MARY ANERLEY

by R. D. Blackmore

1880

CHAPTER I

HEADSTRONG AND HEADLONG

Far from any house or hut, in the depth of dreary moor-land, a road, unfenced and almost unformed, descends to a rapid river. The crossing iscalled the "Seven Corpse Ford, " because a large party of farmers, ridinghomeward from Middleton, banded together and perhaps well primed throughfear of a famous highwayman, came down to this place on a foggy evening, after heavy rain-fall. One of the company set before them what the powerof the water was, but they laughed at him and spurred into it, and onealone spurred out of it. Whether taken with fright, or with too muchcourage, they laid hold of one another, and seven out of eight of them, all large farmers, and thoroughly understanding land, came never upon italive again; and their bodies, being found upon the ridge that cast themup, gave a dismal name to a place that never was merry in the best ofweather. 

However, worse things than this had happened; and the country is notchary of its living, though apt to be scared of its dead; and so theford came into use again, with a little attempt at improvement. Forthose farmers being beyond recall, and their families hard toprovide for, Richard Yordas, of Scargate Hall, the chief owner of theneighborhood, set a long heavy stone up on either brink, and stretcheda strong chain between them, not only to mark out the course of theshallow, whose shelf is askew to the channel, but also that any onebeing washed away might fetch up, and feel how to save himself. For theTees is a violent water sometimes, and the safest way to cross it is togo on till you come to a good stone bridge. 

Now forty years after that sad destruction of brave but not well-guidedmen, and thirty years after the chain was fixed, that their sons mightnot go after them, another thing happened at "Seven Corpse Ford, " worsethan the drowning of the farmers. Or, at any rate, it made more stir(which is of wider spread than sorrow), because of the eminence of theman, and the length and width of his property. Neither could any one atfirst believe in so quiet an end to so turbulent a course. Neverthelessit came to pass, as lightly as if he were a reed or a bubble of theriver that belonged to him. 

It was upon a gentle evening, a few days after Michaelmas of 1777. Noflood was in the river then, and no fog on the moor-land, only the usualcourse of time, keeping the silent company of stars. The young moon wasdown, and the hover of the sky (in doubt of various lights) was gone, and the equal spread of obscurity soothed the eyes of any reasonableman. 

But the man who rode down to the river that night had little love ofreason. Headstrong chief of a headlong race, no will must depart ahair's-breadth from his; and fifty years of arrogant port had stiffeneda neck too stiff at birth. Even now in the dim light his large squareform stood out against the sky like a cromlech, and his heavy arms swunglike gnarled boughs of oak, for a storm of wrath was moving him. Inhis youth he had rebelled against his father; and now his own son was arebel to him. 

"Good, my boy, good!" he said, within his grizzled beard, while his eyesshone with fire, like the flints beneath his horse; "you have had yourown way, have you, then? But never shall you step upon an acre ofyour own, and your timber shall be the gallows. Done, my boy, once andforever. "

Philip, the squire, the son of Richard, and father of Duncan Yordas, with fierce satisfaction struck the bosom of his heavy Bradfordriding-coat, and the crackle of parchment replied to the blow, whilewith the other hand he drew rein on the brink of the Tees slidingrapidly. 

The water was dark with the twinkle of the stars, and wide with thevapor of the valley, but Philip Yordas in the rage of triumph laughedand spurred his reflecting horse. 

"Fool!" he cried, without an oath--no Yordas ever used an oath except inplayful moments--"fool! what fear you? There hangs my respected father'schain. Ah, he was something like a man! Had I ever dared to flout himso, he would have hanged me with it. "

Wild with his wrong, he struck the rowel deep into the flank of hiswading horse, and in scorn of the depth drove him up the river. Theshoulders of the swimming horse broke the swirling water, as he pantedand snorted against it; and if Philip Yordas had drawn back at once, hemight even now have crossed safely. But the fury of his blood was up, the stronger the torrent the fiercer his will, and the fight betweenpassion and power went on. The poor horse was fain to swerve back atlast; but he struck him on the head with a carbine, and shouted to thetorrent:

"Drown me, if you can. My father used to say that I was never bornto drown. My own water drown me! That would be a little too muchinsolence. "

"Too much insolence" were his last words. The strength of the horse wasexhausted. The beat of his legs grew short and faint, the white of hiseyes rolled piteously, and the gurgle of his breath subsided. Hisheavy head dropped under water, and his sodden crest rolled over, likesea-weed where a wave breaks. The stream had him all at its mercy, andshowed no more than his savage master had, but swept him a wallowinglump away, and over the reef of the crossing. With both feet locked inthe twisted stirrups, and right arm broken at the elbow, the riderwas swung (like the mast of a wreck) and flung with his head upon hisfather's chain. There he was held by his great square chin--for thejar of his backbone stunned him--and the weight of the swept-away horsebroke the neck which never had been known to bend. In the morning apeasant found him there, not drowned but hanged, with eyes wide open, aswaying corpse upon a creaking chain. So his father (though long in thegrave) was his death, as he often had promised to be to him; while he(with the habit of his race) clutched fast with dead hand on dead bosomthe instrument securing the starvation of his son. 

Of the Yordas family truly was it said that the will of God was nothingto their will--as long as the latter lasted--and that every man of themscorned all Testament, old or new, except his own. 

CHAPTER II

SCARGATE HALL

Nearly twenty-four years had passed since Philip Yordas was carried tohis last (as well as his first) repose, and Scargate Hall had enjoyedsome rest from the turbulence of owners. For as soon as Duncan (Philip'sson, whose marriage had maddened his father) was clearly apprised by thelate squire's lawyer of his disinheritance, he collected his own littlemoney and his wife's, and set sail for India. His mother, a Scotchwomanof good birth but evil fortunes, had left him something; and hisbride (the daughter of his father's greatest foe) was not altogetherempty-handed. His sisters were forbidden by the will to help him witha single penny; and Philippa, the elder, declaring and believing thatDuncan had killed her father, strictly obeyed the injunction. But Eliza, being of a softer kind, and herself then in love with Captain Carnaby, would gladly have aided her only brother, but for his stern refusal. Insuch a case, a more gentle nature than ever endowed a Yordas mighthave grown hardened and bitter; and Duncan, being of true Yordas fibre(thickened and toughened with slower Scotch sap), was not of the sort tobe ousted lightly and grow at the feet of his supplanters. 

Therefore he cast himself on the winds, in search of fairer soil, andwas not heard of in his native land; and Scargate Hall and estates wereheld by the sisters in joint tenancy, with remainder to the first sonborn of whichever it might be of them. And this was so worded throughthe hurry of their father to get some one established in the place ofhis own son. 

But from paltry passions, turn away a little while to the things whichexcite, but are not excited by them. 

