ark, and we
could soon reach the friends and be safe."

"Run away and join your friends?" said Frank quietly.

"Yes! We should be placed in the army at once, as soon as they knew who
we were. Come, you repent of what you said, and you will be faithful to
the cause?"

"Won't you shake hands without that?"

"No, I cannot. I am ready to forgive everything you said or did to me;
but I cannot forgive such an act as desertion in the hour of England's
great need. Shake hands."

"Can't," said Frank sadly; and he thrust his hands into his pockets,
walked to the window, and stood looking out into the courtyard.

No word was spoken for some time, and no sound broke the stillness that
seemed to have fallen upon the place, save an occasional weary yawn from
the soldier stationed outside the door and the tramp of the nearest
sentry, while Andrew very silently still imitated the action of a newly
caged wild animal. At last he stopped suddenly.

"Have you thought that over?" he said.

"No," replied Frank. "Doesn't want thinking over. My mind was made up
before."

"And you will take the consequences?"

"Hang the consequences!" cried Frank angrily. "What is your rightful
monarch, or your pretender, or whatever he is, to me? I don't
understand your politics, and I don't want to. I've only one thing to
think about. My father told me that, as far as I could, I was to stand
by and watch over my mother in his absence, and I wouldn't forsake my
post for all the kings and queens in the world; so there!"

"Then I suppose if I try to escape you will give the alarm and betray
me?"

"I don't care what you suppose. But I shouldn't be such a sneak. I
wish you would go, and not bother me. You've no business here, and it
would be better if you were away; but I don't suppose you will do much
good if you do go."

"Oh!" ejaculated Andrew, as if letting off so much indignant steam; "and
this is friendship!"

"I don't care what you say now. Your ideas are wider and bigger than
mine, I suppose. I'm a more common sort of fellow, with only room in my
head to think about what I've been taught and told to do. Perhaps
you're right, but I don't see it."

"I can't give you up without one more try," said Andrew, standing before
him with his brow all in lines. "You say your father told you to stay
and watch over your mother?"

"Yes; and I will."

"But since then he has changed his opinions; he is on our side now, and
I cannot