The cause hangs upon it.

A blight on my evil luck!" he cried.

"Were Colonel Myddelton at home, I should not be fleeing from my own country empty-handed.

I shall be writing to him most of this day, but a spoken word is worth a volume of pen stuff." It was arranged at length that as soon as the dusk came three of the boys, with the stranger wearing the clothes of the fourth, should ride out, ostensibly on the return to the schoolhouse.
Thus, no suspicion would be aroused, and, once in the road, it would be simple to turn the horses' heads towards the sea and gain the harbour.
That settled, Barbara gave breakfast to her guest, and he returned to his hidingplace for the rest of the weary day with a store of candles and an armful of books and paper.
Two hours later the boys rode in, all excitement, and Barbara watched them attack the loaded breakfast-table.

Philip's friends were, of course, all devoted to this grave, sweet girl, although not bitter rivals.
"Philip dear," said Barbara swiftly, when, after breakfast, she had drawn her brother into her room and locked the door "there is in the castle at this moment a messenger from the Prince, who has come to see our father on grave business.