Scargate Hall stands, high and old, in the wildest and most rugged partof the wild and rough North Riding. Many are the tales about it, in thefew and humble cots, scattered in the modest distance, mainly to look upat it. In spring and summer, of the years that have any, the height andthe air are not only fine, but even fair and pleasant. So do the shadowsand the sunshine wander, elbowing into one another on the moor, andso does the glance of smiling foliage soothe the austerity of crag andscaur. At such time, also, the restless torrent (whose fury has drivencontent away through many a short day and long night) is not in suchdesperate hurry to bury its troubles in the breast of Tees, but spreadsthem in language that sparkles to the sun, or even makes leisure toturn into corners of deep brown-study about the people on itsbanks--especially, perhaps, the miller. 

But never had this impetuous water more reason to stop and reflect uponpeople of greater importance, who called it their own, than now when itwas at the lowest of itself, in August of the year 1801. 

From time beyond date the race of Yordas had owned and inhabited thisold place. From them the river, and the river's valley, and the mountainof its birth, took name, or else, perhaps, gave name to them; forthe history of the giant Yordas still remains to be written, and thematerials are scanty. His present descendants did not care an old songfor his memory, even if he ever had existence to produce it. Piety(whether in the Latin sense or English) never had marked them for herown; their days were long in the land, through a long inactivity of theDecalogue. 

And yet in some manner this lawless race had been as a law to itselfthroughout. From age to age came certain gifts and certain ways ofmanagement, which saved the family life from falling out of rankand land and lot. From deadly feuds, exhausting suits, and ruinousprofusion, when all appeared lost, there had always arisen a man ofdirect lineal stock to retrieve the estates and reprieve the name. Andwhat is still more conducive to the longevity of families, no memberhad appeared as yet of a power too large and an aim too lofty, whoseeminence must be cut short with axe, outlawry, and attainder. Thereforethere ever had been a Yordas, good or bad (and by his own showing moreoften of the latter kind), to stand before heaven, and hold the land, and harass them that dwelt thereon. But now at last the world seemed tobe threatened with the extinction of a fine old name. 

When Squire Philip died in the river, as above recorded, his death, fromone point of view, was dry, since nobody shed a tear for him, unless itwas his child Eliza. Still, he was missed and lamented in speech, andeven in eloquent speeches, having been a very strong Justice of thePeace, as well as the foremost of riotous gentlemen keeping the order ofthe county. He stood above them in his firm resolve to have his own wayalways, and his way was so crooked that the difficulty was to get out ofit and let him have it. And when he was dead, it was either too goodor too bad to believe in; and even after he was buried it was held thatthis might be only another of his tricks. 

But after his ghost had been seen repeatedly, sitting on the chain andswearing, it began to be known that he was gone indeed, and the reliefafforded by his absence endeared him to sad memory. Moreover, hisgood successors enhanced the relish of scandal about him by seemingthemselves to be always so dry, distant, and unimpeachable. Especiallyso did "My Lady Philippa, " as the elder daughter was called by all thetenants and dependents, though the family now held no title of honor. 

Mistress Yordas, as she was more correctly styled by usage of theperiod, was a maiden lady of fine presence, uncumbered as yet byweight of years, and only dignified thereby. Stately, and straight, andsubstantial of figure, firm but not coarse of feature, she had reachedher forty-fifth year without an ailment or a wrinkle. Her eyes weresteadfast, clear, and bright, well able to second her distinct calmvoice, and handsome still, though their deep blue had waned into aquiet, impenetrable gray; while her broad clear forehead, straight nose, and red lips might well be considered as comely as ever, at least bythose who loved her. Of these, however, there were not many; and she wascontent to have it so. 

Mrs. Carnaby, the younger sister, would not have been content to haveit so. Though not of the weak lot which is enfeoffed to popularity, sheliked to be regarded kindly, and would rather win a smile than exact acourtesy. Continually it was said of her that she was no genuine Yordas, though really she had all the pride and all the stubbornness of thatrace, enlarged, perhaps, but little weakened, by severe afflictions. This lady had lost a beloved husband, Colonel Carnaby, killed in battle;and after that four children of the five she had been so proud of. Andthe waters of affliction had not turned to bitterness in her soul. 

Concerning the outward part--which matters more than the inward at firsthand--Mrs. Carnaby had no reason to complain of fortune. She had startedwell as a very fine baby, and grown up well into a lovely maiden, passing through wedlock into a sightly matron, gentle, fair, and showingreason. For generations it had come to pass that those of the Yordasrace who deserved to be cut off for their doings out-of-doors werefollowed by ladies of decorum, self-restraint, and regard for theirneighbor's landmark. And so it was now with these two ladies, thehandsome Philippa and the fair Eliza leading a peaceful and reputablelife, and carefully studying their rent-roll. 

It was not, however, in the fitness of things that quiet should reignat Scargate Hall for a quarter of a century; and one strong element ofdisturbance grew already manifest. Under the will of Squire Philip theheir-apparent was the one surviving child of Mrs. Carnaby. 

If ever a mortal life was saved by dint of sleepless care, warmcoddling, and perpetual doctoring, it was the precious life of MasterLancelot Yordas Carnaby. In him all the mischief of his race revived, without the strong substance to carry it off. Though his parents werehealthy and vigorous, he was of weakly constitution, which would nothave been half so dangerous to him if his mind also had been weakly. But his mind (or at any rate that rudiment thereof which appears in theshape of self-will even before the teeth appear) was a piece of muscularcontortion, tough as oak and hard as iron. "Pet" was his name with hismother and his aunt; and his enemies (being the rest of mankind) saidthat pet was his name and his nature. 

For this dear child could brook no denial, no slow submission to hiswishes; whatever he wanted must come in a moment, punctual as anecho. In him re-appeared not the stubbornness only, but also the keeningenuity of Yordas in finding out the very thing that never should bedone, and then the unerring perception of the way in which it could bedone most noxiously. Yet any one looking at his eyes would think howtender and bright must his nature be! "He favoreth his forebears; howcan he help it?" kind people exclaimed, when they knew him. And theservants of the house excused themselves when condemned for putting upwith him, "Yo know not what 'a is, yo that talk so. He maun get 's owngait, lestwise yo wud chok' un. "

Being too valuable to be choked, he got his own way always. 

CHAPTER III

A DISAPPOINTING APPOINTMENT

For the sake of Pet Carnaby and of themselves, the ladies of the housewere disquieted now, in the first summer weather of a wet cold year, theyear of our Lord 1801. And their trouble arose as follows:

There had long been a question between the sisters and Sir WalterCarnaby, brother of the late colonel, about an exchange of outlyingland, which would have to be ratified by "Pet" hereafter. Termsbeing settled and agreement signed, the lawyers fell to at the linkedsweetness of deducing title. The abstract of the Yordas title was nearlyas big as the parish Bible, so in and out had their dealings been, andso intricate their pugnacity. 

