at
exile among strangers would be bearable, if he had his friend with
him. It would not last many years, for surely the often talked-of
landing could not be very much longer delayed; then they would
return, share in the triumph of the Stuart cause, and resume their
life at Lynnwood, and reckon with those who had brought this foul
charge against them.

That the Jacobite cause could fail to triumph was a contingency to
which Charlie did not give even a thought. He had been taught that
it was a just and holy cause. All his school friends, as well as
the gentlemen who visited his father, were firm adherents of it,
and he believed that the same sentiments must everywhere prevail.
There was, then, nothing but the troops of William to reckon with,
and these could hardly oppose a rising of the English people,
backed by aid from France.

It was not until after dark that the messenger returned.

"Master Harry bade me tell you, sir, that a gipsy boy he had never
seen before has brought him a little note from his father. He will
not return at present, but, if Mr. Harry can manage to slip away
unnoticed in the afternoon, tomorrow, he is to come here. He is not
to come direct, but to make a circuit, lest he should be watched
and followed, and it may be that the master will meet him here."

Charlie was very glad to hear this. Harry could, of course, give
him little news of what was going on outside the house, but Mr.
Jervoise might be able to tell him something about his father,
especially as he had said he had means of learning what went on in
Lancaster jail.

He was longing to be doing something. It seemed intolerable to him
that he should be wandering aimlessly among the hills, while his
father was lying in Lancaster, with a charge affecting his life
hanging over him. What he could do he knew not, but anything would
be better than doing nothing. Mr. Jervoise had seemed to think that
it was out of the question to attempt a rescue from Lancaster; but
surely, if he could get together forty or fifty determined fellows,
a sudden assault upon the place might be successful.

Then he set to work reckoning up the grooms, the younger tenants,
and the sons of the older ones, and jotted down the names of
twenty-seven who he thought might join in the attempt.

"If Harry could get twenty-three from his people, that would make
it up to the number," he said. "Of course, I don't know what the
difficulties to be encountered may be. I have