two other personages whose lives, they were
pleased to say, I had saved.

His Majesty had laughed very heartily indeed at the tale of my
adventures.

"Odds-fish!" said he. "We had all been done, but for you, Mr. Mallock.
It was three or four days after, at the least, that I had intended
returning; and by that time, no doubt, our friends would have had their
ambushment complete. But when your man came, all a-sweat, into my very
bed-chamber, telling me to fly for my life--well; there was no more to
be said. There was a fire too at my lodgings that same morning;--and
poor Sir Christopher's low ceilings all ruined with the smoke--but that
would not have brought me, though I suppose we must give out that it
did. No; Mr. Mallock, 'twas you, and no other. Odds-fish! I did not
think I had such an accomplished liar in my service!"

His Royal Highness, too, was no less gracious; though he talked in a
very different fashion.

To him there was no humour in the matter at all; 'twas all God's
Providence; and I am not sure but that he was not more right than his
brother; though indeed there are always two sides to a thing. His talk
was less of myself, and more of the interests I had served; and there
too he was right; for, as I have said, if there had been any mistake in
the matter, good-bye to Catholic hopes.

My first interview with Mr. Chiffinch astonished me most. When he had
finished paying compliments, I began on business.

"You will hardly catch Rumbald," said I, "unless you take him pretty
soon. He too will be off to Holland, I think."

He shook his head, smiling.

"I am sorry not to be able to give you vengeance for that
cleaver-throwing; but you must wait awhile."

"Wait?" cried I.

"What single name do you know besides that of Rumbald, which was
certainly involved in this affair? Why, Mr. Mallock, you yourself have
told me that he observed discretion so far; and did not name a single
man."

"Well; there is Keeling," I said.

"And what is Keeling?" he asked with some contempt. "A maltster, and a
carpenter: a fine bag of assassins! And how can you prove anything but
treasonable talk? Where were the 'swan-quills' and the 'sand and the
ink'? Did you set eyes on any of them?"

I was silent.

"No, no, Mr. Mallock; we must wait awhile. I have even talked to
Jeffreys, and he says the same. We must lime more birds before we pull
our twig down. Now, if you could lay your hand on Keeling!"

He was right: I saw th