r state and condition.--David
Leslie, commanding his majesty's armies."

The duty was one of mere routine. Harry showed the note to Jacob, and
said, "You may as well come with Hie, Jacob. Your drilling is over for
the day, and you can aid me looking through the stores. Mike," he said,
"we shall be back to supper. We are only going down to the port." The
two officers buckled on their swords, and at once started on foot for
the port, which was but half a mile distant. Mike looked anxiously after
his master. Since the day when danger had first threatened him he had
scarce let him out of his sight, following close to his heels like a
faithful dog. His present business seemed assuredly to forbode no
danger. Nevertheless, the lad felt restless and anxious when he saw his
master depart. A few minutes later he went to William Long's tent.
"Master Long," he said, "will you see that my master's servant gets
supper in readiness at the usual hour. He has gone down to the port to
inspect some recruits just arrived from Holland, by order of General
Leslie, and said he would return by supper. I know that it is foolish,
but since the affair with Alan Campbell I am never easy when he is not
near. In this case, I do not see that there can possibly be any lurking
danger. Argyll could not know of his proceeding to the port, nor would
he venture to attack him there where the streets swarm with our
soldiers. Nevertheless, I would fain go down and assure myself that all
is well."

William Long at once promised to look after the supper, and Mike hurried
away after Harry and his companion. These had, however, too far a start
to be overtaken, and when he reached the wharf he saw a boat rowed by
two men, and having two sitters in the stern. It was already some
distance from shore, and appeared to be proceeding toward a vessel which
lay at anchor several hundred yards further out from the shore than the
others.

"Can you tell me," he asked a sailor, "whether that ship lying there is
the Royalist?"

"That is the name she goes by to-day," the sailor said, "for as I rowed
past her this morning on my way from fishing, I saw the name newly
painted on her stern. They have put it on her boat too, which you now
see lowing toward her, and which has been lying by the pier all day, in
readiness to take out any one who might wish to go off to her."

"But have they changed her name, then?" Mike asked. "What have they been
doing that for?"

"She has bee