Among the many other of the Yordas freaks was a fatuous and generallyfatal one. For the slightest miscarriage they discharged their lawyer, and leaped into the office of a new one. Has any man moved in theaffairs of men, with a grain of common-sense or half a pennyweight ofexperience, without being taught that an old tenter-hook sits easier tohim than a new one? And not only that, but in shifting his quarters hemay leave some truly fundamental thing behind. 

Old Mr. Jellicorse, of Middleton in Teesdale, had won golden opinionsevery where. He was an uncommonly honest lawyer, highly incapable ofalmost any trick, and lofty in his view of things, when his side of themwas the legal one. He had a large collection of those interesting boxeswhich are to a lawyer and his family better than caskets of silverand gold; and especially were his shelves furnished with what might becalled the library of the Scargate title-deeds. He had been proud totake charge of these nearly thirty years ago, and had married on thestrength of them, though warned by the rival from whom they were wrestedthat he must not hope to keep them long. However, through the peacefulincumbency of ladies, they remained in his office all those years. 

This was the gentleman who had drawn and legally sped to its purport thewill of the lamented Squire Philip, who refused very clearly to leaveit, and took horse to flourish it at his rebellious son. Mr. Jellicorsehad done the utmost, as behooved him, against that rancorous testament;but meeting with silence more savage than words, and a bow to depart, he had yielded; and the squire stamped about the room until his job wasfinished. 

A fact accomplished, whether good or bad, improves in character withevery revolution of this little world around the sun, that heavenlyexample of subservience. And now Mr. Jellicorse was well convinced, asnothing had occurred to disturb that will, and the life of the testatorhad been sacrificed to it, and the devisees under it were his own goodclients, and some of his finest turns of words were in it, and thepreparation, execution, and attestation, in an hour and ten minutesof the office clock, had never been equalled in Yorkshire before, andperhaps never honestly in London--taking all these things into consciousor unconscious balance, Mr. Jellicorse grew into the clear convictionthat "righteous and wise" were the words to be used whenever this willwas spoken of. 

With pleasant remembrance of the starveling fees wherewith he used tocharge the public, ere ever his golden spurs were won, the prosperouslawyer now began to run his eye through a duplicate of an abstractfurnished upon some little sale about forty years before. This wouldform the basis of the abstract now to be furnished to Sir WalterCarnaby, with little to be added but the will of Philip Yordas, andstatement of facts to be verified. Mr. Jellicorse was fat, but veryactive still; he liked good living, but he liked to earn it, and couldnot sit down to his dinner without feeling that he had helped the Lordto provide these mercies. He carried a pencil on his chain, and liked touse it ere ever he began with knife and fork. For the young men in theoffice, as he always said, knew nothing. 

The day was very bright and clear, and the sun shone through softlilac leaves on more important folios, while Mr. Jellicorse, with happysniffs--for his dinner was roasting in the distance--drew a single linehere, or a double line there, or a gable on the margin of the paper, toshow his head clerk what to cite, and in what letters, and what to omit, in the abstract to be rendered. For the good solicitor had spent sometime in the chambers of a famous conveyancer in London, and pridedhimself upon deducing title, directly, exhaustively, and yet tersely, inone word, scientifically, and not as the mere quill-driver. The titleto the hereditaments, now to be given in exchange, went back for manygenerations; but as the deeds were not to pass, Mr. Jellicorse, like anhonest man, drew a line across, and made a star at one quite old enoughto begin with, in which the little moorland farm in treaty now wasspecified. With hum and ha of satisfaction he came down the records, as far as the settlement made upon the marriage of Richard Yordas, ofScargate Hall, Esquire, and Eleanor, the daughter of Sir Fursan de Roos. This document created no entail, for strict settlements had never beenthe manner of the race; but the property assured in trust, to satisfythe jointure, was then declared subject to joint and surviving powers ofappointment limited to the issue of the marriage, with remainder to theuses of the will of the aforesaid Richard Yordas, or, failing such will, to his right heirs forever. 

All this was usual enough, and Mr. Jellicorse heeded it little, having never heard of any appointment, and knowing that Richard, thegrandfather of his clients, had died, as became a true Yordas, in afit of fury with a poor tenant, intestate, as well as unrepentant. The lawyer, being a slightly pious man, afforded a little sigh to thisremembrance, and lifted his finger to turn the leaf, but the leaf stucka moment, and the paper being raised at the very best angle to thesun, he saw, or seemed to see, a faint red line, just over against thatappointment clause. And then the yellow margin showed some faint redmarks. 

"Well, I never, " Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed--"certainly never saw thesemarks before. Diana, where are my glasses?"

Mrs. Jellicorse had been to see the potatoes on (for the new cook simplymade "kettlefuls of fish" of every thing put upon the fire), and now ather husband's call she went to her work-box for his spectacles, whichhe was not allowed to wear except on Sundays, for fear of injuring hiseyesight. Equipped with these, and drawing nearer to the window, thelawyer gradually made out this: first a broad faint line of red, as ifsome attorney, now a ghost, had cut his finger, and over against that insmall round hand the letters "v. B. C. " Mr. Jellicorse could swear thatthey were "v. B. C. "

"Don't ask me to eat any dinner to-day, " he exclaimed, when his wifecame to fetch him. "Diana, I am occupied; go and eat it up without me. "

"Nonsense, James, " she answered, calmly; "you never get any cleverthoughts by starving. "

Moved by this reasoning, he submitted, fed his wife and children andown good self, and then brought up a bottle of old Spanish wine tostrengthen the founts of discovery. Whose writing was that upon thebroad marge of verbosity? Why had it never been observed before? Aboveall, what was meant by "v. B. C. "?

Unaided, he might have gone on forever, to the bottom of a butt of Xereswine; but finding the second glass better than the first, he called toMrs. Jellicorse, who was in the garden gathering striped roses, to comeand have a sip with him, and taste the yellow cherries. And when shecame promptly, with the flowers in her hand, and their youngest littledaughter making sly eyes at the fruit, bothered as he was, he could nothelp smiling and saying, "Oh, Diana, what is 'v. B. C. '?"

"Very black currants, papa!" cried Emily, dancing a long bunch in theair. 

