IN ENGLAND AGAIN 301

interest himself when he sees the son of his old friend than
upon the strength of a letter only.” You may imagine [
did not lose much time. But I did not start after all until
the next morning, for when the colonel talked it over with
my father he said, ‘Let Harry wait till to-morrow. I shall
be seeing the king this evening. He is always interested
in adventure, and I will tell him the whole story, and ask
him to write a few lines, saying that Harry and Carstairs
are young officers who have borne themselves bravely and
to his satisfaction. It may help with the duke, and will
show at any rate that you have both been out here and not
intriguing at St. Germains.’

“The colonel came in late in the evening with a paper,
which the king had told Count Piper to write and sign, and
had himself put his signature to it. I have got it sewn up
in my doublet with my father’s letter to Marlborough.
They are too precious to lose, but I can tell you what it is
word for word: ‘By order of King Charles XII. of Sweden.
This is to testify to all whom it may concern, that Captain
Charles Carstairs and Captain Harry Jervoise—’ ”

“Oh, Iam glad, Harry!”’ Charlie interrupted. ‘It was
horrid that I should have been a captain for the last year
and you a lieutenant. Iam glad indeed.”

“Yes, it is grand, isn’t it, and very good of the king to
do it like that. Now I will go on—‘have both served me
well and faithfully during the war, showing great valour, and
proving themselves to be brave and honourable gentlemen,
as may be seen, indeed, from the rank that they, though
young in years, have both attained, and which is due solely
to their deserts.’ What do you think of that?”

“Nothing could be better, Harry. Did you see my
father at Gottenburg?”

“Yes. The ship I sailed by went to Stockholm, and I
was lucky enough to find there another starting for England
in a few hours. She touched at Gottenburg to take in