"Move along," he commanded gruffly.

"Now look here----" began the lad, but Jack interrupted him.

"Come, Frank, don't be a fool," he said.

He led the way up the stairs, and Frank, still grumbling, followed. At
the top of the steps the boys were marched into a small room. The door
closed behind them and a key turned in the lock.

"Now," said Frank, turning to his friend, "what is the meaning of all
this?"

"You know just as much about it as I do," was the reply.

"But a word from Lord Hastings would have settled all this."

"But he didn't give it, did he?"

"No, he didn't; and that's what seems so strange. It looks to me as
though we are in for a peck of trouble."

"Say! you heard what Lord Hastings said about 'selling out.' Do you
think he believes us guilty of such a thing?"

"It's hard to tell what a man believes in times like these. Men have
been stood up against a wall and shot on less evidence. You remember
taking a shot at the other boat, don't you?"