He was that Lord Mordaunt whose fiery, careless courage had urged this expedition on the Prince a year ago. Fretting under the languor and idleness engendered by the beautiful late afternoon and the serene fair prospect, he proceeded to lead his companions out of the silence to which they were so obviously inclined. "Where will the Prince land, eh, my lord?" he asked of Shrewsbury. "In the south-west or the north-east?" He knew that my lord could not know what was not yet decided, but the question served to break the pause. "Why, ’tis even what they argue about," answered the Earl. "Lord Dunblaine was with His Highness yesterday, and gave as his father’s advice that we should choose the north, because ’tis so easy to obtain horses in Yorkshire——" "Or because my Lord Danby," sneered Mordaunt, "hath such a pull in that county that he hopeth to get His Highness into his hands." "The Prince is very secret," said Mr. Fletcher. "He listeneth to all and agreeth with none," answered my Lord Mordaunt. "He might be more open," complained the Earl, who of the three was most in the favour of William; but Mordaunt perhaps understood the Prince better. "Dr. Burnet is to draw up the letter to the Church," remarked Mr. Fletcher. "I ever disliked him." "He is translating the Prince his Declaration also," said the Earl discontentedly. "I do hope the Prince will not be led by such an extreme Low Churchman——" "M. Fagel wrote it," answered Mordaunt. "His Highness said the English were all such party men he would not trust them to prepare it. He is himself writing the letter to the army—you have heard? He is clever with the pen." "He may," broke out Mr. Fletcher, "trust Dr. Burnet as much as he pleaseth; but if he is to put his confidence in my Lord Danby we are as good as lost——" "Better my Lord Danby than my Lord Sunderland," interrupted Shrewsbury; "it surpriseth me that he can deal with such a knave." Lord Mordaunt gave an impatient pirouette. "Why is there all this delay—delay?" he cried, "_I_ would have sailed months ago!" Mr. Fletcher roused at that. He was innocent enough in the matter of politics to have been one of those who accompanied, with hope of success, Lord Monmouth on his fatal expedition, and to consider the Prince’s attempt as such another enterprise. "You are right," he said gloomily. "The King will get wind of it, and Dartmouth will have his ships spread all round the coast to prevent a landing." "I am sick of The Hague—sick!" exclaimed Mordaunt impetuously. "If His Highness don’t leave the cursed place soon, I’ll go without him!" Shrewsbury laughed, then Mordaunt himself good-humouredly; Mr. Fletcher stared at the slow-sailing ducks. He did not care much what happened, but he hated inaction, and began to regret the Turks who had provided it. "You have heard that Skelton hath been recalled and lodged in the Tower?" asked Mordaunt.