When he had finished, Tony’s wife was called in, and she made her mark, and her husband signed his name, as witnesses to the signature of Robert Nicholson.

“Now, I hope I may have something to eat,” the man said, recklessly.  “I am ready to tell my story to whomsoever you like, but am not ready to be starved.”

“Give him food, Tony,” Charlie said, “and keep a sharp lookout after him.  We will go across, and show this paper to the duke.”

“I will bring the matter, at once, before the council,” the general said, when Charlie gave him the document, and briefly stated its contents.  “There is a meeting at three o’clock today.  I shall see the queen previously, and will get her to interest herself in the matter, and to urge that justice shall be done without any delay.  I will arrange that the man shall be brought before the council, at the earliest date possible.  If you will come here this evening, I may be able to tell you more.  Come at eight.  I shall be in then to dress, as I take supper at the palace, at nine.”

“I have ventured to promise the man that he shall not be hung, my lord.”

“You were safe in doing so.  The rogue deserves the pillory or branding, but, as he was almost forced into it, and was the mere instrument in the hands of another, it is not a case for hanging him.  He might be shipped off to the plantations as a rogue and a vagabond.

“What are you smiling at?”

“I was thinking, sir, that, as you said there were a good many of that class in the army, the man might have the option of enlisting given him.”

“And so of getting shot in the Netherlands, instead of getting hung at Tyburn, eh?  Well, I will see what I can do.”

At eight o’clock, they again presented themselves.  The duke looked at them critically.

“You will do,” he said.  “Put your cloaks on again, and come with me.  Where do you suppose that you are going?”

“Before the council, sir,” Harry suggested.

“Bless me, you don’t suppose that your business is so pressing, that ministers have been summoned in haste to sit upon it.  No, you are going to sup with the queen.  I told her your story this afternoon.  She was much interested in it, and when I informed her that, young as you both were, you had fought behind Charles of Sweden, in all his desperate battles, and that he had not only promoted you to the rank of captain, but that he had, under his own hand, given you a document expressing his satisfaction at your conduct and bravery, she said that I must bring you to supper at the palace.  I told her that, being soldiers, you had brought with you no clothes fit for appearance at court; but, as at little gatherings there is no ceremony, she insisted that I should bring you as you are.

“My wife Sarah went on half an hour ago, in her chair.  There will probably be two others, possibly Godolphin and Harley, but more likely some courtier and his wife.