Chapter Sixteen.
The Passage that is too Secret.
“Going, Roy?” said Lady Royland to her son, as he rose from his seat in the library that night about an hour after Master Pawson had gone to his room, retiring early on the plea of a bad headache.
“Yes, mother; I’m going my rounds.”
Lady Royland sighed.
“It seems very hard on you, my boy—all this work and watching.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” said the lad, smiling; “I’ve got used to it already. It makes everything go so regularly, and I feel sure that I have done everything to make the place safe.”
“But it is hard upon the sentries, who, but for this, would be peacefully sleeping in their beds.”
“Do us all good, mother. Good-night.”
There was an affectionate embrace, and Roy went to his room, buckled on his sword, put on his helmet, threw a large cloak over his shoulders, and then went down to the guard-room door in the great lower gate-way, to be challenged at once, and forced to give the word.