"That's right," said Carrbroke. "I say, though, it is interesting, isn't it? But now I've told you I can't help wondering why I did. But there, you won't go and tell King Hal that I told you his secrets, will you?" "Not very likely, is it?" said Denis, smiling, but troubled the while by an uncomfortable sensation which made him feel as if he regretted his knowledge, though at the same time he knew that he had acquired information that might be of extreme value if their masquerading were discovered, perhaps mean the saving of his King. His musings were suddenly broken off by the voice of companion. "There," he said, "let's go out of doors in the sunshine. I feel as if I had got dark passage on the brain." CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. SO DOES DENIS. It was the very next day that Denis, after his attendance upon Francis, who had gone to join Henry, was alone in the King's apartments, standing in the deep recess of a casement window, which he had flung open, and was leaning out gazing at the landscape stretching far and wide before him, and giving him a silvery glimpse here and there of the bright glittering river. He was so lost in admiration of the scene that he did not hear the door open, and was only made conscious of some one being in the room behind him by hearing a low muttering voice say: "A blind search! A blind search! What shall I do next to bring it to an end?" Denis made a sharp movement, catching the sleeve of his doublet against the copper fastening which held open the casement; and as he turned a nervous hand suddenly seized him by the shoulder in a painful grasp, for it was as if fingers of steel were pressing into his flesh. "You, Master Leoni!" he cried, as the clutch was relaxed as quickly as it came. "Yes, my boy," said the doctor; and the lad shivered slightly as the fierce fire in one of Leoni's eyes died into a pleasant smile, though the cold fixed stare in the other remained the same as of old. "I thought I was alone." "Well, boy; do you like your life here in the castle?" "Oh yes," cried Denis; "but when are we to have, Carrbroke and I, another fencing lesson?" "At any time when the King does not require my services," said Leoni, smiling. "Why, you will soon be a better swordsman than I." "Oh, sir!" cried Denis deprecatingly. "Well, say as good, my dear boy, when you know all that I can teach you." "And you will teach me all, sir?" "Of course, of course," said the doctor, laying his hand caressingly on the boy's shoulder. "You are a pupil of whom I feel proud. But tell me," he continued, as he passed his hand softly along the muscles of the lad's arm, "what about the stiffness and pain?" "All gone, sir. That salve you applied seemed to make it pass entirely away." "That is good," said the doctor, nodding his head. "But tell me, boy, was I speaking aloud when I came into the room?" "Not aloud, sir, but just so that I could hear what you said." "Ah, a bad habit! And what did I say?"