"Hush, dear child, you are getting too forward, " said her mother, thoughproud of her quickness. "James, how should I know what 'v. B. C. ' is?But I wish most heartily that you would rid me of my old enemy, box C. I want to put a hanging press in that corner, instead of which you turnthe very passages into office. "

"Box C? I remember no box C. "

"You may not have noticed the letter C upon it, but the box you mustknow as well as I do. It belongs to those proud Yordas people, who holdtheir heads so high, forsooth, as if nobody but themselves belonged to agood old county family! That makes me hate the box the more. "

"I will take it out of your way at once. I may want it. It shouldbe with the others. I know it as well as I know my snuff-box. It wasAberthaw who put it in that corner; but I had forgotten that it waslettered. The others are all numbered. "

Of course Mr. Jellicorse was not weak enough to make the partner of hisbosom the partner of his business; and much as she longed to know whyhe had put an unusual question to her, she trusted to the future fordiscovery of that point. She left him, and he with no undue haste--forthe business, after all, was not his own--began to follow out his trainof thought, in manner much as follows:

"This is that old Duncombe's writing--'Dunder-headed Duncombe, ' as heused to be called in his lifetime, but 'Long-headed Duncombe' afterward. None but his wife knew whether he was a wise man, or a wiseacre. Perhapseither, according to the treatment he received. Richard Yordas treatedhim badly; that may have made him wiser. V. B. C. Means 'vide box C, 'unless I am greatly mistaken. He wrote those letters as plainly andclearly as he could against this power of appointment as recited here. But afterward, with knife and pounce, he scraped them out, as nowbecomes plain with this magnifying-glass; probably he did so when allthese archives, as he used to call them, were rudely ordered over to mypredecessor. A nice bit of revenge, if my suspicions are correct; and apretty confusion will follow it. "

The lawyer's suspicions proved too correct. He took that box to hisprivate room, and with some trouble unlocked it. A damp and musty smellcame forth, as when a man delves a potato-bury; and then appeared layersof parchment yellow and brown, in and out with one another, according tothe curing of the sheep-skin, perhaps, or the age of the sheep whenhe began to die; skins much older than any man's who handled them, anddrier than the brains of any lawyer. 

"Anno Jacobi tertio, and Quadragesimo Elisabethae! How nice it sounds!"Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed; "they ought all to go in, and be charged for. People to be satisfied with sixty years' title! Why, bless the Lord, I am sixty-eight myself, and could buy and sell the grammar school ateight years old. It is no security, no security at all. What did thelearned Bacupiston say--'If a rogue only lives to be a hundred andeleven, he may have been for ninety years disseized, and nobody alive toknow it!'"

Older and older grew the documents as the lawyer's hand travelleddownward; any flaw or failure must have been healed by lapse of timelong and long ago; dust and grime and mildew thickened, ink becamepaler, and contractions more contorted; it was rather an antiquary'sbusiness now than a lawyer's to decipher them. 

"What a fool I am!" the solicitor thought. "My cuffs will never washwhite again, and all I have found is a mare's-nest. However, I'll go tothe bottom now. There may be a gold seal--they used to put them in withthe deeds three hundred years ago. A charter of Edward the Fourth, Ideclare! Ah, the Yordases were Yorkists--halloa! what is here? By theTouchstone of Shepherd, I was right after all! Well done, Long-headedDuncombe!"

From the very bottom of the box he took a parchment comparatively freshand new, indorsed "Appointment by Richard Yordas, Esquire, and Eleanorhis wife, of lands and heredits at Scargate and elsewhere in the countyof York, dated Nov. 15th, A. D. 1751. " Having glanced at the signaturesand seals, Mr. Jellicorse spread the document, which was of moderatecompass, and soon convinced himself that his work of the morning hadbeen wholly thrown away. No title could be shown to Whitestone Farm, noreven to Scargate Hall itself, on the part of the present owners. 

The appointment was by deed-poll, and strictly in accordance with thepowers of the settlement. Duly executed and attested, clearly thoughclumsily expressed, and beyond all question genuine, it simply nullified(as concerned the better half of the property) the will which had costPhilip Yordas his life. For under this limitation Philip held a merelife-interest, his father and mother giving all men to know by thosepresents that they did thereby from and after the decease of their saidson Philip grant limit and appoint &c. All and singular the said lands&c. To the heirs of his body lawfully begotten &c. &c. In tail general, with remainder over, and final remainder to the right heirs of the saidRichard Yordas forever. From all which it followed that while DuncanYordas, or child, or other descendant of his, remained in the landof the living, or even without that if he having learned it had beenenabled to bar the entail and then sell or devise the lands away, theladies in possession could show no title, except a possessory one, asyet unhallowed by the lapse of time. 

Mr. Jellicorse was a very pleasant-looking man, also one who took apleasant view of other men and things; but he could not help pulling along and sad face as he thought of the puzzle before him. Duncan Yordashad not been heard of among his own hills and valleys since 1778, whenhe embarked for India. None of the family ever had cared to write orread long letters, their correspondence (if any) was short, withoutbeing sweet by any means. It might be a subject for prayer and hope thatDuncan should be gone to a better world, without leaving hostages tofortune here; but sad it is to say that neither prayer nor hope producesany faith in the counsel who prepares "requisitions upon title. "

On the other hand, inquiry as to Duncan's history since he left hisnative land would be a delicate and expensive work, and perhaps evendangerous, if he should hear of it, and inquire about the inquirers. Forthe last thing to be done from a legal point of view--though thefirst of all from a just one--was to apprise the rightful owner of hisunexpected position. Now Mr. Jellicorse was a just man; but his justicewas due to his clients first. 

After a long brown-study he reaped his crop of meditation thus: "It is aticklish job; and I will sleep three nights upon it. "

CHAPTER IV

DISQUIETUDE

The ladies of Scargate Hall were uneasy, although the weather was sofine, upon this day of early August, in the year now current. It was aremarkable fact, that in spite of the distance they slept asunder, whichcould not be less than five-and-thirty yards, both had been visited bya dream, which appeared to be quite the same dream until examinednarrowly, and being examined, grew more surprising in its points ofdifference. They were much above paying any heed to dreams, thoughinstructed by the patriarchs to do so; and they seemed to be quitegetting over the effects, when the lesson and the punishment astonishedthem. 

Lately it had been established (although many leading people wentagainst it, and threatened to prosecute the man for trespass) that herein these quiet and reputable places, where no spy could be needed, a manshould come twice every week with letters, and in the name of theking be paid for them. Such things were required in towns, perhaps, ascorporations and gutters were; but to bring them where people could mindtheir own business, and charge them two groats for some fool who knewtheir names, was like putting a tax upon their christening. So it wasthe hope of many, as well as every one's belief, that the postman, beingof Lancastrian race, would very soon be bogged, or famished, or get lostin a fog, or swept off by a flood, or go and break his own neck from aprecipice. 

The postman, however, was a wiry fellow, and as tough as any native, andhe rode a pony even tougher than himself, whose cradle was a marsh, andwhose mother a mountain, his first breath a fog, and his weaning meatwire-grass, and his form a combination of sole-leather and corundum. Hewore no shoes for fear of not making sparks at night, to know the roadby, and although his bit had been a blacksmith's rasp, he would yieldto it only when it suited him. The postman, whose name was George King(which confounded him with King George, in the money to pay), carried asword and blunderbuss, and would use them sooner than argue. 

