u, cultivate some small amount of loyalty."

"I thank your Majesty very heartily," Tristram replied ingenuously,
"and I regret if the plant has, until now, found no place in our
garden."

"The squadron will sail again for England at midnight," said William
with a faint smile; then, turning to the Earl of Marlborough, "My
lord, will you write out the order?"

At this moment one of the pages entered with a note for the King.

"Let him come in," said William, after opening it and running his eye
over the contents; then, addressing Captain Salt, "I fear this puts
an end to our conversation for the time. If you will wait below, the
necessary papers shall be brought to you. Farewell, young man; and
when you embrace them, assure Captain Barker and Captain Runacles
that I have still some hope of their finding a better mind."

They bowed and withdrew, giving place to the newcomer, who entered at
that moment--an old gentleman in a suit of dark blue edged with
silver. As he passed them in the doorway his eyes scanned Tristram
narrowly, and he appeared to hesitate for a moment as if desirous of
putting a question to the youth.

Unconscious of this look, Tristram followed his father down the
stairs of the auberge. They had hardly reached the bottom, however,
when a voice called from the landing above, and the Earl of
Marlborough descended after them.

"Here are the papers," he said. "But, young sir, would you mind
waiting here for a minute or two while I speak with your father in
private?"

With this he opened a door upon the left and led the way through a
dark passage to a covered skittle-alley at the back of the house.
It was a deserted and ramshackle arcade and offered the poorest cover
from the rain, which dripped through the roof and drifted under the
eaves. The skittles lay here and there, as if the last player, weary
of the game, had been tossing them about at haphazard. Here the Earl
paused, looked around him, and began in a low voice.

"My friend, I regret to perceive that you begin to act without
instructions."

"In what way?"

"You propose to return at once to Harwich with this son of yours."

"Certainly, my lord. It appears to me that I have deserved a holiday
by this week's work."

"You shall take one; but not at Harwich just yet."

"And why not at Harwich?"

"For two reasons. In the first place you do no good, but harm, in
returning thither at this moment. Understand that I am only asking