brings me. But I can't eat. I must--I will get out, if
it's only for an hour's run so as to make myself tired. What must it
feel to be a real prisoner, shut up, poor wretch, for years!"

Godfrey Boyne, who looked thin and haggard still, was sitting upon the
edge of the truckle bed, elbows on knees, chin upon one hand, while the
nails of the other were brought close to his firm teeth, to be nibbled
and gnawed down till they were close to the quick, as their owner gazed
straight out through the open window at the remains of the glowing
sunset, which were paling fast.

"Why hasn't he been to see me all these hours?" he muttered. "He must
know how dreary it is up here. He ought to have come. Books," he
muttered, as he glanced sharply round, his eyes lighting for a moment
upon one that lay open upon a chair; "I couldn't read when it was all
bright and light, and even if I could force myself to now, it will soon
be dark. It was enough to make me angry and bang one book down, and
throw the other in the corner. Hasn't he any brains? To pick out such
books as those--escapes from prison. Oh, how I should like to escape
from mine and get into the woods! He promised to take me. But, of
course, I would come back. I wouldn't have Waller think me ungrateful
for the world. I can't help liking him very much; but he'd think it
silly if I told him I did. He won't take me out to-night. He'd say
again that it wasn't safe while the soldiers were about; and I suppose
he's right. Oh, how miserable it is! I daren't even look out of the
window for fear of being seen by the servants or the gardener. Well, it
will soon be dark, and then I can stare out at the stars. I wonder
whether father got away, and what he thinks about me. Let's see, how
did that fellow escape?" he added, after an interval, during which dark
clouds were sweeping up from the west, and the room seemed to fill with
gloom. "Let's see, he made himself a rope."

A rope!

The lad sprang from his seat with the alacrity of a wild animal, for the
very mention of a rope gave full play to his imagination, and sent him
hurrying to and fro to the full extent of what he looked upon as his
cage.

The next moment he was down upon his knees dragging out one of the
drawers which contained his young host's treasures. In an instant the
great tangle of fine meshes, pike-shaped leads, and strung-together
corks was thrust on one side, while, with a faint sigh of exultati