"
"Off, where?"
"To France, with a message to the king."
"Why, the king's in Holland! we left him there when we sailed."
"Pooh! nonsense! come along."
When Sir Robert arrived at the cave, he found an old friend anxiously
awaiting his arrival; it was Graham, who had been despatched by the
Jacobites to the court of St Germains, with intelligence of great
importance, which was the death of the young Duke of Gloucester, the
only surviving son of King William. He had, it was said, died of a
malignant fever; but if the reader will call to mind the address of one
of the Jesuits on the meeting at Cherbourg, he may have some surmises as
to the cause of the duke's decease. As this event rendered the
succession uncertain, the hopes of the Jacobites were raised to the
highest pitch: the more so as the country was in a state of anxiety and
confusion, and King William was absent at the Hague. Graham had,
therefore, been despatched to the exiled James, with the propositions
from his friends in England, and to press the necessity of an invasion
of the country. As Nancy had supposed, Sir Robert decided upon
immediately crossing over to Cherbourg, the crew were allowed a short
time to repose and refresh themselves, and once more returned to their
laborious employment; Jemmy Ducks satisfied Sir Robert that Smallbones
might be trusted and be useful, and Nancy corroborated his assertions.
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