Now this man and horse had come slowly along, without meaning anymischief, to deliver a large sealed packet, with sixteen pence to payput upon it, "to Mistress Philippa Yordas, etc. , her own hands, andspeed, speed, speed;" which they carried out duly by stop, stop, stop, whensoever they were hungry, or saw any thing to look at. None the lessfor that, though with certainty much later, they arrived in good trim, by the middle of the day, and ready for the comfort which they bothdeserved. 

As yet it was not considered safe to trust any tidings of importance tothe post in such a world as this was; and even were it safe, it would bebad manners from a man of business. Therefore Mr. Jellicorse had sealedup little, except his respectful consideration and request to be allowedto wait upon his honored clients, concerning a matter of great moment, upon the afternoon of Thursday then next ensuing. And the post had goneso far, to give good distance for the money, that the Thursday of thefuture came to be that very day. 

The present century opened with a chilly and dark year, following threebad seasons of severity and scarcity. And in the northwest of Yorkshire, though the summer was now so far advanced, there had been very littlesunshine. For the last day or two, the sun had labored to sweep up themist and cloud, and was beginning to prevail so far that the mists drewtheir skirts up and retired into haze, while the clouds fell away to thering of the sky, and there lay down to abide their time. Wherefore ithappened that "Yordas House" (as the ancient building was in old timecalled) had a clearer view than usual of the valley, and the riverthat ran away, and the road that tried to run up to it. Now thiswas considered a wonderful road, and in fair truth it was wonderful, withstanding all efforts of even the Royal Mail pony to knock it topieces. In its rapidity down hill it surpassed altogether the river, which galloped along by the side of it, and it stood out so boldly withstones of no shame that even by moonlight nobody could lose it, untilit abruptly lost itself. But it never did that, until the house it camefrom was two miles away, and no other to be seen; and so why should itgo any further?

At the head of this road stood the old gray house, facing toward thesouth of east, to claim whatever might come up the valley, sun, orstorm, or columned fog. In the days of the past it had claimed muchmore--goods, and cattle, and tribute of the traffic going northward--asthe loop-holed quadrangle for impounded stock, and the deeply embrasuredtower, showed. At the back of the house rose a mountain spine, blockingout the westering sun, but cut with one deep portal where a pass raninto Westmoreland--the scaur-gate whence the house was named; andthrough this gate of mountain often, when the day was waning, a bar ofslanting sunset entered, like a plume of golden dust, and hovered on abroad black patch of weather-beaten fir-trees. The day was waning now, and every steep ascent looked steeper, while down the valley light andshade made longer cast of shuttle, and the margin of the west began toglow with a deep wine-color, as the sun came down--the tinge of manymountains and the distant sea--until the sun himself settled quietlyinto it, and there grew richer and more ripe (as old bottled wine is fedby the crust), and bowed his rubicund farewell, through the postern ofthe scaur-gate, to the old Hall, and the valley, and the face of Mr. Jellicorse. 

That gentleman's countenance did not, however, reply with its usualbrightness to the mellow salute of evening. Wearied and shaken by thelong, rough ride, and depressed by the heavy solitude, he hated andalmost feared the task which every step brought nearer. As the houserose higher and higher against the red sky, and grew darker, and as thesullen roar of blood-hounds (terrors of the neighborhood) roused theslow echoes of the crags, the lawyer was almost fain to turn his horse'shead, and face the risks of wandering over the moor by night. But thehoisting of a flag, the well-known token (confirmed by large letterson a rock) that strangers might safely approach, inasmuch as the savagedogs were kennelled--this, and the thought of such an entry for hisday-book, kept Mr. Jellicorse from ignominious flight. He was in for itnow, and must carry it through. 

In a deep embayed window of leaded glass Mistress Yordas and her widowedsister sat for an hour, without many words, watching the zigzag of shaleand rock which formed their chief communication with the peopled world. They did not care to improve their access, or increase their traffic;not through cold morosity, or even proud indifference, but because theyhad been so brought up, and so confirmed by circumstance. For the Yordasblood, however hot and wild and savage in the gentlemen, was generallycalm and good, though steadfast, in the weaker vessels. For the mainpart, however, a family takes it character more from the sword than thespindle; and their sword hand had been like Esau's. 

Little as they meddled with the doings of the world, of one thing atleast these stately Madams--as the baffled squires of the Riding calledthem--were by no means heedless. They dressed themselves according totheir rank, or perhaps above it. Many a nobleman's wife in Yorkshirehad not such apparel; and even of those so richly gifted, few could havecome up to the purpose better. Nobody, unless of their own sex, thoughtof their dresses when looking at them. 

"He rides very badly, " Philippa said; "the people from the lowlandsalways do. He may not have courage to go home tonight. But he ought tohave thought of that before. "

"Poor man! We must offer him a bed, of course, " Mrs. Carnaby answered;"but he should have come earlier in the day. What shall we do with him, when he has done his business?"

"It is not our place to amuse our lawyer. He might go and smoke in theJustice-room, and then Welldrum could play bagatelle with him. "

"Philippa, you forget that the Jellicorses are of a good old countystock. His wife is a stupid, pretentious thing; but we need not treathim as we must treat her. And it may be as well to make much of him, perhaps, if there really is any trouble coming. "

"You are thinking of Pet. By-the-bye, are you certain that Pet can notget at Saracen? You know how he let him loose last Easter, when the flagwas flying, and the poor man has been in his bed ever since. "

"Jordas will see to that. He can be trusted to mind the dogs well, ever since you fined him in a fortnight's wages. That was an excellentthought of yours. "

Jordas might have been called the keeper, or the hind, or the henchman, or the ranger, or the porter, or the bailiff, or the reeve, or someother of some fifty names of office, in a place of more civilization, somany and so various were his tasks. But here his professional name wasthe "dogman;" and he held that office according to an ancient custom ofthe Scargate race, whence also his surname (if such it were) arose. Forof old time and in outlandish parts a finer humanity prevailed, and aricher practical wisdom upon certain questions. Irregular offsets of thestock, instead of being cast upon the world as waifs and strays, wereallowed a place in the kitchen-garden or stable-yard, and flourishedthere without disgrace, while useful and obedient. Thus for generationshere the legitimate son was Yordas, and took the house and manors; theillegitimate became Jordas, and took to the gate, and the minding of thedogs, and any other office of fidelity. 

