England; but whom he treated with every courtesy, andwith whom he bad formed something very like a real friendship. 

Lord Claud whispered to Tom that Marshal Tallard had been the oneFrench general whose genius was in the least able to cope with thatof Marlborough; and to have him in safe keeping in this country wasa most excellent thing for the Grand Alliance. 

As soon as the distinguished guests had disappeared, the buzz oftalk rose louder than before. Tom asked, in puzzled tones, what allthis chatter about Mrs. Morley and Mrs. Freeman meant; and LordClaud laughed, as he replied:

"Have you never heard of the whim of the Queen to call herself Mrs. Morley in her letters to the Duchess, who in her turn is Mrs. Freeman? And very well is she so named, for never was subject morefree with sovereign than is Duchess Sarah with good Queen Anne. Indeed, there be not those lacking who say that such freedom cannotgo on for ever. However fondly the Queen may love the Duchess now, she cannot for ever submit to be the subject of her subject. Someday there will be a storm, and then it will behove Mrs. Freeman tosing to a different tune! For the Queen has a will of her own whenonce it is roused, and can show a stubborn front when shechooses--as some of her ministers have already found to theirdiscomfiture!"

Lord Claud strolled away presently, leaving Tom to look about himand listen to the idle chatter of the shifting throng. He made outthat though the Duke of Marlborough was in great popular esteem, his Duchess was little liked; and spiteful things were circulatedto her disfavour all round the room. It was plain that she had avery overbearing temper, and made many enemies; but her affectionfor her husband and children was never disputed, nor his for her, though there were many who marvelled what a man of his parts couldsee in such a shrew to be so devoted to her as had always been thecase. 

"For she belabours him sorely with her tongue times and again, andofttimes writes him fiery letters, which discompose him more than areverse in arms. When she smiles, he is filled with an extraordinaryjoy; and when she frowns, he knows no peace till he has conciliatedher. 'Tis the strangest thing in a man such as he; and the Queen isjust as bad. In old days the woman would have been burned as a witch, for she has certainly bewitched that pair, though no one else cansee wherein her wondrous charm lies. "

Later on in the evening, when the company had somewhat thinned, andwhen the card rooms had drawn off a number of those who yetremained, the Duke was seen strolling by himself through the suiteof rooms, exchanging friendly nods and words with the many eageracquaintances he met there. 

Marlborough had that recollection of faces which is so often theprerogative of royalty; and he had none of the pride which hindersa man from greeting an old friend, even though his station in lifewas humble. The Duke had been but the son of a country gentleman, when he came to court as plain John Churchill. He had climbed theladder of fame and fortune fast; but he remembered his formerfriends, and never forgot to salute them in company. His charm ofmanner was felt by all who came in contact with him. Howeverworried or hard pressed, he never let his irritation be seen, andhe never appeared in haste. He was as suave and gentle in manneramongst the humbler sort of company as in the presence of royaltyitself; and his clear glance passed quickly from face to face as hetalked, as though he were secretly taking the measure of men, although his languor of manner never varied. 

More than once, as he walked hither and thither through the rooms, had Tom's glance crossed his. Possibly it was the young man's greatheight which took the eye of the soldier in the midst of thiscrowd, where smirking fops and bending courtiers predominated. Tomcould not be accused of bowing or smirking. He remained the wholetime leaning back against the wall in the same place; his facegrave; his eyes following the movements of this or that person; hislips silent, because he could not frame them to the jargon oftongues and the stilted phrases of the day, and besides he had noacquaintances in this gay throng, save only Lord Claud himself. 

Tom was looking in some curiosity to see if Lord Claud wasacquainted with the Duke. He had never said so; but then Lord Claudwas not given to boasting, and had already surprised Tom by thenumber of his notable acquaintances. The Duke was walking along, skirting the wall of the room. Everybody gave way for him to pass. He was now very near to Lord Claud, and not far from Tom himself, for his patron had been strolling idly in his direction. 

Tom saw the eyes of the two men cross, and Lord Claud make hiscourtly bow, to which the Duke responded gracefully. Lord Claudtook one step forward, and said in a low tone, every syllable ofwhich, however, was audible to Tom:

"I have never before had the honour of speaking with your Grace;but there is one word that I crave to speak in your ear. If therebe some secret mission of danger which the Duke of Marlboroughdesires to intrust to two men, stout of heart, cool of head, andskilled in the use of the sword, then I can promise that theservices of myself and my trusty comrade here are at your Grace'sdisposal; and I think I can promise that, whether we succeed ornot, we can be true to the death. "

And Lord Claud, as he spoke, laid a hand upon the arm of theastonished Tom, who had certainly not understood his words offormer days to mean anything quite so definite as this. 

At the same time the heart of the youth leaped within him as heheard, and he felt a thrill run through his veins. As the soft yetsearching gaze of the Duke fell upon him, he felt himself flush tothe temples like a girl; and yet at that moment he felt that hecould willingly lay down his life to serve so great a man as this. 

"And who may have told you, sir, that I have need of trusty men forthe secret service?" asked Marlborough, in his even tone. 

"My knowledge of men and of warfare have told me, " answered LordClaud, with his accustomed serenity of manner. "True men are not tobe plucked from every tree, as I have found to mine own cost. A manmay prove but a treacherous reed, upon whom if one leans it goesinto his hand. Therefore, your Grace, have I made bold to tell youof two trusty servants, something wearied with the hollow life ofthis great city, who are willing and ready to travel fartherafield, and to whom peril or danger adds but zest to any quest. "

Marlborough stood thoughtfully regarding the two men before him. Lord Claud returned his gaze by one full and calm; Tom's eyesglowed and kindled by reason of the keenness of the surgingthoughts within. 

"You are he whom men call Lord Claud, " said the Duke thoughtfully. "You know that there are strange whispers afloat about you, mylord?"

"I know it well. "

"And you have never denied those whispers?"

Lord Claud smiled slightly. 

"My sword has answered a few taunts. For the rest, I heed them notovermuch. If we began to take cognizance of the chatterings of thisworld of magpies, we might have a duel to fight every day of ourlives. "

Marlborough smiled slightly at the nonchalance of the reply. 

"That is all you have to say to me, Lord Claud?"

"That is all, your Grace. "

For a moment there was silence, whilst the Duke bent his eyes uponthe ground; then he looked straight at Tom. 

"And who are you, young sir?"

Tom glanced at Lord Claud, but seeing that he was to answer forhimself, he did so frankly and candidly. He was not ashamed of hishumble birth, and made no secret of it; nor did he deny that heshould never have found himself in such fine company save for theintroduction and good offices of Lord Claud. 

"And you desire to see foreign parts?"

"I was sent from home that I might do so. My father thought I mightfind room in your Grace's army to fight for my country. I wassmitten so with the wonders of London that I have lingered herelong. But I begin to weary of the life. I would gladly go forth andsee new lands, the more so if I could travel with a comrade whoknew to frame his tongue to foreign speech;" and here he glanced atLord Claud, who seemed to him a notable linguist. 

"You know no tongue but your own, Mr. Tufton?"

"Never a word; and even that I cannot speak as men speak it inLondon town, so that I am fain to keep silence in a crowd likethis, lest men laugh me to scorn, and anger me till I say or dosomething unseemly;" and the lad's face flushed, for he had beensorely provoked before this, and had need of all his patience toquell the tempest of his soul. 

The Duke smiled at this boyish frankness of speech; but then hisface grew grave again, and he stood a while in thought. Then helooked at Lord Claud, and said with some significance:

"I will think more of this matter, sir. I have used strange toolsbefore this, and ofttimes with success. The secret service has itssecrets and its surprises; and I have my own methods of winning thefidelity of the messengers I employ. "

"So I have heard, your Grace. "

The two men looked full at each other, and the glance was neitherunfriendly nor suspicious. It appeared to Tom as though there weremutual liking, and a disposition to confidence; but this wasneither the time nor the place to indulge it. 

"Till all this feasting and pageantry be over, I am not mine ownmaster, and I can scarce find time for the needful business of thehour, " said Marlborough; "but later on I hope to be free to spend ashort spell of well-earned rest in mine own house of Holywell, hardby St. Albans. If you should receive a summons to visit me there, come privately, and bring your friend with you. It may be I shallmake use of your services ere long. "

With a slight bow, which was respectfully returned by Tom, and moregracefully by Lord Claud, the Duke moved away; and Tom's eyes werealight with excitement as he asked eagerly:

"What does it mean? What have you offered? What will he use usfor?"

Lord Claud led his pupil away through the crowded rooms, out intothe cold night air; but neither of them felt the cold. A keenexcitement filled their veins as with molten fire. 

"He rose to it!" quoth Lord Claud exultantly; "I saw it evergrowing in favour as he turned it over. I have heard of his methodsin the secret service. He spends more money, and gets greaterresults than any general has ever yet done. He says truth when hespeaks of employing strange tools. Well, let him employ thisstrange tool--and it shall not play him false!

"My coffers are almost bare, Tom. And I am sick of crowds andfoppery and the follies of the city. I would fain away on the backof my good steed, and feel what freedom is like once more. Gold Imust have; and the King's gold is my fancy. Let me win it this timeby my services, which shall be true and faithful; but if not--well, let them not say the fault is mine!"

"The Queen's, you mean, " said Tom. "We serve our Queen now. "

Lord Claud gave a short laugh. 

"You speak sooth, honest Tom; we have a Queen now, and I would notdo despite to our good Queen Anne! I was thinking of the last timeI had won royal gold--then it was the King's money that replenishedmy empty exchequer!"

He laughed again, and Tom looked at him half uneasily; whichperceiving, he changed his tone, and in a short time the youth hadforgotten everything save the glorious prospect of adventure andperil, and the handling thereafter of golden treasure; for if theDuke was accounted a lover of money, no man ever accused him ofshowing meanness in rewarding the services of others. 

The next weeks flew by almost like a dream for Tom; and truly hefelt he must surely be dreaming when he watched the gorgeouspageant of the third of January, and witnessed from a commandingsituation the grand procession of the trophies of war as it woundits way from the Tower to Westminster Hall. 

Companies of horse and foot made a brave and gallant show; rowafter row of pikemen with the captured standards; a goodly numberof the nobles of the land; and the great Duke himself, at whose'appearance the populace shouted till they were hoarse, ladies wavedhandkerchiefs, and the city seemed to go mad with joy and applause. 

Almost grander still was the pageant three days later, when thevictor of Blenheim went in state to the Goldsmiths' Hall, to abanquet given in his honour by the Lord Mayor and Town Council. Hewas conveyed there in one of the royal carriages; the greatest menin the kingdom, and some princely guests, accompanied him; andagain the whole city turned out to give him welcome. At Temple Barthe city marshals received him in state, garlands were flung, andtrumpets proclaimed the idol of the hour. The Commons werepetitioning the Queen to suggest some fitting tribute for theservices of so great a man; and the gift of the royal manor ofWoodstock, and the erection by royal bounty of the palace ofBlenheim (although after his fall and disgrace Marlborough had tofinish the palace at his own cost) were the results of this appeal. 

Tom witnessed all these brave sights, and had his head well-nighturned by all the rejoicings in which the city took part. EvenMaster Cale scarcely chid him for the way in which his guineas wereflying; although he warned Tom that they would not last long atsuch a pace. But Tom laughed now, and said he had the prospect ofearning more when these were gone; and Lord Claud laughed lightlywhen the subject came up, and told Tom that the pleasantest waywith money was to spend it freely whilst it lasted, and then turnto and get more. There were a hundred ways of doing this, heassured him; and Torn half believed him, and found it mightypleasant to throw about his gold as the young bloods of fashiondid, and have a pretty costly trinket to offer to Rosamund wheneverthey chanced to meet. 

Master Cale would rather the child had not had these gay gewgawsforced upon her; but he could not chide overmuch when he saw thebrightness of her eyes and the eagerness upon her face. Besides, Tom had already spoken of his speedy departure for foreign lands;and although Rosamund pouted, and professed that it was very unkindof him to go just when they had grown to be friends, her father sawno indications of deeper feeling. And, indeed, the maid had as yetno real love for any but her father. Tom had taken her fancy, asbeing the finest and handsomest youth she had ever come across, butshe regarded him as a being quite out of her sphere; and though herheart fluttered a little at first sight of him, she could lookforward to the thought of his absence with great equanimity. 

"You will come back and tell us all your adventures, " she said, asthough that would make up for much; and Tom faithfully promised, although he fancied there might be many reservations in the tale hewould tell. 

One day before the month of January had fled Tom received a summonsto Lord Claud's lodging. There he found everything in confusion, servants hurrying hither and thither, and the valet packing up somesober clothing in a small valise that could be strapped across asaddle. 

When Tom came face to face with Lord Claud he saw a new expressionin the eyes of his patron. All the languor and indifference hadfled. His whole aspect was of a man bound upon some stern errand. 

"Tom, " he said briefly, "the time has come. Go home and don yourstoutest riding dress. Take a second with you in saddlebag orvalise; and hide such money as you have left somewhere upon yourperson. Then come back hither, and we will dine together. We are tostart upon our journey this very day; and our first stage isHolywell House, near St. Albans. "

CHAPTER IX. FARE WELL TO HOME. 

"My lord, " said Tom, "I am but a country squire's son. I am no fitguest for the house of a duke. I pray you let me turn aside, and govisit mine own home, and say farewell to mine own people. If, asyou say, we shall speedily be sent forth upon some errand of peril, I would fain kiss my mother once again before parting. I have notbeen to her as good a son as I should wish. Let me ask her pardon, and show her that I have not forgotten her, ere we fare forth onour mission. "

Tom and his companion were drawing near to the Duke's property ofHolywell, when Tom suddenly burst out with these words. He hadbegun to feel a sort of proud, shy shrinking from thrustinghimself, even as invited guest, into the house of the greatMarlborough. Moreover, the sight of the familiar country--for hehad been wont to pay visits afore times to St. Albans--had awakenedin him memories of the life which now seemed so very far distant, together with more tender thoughts of mother and sister than he hadever felt towards them in the days of old. 

"I would meet you in three days' time wherever you would appointme, " he added, as Lord Claud remained silent and thoughtful; andthere was a note of pleading in his voice which showed how muchbent he was upon this visit of farewell. "You have said you do notlook to be less than three days at Holywell. I pray you spare mefor this last farewell. "

Lord Claud's face softened, as though he felt sympathy for Tom'seager desire. He spoke kindly and thoughtfully. 

"In sooth, I see no objection, " he replied. "It is to me that theDuke must impart his wishes, as you know nought of foreign lands ortongues. A stout and trusty comrade I need to take with me; but itis not necessary, so far as I see, for us both to wait upon theDuke. Belike, too, he may be busy, and it may be I shall have towait his leisure; or he may himself have to wait for despatchesfrom abroad ere he can give me mine. So do you take your ease atyour home of Gablehurst; and when I have received instruction, Iwill, by your leave, join you there. We shall certainly cross thesea to Holland; for we must not adventure ourselves in the hostileports of France. So 'twill all be in my way for the coast; andperchance your good mother will afford me the shelter of herfriendly roof for one night. "

Tom's face lighted up as though a sunbeam had touched it. 

"For a dozen, my lord, if you will thus far favour us! In sooth, Ithank you heartily for this grace. The village of Gablethorpe iswell known to some persons even in these parts; and Gablehurst isthe largest house in the place. A hearty welcome will be yours, mylord, whenever you arrive there. "

"Thanks, good Tom. I doubt it not if thy folks are of thine owntrusting kidney. And hark ye, look well to the mare Nell Gwynne;let her be well fed and well tended, for it may well be that shehas hard times before her. If we have to cross the sea on urgentbusiness, I shall do my best to take our good steeds with us. Dutchnags may be strong, but I would sooner feel the English bloodstirring beneath me. Besides, in matters where despatch and cautionare needed, it is half the battle to have a horse who has beentrained under one's own eye. They have ways with them that can beof vast use in moments of peril, and will brook no strange riderson their backs. See to the mare, Tom, and do well by her; for itmay be that thy very life may hang one day upon her speed andstrength!"

Tom felt the blood tingling in his veins. 

"I will not forget your charge, my lord. "

"And now, what will you do, Tom? Will you sleep one night atHolywell? For I would not have you adventure yourself alone in theforest at dark; and you must needs pass through a part of it toreach your destination. "

"No, my lord, nor I either, after what I experienced there before. But hard by here is the house of a friend. I would gladly turn inthither; and tomorrow he will certainly ride with me through theforest and homewards. Doubtless, too, when you have to pass thatway, the Duke will give you escort till you near our friendlyvillage. "

So the matter was thus arranged to the satisfaction of Tom; andalmost immediately the two companions parted company, the countryhere being safe and fairly populated. Before long Tom found himselfknocking at the gate of an old friend of his, who gave him heartyand boisterous welcome. 

It was with strange feelings next day that he found himself ridingalong the familiar track which led straight to the village ofGablethorpe! It was only three months since he had left the place, but he felt as though full as many years had passed over his head. 

He was not very finely dressed; but there was a style about hisLondon-made riding suit which his country clothes had lacked, andthe peruke upon his head gave him the air of a fine gentleman. Henoted with amusement that some of the rustics who gaped at him ashe passed did not recognize him, although he knew them well. If hehad been riding Wildfire they would have known the horse; but nowboth steed and rider seemed strange to them. 

Then as he rode at a foot pace through the village, smiling atsight of the familiar places and faces (his friend had turned backwhen they had passed the limits of the forest, and had ridden homewith his servant, not to be belated), one of the women at thecottage doors smote her hands together and cried:

"Bless us all! if it bean't Master Tom hisself!"

"Golly! and so it be!" cried her husband, who was just coming infrom the fields; and the next minute Tom was surrounded by agaping, admiring crowd, all eager to give him welcome, and wonderat the fine figure he cut amongst them. 

The restiveness of the mare shortened the greetings of the rustics;for Nell Gwynne was not accustomed to being so surrounded, andshowed a disposition to lay about her with her heels, or to rearand strike out with her forefeet. These manoeuvres soon scatteredthe crowd, and Tom rode on, laughing and waving his hand; whilstthe fleet-footed of the village urchins started in a beeline acrossthe meadows for Gablehurst, knowing that the lady there wouldcertainly bestow a silver groat upon him who first brought the newsthat Master Tom was at hand!

So when Tom rode up the avenue towards the fine old gabled house, which had never looked so pleasant to him as in the evening glow ofthis January afternoon, mother and sister were out upon the stepswaiting for him; and the servants were assembling from within andwithout to give him a hearty cheer, and receive his kindly smileand greeting in reply. 

His mother folded him in her arms, with the tears running down hercheeks. She had only heard once from him all these months; for theletter he had sent at Christmas time had never found its waythrough the snow drifts of the forest. Tom kissed mother and sisterwith real feeling, and then turned aside to give minuteinstructions and warnings with regard to the mare, who was put intothe care of the old servant who had most experience in the matterof horse flesh, and felt no uneasiness at the vagaries and tantrumsof her ladyship. 

Then Tom turned to enter the familiar hall, his hand upon hismother's shoulder, Rachel clinging to his other arm. 

"O Tom!" she cried, "have you come back to us for good? Have youhad enough of gay London town?"

There was already a traveller's meal set out in the warm southparlour, and the servants were hurrying to and fro with eager zealand excitement. Tom was pushed into a seat by his sister, andhelped with no unsparing hand; whilst the mother hung over him, eager not to lose a single word. 

"Yes, truly, for the time being I have had enough of London town, "answered Tom; "although it is a monstrous fine city, and I shouldwell like to see it again, as indeed I may. But for the moment I amon my way to foreign lands, as my father wished. I am like to havework to do there for my lord of Marlborough, whose coming to thiscountry has set all the town in a commotion, as perchance you haveheard. "

They had heard something of it even at Gablehurst; and Racheleagerly asked Tom if he had seen the great Duke. 

"Oh, many times, " answered Tom, with the complacency of one whofeels himself a great man in his present surroundings. "I witnessedmany pageants in which he took part; and I was of the same companyat the house of my Lord Craven, and was presented to him, and hadspeech with him!"

Mother and sister were impressed and surprised; but yet Tom was sogreat a personage in their estimation that perhaps they took thispiece of news more quietly than more enlightened dames would havedone. They made him tell his story from end to end, sitting withhis feet towards the hearth, the cheery glow of the fire warminghis limbs and imparting a sense of well-being and homelike comfort. 

"And who is this Lord Claud, who has shown you so much kindness?"asked the mother, when the outlines of the story at least hadbecome known to them. 

