"

"You insolent young puppy!" cried the man; and entirely forgetful of his
infirmity, he took three or four paces toward them, with his stick
raised to strike.

Frank's hand darted to his sword, but Andrew did not stir. He stood
with his lids half closed and his lips compressed, staring firmly at his
would-be assailant, never flinching for a moment, nor removing his eyes
from those which literally glowed with anger.

"The cough's gone, Frank, and the disguise might as well go with it. He
is not an invalid, but one of the vile, treacherous ruffians in the pay
of the Government. Let your blade alone; he daren't strike, for fear of
having a sword through his miserable carcass. He was dressed as a
sailor the other day, and he looked as if he had never had a foot at
sea. He has been hanging about the Park for the past month. Pah! look
at the contemptible worm."

The miserable spy and informer, who had remained with his stick raised,
turned white with passion, as he stood listening to the lad's scathing
words, and had either of the boys flinched he might have struck at them.
As it was, he uttered a fierce imprecation, let the point of his stick
drop to the ground, and turned away to hobble for a few steps, and, as
if from habit, began to cough; but Andrew burst into a bitter laugh, and
with a fierce oath the man turned again and shook his stick at him
before ceasing his cough and walking sharply away, erect and vigorous as
any.

"Well," said Andrew, "do you think I insulted him too much?"

"Why, he is an impostor!"

"Pah! London swarms with his kind. They have sent many a good, true,
and innocent man to Tyburn for the sake of blood-money--men whose only
fault was that they believed James Francis to be our rightful king.
Frank," cried the lad passionately, "I can't tell you how I loathe the
reptiles. I knew that wretch directly; my father pointed him out to me
as one to beware of. If he knew what we do, he would send my dear,
brave father to the scaffold, and he is trying hard to send yours.
Where's your pity for the poor invalid now?"

"Oh!" ejaculated Frank excitedly, "can such things be true?"

"True? Why was he dogging us this morning? I can't be sure, of course;
but as likely as not it was upon his information that your poor father
was almost taken last night, and your mother nearly broken-hearted this
morning. Why, Frank, I never saw you look so fierce before. It's all
nonsense about my being tw