ne of whom on entering looked back at the lads and smiled, as if he did
not think that much harm had been done.

But neither of the lads saw, for Andrew was whispering maliciously to
Frank:

"You dared not speak. You knew how I should be avenged."

"Yes, I dared; but I wasn't going to be such a coward," cried Frank
sharply.

"Ah, stop that!" cried the officer who held the boys' swords, and had
just given orders to his men to take their places in front and rear of
his prisoners. "Do you want to begin again? Hang it all! wait till you
get to the guardroom, if you must fight."

"Don't speak to me like that!" cried Andrew fiercely. "It is not the
custom to insult prisoners, I believe."

"Forward! march!" said the officer; and then, to Frank's annoyance, as
well as that of Andrew, he saw that the officer was laughing at them,
and that the men were having hard work to keep their countenances.

Five minutes later they had been marched down the staircase, across the
courtyard, to the entrance of the guardroom, where, to Frank's great
mortification, the first person he saw was Captain Murray.

"Hallo! what's this?" he cried. "Prisoners? What have you lads been
about?"

"Fighting," said Frank sullenly, Andrew compressing his lips and staring
haughtily before him, as if he felt proud, of his position.

"Fighting! With fists?" cried Captain Murray.

"Oh no," said the officer of the guard; "quite correctly. Here are
their skewers."

"But surely not anywhere here?"

"Oh yes," said the officer mirthfully; "up in the anteroom, right under
the Prince's nose."

"Tut--tut--tut!" ejaculated Captain Murray, half angry, half amused.

"The Prince came between them, and the tall cock nearly sent his spur
through him," continued the officer. "I s'pose this means the Tower and
the block, doesn't it, Murray? or shall we have the job to shoot 'em
before breakfast to-morrow morning?"

"If I were only free," cried Andrew, turning fiercely on the officer,
"you would not dare to insult me then."

"Then I'm very glad you are not. I say, why in the name of wonder are
you not in the service, my young fire-eater? You are not in your right
place as a page."

"Because--because--"

"Stop! that will do, young man," said Captain Murray sternly. "Let him
be," he continued to his brother-officer. "The lad is beside himself
with passion."

"Oh, I've done; but are they to be put together? They'll be at each
other's throats