"That I cannot rightly tell you, " answered Tom; "there is somemystery about his birth and name. He goes everywhere, and isreceived by the best and finest people of the town, short of thecourt circle. And even my lord of Marlborough exchanged civilitieswith him, and let him present me as his friend. But more than thatI cannot tell you, nor can any man in town. If it be a secret, itis mightily well kept. All have heard of Lord Claud; but none knowmore of him than his name. "

"That seems a strange thing, " said Rachel. 

"Not more strange than half the things one sees and hears in theworld, " answered Tom, with the air of a man of vast experiences, asindeed he felt himself to be in this company. 

Nor did the pleasant feeling wear off with the rapid flight ofdays. He was courted, and feted, and made much of by rich and pooralike. All the gentry of the neighbourhood came flocking to seehim; and his old companions, hanging about the stable yard, notdaring to present themselves at the house, would beg for a wordwith Master Tom, and feel themselves quite uplifted and glorifiedwhen he came out to them, and stood in their midst, smiling andjovial, but with a something now in his appearance and bearingwhich seemed to put a great gulf betwixt him and them. 

All this was mighty pleasant for Master Tom, though perhaps not themost salutary experience for him. He had felt qualms of penitenceand remorse as he rode homewards, thinking of his follies andweaknesses in the past, ashamed of the class of comrades he hadaffected then, ashamed of the fashion in which he had spent hisdays, and of the indifference he had shown to his parents. 

But the reception accorded him had dimmed these healthy sentiments, and given him the idea that he was a mighty fine fellow and a greatman in his way. He no longer craved the rule at Gablehurst; he hadambitions of another sort. He must see the world first, and drinkthe cup of pleasure to the dregs. Gablehurst was all very well as aresting place for him when he had had enough of travel, ofadventure, of the gay and rollicking life of the town; but for thepresent let his mother reign there undisturbed. He had no wish todo so. 

Therefore he found it easy to be loving and gentle and kindlytowards her and Rachel. Indeed, Rachel seemed to him a moreattractive maiden than she had ever been before. She had smiles forhim, where once she had only grave looks of disapproval; and shedelighted in his stories almost as much as Rosamund Cale had done. Altogether, this visit was a mighty pleasant one for Tom; and itlasted for ten whole days before the news was brought to him that astrange gentleman had ridden up and was asking for him, and he knewthat Lord Claud had come to fetch him. 

Tom had had the prudence to say very little about their purpose ingoing abroad. His mother and sister knew that it had someconnection with the war, and that the Duke of Marlborough was goingto send some despatches by them; but he told them not to name eventhis fact to the neighbours, and he had not mentioned to them themysterious words "secret service. "

When he reached the hall door, there was Lord Claud mounted uponthe black horse Lucifer, who looked in tip-top condition. Mrs. Tufton and Rachel had come out to welcome Tom's friend, and therider was sitting bare headed in the afternoon sunlight, lookingmightily handsome and gallant. 

"Ah, good Tom, so you are e'en at hand when wanted. I have beendetained somewhat longer than I thought; but all is in readinessnow for a start for the port of Harwich. Have you got yourself andNell into first-class condition? for we have work before us, mylad. "

"But, sir, you will not surely start today, with the shades ofevening drawing on so fast?" pleaded Mrs. Tufton, who felt asinking at heart in the thought of parting from her son again. "Youwill lie here for one night at least, and start forth with the daybefore instead of behind you?"

"If you will favour me with so much hospitality, gracious madam, Ishould be glad to do so, " answered Lord Claud with a courtly bow;and in another minute his horse was being led away to the stables, and he was following the ladies into the house, speaking so manywords of well-chosen admiration for the quaint old manor and thefine meadowland and timber trees about it, that Tom was prouder ofhis home than he had ever been before, and even of the mother andsister who dwelt there. For Lord Claud paid them as much attention, and gave them as courtly treatment, as though they had been thehighest ladies in the land; and it seemed as though their nativerefinement and tact enabled them to make fitting reply to him, andto show a certain simple dignity of mien which Tom had nevertroubled himself to observe in them before. 

He observed now that Rachel was a very handsome girl, rather likehimself in feature, but with more refinement of aspect and morethoughtfulness of disposition. This thoughtfulness gave a depth toher eyes and a piquancy to her talk which Tom noted with surpriseand admiration; and he was well pleased that both his home and hiswomenfolk pleased his friend so well. 

Mrs. Tufton would fain have learned something of the nature of theerrand upon which her son was to start upon the morrow; but LordClaud fenced cleverly with her questions, and, whilst seeming toreply to them, left her little the wiser. They were going to takeship for Holland, and thence make their way with despatches to oneof the allies of the Duke; so much he let them freely know. Andwhen she asked if there were peril to face, he laughed lightly ashe replied:

"Madam, there is always peril to be faced whether we bide at homeor travel beyond seas. Your son Tom met more peril in the forestonly a few short miles from home, than he has encountered in thatgreat Babylon of London. It is so with us all. Ofttimes those thatstay snug and safe at home meet with some mishap, whilst the roverscome back safe and sound. No life can be without its perils; but Ihave come through so many unscathed, that I have learned not tofear them beforehand. "

"And Tom at least will be serving his country, " said Rachel; "andthat is a thousand times better than receiving hurt when in searchafter idle pleasures. "

Lord Claud bowed to her across the table as he replied:

"You speak a great truth, fair lady. We do indeed go forth upon theservice of our country, and of the great Duke, who is a master tobe trusted and obeyed. He is never reckless. He never throws awaylives needlessly. Never was general in battle so tender for thewounded as he. His first thought after a fight is for his injuredsoldiers; and he looks personally after the arrangements for theircomfort. This fact should be enough to show you that he is carefulof human life, and would not intrust men with missions that are tooperilous to be successfully carried out. "

Mother and sister took heart at this, and trusted to see Tom returnsafe and sound from his present journey. 

This farewell was more easily gone through than the last, althoughTom felt a keener sense of affection for his relatives than he haddone on the first occasion, and a greater affection for his home. But he had made trial of a new life now, and was full of hopefulconfidence; and both mother and sister had begun to believe in him, and had shown pride and satisfaction in his career. 

So they rode forth in the first sunshine of a bright Februarymorning, with three stout serving men from Gablehurst to attendthem as far as Harwich. Lord Claude was willing to accept theescort, as the road was unfamiliar to him, and he wanted noneedless delays along the route. 

Rachel brought the stirrup cup, and the household assembled tocheer the travellers as they rode away. There were tears in themother's eyes, but she smiled and waved her hand bravely. Thehorses were in first-rate condition, and full of life and spirit. They were delighted to find themselves travelling side by sideagain; and the riders were pretty well occupied for the first fewmiles of the road in curbing their gay spirits. 

They had plenty of time to get to Harwich before the light failedthem, and the servants knew the road and the best inns to bait at. The journey was performed without misadventure; and Tom dismissedhis retainers when he and his companion were safely installed in agood inn upon the quay, as the servants intended making one or twostages on the homeward road before stopping for the night. 

Lord Claud had gone straight down to the harbour so soon as theyarrived, leaving Tom to make arrangements for the night. So far hehad said almost nothing as to the errand upon which they were bent, and Tom had asked no questions, knowing he should be told what wasneedful in due time. So when he had ordered a plentiful supper, hestrolled out upon the quay, and presently saw his comrade returningwith a satisfied look upon his face. 

"Well, Tom, we are in luck's way. There is a skipper in harbour whohas unshipped his cargo, and is going back almost empty by themorning's tide. He is glad enough to take us and our good horsessafely across to Rotterdam; and, with the light, favouring breezethat has been blowing steadily these last three days, he declareswe ought to make the anchorage there before nightfall. With the seaas smooth as this, too, I am not afraid to adventure the horses;which I should be were a gale to blow. "

"Do they suffer from seasickness?" asked Tom. 

"Ay, from the nausea of it, " answered Lord Claud; "but the reliefthat we can gain by sickness is impossible to them, and thereforethey must needs die if things be too bad with them. But if theweather change not--and there looks no fear of that--we shall havea swift and prosperous voyage; so now let us to supper, and I willtell you more of what lies before us. "

But as it turned out, there were too many other guests at the tablefor private talk to be possible; and only when on board the goodsloop Marlborough did Tom hear anything of the details of theprojected expedition. 

It was a clear, promising morning, a light breeze blowing from thewest, but the sea still and smooth, only dimpling with the puffs ofwind. Tom stood on board beside the horses, soothing their fears atthe strange sights and sounds about them, his own heart beatingsomewhat high with excitement at the thought of putting to sea forthe first time. 

The sailors were busy hauling in ropes, singing and shouting. Thevessel gave a little start and shiver, there was a rattle of canvasoverhead, and a gentle lurching movement. Then the shore seemedsuddenly to be slipping away; and Tom knew, with a start ofsurprise and exhilaration, that they were off upon their voyage tounknown lands. 

Presently the horses grew calm and quiet, used to their strangesurroundings, and willing to nibble at the heap of fragrant hay putdown at their feet. Tom was able to leave them with a clearconscience, and came over to where Lord Claud was standing in thefore part of the vessel, watching the sheets of green water thatfell away from the prow as the sloop cut her way through the waves. 

"Well, friend Tom, so we are off at last. "

"Yes, my lord; but I have not heard yet whither. "

"No; and, like a wise and prudent fellow, have not desired to knowtoo much. You are a model of patience, Tom--an excellent companionto have. But the time has come when I can safely enlighten you asfar as you need be enlightened. I shall not tell you all I know;for, in truth, you would not understand it. "

"That may very well be, " answered Tom humbly. 

"But I will tell you this much, Tom; we are bound upon an errand ofperil. We have some difficult journeyings to make, and there willbe certain persons lying in wait for messengers from Marlborough;and we may be sore beset to avoid them. Tom, do you remember thetall dark man with whom my duel was fought?"

"Sir James?"

"That is the name by which he goes in England. He passes there asone Sir James Montacute, a man of bravery and wealth. But there isanother side to the picture. That man, Tom, is a spy, and in thepay of the King of France. If I had known as much that day as Ihave since learned from his Grace the Duke, methinks I should nothave left him alive upon the field. Tom, we shall probably have tomeasure our wits against his in a duel of another sort ere long. "

Tom threw back his head with a defiant gesture. 

"Well, my lord; and I am ready!" he said. 

"Very good, Tom; I thought as much. You did not love ourdark-skinned friend much better than I did. I think we shall findhim lurking in wait for us somewhere amid the snows of the St. Bernard Pass. Hast ever heard of the St. Bernard, Tom, and the goodmonks there?"

"I think I have, " answered Tom, who had heard so many new things oflate that he could not be expected to keep them all in mindtogether. 

"Well, it may be we shall have to seek their hospitality yet;although our way lies across the Little St. Bernard, as it iscalled, that ancient pass which Hannibal and his host crossed whenthey marched through the snows of Switzerland to pour themselvesupon the fertile plains of Italy. It is to this very day the onlyroute by which those snowy Alps may be crossed; and we must findour way thither, Tom, and go down to the fair city of Turin. "

"Is that where we are going?"

"Ay; hast heard of Victor Amadeus, Duke of Savoy?"

"Is he not one of the Allies?"

"Yes; albeit for a while he sided with the French King, who didmuch to hold his fidelity. But now he is one of the Allies, and heis sore beset by the armies of Louis. The King of Prussia is aboutto send relief; but His Majesty is tardy, and the snows of winterlie thick in his land, hindering rapid action. It is our part totake the Duke news of the welcome aid, and of other matters I neednot be particular to name; and we shall need all our wits about usto carry this matter to a successful issue. "

"You mean that the pass will be watched?"

"Yes; we shall be certain to fall in with spies of the French King, perhaps with Sir James himself. He has left England, so much isknown; and though he may be at the court of France, yet it may beour hap to light upon him at any time. He is a man of cunning andresource and ferocity. We shall want our best wits and our bestswordsmanship if we are to cope with him. "

Tom's eyes sparkled with excitement and joy. 

"And is the mountain pass the only way of getting into Italy, for Ihave heard that Savoy lies in that land?" said Tom. 

"Ay; Italy has had its strange vicissitudes of fortune, and hasbeen divided and redivided into duchies and kingdoms, till it needsa clever scholar to tell her history aright. But it is enough forour purpose that Savoy lies just beneath those grim mountains whichwe must scale; and that for the present no other entrance ispossible. "

"But there are other ways then?"

"Why, yes, we could at other times go by sea; but now that theSpaniards are seeking to win back the rock of Gibraltar, which wehave lately reft from them, and which Marlborough says must neverbe yielded up again, we cannot safely try that way; for we mightwell fall into the hands of some Spanish vessel, and languish, unknown and uncared for, in Spanish dungeons. We cannot travelthrough France, and reach it from the shores of Genoa; because itwere too great peril for Englishmen to ride through the dominionsof the French monarch. So we must needs land at some friendly Dutchport, and ride through their country, and so into Westphalia, andthence to these mountain regions which cut us off from ourdestination. 

"Have you ever seen snow mountains, Tom, towering to the very skiesin virgin whiteness, with the rivers of ice, miles in width, flowing silently down their rocky sides? It is a strange andmarvellous sight when viewed for the first time. I could find it inmy heart to wish I stood in your shoes, that all these new thingsmight be seen and heard for the first time!"

"And I would that I knew more of these strange lands, and the waysof the people there, " answered Tom; "for I fear me lest mineignorance may lead us into peril. But if such a thing as that wereto befall, I would lay down my life to save yours, my lord. "

"I believe you, Tom, " answered the other very gravely. He wassilent a while, and then he said slowly, "Tom, I am going to say astrange thing to yon--at least it would sound strange to some; and, indeed, I should not dare to say it to every companion in peril. But I believe you to be stanch and true. "

"I trust you will ever find me so, my lord. "

"Well, Tom, this is the word that I would say to you. It may chancethat things come to this pass with us, that one of us twain mustneeds fall into the hands of the enemy, and die; for there islittle hope of any other end when that befalls. And if we know andcan so arrange matters, it must be you and not I who will fall intothat peril. "

Tom looked back without flinching. 

"You speak well, my lord, " he said. "It must be my lot to die. Youwill not find me hold back when the moment comes. "

Lord Claud took his hand and held it in both of his. 

"It must be you, Tom; and yet I would rather it were myself. But Ihave that intrusted to me which I must speak in the Duke's ear. Thedespatches are as little compared with what I have had fromMarlborough's own lips--what may not be trusted upon paper. Moreover, I could find my way through the countries, where youwould be lost for lack of words to ask your way. If one of us hasto be delivered over to death, it must be you. "

"It must. I see it well. "

"Yet we may both succeed in getting through, or we may both leaveour bones lying amid the eternal snows. Perhaps in years to come itwill matter little enough. Just now it seems a matter of moreimportance. But I have told you this to show my trust in you, Tom. There are not many comrades to whom I could have thus unburdenedmyself. I should have had to use subtlety where now I use truth andopenness. "

"You shall not find me fail you, my lord, " answered Tom. 

CHAPTER X. IN PERIL. 

"Halt! and declare yourselves!" cried a hoarse voice speaking inthe French tongue. 

"Now for it, Tom, " said Lord Claud quietly, speaking between hisshut teeth. "Remember what I have told you. Be wary, be ready. Weshall get through all right. There are but two or three score, andnone of them mounted. "

The travellers were passing now through the narrow territory of theMargrave of Baden, with the Rhine upon their right, the onlyprotection from the frontier of France with all its hostile hosts. 

The slow and inactive policy of the Margrave of Baden naturallyencouraged the enemy to send small parties of soldiers across toharry his country; and already Tom and his master had had to dodgeand hide, or go out of their way, to avoid meeting with these bandsof inimical marauders. They were not the class of opponents whomLord Claud most dreaded, still they might well fall upon and makeprisoner the two English travellers; and if despatches were foundupon the person of either, they would almost certainly be shot asspies. Indeed, so bitter was the feeling on the part of the Frenchafter their defeat at Blenheim, that any travellers belonging tothe hated English nation went in danger of their lives. 

For some time now Tom had been wearing the garb of a serving man. His peruke had disappeared, and he wore a little dark wig thatlooked like his natural hair. It excited less comment for masterand servant to travel from town to town together than for twoEnglish gentlemen to be riding unattended through such a disturbedcountry; and as they pursued their way, Lord Claud would giveminute and precise directions to Tom how to act in the event oftheir falling in with one of these scouting or marauding parties, showing such a wonderful knowledge of the tactics of forest warfarethat Tom was often astonished at him, and would have liked to askwhere he had obtained his experience. 

And now, for the first time, Tom was face to face with a realfoe--no mere antagonist of the hour, with whom he had exchangedsome angry word, and was ready to follow it up with blows, but witharmed foes of a hostile race, whose blood was stirred by the hatredbred of long-continued warfare, and who would think as little oftaking the lives of two Englishmen as Tom would of shooting a fatbuck in his native woodlands. 

Again came the word of command in the hoarse voice. 

"Halt! and declare yourselves, or--"

But the threat remained unspoken, for Lord Claud had drawn rein, and was looking at the speaker with eyes of mild inquiry. 

"What is your will, monsieur?" he asked, in his easy and excellentFrench. 

At this seeming show of submission the face of the officer relaxed, and the men in his company lowered their carbines and stood more atease pending the result of the dialogue. 

"Monsieur is not a Frenchman?" questioned the officer, with a lookfrom one face to the other. 

Tom sat gazing before him with a stolid expression of countenance, which greatly belied the tingling which he felt through every veinin his body. It seemed as though this tingling sensation was insome way communicated to the mare he rode, for she began fidgetingin a fashion which plainly told Tom that she was ready to do herpart when the tussle should come. 

"How know you that, sir?" asked Lord Claud with a smile. "If youcan tell me my nationality I shall be grateful, for I am ignorantupon the point myself. "

The man's face clouded a little; he felt a certain suspicion of thehandsome stranger, and yet he must not do despite to one of HisMajesty's subjects, and Lord Claud had the air of a man of no meanstatus. 

"Your servant is English, " he said with a touch of sullenness, "andI take it your horses are, too. The army of His Majesty of Franceis badly in need of strong horses. If you are good subjects of hisyou will be willing to part with them. My horse was killed but alittle way back; that one of yours would suit me right well, " andhe made a step forward as though to lay a hand on Lucifer's rein. 

"Now, Tom, my boy!" said Lord Claud in a clear, low tone. 

In a moment he had whipped out his pistols and fired straight atthe officer, who fell face downwards almost without a groan. Tomhad meanwhile marked his man--the foremost in the rank behind; andhe rolled over like a log. 

With a yell of rage and amaze the men were upon them; but Luciferand Nell Gwynne had already reared almost upright, and now werefighting so wildly with their iron-shod hoofs that in fear anddismay the assailants fell back, whilst a second report from eachpistol dropped another man dead upon the field. 

"Forward! before they can take aim!" cried Lord Claud in a voice ofthunder; and the horses obeyed the word without any touch of spurfrom their riders. 

They bounded forward with an impetus which must have unseated anybut an experienced horseman, and then laying themselves along theground, they fled onwards at a gallop which astonished even Tom byits wild velocity. 

A shower of bullets fell round them, but none touched either steedsor riders; the yells of the infuriated soldiers died away on theirears; the horses sped on and on as though they had wings to theirfeet, and only after some few miles had been traversed did theriders draw rein. 

"That is always the best plan of action, " said Lord Claud, asthough such an occurrence as this was a matter of everydayexperience with him. "Always appear ready to pause and parley. Itinvariably disarms suspicion. At the first every pistol or musketis levelled at your head; but if you stop to talk, these arelowered. Then, when you have put the enemy a little off guard, makea dash for it; take them by surprise, drop a few, and confuse therest, and you almost invariably escape with a sound skin. "

Then Lord Claud coolly proceeded to wipe and recharge his pistols, as though the escape of half an hour back had been a mere detailhardly worth discussion. 

But Tom knew well that both his master and the horses they rodemust have been through many such perils before this, or they couldnever (at any rate the horses) have shown such aptitude in playingtheir parts. He had felt that the mare he rode was prepared tofight furiously with hoofs and teeth; and, as it was, she hadstruck down two men who had been preparing to spring at her. 

"Ah, my lady had always a temper of her own, " replied Lord Claudwith a smile, as Tom said something of this. "Yes; I have takensome pains with my horses to teach them to help in a fight. Travelling even in one's own land is none too safe, as you found toyour cost, honest Tom. Nell Gwynne comes of a fighting stock, andshowed an early aptitude for the fray. Trust to her, Tom, if everyou are hard pressed; she will bring you safely through, if it canbe achieved at any price. "

And, indeed, as the travellers pursued their long ride through adisturbed and often half-hostile country, they had frequently todepend as much upon the fleetness, fidelity, and strength of theirhorses as upon the strength of their own right arms. 

