ble before a steaming bowl of porridge, while Rose was pouring him
some cider.

"Odsfish," he heard Charles say, "I owe Captain Le Gallais thanks for a
fair deliverance, and you, madame, a courteous usage under difficulty.
But _a la guerre comme a la guerre_, and I have slept in worse
conditions than those of your house, madame. Let me but bid farewell to
your sweet sister, and I will be back in the castle before my absence
has been observed. Ha! Captain Le Gallais, you must be my guide back to
the quay. This part is strange to me."

All Charles's prayers were vain. Marguerite had a _migraine_, and could
not have the honour of receiving the king's farewell. He finished his
breakfast, took a courtier's leave of his hostess, and set forth on his
homeward way, respectfully attended by Le Gallais. They walked through
the streets in silence for some time, the king having quite enough sense
to be ashamed of his situation.

"You have an interest," he presently said, "in yonder ladies, captain?"

"I have, sir. I am M. de Maufant's friend."

"And therefore my enemy, I take it. No matter, you have served me a good
turn."

Soon the strangely-assorted couple approached the quay. Scarcely anyone
being abroad at that early hour. Moreover they had come down to the
bridge head by way of the Gallows-hill, to avoid the publicity of the
main streets. As they parted, Charles turned kindly to his unwonted
follower, and said once more--

"We shall not forget our obligation to you, Captain Le Gallais, whenever
a time comes for proper acknowledgment. Meantime, if you will not own us
as your king, tell me, as man to man, if there be anything in which
Charles Stuart can serve you."

"Aye, is there," answered the Jerseyman, out of the fullness of his
heart. "For your own sake, sir, leave us. We are a simple folk, unused
to the ways of the great world, and only asking to be left in peace."

"By the faith of a gentleman," muttered Charles, as he made his way out
to the castle, "the islander is right in his amphibious way. The solemn
league and covenant is not amusing, but it cannot be worse than living
here like a seal upon a rock; and when one goes forth to talk to a
comely wench, being reconducted to one's rock by a Puritan with webbed
feet. Yet he hath saved me from a shrewd pinch, and that is the truth."

It will not be supposed that Charles was all at once prepared to drop
the little intrigue--so united to his already corrupted char