Page 166 - A Jacobite Exile

"I hope you will not have to use them, but in these disturbed times they are
necessaries."

"I have better clothes than these, sir, if you wish me to look gay."

"By no means," Charlie replied. "I am going in the character of a young
Scotchman, on my way to join a relative in business in Warsaw, and you

accompany me in the capacity of guide and servant. As I should not be in a
position to pay high wages, the more humble your appearance, the better.

We start at six in the morning. The envoy will leave the royal quarters at
that hour, and we travel with his escort. Join me a quarter of an hour before
that at my hut. You had better accompany me there now, so that you may

know the spot. I shall not require your services before we start, as my
soldier servant will saddle my horse, and have all in readiness."

Harry came to the door of the hut, as he saw his friend approaching.

"Well, Charlie, is all satisfactorily settled?

"Yes, quite satisfactorily, I think. That is my new servant. Count Piper has
appointed him. He speaks Swedish and Polish."

"That will be a great comfort to you, Charlie. Jock Armstrong, who has not
picked up ten words of Swedish since he joined, would have been worse

than useless."

"I have another piece of news, Harry, that I am in one way very glad of, and

in another sorry for. I had always hoped that we should keep together, and
that, just as we joined together, and were made lieutenants at the same time,

it would always be so."

"You have got another step?" Harry exclaimed. "I am heartily glad of it. I

thought very likely you might get it. Indeed, I was surprised that you did
not get it, at once, after our fight with the Saxons. I am sure you deserved

it, if ever a fellow did, considering what it saved us all."