Well did Tom now understand why Lord Claud had made such a point ofhaving their own horses with them. Had they been jogging along uponsome beast hired or purchased in the country, they would never havegot through the divers perils of the way. 

Once Tom was aroused from slumber in a little, ill-smelling inn bythe sound of kicking and stamping proceeding from the stable; andwhen he had aroused his companion, and they had hastily dressedthemselves and descended, it was to find that a desperate fight wasgoing on between the two horses and a handful of French soldiers, who had followed after the fine animals, and were seeking to stealthem whilst the travellers slept. 

They had paid dearly for their temerity, however, for Nell Gwynnewas stamping the life out of one wretched fellow; whilst Luciferhad broken the leg of a second, and had pinned his companion by thearm, so that he was yelling aloud in his agony. 

Lord Claud sprang in, and at the sound of his voice the horseloosened his grip, and the man reeled hack against the wall, whiteand bleeding, and cursing beneath his breath. Tom was too late tosave the life of the victim of the mare's anger, but he was in timeto strike up the pistol which another of the soldiers had pointedat her, in the trembling hope of saving his comrade. 

"If you fire you will drive her to madness, and she will kill everyman of you, " said Lord Claud coolly. "She has a devil in her, andis bullet proof; you had better leave meddling with both thebeasts. "

The men crossed themselves in pious horror, and were glad enough toback out of the place, carrying their dead and maimed companionswith them. Tom and Lord Claud did not linger longer than the timeneedful for saddling the horses. They knew that the people of theinn must be in collusion with the soldiers, and the sooner theyquitted the place the better. 

They had long since left behind them the level plains, and were nowin a country that became increasingly mountainous and difficult. After the long, flat plains of Holland, Tom had thought the Badenterritory sufficiently mountainous; but now he was to makeacquaintance with the snow-topped peaks and ranges of Switzerland, and his eyes dilated with awe and wonder when first he beheld thedazzling white peaks standing out clear against a sunny sky. 

He was not a youth of much imagination or poetry, but he did feel astrange thrilling of the pulses as he looked upon this wonderfulsight. 

But Lord Claud's face was cool and impassive as usual, and hisremark was:

"Very fine to look at, good Tom, but ugly customers to tackle. Asnowstorm up amongst those mountain peaks may well be the death ofeither or both of us, and the snow will be our winding sheet. "

"Have we to cross those snows, my lord? to scale those loftypeaks?"

"We shall have plenty of snow, Tom, without scaling the peaks. Atthis season the passes will be deep in snow. We shall have to trustto a guide to take us safely over; and the very guide may be a spyand a traitor himself. "

"But, my lord, I thought you knew the way? I thought you hadcrossed the pass once?"

"So I have, Tom; but these snow fields are treacherous places, andthe track shifts and changes with every winter's snow. You willsee, when you get amongst them, what a savage scene they present. In summer it is none so bad; but we are yet in the grip of winter, and though the foothold is harder and better on the ice slopes, thecold is keen and cruel, and the snowfalls frequent and dangerous. "

"And the horses, my lord?"

"Those we must needs leave behind us for a while, Tom. I do not saythat we could not get them over, for, methinks, Hannibal must needshave brought his horsemen across in days of yore, and where anyother horse has been, there could Lucifer and Nell Gwynne travel. But I fear the poor beasts would suffer sorely; and I misdoubt meif they would not be more care than use to us. They have done theirwork gallantly, so far; and they will take us back as gallantly, Idoubt not, when our task is done. Meantime, I know a pleasant andsheltered valley, where dwell some honest folk with whom I tarriedin bygone days, to heal me of a fever I had caught in the hotItalian plains. There we will leave them; and there, Tom, if welose sight of each other, will we meet when our appointed tasks bedone. 

"There are two places where we may find a safe asylum in this wildland. One is the valley to which we are now bending our steps, which nestles not far from the foot of the great mountain men callthe St. Bernard; the other is at the hospice upon the Great St. Bernard itself, where is a colony of devout and kindly monks, whogive their succour to travellers of every nationality and creed, and where a safe shelter may always be found. Moreover, the monkshave a certain intercourse with the inhabitants of the valleysround and about, and we could thus have news of each other were oneof us there and the other here below. 

"But we will not part company save for urgent need; yet 'tis wellalways to be prepared. "

Travelling was becoming increasingly difficult and trying as theymounted into higher regions, and the roads became mere bridlepaths, often encumbered with snow drifts, and difficult totraverse. 

Fortunately it was fine overhead, and the season was a favourableone. The sun had already attained some height in the sky, and couldshine with power at midday, for February was well advanced by thistime. But the cold at nights was intense, and the state of theroads often made travelling difficult for the horses. The mountaintorrents were swelled to brawling rivers, and the ordinary bridgesbroken down, so that the travellers had much ado to get acrossthem. 

It seemed a savage country to Tom, although the excitement andperil made travelling a delight. Moreover, the people were kind andfriendly, although they spoke such a barbarous patois that it wasdifficult to hold communication with them. 

At last they reached the sheltered little valley of which Tom hadheard, and here they found friends of a kind; for at the little innLord Claud was remembered and hailed with joy. He had plainly wonthe affections of the simple folks whilst lying there sick, andthey were ready and willing to give the travellers of their best, and furnish them with guides for the passage of the mountain range, which seemed now to tower above their heads into the clouds. 

Travellers and horses were alike pretty well worn out by this time, and the thought of spending a few days in this hospitable valleywas grateful even to Tom's stalwart frame. As for the horses, theytestified their satisfaction in many ways. They even made friendswith the goatherd who was told off to attend to them, and attemptednone of their tricks upon him; which was a source of considerablesatisfaction to Tom, who had been afraid the people might declineto be left alone with such charges. 

After seeing them safely stabled, bedded, and fed, Tom was gladenough of a good meal himself; after which he retired to bed, andslept for hard upon thirty-six hours, as he found to his amaze uponawakening. And, indeed, it was small wonder that he did so; for hehad not been used to such strenuous exercise so constantlycontinued, nor to the clear, bracing air of the mountains. 

He woke as hungry as a hunter; and it was only after he hadsatisfied the cravings of nature that he had time to observe thethoughtful shadow which had gathered upon the face of his comrade. 

"Is aught amiss?" he asked presently, leaning his elbows on thetable, and heaving a sigh of satisfaction. 

"Well, Tom, that is as you like to think it; but what I fearedmight be the case has come to pass. We shall not reach the plainsof Italy without being sore beset by danger. "

Tom's eyes flashed keenly under their dark brows. 

"What have you learned, my lord?"

"That the pass is being closely watched, Tom, by spies, or whateveryou choose to call them, from the French army. The Duke of Savoyis, as I have told you before, completely hemmed in by the armiesof the great Vendome, one of the ablest generals France possesses. His capital is in danger, and it is of the first importance that heshould receive the despatches and messages with which I am chargedby Marlborough, and which will give him heart and courage toprolong the contest till the promised help, which is now on itsway, shall reach him. Doubtless it is equally the policy of theenemy to keep him in ignorance of what they themselves now know orfear, so that he may surrender to the French arms before he hearswhat is being done for his succour. 

"That, in brief, is the situation we have to grapple with. Isuspect that Sir James is one of those who are watching formessengers from England, and that we shall have to measure our witsagainst his. Tom, I must get through the pass. I must carry mydespatches into Turin. I am not one whit afraid of the Frenchlines. I can disguise myself, and pass through them if needs bewithout a qualm of fear. I can speak French against any Frenchmanliving, for I was cradled in that land. But the first problem wehave to face is this--how can we cross the pass unseen? How can weput the spies on a false scent?"

Tom drew his brows together and scratched his head in the effort tothink matters out. 

"Do they know that strangers are here in this valley? Are wewatched?"

"I suspect so, " answered Lord Claud. "It is not easy to be certain, because the people here are friendly to us, and distrust theFrench, who have given them small cause to love them. But I amconvinced that so astute a man as Sir James Montacute would cause aclose watch to be kept upon this valley. Most likely our presencehere is known, and we are being watched for. "

"And is there no other way of crossing the mountains into Italy?"

"Yes, there is one other route; for historians disagree as to theone taken by Hannibal, albeit most believe that it was this of theLittle St. Bernard. There is another way, which doubtless could befound; but if we were to strike aside after it, the spies would beupon our heels at once. "

"I was thinking, " said Tom slowly, "that we might perchance partcompany, one take one route and the other the other, and so arrangematters that the spies should follow hot-foot upon the scent of thewrong man. "

A gleam came into Lord Claud's eyes. He spoke very quietly. 

"In truth, Tom, some such thought has come into mine own head; butit is not easy to make up one's mind to act upon it, for I fear itmeans certain death to the wrong man who must be followed. "

Tom's face set itself in grim lines. There was a vein of recklessbravery and hardihood about him which imparted to the situation aspecies of stern delight, and sent the blood tingling once morethrough his veins. 

"I will take the risk of that, " he said; "I shall take somekilling, I think. And killing is a game that more than one can playat! If I have to sell my life, I will make it cost the French Kingdear. "

"Right, Tom; but that will not give back a gallant servant to HerMajesty of England!"

"I am not dead yet, " answered Tom, with a grim laugh. "Tell me theplan which you have worked out in your head, my lord; for your witsare seven-fold keener than mine. "

Then Lord Claud unfolded the plan which had been working in hisbusy brain during the day that Tom had been sleeping, after he hadheard news which made him sure that his mission was suspected, andthat he would be stopped and robbed if possible. 

Higher up the mountain side, just where the snow line lay, abovewhich there was everlasting ice and snow, was a little roughhostel, where travellers rested and slept before they tried thepass itself. An old half-witted man and his goitred wife kept theplace, and provided rough food and bedding for travellers, thoughinteresting themselves in no wise with their concerns. In that rudeplace several men were now stopping, and had been stopping for somedays. 

That fact in itself was almost sufficient for Lord Claud; butsomebody had found a scrap of torn paper with some French wordsupon it, and this had made assurance doubly sure. Moreover, LordClaud believed it to be the writing of the man he had duelled withbeneath Barns Elms. 

To this inn (if such it could be called) he and Tom must journey, with a peasant for a guide to take them across the pass. Uponreaching the place, his idea now was that he should appear sorelysmitten by the cold, as some travellers were; so ill and unfit forfurther journeying, that he should have perforce to send Tom onalone with the guide, whilst he returned to the valley. All thisthey should discuss in their room at night, assured that they wouldbe overlooked and overheard; and when quite certain that eyes werewatching them, Lord Claud was to unrip his doublet and take thencea packet of papers, sealed with the signet of the Duke ofMarlborough, and sew this same packet firmly into Tom's coat. 

In reality this tempting-looking packet with the Duke's sealcontained nothing but a sheet of blank parchment. The real missivefor the Duke Victor Amadeus was written on a thin paper, and wasconcealed between the soles of Lord Claud's boots--though even Tomdid not know that. The packet was arranged as a blind, if needshould be; and now it seemed as though the need had come. 

Then on the following morning Tom and the guide would start forthacross the pass; whilst Lord Claud should creep feebly down to thevalley, watched, perhaps, but probably unmolested. The majority ofthe men, at any rate, would most certainly follow Tom. 

"There are but four, " said Lord Claud; "and if one be Montacutehimself, I doubt if he will stir from the inn. He will try to keepan eye upon both, being a man full of cunning himself. I reckonthat he will send two men after you, Tom, and one after me. Ishall, after a while, pause, lie in wait, and kill that man. Then Ishall flee to the valley, get a guide who can show me the otherpass, and make such way from the seat of peril that I shall bewell-nigh across the frontier before Sir James knows that one ofhis quarry has escaped him. 

"As for you, my boy, you may like enough escape with a sound skin, unless Montacute himself pursues, making three to one--for onecannot trust these peasants to show fight. But be the issue what itmay, that is the plan I have thought out which gives the bestchance of winning through. If you escape, flee either back here, orperhaps, better still, to the protection of the monks. For herethese unwarlike peasants could perhaps give you little aid if hardpressed; but the Church will afford you sanctuary, and not even thewrath of Sir James himself will avail to wrest you from the handsof the monks, if you claim their protection. "

"It seems to me, " said Tom, throwing back his head, "that the perilis, after all, not so great--not so great, indeed, as what we havefaced many times before. Let us carry out the plan, and whethergood or evil follow, we shall have done our best--and no man can domore!"

The two men gripped hands upon it, and the compact was sealed. Tomrather exulted in the post of peril that was accorded to himself. Perhaps in days to come the Duke would hear of it, and might rewardhim by some words of praise or thanks. 

That same afternoon Tom felt his veins tingling again as theyneared the lone little hut amid the whiteness of the low-lyingwinter snow. He was about to launch forth upon the first solitaryadventure of his life, and one which might be fraught with direperils; but his heart quailed not. 

Almost at once he was lost in admiration and amaze at the powerdisplayed by Lord Claud in acting a part. He began to draw hisbreath with apparent difficulty; his face looked drawn and ghastly;he clung to Tom's arm as if for support; and it was difficultindeed to believe that he was not feeling really terribly ill. 

They reached the hut and knocked. The door was instantly opened, and Tom was certain he saw a gleam of malicious satisfaction uponthe faces of the men, who welcomed them in with a show of rudecordiality. 

There were but two rooms that could be called sleeping apartments, they said, and one was already occupied; but they would give up theother to the use of the sick traveller. Lord Claud was speedilyassisted thither, and the fire in the stove replenished. He laydown upon the bed with a groan, and looked as if nigh to death. Thepeasant chattered with the old couple, and it was plain that thissort of seizure was not very uncommon in those altitudes. 

The men tried to make Tom understand that his companion should goback to the valley; but that could not be done till the morrow, andpresently the pair were left alone in their room. 

This room was only separated from the next by some rude split pinetrunks. Tom had seen upon entering that a light had been quicklyextinguished, otherwise he would have seen clearly through thechinks who the occupant was. He knew perfectly that every word theyspoke could be overheard, and every action they performed dulywatched; and he entered into the game of play acting with a zealthat gave him greater aptitude than he had thought to possess. 

He strove to get his master to take the broth that one of the menbrought up; he entreated him not to give way; and finally he agreedthat it would be impossible for the sick man to attempt furthertravel, and offered himself to bear the packet of letters intoItaly. 

Then came the projected piece of play acting--the ripping up of thedoublet, the sewing of the sealed packet into Tom's clothes, promises, directions, warnings, all given with apparent feebleenergy, and received with faithful eagerness. 

And all the while Tom was aware that close to them, just behind thethin partition, other eyes were watching, other ears listening toall that passed. He could even hear the short breathings ofrepressed excitement, and almost feel the keen gaze which he knewwas constantly bent upon him. 

When all was done to the satisfaction of the sick man, Tomextinguished the light, and lay down beside him on the rude bed. After his long sleep of the previous day, he cared little whetherhe slumbered or not--indeed, it seemed better that he should keepawake. His head was full of the adventure which lay before him, andhe was almost certain that he heard whispering voices either in thenext room or below; by which he guessed that their enemies, havingdiscovered all they wanted to know, were now laying their plans howbest they might carry out their own designs. 

CHAPTER XI. THE PIOUS MONKS OF ST. BERNARD. 

Tom knew quite well that he was being followed. He had been awareof it almost from the first. He felt an exultant triumph in thethought that they had outwitted the astute Sir James, and that hisemissaries were following the wrong man, falling into the trapwhich had been laid for them. 

Tom's business was to lead them as long a dance as possible. He hadno other object in view. He had no intention of pushing onwardsinto Italy. In a strange country, surrounded by people of a strangetongue, he would be perfectly helpless. He had picked up just a fewwords of French, and of the patois of these mountain regions, enough to enable him to obtain the necessaries of life on this sidethe Alps. And on this side he meant to remain, doubling back, ifpossible, and eluding his pursuers; hoping to find shelter at themonastery of the Great St. Bernard, and await there the return ofLord Claud. 

He had watched, before starting himself, the start made by LordClaud upon the arm of the landlord. He had again admired themarvellous powers of his master in simulating sickness. It wasdifficult even for him to believe that he was not the victim ofsome grave malady; and he had noted with satisfaction the coverteagerness with which the other travellers in the hut urged upon himthe descent into the valley as the only chance of recovery. 

Plainly they desired that the two should part company; nor couldTom trace that any of their number went after Lord Claud. But onthat point he could not be certain, as he himself had to take hisdeparture almost immediately. 

The other travellers professed to be waiting for the recovery ofone of their number from a strain to the ankle before proceeding inan opposite direction. This they explained to Lord Claud, regretting they could not accompany him to the valley, as they hadto wait for their own master. They professed to have crossedrecently from the Italian side, and gave Tom some hints andinstructions as to his route; which he heeded no whit, being infact only able to understand a word here and there. 

He trusted to his guide to take him safely through the pass, thoughhe reckoned upon having to give him the slip, too, if he could notexplain to him that he was going to make his way to the monastery. For it was not safe for Lord Claud to explain this to the guidebeforehand. Although to all appearances an honest and simplefellow, there was never any knowing how the enemy might seek totamper with him; and a bribe might be sufficient to open thefellow's lips if he had anything to tell. 

Now Tom was on his way upwards amid the snow, stepping out boldly, and rather urging on his guide than detaining him by lagging; andall the while he was conscious that he was being followed andwatched, although it was only from time to time that he wassuccessful in catching sight of the forms of his pursuers, who atpresent kept a good way behind. 

Tom guessed for one thing that his own rapid pace gave him theadvantage, and he also suspected that they would prefer to waituntil his first energy had abated before trying conclusions withhim. He was in splendid condition from his long journey, which hadbraced all his muscles, and had given him back all that vigourwhich his London life had slightly impaired. 

So he stepped along gaily in the clear morning air, calculating aswell as he could what Lord Claud's movements would be, and how farhe would have progressed upon his way with the real despatches. 

Lord Claud never let grass grow under his feet. If he once obtaineda fair start, he would not easily lose it. The route by which hewas going was a little longer and more circuitous; but let him havea day's clear start, and it would be odd if any pursuer caught himafter that. 

So Tom walked on in high spirits, feeling well equipped for thecoming struggle, and fearing little the peril which might liebefore him. In the pride of his manhood's strength, he laughed atthe thought of danger. He had faced too many perils of late tobegin to turn coward now. So long as he felt that he was leadingthese followers away from the other pass to be taken by hiscomrade, he cared for nothing else--not even for the discovery heonce made that they were three in number, though Lord Claud hadcalculated that they would only be two. 

Sometimes Tom noted that his guide would look back, and more thanonce he fancied that he detected him signalling to those below. This aroused in his mind a doubt of the fellow's fidelity; butthere was nothing to be done now. They were in the midst oftrackless snow plains, ice slopes, and precipices. He must perforcetrust to the leading of the guide, albeit, if he had been tamperedwith by those in pursuit, things might look ugly when it came tothe moment of attack. 

As the hours wore away, Tom began to wish that the situation mightdeclare itself. The drear wildness of the mountain height oppressedhim with a sense of personal insignificance which was ratheroverwhelming. The great white mountains seemed to stare down uponhim as though pitilessly indifferent to his fate. How could theycare what became of one solitary son of earth? Did they not standfast for ever more, from century to century? It was a thought thathe found oppressive and rather terrible. 

At one point the guide insisted upon leaving what looked like thebetter track, and led him round a sort of shoulder of piled up snowand rock, where walking was very laborious. Tom began to feel theneed of food, and would have stopped and opened his wallet; but theman shook his head and gesticulated, and seemed to urge him onwardsat some speed. Tom supposed he must obey, as the man pointedwarningly to the rocks above, as though to hint that danger mightbe expected from them. 

So on they trudged, Tom feeling a slight unaccustomed giddiness inthe head, as many persons do who first try walking for some hoursin the glare of sun and snow and at a high altitude. Then the pathsuddenly turned again under the frowning wall of rock, which roseblack and stern through the covering of snow. The guide disappearedround the angle of the path; Tom followed with quick steps, and thenext moment was almost felled to the earth by the terrific blow ofa cudgel upon his head. 

Almost, but not quite. He had been on his guard. He felt that thecrisis was coming, and he was certain that the guide had betrayedhim at this pre-arranged spot into the hands of his enemies. In onesecond Tom's rapier was out (he had carried that in spite of thehindrance it had sometimes been to him), and although he washalf-blinded and half-stunned by the force of the blow received, helunged fiercely forward, and heard a yell of pain which told himthat his blade had found its billet. 

