have
taken into his head that I am cut out for a diplomatist;" and he
then repeated to his friend the conversation the king had had with
him.

Harry burst into a shout of laughter.

"Don't be angry, Charlie, but I cannot help it. The idea of your
going, in disguise, I suppose, and trying to talk over the Jewish
clothiers and cannie Scotch traders, is one of the funniest things
I ever heard. And do you think the king was really in earnest?"

"The king is always in earnest," Charlie said in a vexed tone;
"and, when he once takes a thing into his head, there is no
gainsaying him."

"That is true enough, Charlie," Harry said, becoming serious.
"Well, I have no doubt you will do it just as well as another, and
after all, there will be some fun in it, and you will be in a big
city, and likely to have a deal more excitement than will fall to
our lot here."

"I don't think it will be at all the sort of excitement I should
care for, Harry. However, my hope is, that the colonel will be able
to dissuade him from the idea."

"Well, I don't know that I should wish that if I were in your
place, Charlie. Undoubtedly, it is an honour being chosen for such
a mission, and it is possible you may get a great deal of credit
for it, as the king is always ready to push forward those who do
good service. Look how much he thinks of you, because you made that
suggestion about getting up a smoke to cover our passage."

"I wish I had never made it," Charlie said heartily.

"Well, in that case, Charlie, it is likely enough we should not be
talking together here, for our loss in crossing the river under
fire would have been terrible."

"Well, perhaps it is as well as it is," Charlie agreed. "But I did
not want to attract his attention. I was very happy as I was, with
you all. As for my suggestion about the straw, anyone might have
thought of it. I should never have given the matter another
moment's consideration, and I should be much better pleased if the
king had not done so, either, instead of telling the colonel about
it, and the colonel speaking to the officers, and such a ridiculous
fuss being made about nothing."

"My dear Charlie," Harry said seriously, "you seem to be forgetting
that we all came out here, together, to make our fortune, or at any
rate to do as well as we could till the Stuarts come to the throne
again, and our fathers regain their estates, a matter concerning
which, let me tell you, I do not feel by any means s