you to defer the visit for a week or two. At present I am awaiting
certain necessary information, without which you will hardly lay your
hands on the good fortune I intend for you."

"You are mysterious, my lord. This boy of mine--"

"Will bring you wealth and dignity, I promise, if you allow me to
conduct the affair. If not--"

"What is the other reason?"

"The other reason," replied the Earl, looking down and moving a
skittle gently with the toe of his boot--"the other reason is that I
require you to spend the first part of your holiday elsewhere."

"Where may that be?"

"At Saint Germains."

"My lord, you risk my neck with much composure!"

"There is no risk at all, unless--"

"Pray finish your sentence."

"--Unless you refuse," said the Earl significantly.

"Proceed, my lord." Captain Salt's face flushed scarlet; then a sweat
broke out on his temples, where an instant before the veins had
swelled with rage.

"There is nothing to prevent your starting at once. You have altered
the fuses, I suppose?"

"Yes."

"And made all the arrangements?"

"Nothing is omitted. The guns will be fired twenty minutes too soon,
at ten minutes after nine. As William knows nothing about the
signal, and has made his dispositions for half-past nine, the poor
fellows will have some fun for their pains, after all."

"Excellent!" said the Earl smiling. "It only remains for you to
start. Here are the papers; I advise you to keep them carefully
sorted. This, in cipher, is for James. It is full of promises; and
in addition, to keep his spirits up, you can give him an account of
the mutiny, pointing out how near it came to success. A boat shall
take you to Sevenbergen; after that you know the road--the usual one.
The word is _Modena_. You will take your son with you, of course,
and persuade him (if you can) that he is travelling back to Harwich
by the shortest road."

"That will be difficult."

"From Paris return to Dunkirk, and there await a letter from me.
By that time I hope to be able to send you information, on the
strength of which you may at once sail for Harwich. Meanwhile guard
that young man as the apple of your eye. . . ."

We will return to the subject of this amiable advice. Tristram had
been kicking his heels for ten minutes or more in the draughty
passage, and wondering if he should ever know the taste of food
again, when the door opened on the landing above, and the old
gentleman in blue a