第 26 页

Prince Rupert looked at his watch.

"The King will be in the Mall now," he said. "I will take you across

and present you to him. It is useful to have the _entree_ at Court,

though perhaps the less you avail yourself of it the better."

So saying, he rose, put on his hat, and, throwing his cloak over his

shoulder, went across to the Mall, asking questions of Cyril as he

went, and extracting from him a sketch of the adventure of his being

kidnapped and taken to Holland.

Presently they arrived at the spot where the King, with three or four

nobles and gentlemen, had been playing. Charles was in a good humour,

for he had just won a match with the Earl of Rochester.

"Well, my grave cousin," he said merrily, "what brings you out of

your office so early? No fresh demands for money, I hope?"

"Not at present. And indeed, it is not to you that I should come on

such a quest, but to the Duke of York."

"And he would come to me," said the King; "so it is the same thing."

"I have come across to present to your Majesty a very gallant young

gentleman, who yesterday evening, at the risk of his life, saved the

three daughters of the Earl of Wisbech from being burned at the fire

in the Savoy, where his Lordship's mansion was among those that were

destroyed. I beg to present to your Majesty Sir Cyril Shenstone, the

son of the late Sir Aubrey Shenstone, a most gallant gentleman, who

rode under my banner in many a stern fight in the service of your

royal father."

"I knew him well," the King said graciously, "but had not heard of

his death. I am glad to hear that his son inherits his bravery. I

have often regretted deeply that it was out of my power to requite,

in any way, the services Sir Aubrey rendered, and the sacrifices he

made for our House."

His brow clouded a little, and he looked appealingly at Prince

Rupert.

"Sir Cyril Shenstone has no more intention of asking for favours than

I have, Charles," the latter said. "He is going to accompany me as a

Volunteer against the Dutch, and if the war lasts I shall ask for a

better appointment for him."

"That he shall have," the King said warmly. "None have a better claim

to commissions in the Navy and Army than sons of gentlemen who fought

and suffered in the cause of our royal father. My Lords," he said to

the little group of gentlemen, who had been standing a few paces away

while this conversation had been going on, "I would have you know Sir

Cyril Shenstone, the son of a faithful adherent of my father, and

who, yesterday evening, saved the lives of the three daughters of My

Lord of Wisbech in the fire at the Savoy. He is going as a Volunteer

with my cousin Rupert when he sails against the Dutch."

The gentlemen all returned Cyril's salute courteously.

"He will be fortunate in beginning his career under the eyes of so

brave a Prince," the Earl of Rochester said, bowing to Prince Rupert.

"It would be well if you all," the latter replied bluntly, "were to

ship in the Fleet for a few months instead of wasting your time in

empty pleasures."

The Earl smiled. Prince Rupert's extreme disapproval of the life at

Court was well known.

"We cannot all be Bayards, Prince, and most of us would, methinks, be

too sick at sea to be of much assistance, were we to go. But if the

Dutchmen come here, which is not likely--for I doubt not, Prince,

that you will soon send them flying back to their own ports--we shall

all be glad to do our best to meet them when they land."

The Prince made no reply, but, turning to the King, said,--

"We will not detain you longer from your game, Cousin Charles. I have

plenty to do, with all the complaints as to the state of the ships,

and the lack of stores and necessaries."

"Remember, I shall be glad to see you at my _levees_, Sir Cyril,"

the King said, holding out his hand. "Do not wait for the Prince to

bring you, for if you do you will wait long."

Cyril doffed his hat, raised the King's hand to his lips, then, with

a deep bow and an expression of thanks, followed Prince Rupert, who

was already striding away.

"You might have been better introduced," the Prince said when he

overtook him. "Still it is better to be badly introduced than to have

no introduction at all. I am too old for the flippancies of the

Court. You had better show yourself there sometimes; you will make

friends that may be useful. By the way, I have not your address, and

it may be a fortnight or more before the _Henrietta_ is ready to

take her crew on board." He took out his tablet and wrote down the

address. "Come and see me if there is anything you want to ask me. Do

not let the clerks keep you out with the pretence that I am busy, but

send up your name to me, and tell them that I have ordered it shall

be taken up, however I may be engaged."

Having no occasion for haste, Cyril walked back to the City after

leaving Prince Rupert. A great change had taken place in his fortunes

in the last twenty-four hours. Then he had no prospects save

continuing his work in the City for another two years, and even after

that time he foresaw grave difficulties in the way of his obtaining a

commission in a foreign army; for Sir John Parton, even if ready to

carry out the promise he had formerly made him, might not have

sufficient influence to do so. Now he was to embark in Prince

Rupert's own ship. He would be the companion of many other gentlemen

going out as Volunteers, and, at a bound, spring from the position of

a writer in the City to that occupied by his father before he became

involved in the trouble between King and Parliament. He was already

admitted to Court, and Prince Rupert himself had promised to push his

fortunes abroad.

And yet he felt less elated than he would have expected from his

sudden change. The question of money was the cloud that dulled the

brightness of his prospects. As a Volunteer he would receive no pay,

and yet he must make a fair show among the young noblemen and

gentlemen who would be his companions. Doubtless they would be

victualled on board, but he would have to dress well and probably pay

a share in the expenses that would be incurred for wine and other

things on board. Had it not been for the future he would have been

inclined to regret that he had not refused the tempting offer; but

the advantages to be gained by Prince Rupert's patronage were so

large that he felt no sacrifice would be too great to that end--even

that of accepting the assistance that Captain Dave had more than once

hinted he should give him. It was just the dinner-hour when he

arrived home.

"Well, Cyril, I see by your face that the Prince has said nothing in

the direction of your wishes," Captain Dave said, as he entered.

