will be like a visitor,
and we will have a good time of it in the woods, fishing, and
collecting, and one thing and another."

"No," said the lad sadly; "England is no place for me. I must get back
to France."

"You wait till you get better," said Waller, "and you will talk
differently."

"Oh, but I am putting you in such a false position. Your servants will
be finding out that you have got me hidden here."

"They'd better!" cried Waller hotly. "What business is it of theirs? I
am only answerable to my father."

"And what will he say to you when he knows what you have done?"

"What will he say?" cried Waller enthusiastically. "He'll say--he'll
say--I don't know what," and the boy stopped short.

Another day elapsed, and Waller was chatting eagerly with his prisoner,
and planning with him that they should steal out as soon as it was dusk,
and go and have a ramble in the woods.

"But it will be dark," said Boyne wearily.

"There," cried Waller, "you are speaking as dumpily as you did when we
first met. That means that you ought to be out in the fresh air. Of
course it will be dark. No, it won't, because there will be some moon
to-night; and if it were dark it wouldn't matter. There's always
something to hear, with the creatures in the forest hunting--owls, and
stoats, and all sorts of night things. Why, I can find my way anywhere
nearly in the forest of a night. You don't know what fun it is till you
get out there. I have been out with Bunny Wrigg sometimes when he has
been setting night-lines in the old hammer pond, and catching big eels,
and sometimes wild ducks, and--Pst! Someone coming!"

"Master Waller, are you upstairs?" came from below; and the boy pressed
his finger on his lips and took a little saw from where it was hanging
against the wall, put it down noisily, and picked up a hammer from where
it lay upon a bench-like table.

The next moment he was tapping a box softly, as if he were driving in a
nail, while the uncarpeted stairs leading to the attic creaked, and the
light step of the girl was heard coming towards the door.

Next moment she was knocking sharply.

"Master Waller! Master Waller!" she cried excitedly. "You must come
down directly; you are wanted."

"Eh?" cried the boy. "Who wants me?"

"There's Tony Gusset, sir, Martha's brother, and he's come along with
six soldiers."

Waller sprang from his seat, striking the table a heavy blow with the
hammer in his excitem