154 A JACOBITE EXILE

“Yes, sir; I own that I don’t like it.”

“Nor do I, lad, and I told his majesty so; I said you
were too young for so risky a business. ‘The ren scoffed
at the idea. He said, ‘He is not much more than two
years younger than I am, and if I am old enough to com-
mand an army he is old enough to carry out this mission.
We know that he is courageous; he is cool, sharp, and intel-
ligent. Why do I choose him? Has he not saved me from
the loss of about four or five thousand men, and probabl ya
total defeat? A young fellow who can do that ought to be
able to cope with Jewish traders, and to throw dust in the
eyes of the Poles. I have chosen him for this service for
two reasons. In the first place because I know he will do
it well, and even those who consider that I am rash and
headstrong admit that I have the knack of picking out good
men. In the next place I want to reward him for the
service he has done for us. I cannot at his age make a
colonel of him, but I can give him a chance of distinguish-
ing himself in a service in which age does not count for so
much, and Count Piper knowing my wishes in the matter
will push him forward. Moreover, in such a mission as
this his youth will be an advantage, for he is very much
less likely to excite suspicion than if he were an older
man.’

“The king’s manner did not admit of argument, and I
had only to wait and ask what were his commands. These
were simply that you are to call upon his minister to-
morrow, and that you would then receive full instruc-
tions. The king means well by you, lad, and on turning
it over I think better of the plan than I did before. I
am convinced, at any rate, that you will do credit to the
king’s choice.”

“Twill do my best, sir,” Charlie said. “At present it
all seems so vague to me that I can form no idea whatever
as to what it will be like. TI am sure that the king’s inten-