"
"Captain Francis is in; for, you know, he is a captain now, having
been lately appointed to a company in the Earl of Leicester's army.
He returned an hour since, and has but now finished his meal. Do
you wish to go up with these young masters, or shall I conduct them
to him?"
"You had best do that," John Lirriper answered. "I will remain here
below if Captain Francis desires to see me or has any missive to
intrust to me."
The boys followed the servant upstairs, and were shown into a room
where Francis Vere, his cousin the Earl of Oxford, and Captain
Allen were seated at table.
"Well, lads," the earl said, "so you want to follow my cousin
Francis to the wars?"
"That is our wish, my lord, if Captain Francis will be so good as
to take us with him."
"And what will my good tutor your father say to it?" the earl asked
smiling.
"I think, my lord," Geoffrey said boldly, "that if you yourself
will tell my father you think it is for our good, he will say naught
against it."
"Oh, you want to throw the responsibility upon me, and to embroil
me with your father and Mistress Vickars as an abettor of my cousin
Francis in the kidnapping of children? Well, Francis, you had better
explain to them what their duties will be if they go with you.
"You will be my pages," Francis Vere said, "and will perform the
usual duties of pages in good families when in the field.
Pages:
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71