The present Jordas was, however, of less immediate kin to the owners, being only the son of a former Jordas, and in the enjoyment of aChristian name, which never was provided for a first-hand Jordas; andnow as his mistress looked out on the terrace, his burly figure cameduly forth, and his keen eyes ranged the walks and courts, in search ofMaster Lancelot, who gave him more trouble in a day, sometimes, than allthe dogs cost in a twelvemonth. With a fine sense of mischief, thisboy delighted to watch the road for visitors, and then (if barbarouslydenied his proper enjoyment and that of the dogs) he still had goodlydevices of his own for producing little tragedies. 

Mr. Jellicorse knew Jordas well, and felt some pity for him, because, ifhis grandmother had been wiser, he might have been the master now; andthe lawyer, having much good feeling, liked not to make a groom of him. Jordas, however, knew his place, and touched his hat respectfully, thenhelped the solicitor to dismount, the which was sorely needed. 

"You came not by the way of the ford, Sir?" the dogman asked, whileconsidering the leathers. "The water is down; you might have saved threemiles. "

"Better lose thirty than my life. Will any of your men, Master Jordas, show me a room, where I may prepare to wait upon your ladies?"

Mr. Jellicorse walked through the old arched gate of the reever's court, and was shown to a room, where he unpacked his valise, and changed hisriding clothes, and refreshed himself. A jug of Scargate ale was broughtto him, and a bottle of foreign wine, with the cork drawn, lesthe should hesitate; also a cold pie, bread and butter, and a smallcase-bottle of some liqueur. He was not hungry, for his wife had caredto victual him well for the journey; but for fear of offense he ate amorsel, found it good, and ate some more. Then after a sip or two of theliqueur, and a glance or two at his black silk stockings, buckled shoes, and best small-clothes, he felt himself fit to go before a duchess, asonce upon a time he had actually done, and expressed himself very wellindeed, according to the dialogue delivered whenever he told the storyabout it every day. 

Welldrum, the butler, was waiting for him--a man who had his own ideas, and was going to be put upon by nobody. "If my father could only cometo life for one minute, he would spend it in kicking that man, " Mrs. Carnaby had exclaimed, about him, after carefully shutting the door; buthe never showed airs before Miss Yordas. 

"Come along, Sir, " Welldrum said, after one professional glance at thetray, to ascertain his residue. "My ladies have been waiting this halfhour; and for sure, Sir, you looks wonderful! This way, Sir, and have acare of them oak fagots. My ladies, Lawyer Jellicorse!"

CHAPTER V

DECISION

The sun was well down and away behind the great fell at the back of thehouse, and the large and heavily furnished room was feebly lit by fourwax candles, and the glow of the west reflected as a gleam into easternwindows. The lawyer was pleased to have it so, and to speak with adimly lighted face. The ladies looked beautiful; that was all thatMr. Jellicorse could say, when cross-examined by his wife next dayconcerning their lace and velvet. Whether they wore lace or net wasalmost more than he could say, for he did not heed such trifles; butvelvet was within his knowledge (though not the color or the shape), because he thought it hot for summer, until he remembered what theclimate was. Really he could say nothing more, except that they lookedbeautiful; and when Mrs. Jellicorse jerked her head, he said that heonly meant, of course, considering their time of life. 

The ladies saw his admiration, and felt that it was but natural. Mrs. Carnaby came forward kindly, and offered him a nice warm hand; while theelder sister was content to bow, and thank him for coming, and hope thathe was well. As yet it had not become proper for a gentleman, visitingladies, to yawn, and throw himself into the nearest chair, and crosshis legs, and dance one foot, and ask how much the toy-terrier cost. Mr. Jellicorse made a fine series of bows, not without a scrape or two, which showed his goodly calf; and after that he waited for the graciousinvitation to sit down. 

"If I understood your letter clearly, " Mistress Yordas began, when theselittle rites were duly accomplished, "you have something importantto tell us concerning our poor property here. A small property, Mr. Jellicorse, compared with that of the Duke of Lunedale, but perhaps alittle longer in one family. "

"The duke is a new-fangled interloper, " replied hypocritical Jellicorse, though no other duke was the husband of the duchess of whom he inditeddaily; "properties of that sort come and go, and only tradesmen noticeit. Your estates have been longer in the seisin of one family, madam, than any other in the Riding, or perhaps in Yorkshire. "

"We never seized them!" cried Mrs. Carnaby, being sensitive as toancestral thefts, through tales about cattle-lifting. "You must be awarethat they came to us by grant from the Crown, or even before there wasany Crown to grant them. "

"I beg your pardon for using a technical word, without explaining it. Seisin is a legal word, which simply means possession, or ratherthe bodily holding of a thing, and is used especially of corporealhereditaments. You ladies have seisin of this house and lands, althoughyou never seized them. "

"The last thing we would think of doing, " answered Mrs. Carnaby, who wasmore impulsive than her sister, also less straightforward. "How oftenwe have wished that our poor lost brother had not been deprived of them!But our father's will was sacred, and you told us we were helpless. Westruggled, as you know; but we could do nothing. "

"That is the question which brought me here, " the lawyer said, veryquietly, at the same time producing a small roll of parchment sealed incartridge paper. "Last week I discovered a document which I am forcedto submit to your judgment. Shall I read it to you, or tell its purportbriefly?"

"Whatever it may be, it can not in any way alter our conclusions. Ourconclusions have never varied, however deeply they may have grieved us. We were bound to do justice to our dear father. "

"Certainly, madam; and you did it. Also, as I know, you did it as kindlyas possible toward other relatives, and you only met with perversity. I had the honor of preparing your respected father's will, a model ofclearness and precision, considering--considering the time afforded, and other disturbing influences. I know for a fact that a copy was laidbefore the finest draftsman in London, by--by those who were displeasedwith it, and his words were: 'Beautiful! beautiful! Every word of itholds water. ' Now that, madam, can not be said of many; indeed, of notone in--"

"Pardon, me for interrupting you, but I have always understood you tospeak highly of it. And in such a case, what can be the matter?"

"The matter of all matters, madam, is that the testator should havedisposing power. "

"He could dispose of his own property as he was disposed, you mean. "

"You misapprehend me. " Mr. Jellicorse now was in his element, for heloved to lecture--an absurdity just coming into vogue. "Indulge me onemoment. I take this silver dish, for instance; it is in my hands, I havethe use of it; but can I give it to either of you ladies?"

"Not very well, because it belongs to us already. "

"You misapprehend me. I can not give it because it is not mine to give. "Mrs. Carnaby looked puzzled. 

"Eliza, allow me, " said Mistress Yordas, in her stiffer manner, andnow for the first time interfering. "Mr. Jellicorse assures us that hislanguage is a model of clearness and precision; perhaps he will prove itby telling us now, in plain words, what his meaning is. "

"What I mean, madam, is that your respected father could devise you apart only of this property, because the rest was not his to devise. Heonly had a life-interest in it. "

"His will, therefore, fails as to some part of the property? How much, and what part, if you please?"

