Of course. That is the home of our most deadly enemy, a
man who has wrought endless mischief to our cause and country. Why, you
do not sympathise with him?"

"I was not thinking of sympathy, father, but of the happy days Scar
Markham and I used to spend here."

"Pish! Don't talk like a child, sir. You are growing a man, and you
have your duty to do."

"Yes, father, and I'm going to try and do it."

"Of course. That's better, Fred. As to Markham, we are behaving nobly
to him by having his wife and daughter at the Manor, and caring for them
there."

"I don't see much in that, father."

"What, sir?"

"Men do not make war upon women, and I think it was our duty to protect
Lady Markham, and I acted accordingly."

Colonel Forrester turned fiercely upon his son, but checked himself.

"Humph! Yes. I suppose you were right, Fred. There, we need not argue
such points as these. Too much to do."

"Of course, father; but one cannot quite forget the past."

"No, certainly not. But do your duty to your country, my boy, and leave
the rest."

"Yes, father," said Fred; "but are we going to attack the place again
soon?"

"Yes; and this time most vigorously. The nest of hornets must be
cleared out, eh, Hedley?" he said, as the general came up from the rough
tent erected under one of the spreading trees.

"Of what are you talking?"

"My boy, here, asks me if we are going to attack the Hall again."

"Yes; if they do not march out by to-night, and give themselves up, I
shall attack, and as I shall send them word, they must expect little
mercy. By the way, Forrester, I want to talk to you." The pair marched
slowly away, leaving Fred to his contemplation of the Hall and its
surroundings; and he seated himself upon the mossy roots of a huge beech
on the slope facing the old red stone building, and gazed eagerly at the
distant figures which appeared at the window openings from time to time,
wondering whether either of them was Scarlett, if he was with his
father, for he was not among the wounded, or whether he had escaped
among the scattered Royalists after that last fierce charge.

"He is sure to be there," said the lad to himself, as he sat on the
rough buttress with his sword across his knees. "Poor old Scar! how I
remember our taking down the swords and fighting, and Sir Godfrey coming
and catching us. It seemed a grand thing to have a sword then--much
grander than it seems now," he added, as he looked gl