t first to the stables and patted and talked to their
horses; then they played at bowls on the lawn; after which, they
had a bout of sword play; and, having thus let off some of their
animal spirits, sat down and talked of the glorious times to come,
when the king was to have his own again.

Late in the afternoon, Charlie mounted his horse and rode for home.
When within half a mile of the house, a man stepped out into the
road in front of him.

"Hullo, Banks, what is it? No bad news, I hope?"

And he leapt from his horse, alarmed at the pallor of the old
butler's face.

"Yes, Master Charles, I have some very bad news, and have been
waiting for the last two hours here, so as to stop you going to the
house."

"Why shouldn't I go to the house?"

"Because there are a dozen soldiers, and three or four constables
there."

"And my father?"

"They have taken him away."

"This is bad news, Banks; but I know that he thought that it might
be so. But it will not be very serious; it is only a question of a
fine," he said.

The butler shook his head, sadly.

"It is worse than that, Master Charles. It is worse than you
think."

"Well, tell me all about it, Banks," Charlie said, feeling much
alarmed at the old man's manner.

"Well, sir, at three this afternoon, two magistrates, John Cockshaw
and William Peters--"

("Both bitter Whigs," Charlie put in.)

"--Rode up to the door. They had with them six constables, and
twenty troopers."

"There were enough of them, then," Charlie said. "Did they think my
father was going to arm you all, and defend the place?"

"I don't know, sir, but that is the number that came. The
magistrates, and the constables, and four of the soldiers came into
the house. Sir Marmaduke met them in the hall.

"'To what do I owe the honour of this visit?' he said, quite cold
and haughty.

"'We have come, Sir Marmaduke Carstairs, to arrest you, on the
charge of being concerned in a treasonable plot against the king's
life.'

"Sir Marmaduke laughed out loud.

"'I have no design on the life of William of Orange, or of any
other man,' he said. 'I do not pretend to love him; in that matter
there are thousands in this realm with me; but, as for a design
against his life, I should say, gentlemen, there are few who know
me, even among men like yourselves, whose politics are opposed to
mine, who would for a moment credit such a foul insinuation.'

"'We have nothing to do with that matter, Sir M