“To take care of me, and keep me from being too rash.”
“I can’t betray you and your friends,” said Frank sadly; “but I can do all that is possible to save you from a great danger.”
“And so can I you. I’m right.”
“No; I am right.”
“You think so now; but I know you will come round. In the meantime, thank you, Frank. I knew, I say, that you would be staunch; but I’ll tell you this: a word now from you would mean the breaking up of that party in the city, and, unless I could warn them in time, the seizure and perhaps death of many friends, and amongst them of one whom I love. I told him everything about you, and of our friendship, and it was he who bade me to bring you out in the Park there, so that he might see you first, and judge for himself whether he should like you to join us.”
“You mean Mr George Selby?”
“Yes, I mean Mr George Selby,” said Andrew, with a peculiar smile and emphasis on his words. “It was a very risky thing for him to come here close to the Palace with so many spies about; but throwing biscuits to the ducks was throwing dust in the people’s eyes as well.”
“Yes. I felt that it was a trick,” said Frank sadly.
“Obliged to stoop to tricks now, my lad. Well, he was delighted with you, and told me how glad he was for me to have such a friend. He says you must be of us, Frank, so that in the good times ahead you may be one of the friends of the rightful king. You’ll like Mr George Selby.”
“I hate him,” said Frank warmly, “for leading you astray, and for trying to lead me in the same evil way.”