"The larger and better part of the estates, including this house andgrounds, and the home-farm. "

Mrs. Carnaby started and began to speak; but her sister moved only tostop her, and showed no signs of dismay or anger. 

"For fear of putting too many questions at once, " she said, with aslight bow and a smile, "let me beg you to explain, as shortly aspossible, this very surprising matter. "

Mr. Jellicorse watched her with some suspicion, because she called itso surprising, yet showed so little surprise herself. For a moment hethought that she must have heard of the document now in his hands; buthe very soon saw that it could not be so. It was only the ancientYordas pride, perversity, and stiffneckedness. And even Mrs. Carnaby, strengthened by the strength of her sister, managed to look as ifnothing more than a tale of some tenant were pending. But this, orten times this, availed not to deceive Mr. Jellicorse. That gentleman, having seen much of the world, whispered to himself that this was all"high jinks, " felt himself placed on the stool of authority, and evenventured upon a pinch of snuff. This was unwise, and cost him dear, for the ladies would not have been true to their birth if they had notstored it against him. 

He, however, with a friendly mind, and a tap now and then upon hisdocument, to give emphasis to his story, recounted the whole of it, andset forth how much was come of it already, and how much it might leadto. To Scargate Hall, and the better part of the property always enjoyedtherewith, Philippa Yordas and Eliza Carnaby had no claim whatever, except on the score of possession, until it could be shown that theirbrother Duncan was dead, without any heirs or assignment (which mighthave come to pass through a son adult), and even so, his widow mightcome forward and give trouble. Concerning all that, there was timeenough to think; but something must be done at once to cancel thebargain with Sir Walter Carnaby, without letting his man of law getscent of the fatal defect in title. And now that the ladies knew all, what did they say?

In answer to this, the ladies were inclined to put the whole blame uponhim, for not having managed matters better; and when he had shown thatthe whole of it was done before he had any thing to do with it, theywere firmly convinced that he ought to have known it, and found a properremedy. And in the finished manner of well-born ladies they gave himto know, without a strong expression, that such an atrocity was a blackstain on every legal son of Satan, living, dead, or still to issue fromGerizim. 

"That can not affect the title now--I assure you, madam, that it cannot, " the unfortunate lawyer exclaimed at last; "and as for damages, poor old Duncombe has left no representatives, even if an action wouldlie now, which is simply out of the question. On my part no neglect canbe shown, and indeed for your knowledge of the present state of things, if humbly I may say so, you are wholly indebted to my zeal. "

"Sir, I heartily wish, " Mrs. Carnaby replied, "that your zeal had beenexhausted on your own affairs. "

"Eliza, Mr. Jellicorse has acted well, and we can not feel too muchobliged to him. " Miss Yordas, having humor of a sort, smiled faintly atthe double meaning of her own words, which was not intended. "Whateveris right must be done, of course, according to the rule of our family. In such a case it appears to me that mere niceties of laws, and quipsand quirks, are entirely subordinate to high sense of honor. The firstconsideration must be thoroughly unselfish and pure justice. "

The lawyer looked at her with admiration. He was capable of largesentiments. And yet a faint shadow of disappointment lingered in thefolios of his heart--there might have been such a very grand long suit, upon which his grandson (to be born next month) might have been enabledto settle for life, and bring up a legal family. Justice, however, wasjustice, and more noble than even such prospects. So he bowed his head, and took another pinch of snuff. 

But Mrs. Carnaby (who had wept a little, in a place beyond thecandle-light) came back with a passionate flush in her eyes, and aresolute bearing of her well-formed neck. 

"Philippa, I am amazed at you, " she said, "Mr. Jellicorse, my shareis equal with my sister's, and more, because my son comes after me. Whatever she may do, I will never yield a pin's point of my rights, andleave my son a beggar. Philippa, would you make Pet a beggar? And histurtle in bed, before the sun is on the window, and his sturgeon jellywhen he gets out of bed! There never was any one, by a good Providence, less sent into the world to be a beggar. "

Mrs. Carnaby, having discharged her meaning, began to be overcome by it. She sat down, in fear of hysteria, but with her mind made up to stop it;while the gallant Jellicorse was swept away by her eloquence, mixed withprofessional views. But it came home to him, from experience with hiswife, that the less he said the wiser. But while he moved about, andalmost danced, in his strong desire to be useful, there was another whosat quite still, and meant to have the final say. 

"From some confusion of ideas, I suppose, or possibly through my ownfault, " Philippa Yordas said, with less contempt in her voice than inher mind, "it seems that I can not make my meaning clear, even to myown sister. I said that we first must do the right, and scorn all legalsubtleties. That we must maintain unselfish justice, and high sense ofhonor. Can there be any doubt what these dictate? What sort of daughtersshould we be if we basely betrayed our own father's will?"

"Excellent, madam, " the lawyer said; "that view of the case never struckme. But there is a great deal in it. "

"Oh, Philippa, how noble you are!" her sister Eliza cried; and cried nomore, so far as tears go, for a long time afterward. 

CHAPTER VI

ANERLEY FARM

On the eastern coast of the same great county, at more than ninetymiles of distance for a homing pigeon, and some hundred and twenty fora carriage from the Hall of Yordas, there was in those days, and therestill may be found, a property of no vast size--snug, however, and ofgood repute--and called universally "Anerley Farm. " How long it hasborne that name it knows not, neither cares to moot the question; andthere lives no antiquary of enough antiquity to decide it. A place ofsmiling hope, and comfort, and content with quietude; no memory of manabout it runneth to the contrary; while every ox, and horse, and sheep, and fowl, and frisky porker, is full of warm domestic feeling and eachhomely virtue. 

For this land, like a happy country, has escaped, for years and years, the affliction of much history. It has not felt the desolating tramp oflawyer or land-agent, nor been bombarded by fine and recovery, lease andrelease, bargain and sale, Doe and Roe and Geoffrey Styles, and the restof the pitiless shower of slugs, ending with a charge of Demons. Blows, and blights, and plagues of that sort have not come to Anerley, nor anyother drain of nurture to exhaust the green of meadow and the gold ofharvest. Here stands the homestead, and here lies the meadow-land;there walk the kine (having no call to run), and yonder the wheat in thehollow of the hill, bowing to the silvery stroke of the wind, is touchedwith the promise of increasing gold. 

As good as the cattle and the crops themselves are the people that liveupon them; or at least, in a fair degree, they try to be so; thoughnot of course so harmless, or faithful, or peaceful, or charitable. But still, in proportion, they may be called as good; and in fact theybelieve themselves much better. And this from no conceit of any sort, beyond what is indispensable; for nature not only enables but compels aman to look down upon his betters. 

