other."

"I don't believe he will be," said Andrew. "Well, don't spoil your
breakfast about something which may never happen. Wait and see. The
worst he could do would be to have you dismissed; and if he does he'll
dismiss me too, for I shan't stop here, Frank, unless my father says I
must."

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

WITH PRINCE AND PRINCESS.

Frank thought over his companion's proposals for spending such time as
they could get away from duty, and soon after breakfast said what he
thought.

"Every one seems to know about it," he said mournfully. "It's wonderful
what an excitement it has caused."

"Not a bit. Every one knows Lady Gowan and her son, and how Sir Robert
was sent out of the country on account of that duel in the Park; so of
course they talk about it."

"But wherever we go we shall be meeting people who will want to question
me."

"Yes," said Andrew quietly. "I've been thinking the same. It's a great
nuisance, for I wanted to go soldiering to-day."

"There's nothing to prevent you going."

"Yes, there is--you. I'm not going without you go too."

"But, Drew--"

"There, don't say any more about it," said the lad warmly. "I know. It
wouldn't be pleasant for you to go, so you stay in, and we'll read or
talk."

"But I don't like to force you to give up."

"Not going to force me. I'm going to stay because I like it, and keep
you company, and stop people from talking to you."

Frank said little, but he thought a great deal, and the most about how,
in spite of his old belief that he should never thoroughly care for his
fellow-page, the tie of sympathy between them from the similarity of
their positions was growing stronger every day.

As it happened they did not lose much, for they found that they would
have to be a good deal on duty, and the consequence was that much of the
early part of the day was spent in the antechamber to help usher in
quite a long string of gentlemen, who wished for an audience with the
Prince.

In the afternoon, just as Frank was longing for his freedom so that he
might go and inquire how Lady Gowan was, he received a sharp nudge from
Andrew, and turned quickly, to find that a knot of ladies had entered
the room, and naturally his first glance was to see if his mother was
with them. But he did not see her, his eyes lighting instead upon the
Princess, who was on her way to join her husband.

The blood rose to Frank's cheeks as he saw that her Royal Highnes