nk that there was anything in it. I could not
believe you would play me such a trick."

"All things are fair in love and war," said Andrew.

"It is a base piece of deception, and I'll never trust you again."

"Oh yes, you will, always. You'll like them more and more every time
you go."

"I go there again? Never!"

"Oh yes, you will, often, because we all like you, and you are just the
boy to grow into the man we want. I had no sooner mentioned your name
to Mr Selby than he said, `Yes, he must join us, of course.'"

"Join you? Why, you are a band of conspirators."

"Silence, I tell you! That man in front heard you and turned his head."

"I don't care."

"Then I must make you. Look here, Frank, whatever we are, you are the
same."

"I!" cried the boy in horror.

"Of course. This is twice you have come to our club, and there is not a
man there to-night who does not look upon you as our new brother."

"Then they must be undeceived."

"Impossible! You have joined hands with us, and breathed our prayer for
him across the water."

"I did not; I never opened my lips."

"You seemed to; anyhow, you clasped hands with us, and that is enough."

"I refuse to have any dealings with your club, and for your sake as well
as mine I shall acquaint my father with everything that has taken
place."

"That would not matter," said Andrew coolly. "But you will not. I
introduced you to Mr Selby, who had come on purpose to see you."

"Then that feeding ducks was a design?"

"Of course it was; the spies and the guard might interfere with a
stranger hanging about at the water-side, but they can have nothing to
say to a man feeding the ducks."

"Oh, what base treachery and deception! But I will not be tricked like
this. It was the act of a traitor."

"It was the act of a friend to save you in the troubles that are to
come."

"I don't care what you say. I will clear myself from even a suspicion
of being an enemy of the King."

"You are a friend of the King," said Andrew, tightening his hold of his
companion's arm; "and you cannot draw back now."

"I can, and will. Why can I not? Who is to prevent me?"

"Every man you saw there to-night--every man of the thousand who was not
there. Frank boy, ours is a great and just cause, and the sentence on
the man who has joined us and then turns traitor--"

"I have not joined."

"You have, and I am your voucher. You are one of us now."

"And if I go back, what