"Then my face is a false witness, Captain Dave, for Prince Rupert has

appointed me a Volunteer on board his own ship."

"I am glad, indeed, lad, heartily glad, though your going will be a

heavy loss to us all. But why were you looking so grave over it?"

"I have been wondering whether I have acted wisely in accepting it,"

Cyril said. "I am very happy here, I am earning my living, I have no

cares of any sort, and I feel that it is a very serious matter to

make a change. The Prince has a number of noblemen and gentlemen

going with him as Volunteers, and I feel that I shall be out of my

element in such company. At the same time I have every reason to be

thankful, for Prince Rupert has promised that he will, after the war

is over, give me introductions which will procure me a commission

abroad."

"Well, then, it seems to me that things could not look better,"

Captain Dave said heartily. "When do you go on board?"

"The Prince says it may be another fortnight; so that I shall have

time to make my preparations, and warn the citizens I work for, that

I am going to leave them."

"I should say the sooner the better, lad. You will have to get your

outfit and other matters seen to. Moreover, now that you have been

taken under Prince Rupert's protection, and have become, as it were,

an officer on his ship--for gentlemen Volunteers, although they have

no duties in regard to working the ship, are yet officers--it is

hardly seemly that you should be making up the accounts of bakers and

butchers, ironmongers, and ship's storekeepers."

"The work is honest, and I am in no way ashamed of it," Cyril said;

"but as I have many things to see about, I suppose I had better give

them notice at once. Prince Rupert presented me to the King to-day,

and His Majesty requested me to attend at Court, which I should be

loath to do, were it not that the Prince urged upon me that it was of

advantage that I should make myself known."

"One would think, Master Cyril, that this honour which has suddenly

befallen you is regarded by you as a misfortune," Mrs. Dowsett said,

laughing. "Most youths would be overjoyed at such a change in their

fortune."

"It would be all very pleasant," Cyril said, "had I the income of my

father's estate at my back; but I feel that I shall be in a false

position, thus thrusting myself among men who have more guineas in

their pockets than I have pennies. However, it seems that the matter

has been taken out of my own hands, and that, as things have turned

out, so I must travel. Who would have thought, when John Wilkes

fetched me out last night to go to the fire, it would make an

alteration in my whole life, and that such a little thing as climbing

up a ladder and helping to get three girls out of a room full of

smoke--and John Wilkes did the most difficult part of the work--was

to change all my prospects?"

"There was a Providence in it, Cyril," Mrs. Dowsett said gently.

"Why, else, should you have gone up that ladder, when, to all

seeming, there was no one there. The maids were so frightened, John

says, that they would never have said a word about there being anyone

in that room, and the girls would have perished had you not gone up.

Now as, owing to that, everything has turned out according to your

wishes, it would be a sin not to take advantage of it, for you may be

sure that, as the way has thus been suddenly opened to you, so will

all other things follow in due course."

"Thank you, madam," Cyril said simply. "I had not thought of it in

that light, but assuredly you are right, and I will not suffer myself

to be daunted by the difficulties there may be in my way."

John Wilkes now came in and sat down to the meal. He was vastly

pleased when he heard of the good fortune that had befallen Cyril.

"It seems to me," Cyril said, "that I am but an impostor, and that at

least some share in the good luck ought to have fallen to you, John,

seeing that you carried them all down the ladder."

"I have carried heavier bales, many a time, much longer distances

than that--though I do not say that the woman was not a tidy weight,

for, indeed, she was; but I would have carried down ten of them for

the honour I had in being shaken by the hand by Prince Rupert, as

gallant a sailor as ever sailed a ship. No, no; what I did was all in

a day's work, and no more than lifting anchors and chains about in

the storehouse. As for honours, I want none of them. I am moored in a

snug port here, and would not leave Captain Dave if they would make a

Duke of me."

Nellie had said no word of congratulation to Cyril, but as they rose

from dinner, she said, in low tones,--

"You know I am pleased, and hope that you will have all the good

fortune you deserve."

Cyril set out at once to make a round of the shops where he worked.

The announcement that he must at once terminate his connection with

them, as he was going on board the Fleet, was everywhere received

with great regret.

"I would gladly pay double," one said, "rather than that you should

go, for, indeed, it has taken a heavy load off my shoulders, and I

know not how I shall get on in the future."

"I should think there would be no difficulty in getting some other

young clerk to do the work," Cyril said.

"Not so easy," the man replied. "I had tried one or two before, and

found they were more trouble than they were worth. There are not many

who write as neatly as you do, and you do as much in an hour as some

would take a day over. However, I wish you good luck, and if you

should come back, and take up the work again, or start as a scrivener

in the City, I can promise you that you shall have my books again,

and that among my friends I can find you as much work as you can get

through."

Something similar was said to him at each of the houses where he

called, and he felt much gratified at finding that his work had given

such satisfaction.

When he came in to supper, Cyril was conscious that something had

occurred of an unusual nature. Nellie's eyes were swollen with

crying; Mrs. Dowsett had also evidently been in tears; while Captain

Dave was walking up and down the room restlessly.

The servant was placing the things upon the table, and, just as they

were about to take their seats, the bell of the front door rang

loudly.

"See who it is, John," Captain Dave said. "Whoever it is seems to be

in a mighty hurry."

In a minute or two John returned, followed by a gentleman. The latter

paused at the door, and then said, bowing courteously, as he

advanced, to Mrs. Dowsett,--

"I must ask pardon for intruding on your meal, madam, but my business

is urgent. I am the Earl of Wisbech, and I have called to see Sir

Cyril Shenstone, to offer him my heartfelt thanks for the service he

has rendered me by saving the lives of my daughters."

All had risen to their feet as he entered, and there was a slight