ll you. There, let go."

"You are not going without me!" cried Frank, fiercely now; and he
grasped his companion's arm so firmly that the lad winced.

"Come on, then," he said; and, with his breath coming thick and short,
Frank followed his companion downstairs and out of the door of the old
house in the Palace precincts, into the long, low colonnade.

They closed the door softly, and ran together across the courtyard in
the dim light, but were challenged directly after by a sentry.

"Hush! Don't stop us," whispered Andrew. "You know who we are--two of
the royal pages."

"Can't pass," said the man sternly.

"But we must," said Frank, in an agonised whisper. "Here, take this."

"Can't pass," said the man; "'gainst orders. You must come to the
guardroom."

But he took the coin Frank handed to him, and slipped it into his
pocket.

"We want to go to the meeting--the fight," whispered Andrew now. "We
won't own that you let us go by."

"Swear it," said the man.

"Yes, of course. Honour of gentlemen."

"Well, I dunno," said the man.

"Yes, you do. Which way did they go when they passed the gate?"

"Couldn't see," said the man; "too dark. I thought it was one of them
games. My mate yonder'll know, only he won't let you go by without the
password."

"Oh yes, he will," said Andrew excitedly. "Come on."

"Mind, I never see you go by," said the man.

"Of course you didn't," said Andrew; "and I can't see you; it's too dark
yet."

They set off running, and the next minute were at the gate opening on to
the Park, where another sentry challenged them.

"I'm Mr Frank Gowan, Captain Sir Robert Gowan's son, and this is Mr
Andrew Forbes, Prince's page."

"Yes, I know you, young gentlemen; but where's the password?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Andrew impatiently. "Don't stop us, or they'll
get it over before we're there. Look here; come to our rooms any time
to-day, and ask for us. We'll give you a guinea to let us go."

"I dursn't," said the man, in a whisper.

"Which way did they go?" said Frank, trembling now with anxiety.

"Strite acrost under the trees there. They've gone to the bit of a wood
down by the water."

"Yes; that's a retired spot," panted Andrew. "Here, let's go on."

"Can't, sir, and I darn't. It's a jewel, aren't it?"

"Yes, a duel."

"Well, I'm not going to be flogged or shot for the sake of a guinea,
young gentlemen, and I won't. But if you two makes a roosh by while I