But the blade could not at once be disentangled. For two seconds, perhaps, was Tom struggling with it; and in those two seconds oneof his adversaries sprang behind him, and seized him round thewaist with the hug of a bear. 

In a second Tom had whipped out his pistols, and fired full at adark figure in front of him; but his eyes were full of blood, and ataunting laugh told him that his shot had missed its mark. With aquick movement of his strong arm backwards he dealt the man who washolding him a terrific blow with the butt of the pistol, anddischarged the other full at another dark figure looming in front. 

This time there was an answering yell; but the odds were stilltremendous, and Tom felt himself growing faint and giddy, andthough he hit out lustily on all sides, he had no confidence thathis blows told. 

Every moment he expected to hear the sound of a report, and to knowthat his quietus had come; but at last he was aware that it was hiscaptors' wish to take him prisoner, and not to kill him. They hadclosed in upon him now that he was disarmed, and were using everyartifice to overpower him without further injury. 

Tom felt his own struggles becoming weaker each moment, and at lasthe was conscious that somebody had crawled towards his feet and waspassing a cord about them. In vain he sought to kick out andrelease himself; the next minute the cord was pulled tight. Hisfeet were jerked from beneath him, he fell backwards heavily, andfor some time he knew no more. 

When he opened his eyes once again, he found himself sittingpropped up against the rocks, his arms tightly pinioned to hissides, and his feet still encumbered by cords; whilst at a littledistance sat his assailants in a ring, eating and drinking, andmaking merry together. 

One had a bandaged head, and another had his arm in a rude sling. But the guide had come in for the worst of Tom's blows, and lay allhis length along the ground, stiff and dead. 

Tom smiled a grim sort of smile. He suspected that the same fatewould shortly be his, but nevertheless he did not pity theunfaithful peasant. If he had acted loyally by the man he professedto serve, this ill would scarcely have befallen him. He had met hispunishment somewhat more swiftly than is usual. 

The men talked in French, and too fast for Tom to catch a word oftheir meaning; but when they saw that his eyes were open, and thathe was watching them, they laughed and nodded at him, and by-and-byone brought him food and a cup of wine, and Tom felt mightilyrefreshed thereby. 

Then they looked up at the sky, and at the sun which had some timesince passed its meridian, and began to make ready to depart. Tomwas half afraid at first that they, having robbed him of hisdespatches, were going to leave him helplessly bound here amongstthe snow, to perish of cold and starvation. But when they were allin readiness they unbound his feet, and bid him rise and come withthem. Indeed, he had no option in this matter, for one of them heldthe end of the cord which bound his arms, and drove him on in frontas men drive unruly cattle. 

Tom felt giddy and stiff, but he scorned to show weakness; and itwas less trying to descend the pass than to ascend it, although therough walking with tightly-bound arms was more difficult than hehad fancied, and several times he tripped and fell heavily, unableto save himself. 

He was, therefore, very bruised and sore and weary when at last hefound that they were approaching the little hut he had left earlythat same morning. But amid all his weariness and pain, and theperil of his position, he felt, with a thrill of proud satisfaction, that he had at least played the part which had been allotted to him, and had drawn off the forces of the enemy whilst Lord Claud madegood his escape with the real despatches. Whatever vials of furymight quickly be poured upon his head, he would always know thathe had done his duty--and who can do more than that?

A light was twinkling in the hut. Tom was pushed and hustledwithin. A voice, that he remembered as having heard once before, called out from above:

"Bring the prisoner up here to me. "

The next minute Tom entered the very room where he and Lord Claudhad slept the previous night; but it was now tenanted by a newoccupant--a dark-skinned man of huge frame and malignantaspect--who regarded Tom from beneath the penthouse of his frowningbrows, and plainly remembered him as well as he was himselfremembered. 

"So we meet again, my young buck of the forest! You seem to serve amaster who takes pleasure in bringing you into peril and doubtfuladventure! So you are the bearer of despatches to the Duke ofSavoy? I fear, my good friend, Victor Amadeus will be disappointedof his news for once. And I say in good sooth, that if his grace ofMarlborough chooses to intrust the matters of the secret service tounfledged lads, he deserves to find himself outwitted. "

Tom compressed his lips to hide the smile that might have told toomuch. He preserved a stolid appearance, and remained mute. 

Sir James gave a quick order in French, and at once some of thecords about Tom's person were cut, and the packet sewed up in hiscoat was duly brought forth. As it was handed to Sir James and hesaw the signet of the Duke, a sardonic smile played over hisfeatures, and Tom's eyes gleamed in their sockets. 

The dark-browed man eagerly undid the packet, and drew forth theparchment sheet. He scanned it over and over; he turned it this wayand that. His face betrayed nothing, but Tom saw that his fingerstrembled slightly as with ill-veiled excitement or anger. 

He gave one fierce, searching look at Tom, who preserved an air ofindifference, and then he took the paper across to the stove, andheld it in the heat of the glow which stole thence. 

Back he came with it to the table; but there was nothing revealedby the application of heat. He called sharply for something to oneof his men, and a small phial was brought to him. He applied a dropof the liquid it contained to the parchment; and eagerly awaitedthe result; but no lettering was revealed upon it, and his facegrew dark and stern. 

How many tests he applied Tom scarcely knew; but he saw that thisman was master of all the arts of secret penmanship, and that nomatter would have been kept from him had it been intrusted to thepaper. 

At last Sir James became satisfied of this himself. The veins onhis forehead swelled with anger. He saw that he had been tricked, and his fury was hotly aroused. 

Smiting his great hand upon the table, he cried in a voice ofthunder:

"This despatch is a trick and a fraud. There is nothing but a sheetof blank paper. Men do not risk their lives in carrying dummypackets. 

"Where is the true despatch, knave? Out with it, or 'twill he theworse for you!"

"That is all I have, " answered Tom quietly; "I know nothing of anyother. Search me if you will. You will find naught else. "

"Search him! search him well!" said Sir James to his servants, almost panting in his ire. "The knave was never sent to the Dukewith nothing hut this in his keeping. Find it instantly! I love notthese delays!"

Instantly Tom was laid on his back upon the floor, and such asearch was made of his dress and person as was a matter ofcuriosity and amaze to himself. Even his nose and ears and mouthwere explored by rough fingers, in a fashion none too gentle;whilst his clothing was well-nigh ripped to pieces, and he wonderedhow he should ever make it fit for wear again. Certainly if he hadhad any missive to carry it would not have escaped the scrutiny ofhis captors, and their oaths and kicks bespoke their baffleddisappointment. 

"Then he has messages intrusted to him, " said Montacute, first inFrench, and then in English. "Set the fellow upon his feet, andbind fast his hands to yon rafter. If he will not speak the truth, it shall he flogged out of him!"

The swarthy man was growing very angry at his failure. He may havebegun to suspect that he had been duped by a wit keener than hisown, and the thought raised within him the demon of cruelty andlust of blood. He hated Lord Claud with a deadly hatred, havingbeen worsted by him in encounters of many kinds. If unable to wreakhis vengeance upon the man himself, to do so upon his follower wasthe next best thing. 

"Tell me with what messages to the Duke of Savoy you are charged!"he cried, standing before Tom with flaming eyes. "You are not sentupon this quest with neither letter nor word. Speak, or you shallbe made to find your tongue!"

"I will speak as much as you like, " answered Tom, with haughtydisdain in his tone, though his flesh crept at the sight of the menknotting the ends of rope in their hands; "but I am charged with nomessage. I know nothing of what you would wish to know. You canflog till you are weary, but you can't get out of me what I do notknow. That at least is one satisfaction. "

Montacute waved his hand. The next moment the ropes descended uponTom's bare back. He set his teeth, and made no cry, though theblood came surging to his head, and the room seemed to swim inblood. Again and again they descended; but the keen pain awokewithin Tom that ferocity of strength which comes to men in theirextremity, so that, like Samson, they can turn the tables upontheir foes. 

The hut was but a rude affair, somewhat loosely put together. Thebeam to which Tom's arms had been bound was not too stronglyjointed to its fellow. 

A sudden madness seemed to come upon this man of thews and sinews. He gave a sudden bound and wrench; he felt the beam give, andredoubled his efforts; the next moment the whole rafter came bodilydown upon their heads. Tom ducked, and escaped its fall; but itpinned one of his foes to the ground, and his own hands wereimmediately free. 

With a bound like that of a tiger, and a roar like that of awounded lion, he sprang, or rather flew, at Montacute, flung himover backwards upon the floor, and pinned him by the throat, uttering all the while a savage sort of growling sound, like a wildbeast in its fury. 

The light was thrown over in this strange melee; the room wasplunged in darkness. The two men upon the floor lay strugglingtogether in a terrible silence, only broken by Tom's fiercesnarlings, that seemed scarce human. So terrified were theremaining two men, that they could do nothing for the assistance oftheir master; indeed, they hardly knew what was happening to him. They set up a shouting for aid, half afraid to stir lest the wholehouse should come falling about their ears. 

There were steps in the room below. Footsteps mounted the stairs. The door was thrown open, a shaft of light streamed in, and a calm, full voice demanded in the French tongue:

"What, in the name of all the saints, is this?"

"Holy father, he is murdering our master!" suddenly cried one ofthe men, recovering from his stupor of terror, and seeing now howTom's great hands were gripping the throat of Sir James. 

Montacute's face was purple. His eyes seemed to be starting fromtheir sockets. It was hard to say which was the more terrible face, his or that of Tom, which was perfectly white, and set in lines offerocity and hatred as though petrified into stone. 

In the doorway stood the figure of a tall monk, clad in the longwhite robe and black cloak of his order. Behind him was another, similarly attired, holding the light above his head. 

The first stepped quietly forward, and laid a hand upon Tom'sshoulder; and something in the touch made the young man turn hishead to meet the calm, authoritative glance bent upon him. 

"Enough, my son, enough, " he said, in quiet tones, that brooked, however, no contradiction. "Let the man go. "

Had the followers of Montacute sought to loose his clasp by force, Tom would have crushed the life from his victim without a qualm;but at this gentle word of command he instantly loosed his hold, and stood upright before the monk. 

"He drove me to it--his blood be upon his own head! He would havescourged me to death, I verily believe, had it not been that therafter gave way. "

Tom spoke English, for he had been addressed in that language, andso knew that he should be understood. The monk bent his head, asthough he grasped the entire situation. 

"I would we had come in time to spare you what you have alreadysuffered, my son. But we did only enter the doors as the fall ofthe rafter announced that some catastrophe had happened. I fearedto find you already a corpse. "

"You came after me, good father?" asked Tom in amaze. 

"Yes, truly. Your companion, who is safe over the other pass bythis time, caused the message to reach us that you were like tofall into the hands of Montacute, and be hanged or shot. He beggedthat if we could we would save you; and as our work lies insuccouring those who are in peril upon these heights, be that perilwhat it may, we have been seeking you ever since. I would we hadarrived a few minutes earlier. "

Tom's eyes gleamed; it seemed to him as though the madness was notyet out of his blood. 

"I can scarce echo that wish, reverend father, " he said; "for Ihave had my taste of joy! If my back be torn and scored, I have hadmy fingers on yon miscreant's throat. I think he will carry themarks of them as long as I shall carry my scars. I have had myrecompense!"

"Peace, my son, " said the monk, lifting his hand. "The heart of thenatural man lusts after vengeance; but these passions are terrible, and contrary to the will of God. Especially in these savagesolitudes, with the strange and awful handiwork of the AlmightyCreator about us, should we bow in humblest adoration of Hisinfinite power, and draw near and close, in bonds of brotherhood, to our fellow men. But I know that the sin was not yours. You weresinned against sorely first. Nevertheless, we must needs learn toforgive our enemies, and do good to those that persecute us. Soalone can we follow in the steps of Him who is set as the light ofthe world. "

Tom hung his head. He was a little abashed at the fury he hadshown, and yet the savage joy of it was still tingling in hisveins. He looked at the other monk, who was kneeling upon the floorbeside Montacute, and he perceived that the latter was slowlyrecovering, and was able to sit up, propped against the wall. 

As soon as he was able to understand what was said to him, theelder monk addressed him in stern tones. 

"Montacute--thou man of blood--be warned by the fate which thycruelty well-nigh drew down upon thy head this day! If God in Hismercy had not sent us, in the very nick of time, to save this youthout of thy murderous hands, thou wouldst have passed ere now to thescathing fires of purgatory, whence there be few to offer prayersfor thy release. Be warned by this escape. Repent of thybloodthirstiness and cruelty. Seek to make atonement. Go and sin nomore, lest a worse thing happen unto thee. "

Then turning from him with a slight gesture of repulsion, he saidto Tom:

"My son, we would take you to the safe shelter of our monasteryhome, till your comrade comes for you. The way is something hardand long, but the moon and frost will help us. Have you thestrength to walk with us?--for we would not leave you here, and itwould be safer for all to travel without delay; albeit there be fewso vile as to seek to do hurt to those who wear the habit of theservants of the Lord. "

The fire yet burned in Tom's veins. He felt no abatement of hispowers. He declared himself well able for the march, and was soonhelped into his torn garments, with wet rags to protect hisbleeding back from rough contact. The monks gave him to drink froma flask that contained some cordial, which was marvellous insubduing his natural fatigue; and there was a mess of brothawaiting him below, of which both he and the monks partook, eresetting forth upon their moonlight march. 

As for Montacute and his followers, they remained in the roomabove, and made no effort to delay the travellers. They had beenworsted at every point, and seemed to be aware of it. 

It was a strange experience for Tom, this trudge over the hard, frozen snow, with his two cowled and gowned companions. It seemedto him afterwards like a vision of the night, full of a strangeoppression and pain. He started forth with undiminished strength, as he thought; but ere long he felt as though leaden weights werefastened to his feet, as though some strange, uncanny beast wereseated upon his chest, impeding his breathing, and paralyzing hisheart. The smart of his raw back became more and more intolerablewith every mile, and the awful whiteness of the moon upon thelimitless plains of snow seemed to make the whole expanse reel anddance before his giddy eyes. 

How the last part of the journey was performed, and what befell himwhen he reached the monastery, he never afterwards remembered. As amatter of fact, he was already in the grip of a burning fever; andfor weeks he lay sick upon his pallet bed, tended by the kindlymonks. Indeed, the spring had penetrated even to those ruggedheights ere he had recovered strength enough to think of travellingonce more; and Lord Claud had come to seek him, and bring him wordof his own successful journey with the despatches of the Duke. 

When Lord Claud had gone stumbling down the hillside, in affectedillness, he soon found, rather to his dismay, that Montacutehimself was following him. He therefore abandoned his intention ofseeking battle with his foe, knowing that in brute strength andweight and muscle his adversary was his superior; and he had goneto the inn and put himself to bed, letting all around him believethoroughly in his illness. Montacute had remained on the watch fora time; but finding, as he supposed, that there was no feigning inthe matter, he had gone back to his appointed meeting place withthe men sent after Tom. He had paid a fellow to keep watch uponLord Claud, and send immediate word if he recovered and left hisbed; but this man was one of those whose hearts had been won byLord Claud's pleasant manners, and he at once reported the matterto him, and asked what he should do. 

Between them it was arranged that they should change clothing, and, with the connivance of the landlord, should exchange identities. The young peasant should lie in bed, and be tended as the sickstranger; and Claud, in peasant's dress, should flee over the otherpass, leave word with the monks as to the peril of his friend, andmake his way to Savoy with all the speed he could. 

This had been done with wonderful ease and celerity. And now, having accomplished all with unlooked-for success, he had returnedto find Tom not only alive, but in good condition; for the latter, having once got rid of the persistent fever which had brought himso low, was getting back his strength and vigour every day. Themountain air was now acting like a tonic upon him, and the kindlyministrations of the brothers of the monastery gave him every helphis condition needed. Even the scars upon his back had ceased tosmart, and he was all but fit for the road and the saddle ere LordClaud joined him again. 

His lordship had heard good tidings of the horses in the valleybelow. And when rested from his rapid journey in search of Tom, hewent to visit them, and reported them abundantly fit for the road. 

But the war had now been resumed, and the countries were all incommotion. Travelling was a risky thing, save in numbers; and thegood monks warned them that they might easily lose their lives byfalling in with some bands of hostile soldiers, who were sure tofall upon travellers in ferocious fashion, and rob them of arms andhorses, if not of life itself. 

Soon, however, some of the monks themselves were to take a journeyinto France, and if the travellers would habit themselves in thecowl and gown, and travel with them, they could do so in almostcertain safety. Tom's shaven head lent itself excellently to thetonsure; and though Lord Claud objected to part with his goldentresses, he quickly manufactured himself a tonsured wig whichalmost defied detection. As the monks, too, were to travel onhorseback for greater speed, they had but to teach their steeds toamble along at a gentle pace, and none would be likely to suspectthem. 

So the day came when the parting was made, the travellers leavingbehind their earnest thanks for kindness received, and taking withthem the blessings of their hosts, who had come to love the twogallant young men right well. 

They turned their backs upon the monastery, and wound their waydown into the green valley, where horses were awaiting all theparty; and then they turned their backs upon the ice and snow, andset their faces towards sunny England and home. 

CHAPTER XII. BACK IN LONDON. 

"Why, Tom, my lad! Now this is a welcome sight in sooth! Verily itis you yourself, else should I think I must sure be dreaming! Comein, come in, lad, and a hearty welcome to you! Faith, we had almostbegun to give you up for lost! There be so many who go to foreignparts, but return thence no more, and of whom nothing more is everheard. The Lord be praised that that has not been your fate!"

Cale had taken Tom by both hands, and was drawing him eagerly intothe house. The young man had entered the doorway just as theshutters were being put up at dusk. The light lasted long now thatMay had come, and Cale was about to step forth to take the air fora while himself, when he beheld the tall figure darkening thedoorway, and saw that it was indeed Tom who was entering. 

"Why, methinks you are taller than ever! and have gotten the air ofa man of travel! This will be news for my little Rosy tomorrow. Why, it was but last Sunday, as we sat and talked of you, that thetears came into her eyes, and she said she feared we should neversee you more! How she will laugh and skip tomorrow when she seesyou in your accustomed place!"

"It was kind of Mistress Rosamund to spare a thought for me, " saidTom, feeling that it was good to be welcomed home again so warmly. 

Other home welcome had he not yet received, for they had notreturned by Holland and the port of Harwich. The good monks hadtaken them the shorter way through France, and had seen them safeupon a vessel bound for Southampton, where they had safelydisembarked a few days ago. They had spent their last money ingetting themselves clothing other than a monkish habit, and hadthen ridden merrily to London in quick time. Tom had left his goodmare in Lord Claud's stable, and had marched off forthwith toMaster Cale's shop; whilst his companion had declared his intentionof making speedy application for the payment due to them for theirrecent enterprise, which had now been successfully carried through. 

"I would I could have seen the Duke himself, " said Lord Claud; "buthe is gone back to the Hague, men say, and may be anywhere now. ButI shall lay my case before some of the ministers of the realm, andclaim our reward. The Duke of Savoy knows the value of the news Ibrought him, and the labourer is worthy of his hire. You shall haveyour share, Tom, when I get the gold; for you took your share ofperil boldly, and were a stanch comrade in all moments of danger. You suffered more than I, and that shall not be forgotten. "

So Tom felt light and happy of heart. He was back again in the oldcountry, hearing his native tongue once more around him, thesatisfaction of success in his heart, the experiences of a man oftravel giving him added dignity in his own eyes. If his purse waslight, he would soon replenish it; and in the welcome accorded tohim by the honest perruquier he felt the earnest of other welcomesin store for him. 

As they sat at table together the traveller told his adventures tohis host, Cale listening with eager attention, and rubbing hishands softly together as he heard how Montacute had been outwitted, and how he had been well-nigh throttled by Tom, as well as rebukedby the pious monks. 

"I have seen the fellow, " he said thoughtfully--"he came here oncefor a peruke--and a more evil countenance I have seldom seen. Theysay he is half an Italian, though he passes here for an Englishman;and that he is in the pay of the King of France is a thing commonlyreported. He has an evil face, and I hope we shall see it no morein this land. You must have a care, Tom, if ever he crosses yourpath again. He will not forget that grip on his throat in a hurry!"

