“Oh yes, sir, we’ve sent for him,” said the man, “though it’s not much use, if they are all gone, sir.”

“Oh yes,” replied Wilton, “you may as well make a good search amongst the grounds and in the hedges.  It will say something for your activity, at all events.  I shall go on to Halstow, but I wish one or two of you would just show us the way, and when Arden comes up, tell him to come after me immediately.  I have a great mind to put him under arrest, and send him up to the Earl, for his bad conduct.”

The tone in which Wilton spoke, and the very idea of his arresting the arrestor of all men, and sending up the Messenger of State as a common prisoner to London, proved so impressive with the personages he addressed, that they made not the slightest opposition to his purpose of proceeding, but sent one of their number to show him the way.

Accompanied, therefore, by Lady Laura, the Duke of Berwick, and Captain Byerly, Wilton proceeded as fast as possible up the lane.  When they had gone about a hundred yards, however, he said, “Captain Churchill, will you have the kindness to give the lady your arm?  I will follow you somewhat more slowly, for I want to speak a few words to this fellow Arden.—­He must not see you, if it can be avoided,” he added, in a low tone; “and I think I hear him coming.”

It was indeed as Wilton imagined.  Arden had come round with all speed, and joined the head constable of High Halstow, demanding eagerly, “Where is Mr. Brown?”

“He is gone on,” replied the constable, “with the other gentlemen; and a mighty passion he is in, too, at you, Mr. Arden.  He vows that you left him to be murdered, and that he would have been murdered too, if it had not been for that Captain Churchill that is with him.”

“Captain Churchill!” cried the Messenger—­“Captain Churchill!  Why, Captain Churchill was sick in bed yesterday morning, to my certain knowledge!”

After a moment’s thought, however, he concluded that the person who chose to assume that name might be Lord Sherbrooke, and he asked, “What sort of a man was he?  Was he a slight young gentleman, about my height?”

“Oh bless you, no,” replied the constable.  “There wasn’t one of them that was not three or four inches taller than you.”

“Captain Churchill!” said the Messenger—­“Captain Churchill!” and he added, in a lower voice, “I’ll bet my life this is some d—–­d Jacobite, who has imposed himself upon this foolish boy for Captain Churchill.  I’ll be after them, and see.”

Thus saying, he set off at full speed after Wilton and his party, and reached them within a minute after that gentleman had dropped behind.

“Is that you, Mr. Arden?” demanded Wilton, as he came up.  “Stop a moment, I wish to speak to you.”

“And I wish to go on, and see who you’ve got there, sir,” said Arden, in a somewhat saucy tone, at the same time endeavouring to pass Wilton.