armly
as he spoke, and shook it affectionately. "I esteem it an honor to be
your sponsor here. Can you find your way after me? This place is never
lighted; but I trust you 'll know it better ere long."

Muttering some words of acknowledgment, I followed my unseen
acquaintance along the dark corridor.

"There's a step, here," cried he; "and now mind the stairs."

A long and winding flight conducted us to a landing, where a candle was
burning in a tin sconce. Here my conductor turned round.

"Your Christian name is Thomas, I believe," said he. At the same moment,
as the light fell on me, he started suddenly back, with an air of
mingled astonishment and chagrin. "Why, M'Keown, you told me--" The rest
of the sentence was lost in a whisper.

"It 's a disguise I made him wear," said Darby. "He 'd no chance of
escaping the country without it."

"I 'm not speaking of that," retorted the other, angrily.

"It is his age, I mean; he's only a boy. How old are you, sir?" continued
he, addressing me, but with far less courtesy than before.

"Old enough to live for my country; or die for it either, if need be,"
said I, haughtily.

"Bravo, my darling!" cried the piper, slapping me on the shoulder with
enthusiasm.

"That's not exactly my question," said the stranger, smiling
good-naturedly; "I want to know your age."

"I was fourteen in August," said I.

"I had rather you could say twenty," responded he, thoughtfully. "This
is a sad mistake of yours, Darby. What dependence can be placed on a
child like this? He's only a child, after all."

"He's a child I'll go bail for with my head," said Darby.

"Your head has fully as much on it as it is fit to carry," said the
other, in a tone of rebuke. "Have you told him anything of the object
and intentions of this Society? But of course you have revealed
everything. Well, I 'll not be a party to this business. Young
gentleman," continued he, in a voice of earnest and impressive accent,
"all I know of you is the few particulars this man has stated respecting
your unfriended position, and the cruelty to which you fear to expose
yourself in trusting to the guardianship of Mr. Basset. If these reasons
have induced you, from recklessness and indifference, to risk your life,
by association with men who are actuated by high and noble principles,
then, I say, you shall not enter here. If, however, aware of the object
and intentions of our Union, you are desirous to aid us, young though