"Nor I those lashes upon my back!" answered Tom between his shutteeth. "He will find me ready for him whenever he wants! I amsometimes fain to regret that I did not squeeze the life out of himas he lay in my grasp, even as--well, others I know have regrettedthat they did not run him through the heart in a duelling bout. "

"It is not many who get that chance, if report speaks truth, " saidCale; "Sir James Montacute is reckoned a notable swordsman. "

"He is no mean antagonist, truly, " answered Tom, with a slightsmile; "yet I have seen a better. "

The day following was Sunday, and eagerly did Tom await the arrivalof Rosamund, whom her father had set out betimes to fetch. But hehad promised to keep the secret of Tom's return for a surprise tomeet her on her arrival; and so, when she turned the corner of thestreet upon her father's arm, laughing and chattering to him in herbrightest fashion, there was Tom standing in the doorway, clad inone of his finest suits (left behind in the care of Cale), smilingbravely, hat in hand, and looking altogether so grand and finisheda gentleman that at the first moment Rosamund could scarce makesure if it was he himself. 

But when convinced of this, her pleasure was pretty to see. Shemade him stand by the window where she could see him; she lookedhim all over, clapping her hands, and declaring that he had grownso grand and handsome that she was quite afraid of him. But herdancing eyes and laughing lips belied her words, and soon she waschattering away in the old free style; and Tom sat looking at her, thinking how pretty she was, and what a pleasant thing it was to behome again after such a period of peril and adventure. 

Of course he had to tell his story over again, whilst Rosamund'sface turned red and pale by turns, and her breath came fitfullybetween her lips. She clung to her father's hand in a tremor ofsympathetic fear as she heard of the doings of that memorable nightin the rude hut amid the snows of the Little St. Bernard; but thatTom was a greater hero than ever in her eyes, after she had heardall, could not for a moment be doubted, and perhaps that was whyshe felt that in him she could safely confide a secret fear whichwas troubling her own mind. 

She waited till her father had gone down to set the dinner upon thetable; but when once she and Tom were alone together she was notlong in opening her trouble. 

"Do you remember those four ill men who set upon you in the streetthat day when first you walked abroad with us?"

"Yes, I know them well--a set of cowardly braggarts and bullies!Sure, Mistress Rose, they are not troubling you yet?"

"I fear me they are, " she answered, with a shadow of fear in hereyes. "I saw nought of them through the dark winter months. Indeed, I had well-nigh forgotten that any such creatures lived. Then whenthe spring days began to come, and the streets of the city becamegayer, I thought once or twice that I saw them in the throngs as wewalked hither and thither; but they never accosted us, and I gavethe matter little heed. "

"Until when?"

"Until one evening in March, towards the end of the month, when thedaylight lasts till seven of the clock, and my father let me remainlater than usual with him, and then took me back as was his custom. The roads were quiet, and there were few abroad as we nearedHighgate; yet I could not help thinking that I always heard stepsbehind us, and ever and anon I looked over my shoulder. I did notalways see men following, but sometimes I did, and it seemed alwaysas though there were four of them together. Once I heard a laughthat I seemed to remember, and I felt a qualm of fear, I scarceknew why. "

"You spoke no word to your father?"

"No; I thought myself the victim of some foolish fear, and I wantednot to trouble him. He bade me goodbye at the gate, and saw me runup to the house and let myself in. I went up straight to my windowto wave my hand to him as was my wont, and just at that moment fourmen lounged by arm-in-arm with swaggering mien. "

"And you think it was those same men?"

"I was almost sure of it, and hastily withdrew, glad that they didnot follow my father down the hill, but walked slowly on in theopposite direction, and then turned and paced slowly back two orthree times. For though I did not show myself, I peeped out andwatched to see what they did. "

Tom's face was very black. He had a keen personal hatred for thefour bullies, and a very strong interest and affection for Rosamundherself. He saw she had still something more to say, and she drew alittle nearer as she added:

"And since then I have caught sight of them several times in ourlanes, walking up and down rather near the house, or hanging aboutround the tavern at the crossroads where our lane branches from thewider road. Once I am sure I heard their steps coming after me; butI fled so fast they could not overtake me, and I dared not lookbehind lest I should trip over a stone. I am almost afraid now toleave the house alone, save in the early morning hours; and untilthis happened I came and went freely, and my aunt is used tosending me visiting to the neighbours. I like not to alarm her bytalking of these men, nor do I wish to cause anxiety to my father. I have often wished I could tell you the tale, that I might ask youwhat I should do. "

The childlike appeal in the maiden's face stirred Tom to achivalrous desire to help her at all costs. 

"Zounds!" he exclaimed, "but we will teach those curs a lesson theyrichly need. As it is, they are becoming a byword even in Londonstreets. Hark you, pretty Rosamund, have no fears. I will get HarryGay to join with me, and together we will come to Highgate, andhang about your house in concealment until these bold swaggerersshow themselves; and then we will set upon them, and give them sucha trouncing as they shall not quickly forget. And we will make themunderstand that if ever they are seen there again they will receivea like chastisement. After that I think you need feel no fear. Theyare as cowardly as they are blustering, and love not the feel ofhard blows upon their backs, as we have good reason to know. Two ofus would be equal to vanquishing the four. "

"And there is a strapping young farmer, William Long by name, whowould gladly lend you the strength of his right arm, " criedRosamund, kindling into excitement. "He was lately wedded to mybest friend, Mary Baker, and they live not far from our cottage. Ihad thought to speak to him if things went on so; but four to oneis long odds, and moreover he is something stolid in the head, andmight mistake his men, and so get himself into trouble. "

The thought of a battle on behalf of his good friend's daughter wascongenial enough to Tom, who had always felt a strong personalantagonism to these bullies; an antagonism warmly shared by HarryGay, who eagerly entered into the plan for freeing Rose of theirunwelcome presence in her neighbourhood. He was also an admirer ofpretty Rosamund, whom he had known from childhood, although theydid not meet very regularly, as Harry did not often intrude uponCale on the Sunday, when he knew he liked to have Rosamund tohimself. However, he knew very well the haunts most frequented bythe four bullies who had taken it into their heads to persecute theperruquier's daughter. They probably bore Cale a grudge for hisaction towards them upon the Sunday when there had been the fightin the street; and certainly if he had had any idea that they wereseeking to touch him through his child, he would have beenexceedingly uneasy, and his business must have suffered. 

"I will keep a watch upon them, " said Harry Gay, who was quitepleased to join with so great a man as Tom Tufton had become insome affair of this sort; "I will have an eye to them, and if Ithink they are starting off for the north of the town, I will runat once and fetch you; and we will follow and outstrip them, forthey must needs stop at every tavern as they go, and we can slip byand be ready for them at Highgate. "

So Tom remained for the most part in and about his lodging for thenext day or two, pleased enough to watch the busy life of thestreets, and hear the gossip of the young dandies in Cale's shop. No word of any kind came to him from Lord Claud during this time ofwaiting; but Tom had no anxieties as to the money he was to receivefor his services, and Master Cale had still a few guineas in handfrom the sum left to pay for his lodging chamber in his absence, which Tom had desired to continue to rent, that he might leavethere his worldly possessions. 

It was on the forenoon of Wednesday that Harry came to seek him, all eagerness and speed. 

"They have started forth towards the north, " he said, "and I hearda few scraps of talk, and am certain that they are bound forHighgate. We shall quickly overtake and pass them; and, with thehelp of honest William, we will give them such a lesson as shallmake them avoid the locality for the rest of their lives, I hope. So, if you are ready, let us be off. "

Tom was ready in a trice, and very soon they found themselvesfollowing in the track of the four young rakes, who were swaggeringalong the sunny streets in their usual rolling way, accosting andinsulting the passers by, knocking citizens' hats into the gutter, singing scraps of ribald songs, and ready to come to blows with anyother bullies who might run up against them. 

But it was not long before they swaggered into an alehouse; andthen Tom and Harry went swiftly by, and, taking the straight routeup to Highgate, arrived there long before the others could beexpected. 

Rosamund was tending her flowers in the garden when they came up tothe gate, and looked up with a smile and a blush. She was alone inthe house that day, she said, save for the servant woman, who wasvery deaf. This suited very well for the present purpose, as theydid not desire that the aunt should be alarmed. 

They bade Rose remain in the garden for the next few hours, andthey would hide in a clump of bushes at the corner and watch whatbetided. Harry strode off to fetch William Long, who had promisedthe help of his sturdy staff right willingly. In a short time thethree men were in their hiding place, whilst Rose went on with hertasks amid the flowers, her heart beating a little with excitement, although she felt no fear. 

Presently the sound of lurching steps and foolish laughterapproached along the lane. Rose never looked round, but the colourin her cheeks went and came. The steps presently stopped at thegate, and those in hiding could see the four bullies, who werealready somewhat the worse for drink, leaning upon it and eyeingthe maiden at work with silly leers and nudgings. 

"Pretty Mistress Rosamund, " said Slippery Seal, in his mostwheedling voice, "will you favour a thirsty traveller with a cup ofwater from your well?"

Rose faced round at that, her face flushed, but her manner quitecalm. 

"If you are thirsty, sir, there is water to be had in the brookyonder. My father would not have me speak with strangers on theroad. "

"But, fair maid, " said another, "we cannot sure be calledstrangers. We have seen your rosy cheeks and bright eyes many timesbefore, we--"

But before he had finished speaking, Rose had turned her back andwas walking up the path towards the house. 

"No, no, no!" cried Dicing Dick; "you do not run away like that, pretty Rosamund!"

The next moment he had flung the gate wide, and the whole four weremaking a dash up the path in pursuit of the girl. They had probablylearned from the servant at the inn that her aunt was out, and hadthought they could terrify her into doing their pleasure, andsetting food and drink before them. 

But they did not get far. With a sound like a growl and ayell--such as he had given when he sprang at Montacute'sthroat--Tom dashed out from the thicket, and seized Bully Bullen ina bear-like clasp. The other two were not many yards behind, andimmediately there was a wholesale scrimmage in the little garden;the sound of blows and oaths resounded, and many a yell of pain andrage told that one or another of the bullies had got a well-meritedchastisement. 

It was not Tom's wish to use his sword, but he applied his goodcudgel freely to the back of the bully, who was more his own heightand make than any of the others. Bully Bullen swore, and raved, andthreatened, and made ineffectual efforts to draw his rapier and runhis antagonist through the body. But he had been drinking, andneither hand nor eye were steady; whilst Tom's clutch upon his coatcollar, as he kept swinging him half off his feet, and laying hisstout staff to his back, almost throttled him, and rendered hisefforts abortive. 

Once Slippery Seal showed himself worthy of his name, by slippingthrough the clutches of Harry, and dashing to get a good blow atTom, for whom these four worthies had conceived a powerful hatred;but Tom saw the advance, and cleverly swerved round, so that theblow descended upon the luckless Bullen, who roared anew with rageand pain. 

"Let them go now! let them go!" cried Rosamund at last, halffrightened at the scrimmage, and almost ready to pity the ruffians, who were getting so much the worst of it. 

Lusty William had quickly laid Dicing Dick prostrate on motherearth, and was giving a drubbing to Thirsty Thring, who washelpless in his stout grasp. This attack, so unexpected and soresolute, had quite taken the wind out of the sails of theblustering four; and when, at Rosamund's cry, their antagonistspaused and gave to each a parting kick, they had no desire to doanything but slink away with bruised shoulders--black rage in theirhearts. 

"If ever you come prowling here again, I'll have my men and my dogsout at you!" bawled William, whose blood was well up. "I livehandily, just behind yon clump of trees. Rosamund has but to liftup her voice in a good screech, and I'll loose every dog in theplace upon you! You'll not forget the feel of their fangs so soonas you'll forget the feel of my cudgel!"

That threat was quite enough for the bullies, they almost began torun; but so soon as they had put the fence between themselves andtheir antagonists, they paused and looked back, shaking their fistsin vindictive fury. 

They seemed to divine that Tom was in some sort the originator ofthis plan, and towards him was their chief malevolence directed. 

"We will have our revenge for this, Tom Tufton!" they cried. "It'syour turn today, but it will be ours another. You shall rue the dayyou made enemies of us!"

"Do your worst!" cried Tom scornfully. "Do you think I fear anysuch ruffians as you?"

"Strike me purple!" raged Bully Bullen, using an oath which hadcome into vogue since the terrible days of the Plague, "if I do notmake you bitterly repent this day's work, you insolent youngcoxcomb!"

"Get off with you, or I call my dogs!" cried William, who saw thatRosamund's cheeks were growing pale; and at this hint the bulliesmade the best of their way out of sight, never to be seen again inthe neighbourhood where so many perils awaited them. 

Rose was rid of her tormentors, but she cast apprehensive glancesin the direction of Tom. 

"Can they hurt him?" she asked of Harry. 

And he replied, with a light laugh:

"He looks a child that can stand up for himself!"

Nevertheless, after William had taken Rose to his house to pass therest of the time of her aunt's absence, and Tom and Harry werewalking southwards again, the latter said to his friend:

"All the same, Tom, I would have you take care of yon braggarts. They are as evil a set of fellows as walk the streets of this city, and if they could chance to do you an ill turn, be sure they wouldnot let it pass. "

But Tom only laughed. He had passed through many perils of late, and he felt that in the heart of this great city he could take careof himself. A sort of careless self confidence had been his chiefperil through life, and his association with Lord Claud had nottended to diminish it. In the presence of his patron, indeed, heoften felt of little account; but elsewhere he fancied himselfsomething of a hero, and was by no means disposed to tremble beforethe malevolence of a set of swaggering bullies. 

The town was very gay this bright springtide, and Tom was more thanready to plunge into the vortex of such amusements as were open tohim. His lack of funds did not embarrass him, as Harry was ready tolend him money, and he had some success at the dicing tables inthose coffee houses which he frequented. Gambling had not any greatattractions for him, but a little excitement did not come amiss, and the fascination of winning was powerful. 

Sometimes he was persuaded to try his luck at basset or ombre, andhere his lack of knowledge of the games often caused him to lose. But he cared little, telling himself that he should soon have hisshare of the reward offered by the Duke to his secret messengers;and he plunged more and more deeply into debt, rather by way ofpassing the time than for any particular delight in play. He hadnot yet acquired strength enough to decline to share the amusementsof those about him. He kept up his sword practice in the mornings, and took long walks with Harry Gay to visit different places ofinterest in and about the city; but the afternoon and evening wereusually spent in some place of amusement, and little by little Tombecame impatient for his money. He had borrowed several times fromHarry; but he thought he ought to be hearing something from LordClaud. 

At last he called at his rooms, and asked for him. He was asked towait, as Lord Claud was expected home shortly, and Tom's face waswell known to the valet. He went up to the familiar room, but notedwith surprise how many pictures and curios were missing from theirplaces. The rooms were comfortable, even luxurious, but they lackedthe costly elegance which had characterized them before. It seemedto Tom as though Lord Claud must have been in need of money, too, and have been selling his valuables to keep himself in funds. Thatseemed a strange shift for one to whom the state owed so heavy adebt. 

Tom had perhaps sat still waiting for half an hour before the dooropened to admit Lord Claud, who came in with a dark look upon hisface, and threw down his hat and gloves upon the table with asmothered oath. 

Then he saw Tom, and the cloud lightened, although it did notdisappear. He shook the young man warmly by the hand. 

"Tom, you are come in a good hour, and an evil one! I was justwishing I had you to stand by me. What think you is the reply ofthose to whom I have proffered my claim on our behalf? They willhave nothing of it. They will scarce give me a hearing. I may go tothe Duke of Marlborough with my tale, they tell me in some scorn, as though incredulous of my words, but they will have nought to dowith it. And will not even make an advance, whilst they know thatto reach the Duke one must run many a peril and risk much money. Itis a shameful trick! I know they would not have dared treat all menso, but they think they may put their despite upon me!"

He ground his teeth, and then broke out into strange wild talkwhich Tom did not understand, though it inspired him with a senseof great anger against those in high places. 

Moreover, he was not a little disturbed on his own account by thefailure of Lord Claud. How should he pay his debts? How should helive himself? Had he not risked his life for the sake of hiscountry? Had he not suffered scourging and sickness on her behalf?It took very little of Lord Claud's fire to kindle an answeringflame in his own heart. His anger was always readily stirred, andhis appreciation of his own merit caused him to feel the more hotand aggrieved. 

"Tom, " said Lord Claud suddenly, "there is one other way. If youhave a clear head, a strong arm, and a stout heart, there is yet ahope that we may gain our ends. "

Tom looked up eagerly. He saw something in Lord Claud's face whichseemed to him strange, and which inspired him with a sense of keen, quick curiosity and excitement. He felt as though he were on theverge of some new discovery. His breath came thick and fast, but itwas with eagerness, not fear. He had been so worked upon and playedupon by a master hand, that the thought of fear found no placewithin his breast. What was this other way of which his masterspoke?

"The gold is ours, Tom. We have won it with the best that is inus--with our heart's blood, as men say. It is ours. We have theright to it. If they withhold it in injustice, have we not theright to lay hands on it ourselves?"

"Ay, verily!" answered Tom in a whisper, his eyes fixed upon theburning eyes of Lord Claud, which seemed to fascinate and hold himas the snake does the bird. 

Then Lord Claud approached and laid a hand upon Tom's shoulder, andstanding over him, talked long and earnestly in a low, quiet voice, which nevertheless sounded trumpet-like in his ears. 

Tom sat perfectly still, gazing at him and uttering no word, butwithin his heart the fire seemed to glow and kindle; and when LordClaud paused and searched his face with his keen glance, he saw nofaltering there. 

"Then we are brothers once again, Tom! Brothers now and always!"

"Now and always!" echoed Tom, in a voice almost the echo of LordClaud's. "Now and always!"

CHAPTER XIII. ON THE KING'S HIGHWAY. 

A handsome and remarkably elegant vehicle stood at the door of LordClaud's lodgings, with two fine horses harnessed to it. 

Tom had never seen any conveyance at once so light and handsome, the cumbrous coaches of the times being little to his liking. Hehad always travelled afoot or on horseback hitherto, and he hadexpected to do the same now, when he received his summons from LordClaud. 

That gentleman stood at the door, leisurely drawing on a pair ofstrong gloves. He nodded to Tom as he came up. 

"It begins to get hot for saddle work, " he remarked in hisnegligent tones; "besides, I want to make trial of thisnew-fashioned carriage. I won it from my lord of Gratton three dayssince; and he boasts that it has been copied from one in thepossession of the King of France, who is said to be a monarch of avery excellent taste. At least it will carry us to St. Albans, andbring us safely back three days hence;" and turning to the valetwho was holding his snuff box and cane, he added:

"If any call and ask for me, tell them I have driven into thecountry, but look to be home in three days' time. 

"Now, Tom, get up, and we will see if we can reach St. Albans erethe dusk fall upon us. "

Lord Claud was dressed in one of his finest suits; all white andsilver, with here and there a dash of azure blue. His hat was setjauntily upon his golden curls, innocent today of any touch ofpowder. His blue eyes were dreamy and soft in expression. He lookedlike one who goes forth a-wooing, in all the gay frippery supposedto be pleasing in a maiden's eyes. He had even discarded his sword, and only wore a short jewelled rapier, such as he sometimes put onrather for ornament than use. 

He saluted passers by with an air of negligent grace, replying witha smile to those friends who paused and bandied jests with him, asking him where the fair lady was with whom he was going to visit. 

Tom was also dressed in his best, and looked a fitting comrade forthe young exquisite now leisurely mounting to the seat beside him. There was no place for a servant upon the carriage, and Tom hadlearned by this time that Lord Claud was no more really dependentthan he was himself upon the attentions of a valet. He was ratherin a fog as to what all this was about, whither they were bound, and what they were to accomplish; but he was willing to be led bythe strong will of his companion, and to follow him wherever hewent. 

Tom's irritation and perplexity had not decreased during the pastdays. He was at his wits' end for money; and it seemed to him thatif he could not obtain the payment due, he must either trust to hisluck at gambling for funds, or else go home and settle down atGablehurst once again. 

For the latter course he was not yet ready. His soul revolted fromthe thought of the life of the country squire. He had tasted of thecup of excitement and pleasure, and was not in the least preparedto relinquish it. He would rather face almost any alternative thango back to the life of the Essex village, and sink down into theold routine. 

So he had been gaming somewhat recklessly these past days, and withvarying success. There had been moments when he was plunged intodespair; and then again the luck would shift, and he would feelthat fortune was almost at his feet. 

Yet at the end of the time matters were with him very much as theyhad been at the beginning; save that Tom himself had grown morereckless an defiant, most lustful of gold, and less scrupulous howhe obtained it, as is always the way with the true gambler, whetherhe is aware of it at the outset or not. 

Now they were rolling along together through the gay streets ofLondon, the hot summer sunshine making everything bright andjoyous, filling Tom with a great longing after the good things ofthis life, and a sense of bitter indignation at being defrauded ofhis due. 

