"Osborne, where did you come across this young baronet?" enquired the first speaker. "In the ante-room of the Lord Newcastle's chamber, sir." "You lie! 'Twas the pig-sty!" cried Dick. The gentlemen laughed all at once, and the one at the head of the table the loudest, at this. "Nathless the earl's ante-chamber, my child," continued the officer. "He had been sent on from a picquet beyond the river, having given the name of Sir Richard Chester, and demanding the King or the general commanding." "I am Sir Richard Chester," said Dick again. "But," said the gentleman, "you were drowned, you know, a week since, in the Lum." "I was not," said Dick stoutly. "Yes, truly. Gregory Balston yonder attended your funeral. Did you not, Gregory?" "Upon my word I did, sir," said a young gentleman, setting down a glass and nodding gravely "I was sharing tents with Dent--Captain Dent--Captain Sir John Dent." "One of the baronets of the family," murmured another. "Precisely," said Balston, "having succeeded the interesting young gentleman who fell into the Lum. Captain Dent was on duty, so he sent his secretary, one Master Purvis, to see the body, and he asked me, as a friend, to attend upon his part." "Thank you," said the gentleman in tawny. "We quite well remember, for Sir John claimed the barony the next evening, and promised to raise a troop for the King." Dick looked on helplessly, and could only say: "I never fell in the Lum." "You fell into the quagmire, you know," said the gentleman. "And you fell into the pig-sty, you know," said the officer. "Has Newcastle seen him?" asked the gentleman. "No, sir. He was engaged." Just then another officer entered to say his lordship had asked for the messenger from Dent. "Come," said the gentleman, "we've not had a breath of Dent news yet, sir. Stay, sir, a moment. Now, my boy, say what you want to say." But Dick had gathered by now that this was not the general commanding, and, remembering Giles's advice to give his news to no one else--though rather late in the day,--he was dumb. "Speak," said the gentleman. "I will not," Dick retorted. "You think I tell lies; and you tell them about my being dead--that's a lie; and John Dent's not a baronet--that's another!" The other stood up. "Dead or alive, your manners are quite unbearable. Take him away, sirs, and I'll follow." Osborne handed him over to the new-comer, and Dick was marched off down a passage to the Earl of Newcastle's quarters, the gentleman in tawny clanking behind him. Lord Newcastle was writing at a table as they entered his room, and he rose and bowed. "If you will have the goodness to bear with my company, my lord," said the gentleman, "I should be glad to hear news of Dent." The earl handed him a chair. "Now, boy," he said, turning to Dick with some sternness, "what news of Dent?" "I am Sir Richard Chester," Dick began.