"'Twas no dream, sire," replied Careless. "The circumstance actually occurred. I was awake, and heard the cries. They pierced my heart." "Why did you not answer them?" "My duty to your majesty forbade me. I would not even waken you--for I well knew what your chivalrous impulse would have suggested." "And you allowed him to be captured?--ha!" "I trust he escaped--but I cannot say. I am now right glad that I did not wake your majesty. 'Twas a hard matter to keep quiet I will frankly confess, but I could not desert my post. Duty before everything." The king smiled, and patted his shoulder. "Thou art ever faithful," he said. CHAPTER VI. HOW COLONEL JAMES HALTED BENEATH THE OAK. Nothing more passed between them for some time, and Charles seemed to be once more yielding to lethargic feelings, when he was effectually aroused by the trampling of horse. Evidently a small detachment of troopers was coming that way, and a halt took place beneath the oak. No sooner did the voice of their leader reach Careless's ears, than he remarked in a whisper to the king, "Tis Colonel James, sire." "We must not quit this forest empty-handed," said James. "Unless the knave and his wife who have care of Boscobel have deceived me, Charles Stuart is not concealed there. Neither is he at either of those houses of abomination, White Ladies, or Black Ladies. Yet I am well assured he is hereabouts, and have him I will; for what answer shall I give to the Lord General, if the head of the malignants be suffered to escape. Search, then, most carefully. Let men be posted at various points, and if any one be found in the forest--woodman or not--compel him to give an account of himself, and if he fails to do so satisfactorily, arrest him." "We did discover a youth in the forest, but being exceeding fleet of foot, he escaped us," remarked one of the soldiers. "How? escaped!" cried Colonel James, angrily. "It might have been Charles Stuart himself. Why did you not shoot him, Madmannah?" "It was not Charles Stuart, colonel," replied the soldier. "'Twas a mere stripling. We were close upon his heels when he disappeared suddenly from our sight--nor could we find him again." "Ye are not half quick enough," said Colonel James, sternly. "In which direction did the youth run?" "Towards Boscobel House, colonel," replied another of the soldiers. "But he could not have gained the house." "Ye have done your work negligently," said James, still more sternly. "The reproof is unmerited, colonel," said Madmannah. "We have shown no lack of zeal." "Find me Charles Stuart, and I will retract what I have said. But I repeat, ye have done your work imperfectly. I will have every tree in the forest searched wherein a man might be hidden, and I will begin with this oak."