Lord Claud handled the reins and drove his pair of fine horses witha skill which awoke the youth's admiration, and which attracted thenotice also of the passers by. Lord Claud appeared rather to courtobservation than to shun it, and often paused to exchange a wordwith friends upon the footpath; always telling the same story ofbeing on his way to St. Albans; always smiling and evading a replywhen asked to what particular house he was bound. 

Nobody who saw the light and remarkable-looking carriage speedingon its way would be likely to forget it, and Tom could not helprather wondering at the public fashion in which they took theirjourney forth. 

He had one encounter which he thought little of at the time, andcertainly made no effort to evade. Lord Claud had pulled up thecarriage to exchange a few words with a knot of dandies who hadhailed him from the footway, and Tom was sitting and looking abouthim at the passing throng. Presently he was aware of the fixedstare of several pairs of eyes at an adjacent tavern window; andlooking fixedly through the rather dull glass, he made out forcertain that his friends, the four swaggering bullies, were theowners of these eyes. A minute or two later Bully Bullen steppedforth from the door, and accosted him with swaggering insolence ofdemeanour. 

"So, Master Tom, you make fine friends! And whither away so fast inthat fine carriage? Egad, there be truth in the old adage, 'Set abeggar on horseback, and he will ride to the devil. ' Fine company, fine company for a country bumpkin to keep! But you'll find itfiner than you think for one of these days! Ho! ho! ho!"

Lord Claud did not appear to hear or heed this newcomer's talk; buthe showed that he had taken all in by just quietly shifting thelong whip into Tom's hands, whilst himself drawing tighter thereins. 

Tom understood him in a moment. He took the whip, and the nextmoment it had whistled through the air, and caught the bully astinging lash right across the face. At the sound of the crack ofthe lash the horses started forward, and in a moment the carriagewas spinning away over the dusty road, followed by roars oflaughter from Lord Claud's friends, and by roars of a differentcharacter from the indignant and outraged bully. 

"You will have to shoot those fellows one of these days, " remarkedLord Claud coolly. "They are becoming a nuisance. Men who are anuisance ought to be put out of the way. London would be well ridof them. "

"They have been mine enemies from the very outset, " said Tom, "fromthe day when first we met, and you came to my rescue when they werebaiting me. They have owed me a grudge ever since; but hitherto Ihave had the best of our encounters. "

"Drunken sots have no chance against sober fellows with thews andsinews like yours, good Tom; yet they can give trouble in otherways, and are better under ground than above it. I marvel they haveall escaped so long; for they are well known for a set of ruffianlyvagabonds, and well deserve the hangman's noose. "

The carriage spun fast over the ground, and the westering sun threwlong shadows over their path as they rolled farther and fartherthrough the country lanes, leaving the racket of the streets farbehind. The country was familiar to Tom, who had ridden over thesame ground early in the year; but how different it all looked inthe vivid green of early summer, instead of draped in a mantle offrost and snow!

He felt a little elation of spirit as they drove through the oldtown, the observed of all observers. Some friends of his own hailedhim with eager nods of recognition, looking with a great admirationand respect at himself and his companion. Tom felt his heart swellwith pride, knowing that in time it would reach Gablethorpe how hehad been seen sitting in such state. He returned the salutations ofold friends with easy good nature, but felt as though he belongednow to a quite different world; and his heart swelled with thatsort of pride which is apt to be the forerunner of a disastrousfall. 

They did not stop at St. Albans itself, but at a hostelry a littleto the north of it, standing by itself in a pleasant leafy lane. Lord Claud appeared known to mine host, who made them welcome tothe best his house had at disposal; and promised all care for thehorses, which, as Lord Claud explained, had to make the returnjourney upon the third day. 

It was now somewhat late, so the travellers took their supper, andthen went to bed; Tom still in a state of subdued excitement andexpectation, scenting coming adventure, but as yet only veryimperfectly acquainted with the nature of it. He had suspicions ofhis own, which caused him alternations of dread and excitement; buthe knew he should be told all in Lord Claud's time, and in themeanwhile silence was the best policy. 

The following day they spent in amusement in the town of St. Albans. Never were two men more active in the pursuit of pleasurethan they. Lord Claud presented himself at the door of many a finehouse, never failing to obtain an eager welcome both for himselfand his friend. They spent the whole day in a round of amusement, making themselves mightily popular with their companions. Theyremained until hard upon ten o'clock in one house, and from thencereturned straight to their inn, which was already shut up and dark, although the door had been left open for their return. 

Up to their room they went, and there Lord Claud's manner suddenlychanged. He seemed to throw off his careless gaiety as if it hadbeen a garment, and at once the lines of his face began to changeand harden. His eyes gleamed with a steady fire, and his voice lostall its soft indolence of tone. 

He went to a cupboard, which he unlocked, and there Tom saw twobundles which appeared to contain clothes, and two saddles andbridles, which he knew had come from Lord Claud's stables. 

He looked from them to Lord Claud in questioning wonder. 

"How got they there?"

"We brought them with us--secreted in the carriage. Now, Tom, wemust no longer delay. We have stern and quick work to do thisnight; and then back to London with the reward that is ours byright, though they force us to take it by violence. The people herewill swear that we slept this night within doors. You saw thelandlord look out of his window as we entered to make sure who wewere. He will be in bed now, sleeping the sleep of the just. Youmay be sure he will wake no more till five of the clock; and longere that we shall be back--our work accomplished. 

"Off with those fine trappings, and put on these clothes. Then tosaddle the nags, and so steal forth. I know all the tricks of thelocks; we shall have nought to stay us. "

Whilst he was speaking Lord Claud was unrolling one of the bundles, and quickly transforming himself into such a creature as Tom hadnever seen before, though he had heard such described many times. His fine clothes were exchanged for a strong shabby riding suit ofcommon cut and texture, that presented no distinct features, andwould be most difficult either to describe or identify. He had agreat pair of horse pistols stuck in his belt, and also wore adangerous-looking weapon--something between a sword and a cutlass. His golden hair was tucked away beneath the collar of his coat, andhis head was covered by a frowzy dark wig, that looked likeuntrimmed natural hair. He quickly blackened his face with sootfrom the chimney, and put on a black crape mask. 

A more villainous-looking creature, and one more utterly unlikeLord Claud, the exquisite, it would be hard to imagine. It appearedto Tom as though even his figure had shrunk and become smaller. Ifhe had not seen the metamorphosis with his own eyes, he would nothave believed that it was his comrade who now stood before him. 

But the voice was the same, as Lord Claud quickly assisted him tochange his garments, to assume wig and mask, and soot his foreheadover. 

Tom had not been unprepared for this denouement, and yet when hesaw himself in the habiliments of a highway robber, his heartthrobbed with a painful sense of wonderment at how it had all comeabout. Yet the fascination exercised over him by his companion, andhis own love of adventure and excitement, were so strong, that hedid not know whether he dreaded or desired the coming struggle. 

"What are we going to do?" he asked in a low voice. 

"To take our due that they will not give us, " was the stern reply. "They had their choice, and must abide by their blindness andobstinacy. I am not going to be treated with contempt; no one whohas ever tried to do so has done it with impunity. Every man has aright to his own--is it not so, honest Tom?"

"Yes, truly, " answered Tom, with a note of indignation in hisvoice. "Those who withhold our due must suffer for it. "

"They shall suffer in pocket; and if what we shall obtain thisnight be more than our due, the fault is theirs, not ours. Tom, youare to taste a new experience this night--one which is full of joyto those who have drunk often of the cup. There be times when I saythat I am happiest dressed as tonight, a good horse beneath me, abright moon above, and a booty worth having well in view. It is sofull of rare surprises and delight; and, if a man but have his witsabout him, it is so monstrous easy, too!"

Tom seemed to catch the spirit of his comrade. Those were days whencrime was lightly thought of, though so heavily punished. A strainof recklessness in Tom's blood made the notion of even robbery onthe king's highway fascinating rather than terrible--at least whenhe could say to himself that he was but "taking his own. "

It was plain enough now that this was the secret of Lord Claud'slife--hinted at more or less plainly by many before, but neveraltogether understood by Tom. Yet Lord Claud was received, feted, made much of in the society of the gay city, even by those who morethan suspected where his influx of wealth came from. He had evenreceived instructions, and been intrusted with an importantcommission, by one so high in office as the great Duke ofMarlborough. Surely there could be no great stigma resting upon onewho was thus employed in the service of his country. It seemed toTom (as it has seemed to others before and since) that if onlysuccess crowned these efforts, there was no disgrace attached tothem. 

But it was a significant if--and he knew it!

"And suppose we are taken?" he said tentatively. 

"We should be hanged, " answered Lord Claud coolly. "But we shallnot be taken. Make your mind quite clear on that point. Do just asI tell you, and have no fears. The rest will follow of itself. "

Tom had come to have that sort of implicit trust in his companionwhich some men have the power to inspire. It makes them dangerousto foes, because they appear to bear charmed lives; and theircompanions trust implicitly in their luck, and know no fear. Tomfelt that if Lord Claud told him to ride through fire or water, hewould do it without hesitation, knowing that the thing waspossible, and believing he would accomplish it. 

"Come, " said Lord Claud, "take your saddle and bridle and walksoftly. It is time we were off now. "

They stole through the silent house, and round to the stable, wherethe horses were lying on beds of clean straw. They got up at thesound of their master's voice, but were so quiet in all theirmovements that it seemed as though they knew what was in the air. In five minutes they were free from the buildings, and thetravellers mounted. The road lay before them in dappled lights andshadows from the brilliant moon overhead. It was as easy to see theway as though the sun had been up. 

Once clear of the inn, and Lord Claud sprang forward at a steady, swinging hand gallop, a pace to which the horses settled down asthough well habituated to it. 

Then he began to speak to Tom of the project on which they werebent. 

"There is gold on its way from the bank to the coast. It is guardedby four soldiers. They have been instructed to travel fast to catcha certain sloop. Today they will have met with many hindrances uponthe way. All that has been arranged for. So they will profit bythis clear moonlight night to prosecute their journey, which willnot lie through what is thought to be dangerous country. Forestland and wild heath make men very careful, but quiet country roadswhere villages are frequent give them confidence. And yet it isjust as easy to fall upon the prey in the latter as in the formerlocality. In sooth, I think it is easier. The men in charge rushback for help, thinking the more easily to track and follow us;"and then Lord Claud broke into a soft laugh, and began to whistlecheerily as they galloped forward. 

These horses were wonderfully strong and fleet. Tom could not butremark it as they galloped mile after mile with unwearied energy. Lord Claud smiled in the moonlight as he replied:

"Oh yes, that is necessary. It is well to prove an alibi, if youknow what that is, good Tom. The honest folks where we come fromwill swear that we and our steeds were abed all night over yonder;but even if that should not be enough, there will be many who willdeclare that if we did not leave St. Albans till past ten, we couldnever be at the spot I am aiming for and back again before break ofday; and I shall take care to call mine host up betimes, so thatthere will be plenty of evidence that I have not been abroad thisnight. "

Tom had heard often enough of the good understanding existingbetween innkeepers and the highway robbers who infested the roads, and now he began to see the workings of it, and to understand howeasy it made some of these excursions, and how difficult it mustafterwards be to obtain evidence against the freebooters. LordClaud's handsome person, his freedom of speech, and hislavishly-spent gold, made him a favourite everywhere; and now heseemed about to employ his fascinations of mind and body for otherpurposes. Tom was to see how they served him in a different sort oflife. 

The rapid pace at which they were travelling hindered conversation. Tom would not easily have believed it possible to travel so fast bynight, but he trusted himself implicitly to the guidance of hiscomrade; and the strong, mettlesome, sure-footed horse he rodeseemed to make nothing either of his solid weight, or of thedistance they had to go. 

Presently Lord Claud drew rein. They were passing through a littlecopse, where the light was but misty and indistinct, and where theroad made a sudden sharp turn almost at right angles, affordingcomplete shelter to any person or persons lying in ambush. 

"Now, Tom, " said Lord Claud, "this is the spot I have chosen. Thereis a village not half a mile distant. The road is not a dangerousor lonely one--this is the only little bit of wood for somedistance, and it is very small. No special precautions willprobably be observed. There are two horses laden with gold, underthe escort of two soldiers each. They had a larger guard to passthrough the wilder forest country, but some of the men were to turnback when the perilous transit was made. Most likely one horse andthe two troopers will be a little in advance of the other. Themoment the leading horse rounds this corner we shoot down the men. You need not kill your trooper, Tom--indeed, I never kill unlessthere is need--it is enough to disable him. In a moment I shallhave possession of the horse and shall gallop off. But I shall onlypossess myself of the treasure, and let the beast go. I have nowish to be tracked by him. Now, if I am right in what I expect, thesecond troopers, hearing the shots and their comrades' cries, willbelieve themselves in peril of attack from a much larger gang, andwill instantly fly to save their skins. This is what happens infive cases out of seven. It is seldom that a couple of men willstay to face what they believe to be a desperate gang ofhighwaymen. If this is so, dash you out upon the second horse. Seize him, and follow me. I know every inch of the country, andthose fellows know nothing but the roads. They will never catch us, even if they pursue. If, however, the second pair should provefellows of a stouter kidney, and instead of fleeing should showfight, then leave the second prize and follow hard after me. Wewill not risk too much, and one load will suffice for presentnecessities, albeit I should like well enough to obtain the two. Iwould make our ministers smart for their scurvy treatment of me!"

Tom grasped the situation in a moment, and set his teeth hard, whilst the light of battle leaped into his eyes. The adventuresuited the reckless self-confidence which his recent life hadquickened. Why should he not in time become a second Lord Claud, aman half feared, half admired by all London town, petted, made muchof, observed and copied wherever he went? That his calling wassuspected, if not actually known, Tom had abundant reason to know. But it seemed rather to give a lustre to his reputation than tocover him with shame. Why should he not attain in time to a likepinnacle of fame and fortune?

Thus he mused, standing there in the softened moonlight, the fierceand lawless strain in his nature for the moment in the ascendant, the influence of his strange comrade dominant in his heart. 

There was a sound at last. The horses heard it first and prickedtheir ears. Next minute the riders heard it, too. It was the tramp, tramp of horses' feet upon the road, coming on at a leisurely pace, together with the jingling of arms and the sound of voices. 

Tom's heart beat thick and fast, but his hand did not tremble as hefollowed Lord Claud's example and got ready his pistol. Like twofigures carved in stone sat the two liers-in-wait, theirwell-trained horses as motionless as themselves. 

Crack! crack!

The silence of the night was broken by the ominous sound. A yell ofpain and fury arose. Two horses turned back rearing, and dashedaway, but the third was gripped by a strong hand; and before theparty behind could see a vestige of what was happening, tworiderless horses had galloped past them, throwing them into a panicof confusion and terror. 

Lord Claud had judged right in part. Thrown into confusion, the menturned as if to flee, thinking themselves fallen amongst a largeband of robbers. Tom made a quick rush round the corner, seized thesecond pack horse by the bridle, and dashed off in pursuit of LordClaud; but even as he did so he became aware that there were morethan the two troopers in the party, and in a moment the sound ofyells and cries behind him told him that he was pursued. 

But he had proved the pace of the horse beneath him, and if hecould but possess himself of the bags upon the pack horse, and letthe slower-paced beast go free, he knew he could distance pursuit. With a mighty effort he lifted the heavy bags and swung them overhis shoulders; but even at that moment he heard the crack offirearms in the rear, and his good horse reared up perfectly erect, and Tom had but time to slip off his back before the creature fellover backwards, and lay still and dead. 

Tom had another pistol, and even as he reached the ground he turnedround and fired full at the foremost pursuer. A cry of pain toldhim his shot had found a billet in horse or man. But he could stayfor no more. Already his mask and wig had fallen off. The moonlightstruck full upon his face and the fine proportions of his figure. He saw that there were half a dozen men spurring onwards inpursuit; but he was full of that fury which gives to men an almostsuperhuman strength. 

Leaping upon the back of the pack horse, he spurred the maddenedand terrified animal to the wildest gallop, a gallop which he couldnever keep up, but which for the time being distanced all pursuit. Then when he had winded his own beast, and knew that the pursuinghorses must themselves be pretty well blown, he slipped from itsback and began running like a hare across country in the directiontaken by Lord Claud, knowing that however cleverly he might concealhimself, he would not be far away, and that he would keep an eyeupon Tom's line of flight, and come up with him as soon as it wassafe to do so. 

The sounds of pursuit died away. Tom looked back, and found himselfalone in the fields and copses. His quick turnings and doublings, and the choice of ground difficult for horses, had served hispurpose well. He was safe, and he had his prize with him. His heartswelled with pride at the success of his achievement. 

In a short while up rode Lord Claud, cool and smiling. 

"Well done, Tom; that was gallantly done. But we have lost one ofour good steeds, and you have lost your mask. I trust that none sawyour face?"

"It came off when the horse plunged and reared, and I was cumberedwith the moneybags, " answered Tom. "Yet I doubt if any who saw mewould know my face again; the soot upon my forehead at least wouldmake it hard to be sure of the face. And none were very nigh athand. "

"Give me the bags, and take you my stirrup, and we will wend ourway back as fast as may be. You can run like a hare, Tom, as I haveseen well. Can you run step for step with a trotting horse for somefew miles?"

"Try me and see, " answered Tom, who was not a little proud of hispowers in this respect; and side by side through the misty summer'snight stepped man and horse, both unwearied and full of courage. Once Lord Claud insisted upon dismounting and letting Tom ride fora few miles; but for the most part it was Tom who trotted alongstep for step with the horse, thinking over the events of thenight, and exulting in the triumph they had achieved. 

They reached the inn outside St. Albans just as the dawn wasbreaking in the east. Not a creature was stirring as they stabledthe horse and made their way into the house. Nor did they do thisuntil saddle and bridle and moneybags had been safely locked awayin the body of the carriage, which contained a cavity with a secretdoor, the trick of which seemed known only to Lord Claud. Then theywent to their room, removed all traces of travel from theirfaces--as Tom had removed them from the horse in the stable justbefore--tied up their clothes in small compass, and got into bedjust as the first sound of life began to be heard in the house. 

Almost immediately then Lord Claud called loudly for the host, andbade him bring him instantly a hot posset, as he had had a touch ofague in the night. There was a good deal of bustling to and frothen, and servants passed in and out of the room, seeing bothtravellers lying peacefully in their beds, as though they had sleptthere all night. 

Lord Claud wrote a short note at once, and handed it to the hostwith a few whispered directions, to which the man replied with anod and a wink; and then he took his posset, turned round and slepta while, and rose at the usual hour as though he had no reason fordesiring longer rest. 

This day was spent as the previous one had been, in paying visitsand joining in fashionable amusements. The news that there had beena robbery on the highway of some gold about to be shipped toHolland for the troops excited a little commotion in the place, andonce or twice Tom fancied that he saw curious glances levelled athimself and his companion. Lord Claud talked upon the subject withhis usual airy negligence, but without the faintest hint ofpersonal interest in the matter. Nor did he even "turn a hair" whenrumour reported that there was a very decided clue as to theidentity of one of the band, who had been recognized by sometravellers on the road, who were going in the same direction as thetroopers, and had assisted them in pursuing one of the robbers. Theman had escaped; but it was asserted that he was known and could besworn to at any time. 

This was not pleasant hearing for Tom, but he showed a cool enoughfront at the time. It was only when alone with Lord Claud that heasked rather anxiously if he thought it could be true. 

"I doubt it, " was the reply; "it is a common thing for men to makethe boast, but it seldom proves correct. Was it true that therewere others besides the troopers on the road? I thought I saw morefigures than I looked for, but knew not whether all were soldiersor not. "

"There were others, " answered Tom; "but I had no time to see whatmanner of men they were. There was much shouting and cursing, and Iheard one man give an exultant laugh when I turned and fired; butmore than that I know not. "

Lord Claud looked thoughtful. 

"Well, Tom, it boots little to meet danger half way. 'Tis alwaysbest to put on a bold front and set it at defiance. But thisremember, that Nell Gwynne shall be kept in readiness for you bynight and day. And if ever you have reason to seek to save yourselfby flight, the horse is yours; there will be money and a fewnecessaries strapped to the saddle. Make your way incontinently toCaptain Jack, who may always be heard of at The Three Ravens; and Iwill visit you there, and we will talk over the state of affairs. "

Tom nodded, and looked a little relieved in mind; but he felt asthough a cloud hung over his spirit despite his attempts at defyingfate. 

