e afternoon in the woods," replied Fred, looking at
the baronet wonderingly, for he had never heard him speak in such a tone
before.

Ever since he could remember he had been in and out of the Hall at
meal-times, even sleeping there often, and Scarlett's visits to the
Manor had been of the same character. To all intents and purposes the
life of the boys had been that of brothers, while that of their fathers
had been much the same.

It was a genuine old-fashioned Coombeshire repast to which the hungry
boys sat down, eating away as boys of fifteen or sixteen can eat, and
bread and butter, ham, cake, junket and cream, disappeared at a
marvellous rate.

"Is your father poorly?" whispered Fred, after satisfying his hunger to
some extent. "I don't know. Don't speak so loud."

"Wasn't speaking so loud," said Fred, kicking Scarlett under the table.
"What's the matter with him?"

"I don't know. Heard some bad news, perhaps."

"Shall we tell him about the secret way? He'd like to hear, I dare
say."

"No, no; let's keep it to ourselves for the present."

That something was troubling Sir Godfrey was evident, for his supper was
hardly tasted, and twice over, when Lady Markham spoke to him, and
pressed him to eat, he declined in an irritable way.

"I shall have to join them, if these things go on, Margaret."

"Godfrey!"

"Yes; I feel it is a duty to one's self and country. If we country
gentlemen are not staunch now, and do not rally round his majesty, what
are we to come to?"

Lady Markham shook her head, and softly applied her handkerchief to her
eyes, ending by rising and going to where Sir Godfrey sat and, laying
her hand upon his shoulder, she bent down and whispered a few words to
him, which seemed to have a calming effect, for he took her hand from
where it lay, raised it to his lips, and looked up in his wife's eyes
for a few moments before she returned to her place.

All this seemed very strange to the lads, who, feeling uncomfortable,
began chatting to Lil, but a complete damp was thrown over what was
generally a pleasant, sociable meal, and it was with quite a sense of
relief that Fred rose at a hint from Scarlett, and they went out into
the hall to walk up and down,--talking for a few minutes before Scarlett
ran up the stairs and down once or twice to make sure that all was right
by the topmost balusters.

"Glad I did not make up my mind to tell father," he said, as he stood
once more by the open