here?"

Scarlett was fain to confess that the concealment would be perfect as
soon as the leaves were right, and a shower of rain had removed their
tracks.

"And we shall not want to come here at all now, only get in by the
proper way. I wish that hole was not broken through."

"We should not have found it without."

"Oh yes, we should," said Fred; "because some day we should have bought
candles, and waded down to the mouth."

"Well," said Scarlett, as they strolled away at last, "what's the good
of it all, now we have found it out?"

"It doesn't seem quite so much now we have found everything; but still
it is interesting, and it will do to hide in when we want to get away
from everybody."

"But we never do."

"No," said Fred. "But never mind; there's no knowing of what use it may
be, and it's our secret, isn't it?"

"Oh yes, it's our secret, Fred."

"And how we could scare the servants now, by hiding and groaning."

"Till my father examined and found it all out. I shouldn't like to look
him in the face when he did."

"No," said Fred; "it wouldn't be nice. I say, what stupids we should
look!"

"Did you get up so early on purpose to come over here yesterday?" said
Scarlett, suddenly.

"No. I was woke up by hearing Captain Miles go."

"Captain Miles? Who is he?"

"I don't know; an old fellow-officer of my father, I think. I say,
Scarlett, I'm to be a soldier."

Scarlett laughed, and his companion felt nettled.

"Well," he said, "I shall grow older and stronger some day."

"Why, you couldn't pull a sword right out of its sheath," said Scarlett.

"Couldn't I? Let's go into the house and try."

"Come along, then," cried Scarlett; and the two lads ran right into the
Hall, where Fred seized an old weapon from one of the suits of armour,
and proved his ability by drawing it from the sheath, Scarlett following
his example.

"Now, then!" cried Fred; "_en garde_!"

Nothing loth, Scarlett crossed swords with him, just as his father came
thoughtfully out of the library, and stopped to watch them.

"I say, this old sword is heavy though," said Fred, as the point of the
long blade seemed attracted toward the ground.

"It's because you haven't muscle enough," replied Scarlett, as the
blades grated together. "Wonder whether this one ever cut off a man's
head?"

"Is this an omen?" said Sir Godfrey to himself. "Friend against friend,
perhaps brother against brother, all through our unhappy land