Next morning they started off in the carriage once more, and, toTom's astonishment, with (apparently) the same two horses. Helooked at his comrade for a moment in mingled surprise andadmiration. Lord Claud gave an odd little smile as he replied:

"It is always well to be provided against accident, good Tom. Halfthe clever deeds of this world are rendered null and void becausemen forget to look ahead. We shall see the same persons drivingback as we saw driving out. We must have the same steeds too, elsewould that dead horse lying in the fields tell a tale we wouldrather keep to ourselves. "

CHAPTER XIV. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES. 

Back in London, his pockets full of money, fine clothes upon hisback, and fine houses open to him when he went there in companywith Lord Claud, it was small wonder if Tom forgot his fears aftera few days of such a life, and was only rendered uneasy whenwhispers reached him from time to time to the effect that theauthorities were hot upon the track of the daring highway robberwho had succeeded in making away with the Queen's gold. 

A reward had been offered for the discovery and apprehension of themiscreants concerned in the affair, and at first Tom had felt halfafraid to show his face in the streets by daylight. But after a fewdays had passed by, and nothing had happened to arouse hisanxieties, he had taken heart of grace. Lord Claud's example ofnonchalance gave him coolness and courage; whilst the language andbehaviour of the fine folks with whom he came in contact helped todull and deaden any pangs of conscience which the wickedness of themidnight raid might otherwise have occasioned him. 

He saw perfectly well, from the glances of admiration and archreproof levelled at Lord Claud by the ladies in the gay companywhich he kept, that his patron was suspected in many quarters ofbeing concerned in this recent robbery. Fine dames would tap himwith their fans, and ask him what he had been doing at St. Albanson such and such days; and when he replied as to his whereaboutswith that easy grace of bearing which always characterized hisdealings with men and women alike, they would shake their heads, flirt their fans, and call him by whimsical names incomprehensibleto Tom, but which he knew implied that he was suspected of beingconcerned in very wild and lawless deeds. 

Yet these suspicions on the part of the ladies raised this handsomegolden-haired Adonis to a higher pinnacle of favour than ever. Itseemed to Tom that so long as a crime was carried out with dash, and verve, and success, it only brought a man fame and honour. Heshivered sometimes when he thought of his mother and sister, andwhat they would think if they suspected that he had been led intoan open act of law breaking and robbery. But he felt a littleflattered in the society of these fine dames, when he saw that theylooked at him with interest and curiosity, and wondered if he hadplayed the part of lieutenant to their hero in the recent exploit. 

He had been growing used to the strange ways of that portion of theLondon world in which Lord Claud had his sphere, but even yet itdid seem strange, when he began to think about it, that a manbelieved to be a notorious but exceedingly clever criminal, shouldbe received, courted, flattered, and made much of, as was LordClaud, just because of his handsome presence and dashing grace ofbearing, and because he had never been caught. 

Tom wondered sometimes how these same faces would look at them, were they to be carried in irons to Newgate; and he fancied thatunder such circumstances they would wear a totally differentaspect. 

But for the most part he sought to drown thought and reflection byplunging into a vortex of gaiety. He was no longer laughed at as acountry bumpkin. He had been quick to pick up the airs of a manabout town. He dressed excellently, having toned down his firstfopperies; and finding that a rich and sober style best suited hisfine proportions, he adopted that, made his mark, and was treatedwith respect and courtesy. 

He had not learned the jargon of the day, and was a silent man incompany; but that was considered rather a distinguishing trait inone who could handle the sword and lose his money at the gamingtables with the aplomb that Tom had acquired. And a fine sum did helose, too, during the days that followed upon the escapade; for hefelt a sort of recklessness upon him, and as he had a sense ofbeing hunted down and tracked, he thought he might make the most offreedom and wealth so long as they were his. 

He was Lord Claud's guest for those days, feeling safer in hiscompany than elsewhere; and that worthy appeared not to know fear. Indeed, he had succeeded in covering his tracks so well, that Tomdid not see how anything could be brought home to his door. It madehim think of words he had heard dropped before, to the effect thatto be Lord Claud's confederate was to be also his victim. Hewondered if there had been any truth in these insinuations, andwhether he was trusting in a man who was ready to save himself atthe risk of his friend. 

It was difficult to believe this when in the company of his patron. It was when alone that the doubts would at times assail him, andtherefore he was happier in the company of Lord Claud than in anyother. 

He had not been to his old lodgings since his escapade. He felt anodd sort of reluctance to facing honest Master Cale, and parryingthe questions which might be addressed to him. But he resolved notto let a second Sunday pass without a visit; and upon the Saturdayhe returned thither, dressed in his sober riding suit, and strivingto meet the welcome of his host with an air of unconcerned andnatural gaiety. 

"Good Tom, you are welcome indeed!" exclaimed the perruquiereagerly, taking him by the hand and drawing him within. "I havebeen suffering no small anxiety upon your account, my lad. I trustand hope without any cause. "

Tom forced a smile, and hoped it was a natural one, as he askedgaily:

"And wherefore this fear for me, good mine host?"

"There have been ugly whispers in the air ever since the robbery ofthe gold on its way to Holland. Men will talk and wonder, and itwas known to all that Lord Claud had driven forth the day previousnorthward from London, and that you were his companion. Men'stongues have wagged for less than that, Tom, and for less weightymatters. "

The little man was scanning his guest's face somewhat earnestly. Tom felt a most unwelcome qualm of shame and pain, such as he hadonly experienced before when thinking of his mother and sister. 

"Why, Master Cale, Lord Claud was but visiting his friends at St. Albans, far enough away from where they say the robbery took place. He will have no trouble in proving that he was never two miles fromSt. Albans upon that night; and I was with him the whole time, sharing his room and his company. "

"Well, well, well, " answered Cale, with a look of some relief, "Iwould never willingly believe harm of any man. But there are morestrange tales flying about with regard to yon Lord Claud than aboutalmost any other man in town; and folks say that many a likely lad, dashing and brave, has become confederate for a time with him, andhas then vanished no man knows whither. I would not that such afate should befall you, Tom. "

A slight shiver ran through Tom's frame. He felt that there was anugly suggestion in these words. How easily might some disastrousturn of fortune's wheel that other night have left him a victimupon those fields instead of the gallant horse who carried him! Howskilfully and easily had Lord Claud played upon him, prompting himto an act which a few months ago he would have shrunk from in thegreatest horror! There was something almost diabolic in the beauty, the fascination, the cleverness, of the man. Tom made a resolution, as these things flashed through his mind, that he would have nomore dealings with him, if this was what they led to. He even beganto doubt now whether it was true that he had applied in vain forthe reward promised them for their secret service expedition. Itmight all be a part of a preconcerted plan, in order to cajole Tominto thinking he had some sort of right to act as they had donewith regard to this money. 

He began to feel doubts of everything now, and above all ofhimself. Had he been made a tool of and a dupe? And was he walkingblindfold into a net ready for his feet?

He slept but restlessly upon his bed that night, revolving manythings in his mind, and almost resolving to see Lord Claud no more, but to adopt a new method of life in this wonderful city, albeit hescarcely knew what that life should be. 

Tom's hot blood had been fired by the adventures of the pastmonths; his vanity had been flattered by the success which he hadmet with; his self confidence (always rather too strong) had grownand increased with great rapidity. He felt that without adventureand peril of some sort life would be tame and flat. To live asMaster Cale lived, a quiet uneventful life of honest toil, seemedrepugnant to him. Even to do as Harry Gay did, and pass the time inwandering between coffee houses and the play, or taking a wherryand rowing hither and thither on the great river, or walking orriding into the country--all this now seemed to him tame andtiresome. 

He turned and tossed upon his bed, wondering what had come to him, and what life held in store for him. He thirsted for adventure, forthe excitements and perils which he had experienced of late. Hisblood tingled at the memories he conjured up of those things he hadpassed through--the strife of arms, the fierce joy of battle, thebreathless gallops from pursuing foes, and the hairbreadth perilsthey had come through. 

That was life! That was what he longed after! He cared little forthe gay resorts of town, save as an interlude. The life of thestreets soon palled upon him. But there was no attraction in thethought of home and the peaceful existence there. He must see moreof the world, he must enjoy more of life, before he could everdream of going back to Gablehurst to live. 

But what could he do? He fell asleep pondering upon this problem, and when he awoke it was the first thought in his head. 

But, as is so often the case when one has gone to sleep ponderingupon a problem, the solution had come to him during the hours ofunconsciousness, and he awoke with a new inspiration. 

"Why not offer for the secret service?"

Tom pondered this question all the while that he was dressing. There were difficulties in the way, of course. The Duke ofMarlborough--the only man to whom he could apply with any hope ofsuccess--was out of the country; Tom knew not where he would befound just now, though that could easily be ascertained. He himselfwas ignorant of foreign tongues, although he had picked up a littleunderstanding of French, and could speak a few simple phrases. Buthe had plenty of confidence in his strength and courage. He feltthat his energies demanded now a wider field of exercise; and if hecould but get his chance, he had full assurance that he would makea brilliant name for himself in some way or another. 

This idea brought back all his high spirits. He saw that it wouldbe necessary once more to consult Lord Claud, who would probably beable to give him excellent advice. But after that, Tom toldhimself, he would have no more dealings with that mysteriouspersonage, but would throw himself into the service of the greatDuke with such zealous goodwill as should lead him to fame andfortune at last. 

He had a feeling, also, that he should be happier out of London andout of the country just at this juncture. Lord Claud's carelessindifference to consequences had had its effect upon him; but hewas not quite comfortable yet, and the feeling of being watched andhunted for was an exceedingly unpleasant one. 

He felt a distinct qualm of uneasiness that very morning as he andhis host sat at breakfast together. 

"I am going to fetch Rosamund, " said the perruquier, as the mealdrew to its close; "but if you will take my advice, good Tom, youwill not sally forth into the streets today. "

"And wherefore not?" asked Tom. 

"I misdoubt me that you are watched for here, Tom. It may be myfancy, but several times during these past days I have seenill-looking fellows prowling nigh at hand--one or another of thosefour bullies, of whose discomfiture Rosy has told me, and youngHarry also. Once the fellow they call Slippery Seal came boldly tothe shop asking news of you from the apprentice; but the lad hadthe wit to reply that he thought you had ceased to lodge here. Nevertheless I have seen one or another of them skulking aboutsince then, and it may be they will suspect that you may choosetoday for a visit to us. "

"And what do they watch me for?" asked Tom, with heightened colour, but looking at Cale with an air of something almost like defiance, though his heart misgave him the while. 

"Nay, Tom, that is a question you should be able to answer betterthan I. If there be no cause of offence against you, why, then, doas you will, and go where you will. Yet men have ere now been haledto prison and to the gallows for sins that have been less theirsthan those who set them on. "

Tom's face was very grave. He was not afraid of adventure andperil; but the thought of prison and disgrace--to say nothing of afelon's death--seemed to paralyze the beating of his heart with anumb sense of horror. Truly, if this sort of danger dogged hissteps, the sooner he was out of the country the better for himself!

But he would see Rosamund once more, and spend one happy day in hercompany. If he went out into the streets, it had better be afterthe summer dusk had fallen, when Cale took his daughter home. Heagreed, therefore, to remain within doors all that day; and he wasnot sorry he had done so when presently he observed two of hisenemies slowly prowling past the house, scanning the windowsfurtively, and talking together in very earnest tones. 

Could it be possible that these men had been of the companytravelling with the troopers that night? Could they have got windin some mysterious way of what was afoot, and have followed to seekhis ruin? Tom had reason to know that these men bore him a grudge, and had threatened revenge, and that they hated Lord Claud equallywith himself. Harry Gay had warned him that they were dangerousfellows; and Tom had not lived all this while in London withoutbeing well aware that there were ways and means of obtaininginformation, and that every man had his price. If they suspectedhim to be concerned in the robbery, they would take every possiblemeans to hunt him down. 

Tom set his teeth as this thought came to him. To be the victim ofthe spite of a party of low villains, who were only fit themselvesfor the hangman's halter! The thought was not to be borne. Better, far better, the life of the forest with Captain Jack! There atleast he would be free of this persecution; and perhaps the daywould come when he should find his foes at his mercy, and take hisrevenge upon them!

A very little brooding of this sort sufficed to set Tom's hot bloodboiling. He had no wish to join himself with freebooters and lawbreakers; but if they hunted him beyond a certain point, he wouldnot hesitate to fly to those who would give him safety and awelcome. He had heard plenty of tales by this time of impoverishedgentlemen, disbanded soldiers, falsely-accused persons of allsorts, who had been forced to fly to the freedom of the forest, andlive as they could. Since the days of bold Robin Hood there hadalways been outlaws of the better, as well as the worse, sort. Tomhad no wish to throw aside his code of morality and honour; but ifmen would not let him live as a peaceable citizen, they shouldsuffer for it!

To be cooped up in dusty streets amid hot brick walls during theselong beautiful summer days, was a thing not to be endured. Go hewould and must; and if he could not find work for himself in thesecret service, why not enter a secret service of another kind, andteach the authorities not to hound a man too far?

This was Tom's method of reasoning--evading the question of his ownguilt by the excuse that he only took what was his by right. It iseasy to believe what one wishes to believe, and Tom had never foundit hard to persuade himself that what he desired was the bestcourse of action to pursue. 

How cool and fresh the green glades of the forest would look in theglancing June sunbeams! A good horse beneath him, the free skiesabove, a trusty comrade at his side--what could be more pleasant?Tom drew a deep breath and fell into musing thought. One thing wasvery certain: he was in danger from those enemies of his. He wouldtake care not to be caught like a rat in a trap. He knew a betterway than that!

In musings such as these time swiftly fled away, and soon he heardthe voices of Rosamund and her father in the house below. 

Rosamund greeted him with shining eyes, and a glance of keencuriosity and soft admiration, which he found mighty pleasant. Sheat least had not harboured unkind thoughts of him, and it was veryplain that he had become the hero of her girlish dreams. She wantedhim to tell her all that had befallen him since their last meeting. She listened with eager, breathless attention to what he had tosay; and although he spoke nothing of the one event which wasalways in his thoughts, it seemed as though she half suspected thathe had been the witness of, or the partaker in, some strange andfearsome adventure, for the colour went and came in her cheeks, andshe seemed always waiting for more each time that he paused. 

She asked in a low voice if he had heard anything of the bold actof robbery; and Tom answered that he had heard a good deal. Cominga pace or two nearer him, she looked wistfully into his face andasked:

"Have they told you that there was one man of very goodly height, strong of arm and stout of heart, who dropped his mask in the heatof the fray, so that the moonbeams smote full upon his face, whichwas only blacked above and below? Did you hear that news spoken byany?"

"I think I heard that something of that sort had befallen, "answered Tom as carelessly as his beating heart would allow. 

"But oh, sir, " she asked yet more earnestly, "did any tell you thatthe tall bold robber was said to favour yourself? Indeed, some saythat it must surely be you--even though you were so far away!"

Tom looked as he felt, a little startled at that. 

"How heard you that, Mistress Rose?"

"Harry Gay heard it in the taverns. It is the talk in some of them. And he heard these four bad men, who were sworn to vengeance, asthat they have a halter about your neck already, and they only waittill they have you safe to pull it tight. 

"O Tom, Tom, do not let them do you this despite! Have a care, oh, have a care how you fall into their hands, for they are withoutmercy, and full of evil passions, and greedy for the promised gold. They would swear any man's life away to obtain the reward; and howmuch sooner yours, whom they hate!"

Tom felt a strange tremor run through him, half rage, with a dashof fear, and some emotion sweeter than he had ever experiencedbefore, and therefore more strange. He suddenly found himselfclasping Rosamund's hands in his, and saying:

"Sweet Rose, would you care if hurt were to befall me?"

Her brimming eyes and quivering lips gave eloquent answer. He stoodvery still, holding her hands clasped between his; and when hereleased them, he answered with a new note in his voice:

"Have no fears, sweetheart. They shall not have me. I have plansthat will foil them yet. But think not too well of me, Rosamund. Iam not the hero you would make me out. I am a mad fellow, and haveplayed the fool once too often; but for all that they shall not getme. "

"Keep out of their clutches, and I care for nothing else!" criedRosamund, her eyes alight with excitement. 

But they could exchange no more confidences, for Cale's voice washeard summoning them to dinner; and after that meal they sattogether in the cool parlour, and passed the time in talk, havingno fear of being disturbed, for none knew of their being within. Generally in summer weather Cale took his daughter for a longramble, and sometimes did not return to the house till after he hadleft her at her aunt's house in Highgate. 

The light slowly waned and faded. In the open country the day wouldbe bright for some while longer, but in narrow streets it wentfaster. Down in the basement, where they had taken their supper, itwas growing quite dark, although no lamp had yet been lit. Cale wasjust saying that he must take Rosamund home, and was debatingwithin himself whether it would be wise for Tom to accompany them, when there was a sharp, determined knocking at the door, which madeRosamund jump quickly up with blanching cheeks, whilst Cale threw astartled look at Tom, whose face had grown suddenly set and pale. 

"Open in the Queen's name!" cried a loud and authoritative voicefrom without. 

And Cale rose at that summons, for it was not one he might dare todisobey. 

The moment he was gone Rosamund sprang to her feet. 

"Quick, quick! This way! There is a window at the back. I will letyou out, and bar it after you, and throw the key away. Come, I willshow you where!"

Tom sprang after her into a little back kitchen, the door of whichthe girl promptly locked and barred behind them. The only otheroutlet was a narrow window, fastened by a bar that could be lockedacross it with a padlock. This she flung open, and disclosed toview a narrow court beneath. 

"Jump out, " she cried; "run across, and you can easily scrambleupon the roof of yon low outbuilding. From thence you can creepalong into the lane at the back; and, if no one be watching, dropdown there and fly for your life. But if there be a spy set, thenclimb up by the gutterings upon the roof--Harry Gay has done itmany a time--and you will find a hundred ways of outwitting themand escaping down some back alley. 

"O Tom, make haste! I hear angry voices in parley with my father. He will detain them as long as may be. But be thou gone quickly. Oh, do not delay!"

"I will not, " answered Tom, with his hands upon the windowsill;"and I thank you from my heart for your goodwill to me this night. Give me one kiss, sweetheart, and bid me good speed. Pray Heavenyou have a welcome for me when you see me next!"

She kissed him with the tears standing in her eyes. 

"I shall always have a welcome for you, Tom, " she answered; "Ishall think of you always till I see you again. But oh, go! go now!And Heaven prosper and be with you! Oh, they are coming! Delay nolonger!"

Tom was already outside the window, and now sped forth to do herbidding. She saw him scramble up the rough wall of the buildingopposite, and make his rapid way along, as she had said. She cranedout to see what he would do when he reached the corner, and watchedas he made a careful survey, and then dropped into the lane at theback. She listened with all her ears, but there was no sound ofpursuit or struggle. 

It had been as she hoped. No one had thought of that possible wayof escape. No doubt the back door of the yard was watched; but shewould never have sent him out by that. 

Instantly she closed and barred the window, throwing the little keyaway into the court below. Then she softly unlocked the door andset it ajar, and began washing her dishes in the dim twilight ofthe scullery, singing a little song to herself the while. 

In the house above there was the sound of tramping feet and loudvoices. She heard her father say quietly:

"Her Majesty's warrant must be obeyed. Seek what you will, and takewhat you will. I know nothing of any criminal. I have none such inhiding here. I am an honest citizen, and have nothing to fear. Doyour will. I hinder you not. "

The next minute Cale had come softly into the back kitchen, and wasexchanging a silent but meaning glance with his daughter. 

He saw in a moment by her face that all was well. Tom had made goodhis escape. The longer the search continued in the upper rooms, somuch the longer would the fugitive have to put distance between himand his pursuers. 

At last the feet came downstairs, and a lantern was flashed allround the basement rooms. 

"Here is a window!" cried one. "If the bar were down a man couldsqueeze himself out. When was this window last opened?"

Rosamund looked up and said quietly:

"The key is lost. We cannot open it. What are you wanting in thishouse, gentlemen?"

She spoke in a soft voice, and the rough fellows answered with moregentleness. 

"We are looking for one Thomas Tufton, your father's lodger, forwhose apprehension we hold a warrant. He was seen to enter thishouse last night, and has not left it since. "

"He left it a short time ago, in the dusk, " answered Rosamundindifferently. "But wherefore is he arrested?"

"We have sworn information that he was seen to be one of the menconcerned in the recent robbery of the Queen's gold. We havetestimony enough to hang him, if we can but lay hold upon him. Didhe say where he was going, mistress?"

"I think he spoke of Rotherhithe, " answered Rosamund, after amoment's reflection; "but I paid no special heed. "

At this moment an impatient voice from the open door above criedout:

"Why do you not bring him forth? He must be there still! What meansthe delay? He can be an ugly customer, truly, but sure you havemastered him by this!"

