have the honour to be captains in the service of
King Charles of Sweden, as this document, signed both by his
minister, Count Piper, and by the king himself, will testify."

The duke took the paper, and read it.

"The king of Sweden speaks very highly of you both, gentlemen," he
said cordially. "It is no mean credit to have gained such warm
praise from the greatest general of his time. What can I do for
you? Do you wish to be transferred from the service of Sweden to
that of her majesty? We have need of good officers, and I can
promise that you shall receive the same rank that you now hold, and
it is likely that, before long, you will have an opportunity of
seeing some service under your national flag."

"I thank you warmly for your kindness, my lord, but it is not with
that view that we have now come to you, though I am sure that we
both should prefer to fight under our own flag, rather than under
that of a foreign king, however kindly he may be disposed to us,
personally. We have called upon a private matter, and I am the
bearer of this letter from my father, who had once the honour of
your lordship's friendship."

"Jervoise," the duke repeated, as he took the letter. "Not Mat
Jervoise, surely?"

"That is my father's name, sir."

"Do I remember him? Why, he was one of my closest friends when I
was a lad, and I once stayed with him at his father's place, for a
fortnight, on a journey I took to the north. But I will read his
letter--

"What changes happen," he said, as he laid it down. "To think that
Mat Jervoise should be an exile, his old home in the hands of
strangers, and he a major in the Swedish service; and that I should
never have heard a word about it!

"Well, young sir," and he held out his hand to Harry, "I can
promise you my aid and protection, to the utmost, in whatever
matter you may be concerned. I seem to remember the name of your
companion, too."

"His father, Sir Marmaduke, was a neighbour of ours. There has
always been great friendship between the two families."

"Of course, I remember him now. He was some fifteen or twenty years
older than your father. I remember that I went over with your
father and grandfather, and dined at his place. He is still alive
and well, I hope?"

"He is both, sir," Charlie said; "but, like Major Jervoise, an
exile."

"You amaze me, but I will not ask you to tell me more, now. I have
to be at Saint James's at twelve.

"Let me see, this evening I shall b