o, you will not. You only talk as you do to banter me."

"Think so?" said Andrew, with a peculiar smile. "Well, we shall see.
But you'll come?"

"Yes," said Frank readily, "to keep you from getting into a scrape."

CHAPTER TWO.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

The water in the canal looked ruddy golden in the light glowing in the
west, as the two pages passed through the courtyard along beneath the
arches, where the soldiers on guard saluted them, and reached the long
mall planted with trees.

"Halt! One can breathe here," said Frank, with his eyes brightening.
"Come along; let's have a run."

"Quiet, quiet! What a wild young colt you are!--This isn't the
country."

"No; but it looks like a good makeshift!" cried Frank.

"Who's disloyal now? Nice way to speak of his Majesty's Park! I say,
you're short enough as it is."

"No, I'm not. I'm a very fair height for my age. It's you who are too
long."

"Never mind that; but it's my turn to talk. Suppose you get cut shorter
for saying disloyal things under the window of the Palace."

"Stuff! Rubbish!"

"Is it? They give it to the people they call rebels pretty hard for as
trifling things," said Andrew, flushing a little. "They flogged three
soldiers to death the other day for wearing oak apples in their caps."

"What? Why did they wear oak apples in their caps?"

"Because it was King Charles's day; and they've fined and imprisoned and
hung people for all kinds of what they call rebellious practices."

"Then you'd better be careful, Master Drew," said Frank merrily. "I
say, my legs feel as if they were full of pins and needles, with
standing about so much doing nothing. It's glorious out here. Come
along; I'll race you to the end of this row of trees."

"With the people who may be at the windows watching us! Where's your
dignity?"

"Have none. They wouldn't know it was us. We're not dressed up now,
and we look like any one else."

"I hope not," said Andrew, drawing himself up.

Frank laughed, and his companion looked nettled.

"It is nothing to laugh at. Do you suppose I want to be taken for one
of the mob?"

"Of course I don't. But, I say, look. I saw a fish rise with a regular
flop. That must be a carp. They are fond of leaping out of the water
with a splash. I say, this isn't a lake, is it? Looks like a river."

"Oh, I don't know--yes, I do. Some one said it's part of a stream that
comes down from out beyond Tyburn way, where