In a few minutes more Rosamund saw the ugly, shifty face ofSlippery Seal drawing near to them, and he was followed by anotherof the same crew, peering eagerly this way and that, as though theylooked to see Tom pinioned in the midst of the group. 

"Where is he?" they cried. 

"Flown!" answered the others, with a touch of sullenness in theirvoices. "You have led us a fine chase, truly; first to be madefools of by that dashing young spark, whom it is not good to meddlewith, and then disturbing this honest citizen and his daughter!Zounds! you drunken fellows, if you lead us this sort of dance weshall believe no word you say again. I trow well that you were allof you more than half drunk upon the night you professed to seethis thing done. How are we to know you are to be trusted inswearing it was this young man at all? Master Cale speaks well ofhim, and his word is worth twenty oaths from the likes of you. 

"Goodnight, master; goodnight, mistress. I am sorry we disturbedyou on the testimony of these ill-living fellows. "

Rosamund's heart beat high with joy and triumph. She felt she couldhave kissed the burly officer of the law. But her bright colourpaled again as she heard the exclamation of Slippery Seal, prefacedby a string of horrid oaths. 

"He has escaped! These Cales are hiding him! But he shall notescape us! We will not lose the reward. After him, I say, afterhim, all of us! I know the tracks the fellow will make. It will gohard if we get not up with him ere he has shaken the dust of Londonfrom his feet!"

CHAPTER XV. AWAY TO THE FOREST. 

Tom found no trouble in escaping from the house of the perruquierby the way suggested by Rosamund; and once in the dusky streets, hemade good use of his long legs to carry him out of the vicinity ofdanger. 

He knew now that there must be a warrant out against him, and thatLondon was no place for him--that he must fly somewhere beyond thereach of pursuit. He remembered Lord Claud's promise about thetrusty mare, Nell Gwynne. Well, he would go once more to thisstrange friend of his, and see how he would stand by him indanger's hour. 

Tom's blood was up. He felt like a man goaded into recklessness andcrime by the action of others. If they would not let him live as apeaceable citizen--well, he would give them something to rememberhim by!

Quickly he made his way along, running like a hare when the streetwas empty, but always observing caution, and only striding alonglike a man in haste when there were passers by to note him. He feltsure that Rosamund's quick wits would do much to gain time and givehim a start; and, sure enough, he reached the stable yard whereLord Claud's horses were kept without a sign or sound of pursuit. 

As luck would have it, there was the master himself standing in theyard talking to his headman. 

Tom strode straight up to him with a strange gleam in his eyes, forhe knew not even now whether this man were friend or foe. 

"I am come for the mare, " he said briefly; "you remember yourpromise?"

Lord Claud gave him a swift, keen glance, as though he heard a newnote in Tom's voice. 

"I do. I will not fail you, " he said very quietly. 

Then to the man standing by, "Bring out Nell Gwynne. You have yourinstructions. See that nothing is forgotten. "

The man vanished into the dark stable. Lord Claud turned to Tom. 

"What has befallen?"

"There is a warrant out against me. They would have taken me inMaster Cale's house half an hour back, but for the shrewdness andquick wit of his daughter. This is no place for me. My head is indanger. I must forth with all speed; but whither?"

"I should take to the forest, Tom. Captain Jack will welcome yougladly, " said Lord Claud, as calmly as though discussing someindifferent project. "It is just the life for you. You will make agreat name there. And that you will never do, my friend, in the gayworld of London. "

"I have thought of that, " said Tom between his shut teeth; "but itmeans the life of an outlaw--and a death on the gallows, perchance, to end it!"

"Pooh, nonsense! not for a fine strapping young fellow of yourthews and your wits! It means a few gay years of excitement andperil, a little influence in high places, which can always bebought with gold, and a free pardon and a return home. Leave thatpart of the business to me. I have played the game often enough tounderstand the moves. Meantime, you will be free and safe there. Elsewhere, the gates of a prison may yawn for you at any moment. "

Tom shivered in spite of the warm night air. 

"Death rather than that! But is it the only way? I had thought thesecret service might find me some task. "

Lord Claud shook his head slightly. 

"In time, perhaps, in time; but you are too sorely beset at thismoment for that. We will talk of that later. Now you must away withall speed. My house will be watched next. Indeed, I have had someill-looking fellows asking questions and hanging round already. Tothe forest with you, good Tom, to the forest. That is the only safeplace for you now. If you fled to Gablehurst, you would only bringsorrow and shame on all who love you. Lucky for you your motherstill reigns there. Leave it to me to set her mind, and that ofyour sister, at rest concerning you. But you must to the forest, mygood comrade, and to the free and merry life there. Egad! I couldwish that I were going with you myself! Indeed, I may perchancejoin you there ere long. But we must not vanish together, Tom. Wemust use caution and circumspection. "

Tom set his teeth, and a fierce wave swept over him, half of rage, yet half of joy. The longing for freedom, struggle, adventure, wasstrong upon him. The restraint of the city, the bare thought ofcaptivity, put wild thoughts into heart and brain; but the sense ofhaving been betrayed--made a tool of--befooled by this handsome, imperious man beside him, set his blood boiling in his veins. 

At that moment Nell Gwynne was led out, making sparks fly from herfeet as she plunged in passing beneath the doorway. She looked inperfect condition--sleek, mettlesome, strong, and beautiful. Tom'sheart leaped at the sight of the splendid creature, who turned aresponsive head at the sound of his voice, and dropped her velvetnose into his hand. 

"She is yours, Tom, from this moment, " said Lord Claud, signingaway the servant, and himself holding her head; "take her as thegift of one who is neither so indifferent nor so callous as you maythink. Here is a purse of gold, too, Tom--all your own, my lad, soshrink not from taking it. Tom, whatever be the end of thisfriendship betwixt us, believe that I have loved you. It is myluckless lot to bring misfortune at times to those who consort withme; yet methinks they have their fierce tastes of joy, too. Tom, Ishall not forget you. I shall hear of you. I shall sometimes seeyou; and I shall be your friend, whether or not you believe it now. You shall not always need to dwell in the forest. You shall returnthence with fame and fortune secure. 

"But, for the present, farewell. Captain Jack will give youwelcome. He will be looking to see you. He will welcome you gladly. You will find it no such bad life, believe me. But delay notlonger. Be off!"

Tom was in the saddle, and the mare reared beneath him with a snortof glad anticipation. She had done no work this many a day, beingkept in readiness for Tom's use, with only the needful modicum ofexercise up and down within hail of her stable. 

Lord Claud stretched out his hand, and Tom put his within it. Afterall, he loved this man in spite of all his faults and follies, andthe strange reputation which clave to him. He might be false, butTom had trusted him, and he desired to trust him to the end. 

Then he rode forth in the soft summer darkness, turning the mare'shead westward at first, to get clear of the streets and houses, andonly heading her north and then east as he made a wide circuit ofthe city. 

To ride through it would have been to court capture; and even as itwas, as he sprang forward upon the better road which lay straightfor the forest to the northeast, he had a suspicion of beingfollowed, although he could see nothing as he looked back. 

The mare bounded beneath him with great, elastic strides. He couldafford to laugh pursuit to scorn. Perhaps this confidence made himcareless, for he noted not two motionless figures, lying as it werein ambush, one on either side of the road in front, just where aclump of great trees threw a deep shadow across the road. He hadthought of foes following behind; but he had not thought of theirforestalling his movements and waiting for him in advance. 

The mare saw them first, and swerved violently. That swerve mostlikely saved her life, if not Tom's, for at that identical momenttwo shots rang out, and Bully Bullen with a shout of triumph sprangforward, certain that his bullet had found its billet, and that Tomwas in his power at last. 

The fire long smouldering in Tom's breast burst out now into afierce flame. His eyes blazed. A smothered imprecation broke fromhis lips. He drew the pistol from his belt, and fired full at thefellow who had sought to seize the mare's rein. 

He might almost have spared his fire, for Nell Gwynne would havedashed out his brains with her forefeet had he not fallen with agroan, a lifeless corpse. The other man, who had seemed about torush forward, too, now started back in terror and dismay. Sheltering himself behind a tree, he yelled out in a voice oftrembling fury:

"You shall swing for this, Tom Tufton! you shall feel the halterabout your neck right soon! The highway robber who is a murderer toboot will never escape the arm of the law! I will bring you to thegallows ere I have done with you!"

Tom knew the voice, and turned the mare's head towards the fellow, who, however, decamped so quickly amongst the trees that it washopeless to try and follow on horseback. Moreover, Tom did not knowthat he was not also pursued from behind; and if so, he must gainthe friendly shelter of the forest ere his enemies came up. 

True, he had but slain this fellow in self-defence. He had beenwell-nigh the victim himself. But the crime thus forced upon himseemed to cut the last cable which bound him to the life of thepast. They might not be able to prove upon him the robbery of thegold, but at least one witness had seen him shoot down BullyBullen, and would doubtless swear that there had been noprovocation beyond that of seeking to take into custody a man uponwhose head a reward had been set. 

He touched the mare with the spurs, and set her head straight forthe forest. The late moon was beginning to silver the world abouthim; Tom saw the ground gliding ghostlike beneath him as the noblecreature sprang forward. 

"Away to the forest! away to the forest!" seemed the tune beatenout by the rhythm of her flying feet. No fear from pursuit now! Tomsang and shouted in the strange tumult of his feelings, as hegalloped through the soft, scented night. 

Lord Claud had been right. The forest was the place for him. He hadtried the life of the rustic, the life of the town exquisite; andboth had palled upon him. The clash of arms, the peril of the road, adventure, battle, pursuit, victory--these things held him inthrall. These things meant life to him. 

Better that he should not see mother or sister again at present. Better that Lord Claud should tell them some smooth tale, whichwould set their minds at rest for a while. Later, perhaps, when thehue and cry for him was over, he would seek the shore, would findhis way to other lands, and by the power of his good right armwould win himself a name amidst the din of battle. 

The future seemed to unfold itself before him in glowing colours. Life held so many golden possibilities even yet. What might not aman accomplish who had a purse of gold in his belt, a noble horsebeneath him, a trusty sword at his side?

Visions rose before his eyes of the things he would accomplish, thefame he would acquire, the return home he would finally make withlaurels round his brow! Even here in the forest he would be nocommon freebooter. He would show himself merciful to the poor andoppressed; he would only take toll of the sleek and the fat, whosewealth was doubtless as ill-gotten as that of those whose lives hehad watched of late. 

"Men shall pay toll to Tom Tufton!" he cried, waving his swordabove his head in a fierce gesture of triumph; "but the poor andthe needy shall bless his name, and the oppressed shall find ahaven of refuge with him!"

By which it may be seen that Master Tom's self confidence was in noway diminished by the vicissitudes through which he had passed, andthat he was looking forward once again to playing a leading part insome new drama of life. 

The border of the great forest loomed up before him. It looked darkand solemn beneath the shade of the trees. Tom drew rein, andlooked keenly to right and left, for he knew that The Three Ravensinn could not be far away. 

"Who goes there?" asked a voice which Tom's quick ear recognizedinstantly; and he cried out in tones of eager welcome:

"It is I, Tom Tufton--and you are Captain Jack!"

There was a movement of the brushwood, and a horseman stepped out, the horse having given an eager whinny at the sound of Tom's voice. 

"It is Wildfire!" cried Tom, bending over to pat the sleek neck ofhis old favourite. "Well, good fellow, have you had a luckiercareer than your old master? And yet I scarce can say I wish itundone. I have tasted life; I have had my glorious days. 

"Captain Jack, I am come to you for shelter. There is a price on myhead. I am outlawed in effect if not in reality. "

"I have heard it. I expected you, " answered Captain Jack in thefriendly fashion in which he had spoken before to Tom. "I have hadnews from Lord Claud. It is not the first time he has sent hispupils to me. "

"Have I been his pupil?" asked Tom with a half laugh; "in sooth, methinks I have been rather his dupe!"

"A little of both, " was the answer. "But we must all pay thepenalty of friendship with great men. Yet I think the price isworth the paying. And now, Tom, if that grand horse of yours is aslittle weary as she looks, let us forth together to some placewhere none may follow us. And let me tell you that it is not toevery one Lord Claud would present his favourite mare, trained likea human creature for her trade. "

"You know her?" asked Tom eagerly. 

"Nell Gwynne and I have been acquainted this many a day. There besome of her fierce tricks that have been learned from my hand. Ihave been teaching the same to Wildfire and Wildgoose. We shall notbe taken or overcome through lack of good beasts to bear us, Tom. "

"You have Wildgoose, too?"

"Yes, I sent after him shortly. He was too grand a beast to bewasted upon a varlet of a serving man. If you have more of the samestock at home, Tom, we might make shift to get at them anon; butfor the present we are well enough mounted. "

They rode side by side through the forest tracks, Nell Gwynne andWildfire making acquaintance with apparent mutual satisfaction asthey stepped pace for pace together, their riders talking in quietfashion over their heads. 

Tom told the whole story of his adventures since arriving in Londonin October; and hard indeed was it to believe that months and notyears had rolled over his head during that time. 

"Not bad, not bad! Well done for a young cockerel! Ah, we shallmake a man of you, Tom! It is in your blood, I can see well!"

Such were the comments of Captain Jack as he heard the tale; andTom spoke with an unconscious pride in his own daring, whichplainly betokened an undaunted spirit and a thirst after moreadventure and distinction. 

Angry and hot against those who had "driven him forth, " as hecalled it, reckless of consequences, with boundless selfconfidence, he was just the tool fit for the hand of Captain Jack, who patted him upon the back in a friendly fashion, and said:

"Yes, yes, Tom, you shall learn how to take toll. We will haveanother story of Tom Tufton's Toll ere we part company. There aregood men enough amid the bands that infest these forest glades--mensuffering unjustly, men falsely accused, men who have broken fromthose noisome prisons, which breed disease and death, and who wouldsooner put a bullet through their head than return to the filth anddegradation of such a life. Ah, it is the hardness of the lawswhich drives men to be freebooters on the road! The rich may fattenand batten, rob, cheat, bleed their fellows to death; but let oneof us lesser men dare to lay hands upon their fat purses, full ofother men's gold, and we are branded as felons, and pay the ransomwith our lives! That is not justice. That is not to be bornepatiently. I tell you, Tom, that I have seen enough of theinjustice of the law to turn my heart to molten metal and my bloodto gall. We want fellows of your mould to wage the war and win thevictory. The day may come when you will win for yourself a greatname, and shine forth upon the world admired, courted, feared--evenlike Lord Claud!"

A thrill of gratified vanity ran through Tom's frame. He threw tothe winds the last scruple of conscience. He flung back his headand set his teeth. 

"Ride on--I follow!" he cried, in a strange, hoarse voice; "Ifollow unto the world's end!"

So side by side the two men vanished into the deep gloom of theforest; and Captain Jack led his companion to one of those secrethaunts of his own, where no pursuing foot had ever yet penetrated. Tom drew a long breath as of relief, feeling that here at least hewas safe. 

And yet, when he sought to compose himself to rest after all theexcitements of the past four-and-twenty hours, he found himselfunable to sleep. The face of his mother, loving, wistful, reproachful, seemed ever rising before him. Was it not due to herthat he should see her once again, even though he might beafterwards obliged to fly back to the forest? Was there not achance--just a chance--that his enemies might not follow him to hisown home?--might not even know where that home lay? At least, mighthe not see whether he was followed before he abandoned the idea ofseeing once more the mother and sister who loved him so well?

With the first light of dawn he woke up Captain Jack, and put thecase to him; and the elder man sat cogitating deeply, as Tom movedabout making ready the morning meal. 

"Tom, lad, " he said, "you are safer here; but I understand yourfeelings. A man's first duty is to his mother if he have no wife. And your mother is a good woman. Squire Tufton would never havemarried her else. 

"Listen to me, my lad. I like you. I would fain have you for acomrade and friend; and I fear that you will not long be left inpeace at home. But you shall do this thing. You shall go to yourmother--"

"Ah, that is a good word!" cried Tom, now all eagerness. "I shallat least see her once again!"

"Yes, you shall see her again; you shall make glad her heart. But, Tom, tell her nothing of all this that has befallen you, nor of theperil in which you stand. Let her never know, come what will, thatyou may be driven to take to the forest, for fear of the unjustrigour of the law and the machinations of unscrupulous foes. "

"I would gladly be spared paining her by such a tale, " said Tomquickly; "but how--"

He paused, and Captain Jack took up the word. 

"I know what you would say. How if you have suddenly to fly again?How if aught should come to her ears? Now listen, Tom, and I willtell you what I will do. I loved your father. I vowed in my heartthat if ever the day should come that I could serve him, I would doso; and therefore I will do what I can for his son. Hear me, Tom. Ihave means of knowing many things. I can set my scouts to work. Therefore, go you home to your mother. I will meantime set my mento the task. I will communicate with Lord Claud. If peril threaten, you shall have warning. Tell your mother that the Duke ofMarlborough may have need of you again for the secret service, andthat at any moment you may be forced to quit the house suddenly andsecretly. Having made her understand that, enjoy your stay at homewith a free heart. I will undertake that you have four hours' startof any pursuing foe. If you receive message or token from me--orfrom Lord Claud--you will know what to do. Take your horse, setspurs in her flanks, and draw not rein till you find yourself hereonce more. Note the road as you fare forth, and return by it again. You will find safety here--and a friend. This do, and you shallmeantime be safe. "

Captain Jack had some of Lord Claud's power of commandingconfidence; and, indeed, in this case Tom felt a greater sense ofsecurity in the promise of this highway robber than in that of hismysterious friend and leader in London. 

"I will go, " he said. "I believe you. I take you at your word. Iwill return home to my mother and sister, and rejoice their hearts. And there will I abide till I receive your message; after which Iwill fly back to the forest. Captain Jack, I have that within mewhich tells me that I shall come back--that my adventures are notended yet. But let me once more go home to those I love, and I asknothing more. "

"You shall go, Tom Tufton, you shall go. A mother's happiness andher blessing are not things to be lightly thrown away. Go, and Iwill keep watch. Till you hear from me, you are safe. "

So Tom rode away in the gray light of dawn, and quickly findinghimself in familiar haunts, put spurs to his good steed, and beforenoon found himself close beside the village which had been his homeall his life till this past adventurous year of travel. 

As he went clattering up the long avenue to the house, it seemed tohim as though the birds of the air must have been at work; forthere was his mother standing upon the steps to receive him, whilstRachel was running towards him with flying feet. 

"O Tom, Tom, Tom! we knew it could be no one but you! O dearestTom, so you have come home at last!"

He swung himself from the saddle, and put his arm about his sister. 

"Yes, I have come home, " he said a little huskily, "come home tosee you all once more. The old place never changes--nor you and mymother!"

"Why should we?" asked Rachel softly. 

And he kissed her again, with a strange feeling of the unreality ofeverything human. 

The servants were flocking out by this time. His mother's arms wereoutstretched in welcome. There was something like a sob in Tom'sthroat as he felt them clasped about his neck. 

"My dear, dear boy--my only son! Thank God that you have comesafely through all threatened perils, and have come home to usagain!"

Tom held her close in his arms. He would not speak a word to dashfrom her those fond hopes which she so plainly cherished. He wouldnot speak of the peril overshadowing him, which might at any momentbecome imminent. 

"It is good to be home, mother!" he said, and kissed her manytimes. 

The servants raised a cheer for the young Squire. Tom turned andsmiled at them, and spoke a few words of thanks. How familiar itall was! How had he ever despised the love of the people round him, and of those two faithful women who loved him so truly and so well?

"Dear mother, " he said tenderly, "you are so much better to me thanever I deserve; I will try to live to be a comfort to you some day. I have given you little but sorrow and pain as yet. "

"Nay, Tom, you have served your country, and that should satisfy amother's pride. Come in, my son, and tell us your adventures. Youhave seen foreign lands and fine folks since last we met. Come andtell us all about it, as you rest and refresh yourself from yourjourney. "

So Tom gave one last look round at the eager faces grouped aboutthe door, and turned into the great hall with a smile and a sigh. It was very like a dream, this eager welcome, and these familiarsights and sounds. The sense of insecurity which hung over him madeeverything seem unreal, and yet in one way dearer to him than everbefore. 

"Yes, this is home!" he said to himself, as be turned to follow hismother; "my travels are ended. I have come home. Whatever maybetide in the future, I am safe at home now!"

If any reader desire to know the sequel to Tom Tufton's story, andhow he took toll on the king's highway, that story shall be toldanother day. For the present his travels had terminated, and he wasbeneath his own roof tree--a sadder and a wiser man than he hadsallied forth. 

THE END.