e. I had ever been more eager than my strength--thank
God, that day is gone!--and sometimes, after Latin and the drill of
my Lightfoots, as I called them, I could have cried for weakness and
weariness, had I been a girl and not a proud lad. And Sir John kept his
word, liking me better from that day forth, and coming now and again to
see me at the school,--though he was much abroad in France--giving many
a pound to my Lightfoots, who were no worse soldiers for that. His eye
ran us over sharply, and his head nodded, as we marched past him; and
once I heard him say, 'If they had had but ten years each on their
heads, my Prince!'

"About this time my father died--that is, when I was fourteen years old.
Sir John became one of the executors with my mother, and at my wish, a
year afterwards, I was sent to the university, where at least fifteen
of my Lightfoots went also; and there I formed a new battalion of them,
though we were watched at first, and even held in suspicion, because of
the known friendship of Sir John for me; and he himself had twice been
under arrest for his friendship to the Stuart cause. That he helped
Prince Charles was clear: his estates were mortgaged to the hilt.

"He died suddenly on that day of January when Culloden was fought,
before he knew of the defeat of the Prince. I was with him at the last.
After some most serious business, which I shall come to by-and-bye,
'Robert,' said he, 'I wish thou hadst been with my Prince. When thou
becomest a soldier, fight where thou hast heart to fight; but if thou
hast conscience for it, let it be with a Stuart. I thought to leave thee
a good moiety of my fortune, Robert, but little that's free is left for
giving. Yet thou hast something from thy father, and down in Virginia,
where my friend Dinwiddie is Governor, there's a plantation for thee,
and a purse of gold, which was for me in case I should have cause to
flee this troubled realm. But I need it not; I go for refuge to my
Father's house. The little vineyard and the purse of gold are for thee,
Robert. If thou thinkest well of it, leave this sick land for that new
one. Build thyself a name in that great young country, wear thy sword
honourably and bravely, use thy gifts in council and debate--for
Dinwiddie will be thy friend--and think of me as one who would have
been a father to thee if he could. Give thy good mother my loving
farewells.... Forget not to wear my sword--it has come from the first
King Charles