"Yes. I hold no parley with a man who dares to call my father, King Charles's faithful servant, a rebel." "Then go back, boy, and send your mother to make the arrangement for handing over the keys of the castle," said the officer, with a smile of contempt, "for I suppose the Dame Royland is here." "Lady Royland is here, sir; and I, her son, tell you to inform your rebel general that we here recognise no authority but that of his majesty the king, and that we consider it a piece of insolent braggadocio for him to send such a demand." "Indeed!" said the officer, laughing. "Well crowed, young game-cock!" "Yes," muttered Ben; "and you mind his spurs." "Have you anything more to say?" cried Roy. "Yes; a good deal, my boy, and I will not notice your young, hot-blooded words. You have allowed your men to perform an act this morning that may mean serious consequences for you." "I do not understand your meaning, sir." "Yes, you do, boy," said the officer, sternly. "You allowed your men to fire upon a picket of our cavalry." "Of course. You allowed your cavalry, as you term them, to try and ride down six unarmed men on their way to the castle, and I gave orders for them to be stopped, and they were stopped." "I have no time to argue these things with you, sir. I have only this to say: if you give up the keys to me at once, your people can disperse unharmed to their homes, and Dame Royland and her son can depart with such personal effects as she desires, to go wherever she pleases, and an escort will be provided for her protection." "And, if she declines this offer, sir, as my father's steward of his estates and possessions?" "Your father has neither estate nor possessions now, my boy; he is a proclaimed rebel. If this kindly offer is refused, and you are both so weak and vain as to resist, the place will be battered down and left in ruins, while the sufferings and slaughter of your people will be at your door. Now, sir, briefly, what message am I to take back to the commanding officer?" "God save the king!" cried Roy, warmly. "That is no answer, sir--only the vain cry of an enthusiastic, misled boy. What am I to say to the general in chief?" "That Lady Royland will hold Royland Castle in the king's name as long as one stone stands upon another, and she has a brave following to fight." The officer raised his hand in salute, turned his horse and rode back, while Roy stood there with his heart throbbing as he watched the three figures depart, and wondered whether it was really he who had spoken, or all this scene in the deepening evening were part of a feverish dream. He was brought back to the present by the deep gruff voice of Ben. "There, sir," he said, with a look of pride at the boy in whose training he had had so large a share, "I knew you could." At the same moment Roy glanced at the corporal, who smiled and saluted him proudly. "I only wish, sir," he said, "that the colonel had been here."