On the second of May, though I did not know it then, Argyle set sail for Scotland, to raise the clans for a foray across the Border. On the same day I was summoned from my quarters in the barge to take up my King's service. Late one evening, when it was almost dark night, Mr. Jermyn halted at the wharf-side to call me from my supper. “Mount behind me, Martin,” he said softly, peering down the hatch. “It's time, now.” I thought he must mean that it was time to invade England. You must remember that I knew little of the rights of the case, except that the Duke's cause was the one favoured by my father, dead such a little while before. Yet when I heard that sudden summons, it went through me with a shock that now this England was to be the scene of a bloody civil war, father fighting son, brother against brother. I would rather have been anywhere at that moment than where I was, hearing that order. Still, I had put my hand to the plough. There was no drawing back. I rose up with my eyes full of tears to say good-bye to the kind Dutch bargemen. I never saw them again. In a moment I was up the wharf, scrambling into the big double saddle behind Mr. Jermyn. Before my eyes were accustomed to the darkness we were trotting off into the night I knew not whither.
“Martin,” said Mr. Jermyn, half turning in his saddle, “talk in a low voice. There may be spies anywhere.”
“Yes, sir,” I answered, meekly. For a while after that we were silent; I was waiting for him to tell me more.
“Martin,” he said at length, “we're going to send you to England, with a message.”
“Yes, sir?” I answered.
“You understand that there's danger, boy?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Life is full of danger. But for his King a Christian man must be content to run risks. You aren't afraid, Martin?”
“No, sir,” I answered bravely. I was afraid, all the same. I doubt if any boy my age would have felt very brave, riding in the night like that, with danger of spies all about.
“That's right, Martin,” he said kindly. “That's the kind of boy I thought you.” Again we were quiet, till at last he said: