us a
table here, close by the fire, if you please."

Mynheer Vander Tromp bowed a humble assent; and, in an instant after, a
small round table of walnut-tree, shining like a mirror, was placed in
the desired situation. Bottles and glasses covered it in a twinkling,
and in a twinkling also was the party seated around it, including our
friend of the bonnet and plaid. This worthy person at first shied the
good fellowship thus thrust upon him; but, gradually warming with the
wine he drank--for bottle succeeded bottle with marvellous celerity--he
became by degrees less and less reserved in his manner, until at length
his natural caution giving way altogether before the increasing pressure
of the vinous influence, he became as communicative as he had before
been the reverse.

Availing himself of the altered disposition of the stranger, the young
cavalier, whom we have represented as having more especially attached
himself to the former, again endeavoured to extract from him the purpose
of his visit to the Hague; and his attempt was now successful.

"Aweel, I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, gentlemen," he said, in answer
to a question, or rather hint, on the subject of explanation which had
just been addressed to him by his young friend; and for the reply to
which all waited--"I'll just tell ye Gude's truth, as I think ye're a'
honourable men, and wadna willingly bring a man into trouble, wha has
gien ye nae cause o' offence. Ye see, then freends, I hae just arrived
frae Scotland, and hae come here to see our unfortunate young king,
Charles the Second that should be, whase unhappy story ye dootless a'
ken. I hae been ruined oot o' hoose and ha' for the part I took in his
puir faither's behalf, and hae been obliged to flee my ain country,
besides, for the same reason; and hae noo come here, to see if His
Majesty, God bless him, could afford me ony sort o' protection till the
storm that's noo tearin a' up by the roots in Scotland blaws by; and
that's just the hail affair, gentlemen."

Long ere the stranger had concluded this account of the purpose of his
visit to the Hague, a look of intelligence, which originated with his
young friend, had passed amongst his auditors, and, in the case of the
former, was associated with a peculiar expression of sympathy. Both,
however, the look alluded to, and the latter symptom of a yet deeper
feeling, was unobserved by the person whose communication had given rise
to them. Becoming now queri