nd active, they soon managed to get round to where they
anticipated obtaining a view of the proceedings; but there was nothing
to see but a surging crowd, for the most part well-dressed, but leavened
by the mob, and this was broken up from time to time by the passing of
carriages whose horses were forced to walk.

"Oh, if we could only get close up!" said Andrew impatiently. "Hark at
the shouting and yelling. They are fighting with the soldiers now."

"No, no, not yet, youngster," said a well-dressed man close by them;
"it's only men's canes and fists. The Whigs are getting the worst of
it; so you two boys had better go while your heads are whole."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I know a Whig when I see one, my lad."

"Do you mean that as an insult, sir?" said Andrew haughtily.

"No," said the gentleman, smiling; "only as a bit of advice."

"Because if you did--" said Andrew, laying his hand upon his sword.

"You would send your friends to me, boy, and then I should not fight.
Nonsense, my lad. There, off with your friend while your shoes are
good, and don't raise your voice, or some one will find out that you are
from the Palace. Then the news would run like wild fire, and you ought
to know by this time what a cowardly London mob will do. They nearly
tore Sir Marland Granthill out of his carriage just now. There, if I am
not on your side, I speak as a friend."

Before Andrew could make any retort, and just as Frank was tugging at
his arm to get him away, they were separated from the stranger by a rush
in the crowd, which forced them up into a doorway, from whose step they
saw, one after the other, no less than six men borne along insensible
and bleeding from wounds upon the head, while their clothes were nearly
torn from their backs.

Then the shouting and yelling began to subside, and the two lads were
forced to go with the stream, till an opportunity came for them to dive
down a side street and reach the river stairs, where they took a wherry
and were rowed east.

"I should like to know who that man was," said Andrew, after a long
silence, during which they went gliding along with the falling tide.

"He spoke very well," said Frank.

"Yes; but he took me for a Whig," said the youth indignantly.

"But, I say, what was it all about?"

"Oh, you'll soon learn that," replied Andrew.

"Is there often fighting like this going on in the streets?"

"Every day somewhere."

"But why?" said Frank anxiousl