"Well, tell me," said he, "the fruit of your invention for tracing out your
father, and I will tell you what has occurred to me as the best mode of
procedure."

William, without hesitation, told the state of his mind, and his utter
inability to think of any feasible plan, from his ignorance of the world
and its ways.

"Poor fellow! I do not wonder at what you tell me," replied the Colonel.
"Before many years go over your head, you and the world will be better
acquainted. My own opinion is, that you must forthwith proceed to France,
where you will find many of the adherents of the Stuarts. The young Charles
Edward is easy of access to Scotchmen, for he is anxious to make adherents;
and I have no doubt that he, or others of his followers, will be able to
give you every information about Henry Seaton. But you must beware how you
acquit yourself, lest they cajole you into their party; for, if your father
be alive and acknowledge you, the trial will be greater than you are aware,
to resist him."

"I will at once follow your wise counsel," replied William. "I trust--nay,
my heart tells me I shall be successful. Of my ever being an adherent of
the Stuart family, I have no fears. Before that can happen, I must first
forget all I have ever learned, from my first dawn of reason up to this
present moment. The first tears of sorrow I ever shed were for the woes of
others, drawn forth by the tale of the sufferings of my foster parent's
father, who suffered for the cause of truth, near the very spot where I now
lodge. The worthy minister, to whom I am indebted for all the learning I
possess, had also some share in my politics. Nay, do not smile, when I say
he had political opinions. He spiritualized everything. Nebuchadnezzar was
a type of the Stuart family. The Babylonish king, driven out from men, was
only an emblem of their expulsion, during the time of the Commonwealth, and
his being restored was only the fortune of Charles II.; but, as he
continued in idolatry after his restoration, so did Charles, after his
subscribing the Covenant at Scone; and, as Nebuchadnezzar's family were
destroyed, so are the Stuarts cut off from the throne for ever. To the
whole of this I do not subscribe; but my aversion to the family of the
Stuarts, I can never overcome."

"My young friend," replied the Colonel, "I am not one to quarrel with any
one for his opinion; but I rejoice to find we are of one mind. I will
accompany you to Leith, and we wi