“I will engage that Captain Tattersall shall be ready, if your honours choose to confide in me,” said Ninian.
“Thou!” exclaimed both his auditors.
“Yes, I,” the young falconer replied; “and that without further compromising his Majesty than has been done at present. I will ride over to Shoreham to-night, see Captain Tattersall early in the morning, and make all straight with him. The Swiftsure shall be ready to receive her royal passenger at midnight to-morrow, and to sail ere daybreak.”
“Accomplish this, and thou wilt earn a title to thy sovereign’s gratitude,” said Colonel Gunter. “In any case, thou mayst rest assured of a good reward from me.”
“And from me also,” said Clavering. “Hark thee, Ninian, so soon as thou hast arranged matters with Tattersall, ride on to the Grange, and acquaint my father with the change of plans. John Habergeon will have led him to expect us on Wednesday afternoon.”
“Your commands shall be obeyed,” replied Ninian, turning to depart.
“Stay!” exclaimed Colonel Gunter; “thou hast not yet told us where we are to meet Lord Wilmot and his Majesty to-morrow morning.”
“I thought his lordship’s letter might have mentioned the place of rendezvous,” replied Ninian. “At five o’clock in the morning, the king and his escort will leave Mr. Symons’s house, near Hambledon, and your honour and Captain Clavering are to meet them, an hour later, in the central avenue of Stanstead Forest.”
“It is well,” said Colonel Gunter. “We must be astir betimes, Clavering. And now, Ninian, I will not detain thee longer than shall enable thee to drink a bumper of canary to his Majesty’s prosperous voyage across the Channel.”
So saying, he filled a goblet with wine, and gave it to the young falconer, who did justice to the pledge proposed to him. Colonel Gunter then inquired from Ninian whether his horse was fully equal to the journey he had to perform, and being answered in the affirmative, he bade the young man good night, enjoining him to act with the utmost caution, since much now depended upon him.
Ninian, with much earnestness, and more modesty than he usually exhibited, replied that he felt the full responsibility of the task he had undertaken, and would discharge it to the best of his ability. He then took his departure, and in less than a quarter of an hour started for Shoreham.
Not long afterwards the two Cavaliers, having to rise early, with the prospect of a hard day’s work to follow, retired to rest.
II
A ROYAL WANDERER
FIVE o’clock had not struck next morning, when Colonel Gunter entered Clavering’s chamber, and found his guest not only awake, but fully attired and prepared for the journey. So blithe were the young man’s looks, that Colonel Gunter could not help commenting upon them, and said, “I am glad to see you look so cheerful, my young friend. It shows that you calculate on success, and I doubt not your anticipations will be realized.”
“Ere many hours have flown, his Majesty, I hope, will have quitted these ungrateful shores,” said Clavering; “and I feel assured that although he is now driven hence by the malice of rebels and fanatics, he will return to his kingdom in triumph.”
“Amen!” replied Colonel Gunter. “Like myself, I see you are well armed—pistols in your belt and rapier by your side. I trust we shall have no occasion to use our weapons. But the king shall never fall into the hands of the rebels while we have breath to defend him. And now, since you are ready, let us set forth at once.”
“With all my heart,” replied Clavering; “I am impatient to greet his Majesty on the day which I trust will be that of his happy deliverance.”
None of the household were astir at this early hour except the confidential servant who had waited upon his master on the previous evening. Their attentive personage had prepared a slight repast for them, and set it out in the library, but neither of the gentlemen cared to partake of it, nor would they be prevailed upon to fortify their stomachs against the morning air by a glass of strong waters, at the butler’s recommendation. Proceeding at once to the stables, they mounted their steeds, which they found in readiness, and rode off.