“You may imagine I 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 tomorrow.  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 Saint 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 the Twelfth of Sweden.  This is to testify, to all whom it may concern, that Captain Charles Carstairs, and Captain Harry Jervoise—­’”

“Oh, I am glad, Harry!” Charlie interrupted.  “It was horrid that I should have been a captain, for the last year, and you a lieutenant.  I am 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 some cargo, and I had time to see Sir Marmaduke, who was good enough to express himself as greatly pleased that I was coming over to join you.”

“Well, Harry, I am glad, indeed.  Before we talk, let us go in and have supper, that is, if you have not already had yours.  If you have, I can wait a bit.”

“No; they told me you had ordered your supper at six, so I told them I would take mine at the same time; and, indeed, I can tell you that I am ready for it.”

After the meal, Charlie told his friend the steps he was taking to discover Nicholson.

“Do you feel sure that you would know him again, Harry?”

“Quite sure.  Why, I saw him dozens of times at Lynnwood.”

“Then we shall now be able to hunt for him separately, Harry.  Going to two or three places, of an evening, I always fear that he may come in after I have gone away.  Now one of us can wait till the hour for closing, while the other goes elsewhere.”

For another fortnight, they frequented all the places where they thought Nicholson would be most likely to show himself; then, after a consultation with their guide, they agreed that they must look for him at lower places.