"It's the Tyburn," my Lord explained. A thousand years ago the Tyburn was a brook, and one can trace its valley still through Tyburnia--the Mayfair district, the dip in Piccadilly, and the hollows of Green Park and St. James's Park, to where it ran into the Thames at Westminster. "The Tyburn," said my Lord, "has become a sewer, and it flows right under the Palace." "A river under my Palace!" "Yes, madam," said Browne, "we found it full of punts and little barges, with flaring torches to light them, and a score of sewer men working away like beavers." "But what were they doing?" "They were busy unloading the boxes, small chests, several tons, madam." "Chests of what?" "Dynamite, madam." "Good gracious!" "Please don't be frightened, there's nothing to fear," my Lord laughed easily. "I inspected the work, and the electrician showed me some really excellent casing and insulation. The foreman, a Mr. Briggs, had no doubt whatever that the effect would be most volcanic, and they all took quite a pride when I praised their efforts." "To blow up the Palace!" "Yes, Lord Ulster is ever thoughtful for our Lady's comfort. I proposed to send down refreshments." "Refreshments," Browne chuckled. "He threatened to empty the Palace tanks and drown them." "I'm sorry to say," continued my Lord, "that Trooper Browne was rude to Mr. Briggs. If his carbine had actually gone off--the dynamite you know--the situation needed delicate handling." "They sneaked behind Sydney and made him prisoner!" cried Browne, indignantly. "A guest," said my Lord, correcting him. "I had ventured to suggest that the explosives should be moved further down the tunnel and stacked underneath the Departments of State in Whitehall, Ulster's seat of Government. They thought he might be annoyed, and Ulster, you see, provided food for their wives and families. They offered to take me to his Grace of Ulster." "They lashed him down on the barge," said Trooper Browne. "Yes," my Lord assented; "Browne jumped down into the barge on top of me, ran his sword through Mr. Briggs, settled with the electrician, and cut me loose. The rest of the men attacked us vigorously, but it was hardly fair play, as we could not provide them with swords. Several were hurt. After Browne's jump, I had little wind for talking, but in the end we resumed the conversation just where it left off." "He'd talk a bird off a tree!" said Browne.