From generation to generation, man, and beast, and house, and land, havegone on in succession here, replacing, following, renewing, repairingand being repaired, demanding and getting more support, with suchjudicious give-and-take, and thoroughly good understanding, that now inthe August of this year, when Scargate Hall is full of care, and afraidto cart a load of dung, Anerley farm is quite at ease, and in the verybest of heart, man, and horse, and land, and crops, and the cock thatcrows the time of day. Nevertheless, no acre yet in Yorkshire, or in thewhole wide world, has ever been so farmed or fenced as to exclude thestep of change. 

From father to son the good lands had passed, without even a will todisturb them, except at distant intervals; and the present owner wasStephen Anerley, a thrifty and well-to-do Yorkshire farmer of the oldentype. Master Anerley was turned quite lately of his fifty-second year, and hopeful (if so pleased the Lord) to turn a good many more years yet, as a strong horse works his furrow. For he was strong and of a cheerfulface, ruddy, square, and steadfast, built up also with firm body to awholesome stature, and able to show the best man on the farm the way toswing a pitchfork. Yet might he be seen, upon every Lord's day, asclean as a new-shelled chestnut; neither at any time of the week was hedirtier than need be. Happy alike in the place of his birth, his lot inlife, and the wisdom of the powers appointed over him, he looked up witha substantial faith, yet a solid reserve of judgment, to the Church, theJustices of the Peace, spiritual lords and temporal, and above all HisMajesty George the Third. Without any reserve of judgmemt, which couldnot deal with such low subjects, he looked down upon every Dissenter, every pork-dealer, and every Frenchman. What he was brought up to, thathe would abide by; and the sin beyond repentance, to his mind, was thesin of the turncoat. 

With all these hard-set lines of thought, or of doctrine (the scabbardof thought, which saves its edge, and keeps it out of mischief), StephenAnerley was not hard, or stern, or narrow-hearted. Kind, and gentle, andgood to every one who knew "how to behave himself, " and dealing toevery man full justice--meted by his own measure--he was liable evento generous acts, after being severe and having his own way. But if anybody ever got the better of him by lies, and not fair bettering, thatman had wiser not begin to laugh inside the Riding. Stephen Anerleywas slow but sure; not so very keen, perhaps, but grained with kernsof maxim'd thought, to meet his uses as they came, and to make a rogueuneasy. To move him from such thoughts was hard; but to move him from aspoken word had never been found possible. 

The wife of this solid man was solid and well fitted to him. In earlydays, by her own account, she had possessed considerable elegance, andwas not devoid of it even now, whenever she received a visitor capableof understanding it. But for home use that gift had been cut short, almost in the honey-moon, by a total want of appreciation on the partof her husband. And now, after five-and-twenty years of studying andentering into him, she had fairly earned his firm belief that she wasthe wisest of women. For she always agreed with him, when he wished it;and she knew exactly when to contradict him, and that was before he hadsaid a thing at all, and while he was rolling it slowly in his mind, with a strong tendency against it. In out-door matters she nevermeddled, without being specially consulted by the master; but in-doorsshe governed with watchful eyes, a firm hand, and a quiet tongue. 

This good woman now was five-and-forty years of age, vigorous, clean, and of a very pleasant look, with that richness of color which settleson fair women when the fugitive beauty of blushing is past. When thework of the morning was done, and the clock in the kitchen was onlyten minutes from twelve, and the dinner was fit for the dishing, thenMistress Anerley remembered as a rule the necessity of looking to herown appearance. She went up stairs, with a quarter of an hour to spare, but not to squander, and she came down so neat that the farmer wasobliged to be careful in helping the gravy. For she always sat next tohim, as she had done before there came any children, and it seemed eversince to be the best place for her to manage their plates and theirmanners as well. 

Alas! that the kindest and wisest of women have one (if not twenty)blind sides to them; and if any such weakness is pointed out, it is sureto have come from their father. Mistress Anerley's weakness was almostconspicuous to herself--she worshipped her eldest son, perhaps the leastworshipful of the family. 

Willie Anerley was a fine young fellow, two inches taller than hisfather, with delicate features, and curly black hair, and cheeks asbright as a maiden's. He had soft blue eyes, and a rich clear voice, with a melancholy way of saying things, as if he were above all this. And yet he looked not like a fool; neither was he one altogether, whenhe began to think of things. The worst of him was that he always wantedsomething new to go on with. He never could be idle; and yet he neverworked to the end which crowns the task. In the early stage he wouldlabor hard, be full of the greatness of his aim, and demand every body'sinterest, exciting, also, mighty hopes of what was safe to come of it. And even after that he sometimes carried on with patience; but hehad not perseverance. Once or twice he had been on the very nick ofaccomplishing something, and had driven home his nail; but then he letit spring back without clinching. "Oh, any fool can do that!" he cried, and never stood to it, to do it again, or to see that it came notundone. In a word, he stuck to nothing, but swerved about, here, there, and every where. 

His father, being of so different a cast, and knowing how often thewisest of men must do what any fool can do, was bitterly vexed at theflighty ways of Willie, and could do no more than hope, with a generalcontempt, that when the boy grew older he might be a wiser fool. ButWillie's dear mother maintained, with great consistency, that such aperfect wonder could never be expected to do any thing not wonderful. To this the farmer used to listen with a grim, decorous smile; thengrumbled, as soon as he was out of hearing, and fell to and did thelittle jobs himself. 

Sore jealousy of Willie, perhaps, and keen sense of injustice, as wellas high spirit and love of adventure, had driven the younger son, Jack, from home, and launched him on a sea-faring life. With a stick and abundle he had departed from the ancestral fields and lanes, one summermorning about three years since, when the cows were lowing for the milkpail, and a royal cutter was cruising off the Head. For a twelvemonthnothing was heard of him, until there came a letter beginning, "Dearand respected parents, " and ending, "Your affectionate and dutiful son, Jack. " The body of the letter was of three lines only, occupied entirelywith kind inquiries as to the welfare of every body, especially his pup, and his old pony, and dear sister Mary. 

Mary Anerley, the only daughter and the youngest child, well deservedthe best remembrance of the distant sailor, though Jack may have gonetoo far in declaring (as he did till he came to his love-time) that theworld contained no other girl fit to hold a candle to her. No doubt itwould have been hard to find a girl more true and loving, more modestand industrious; but hundreds and hundreds of better girls might befound perhaps even in Yorkshire. 

For this maiden had a strong will of her own, which makes againstabsolute perfection; also she was troubled with a strenuous hateof injustice--which is sure, in this world, to find cause for anoutbreak--and too active a desire to rush after what is right, insteadof being well content to let it come occasionally. And so firm couldshe be, when her mind was set, that she would not take parables, or longexperience, or even kindly laughter, as a power to move her from thething she meant. Her mother, knowing better how the world goes on, promiscuously, and at leisure, and how the right point slides away whenstronger forces come to bear, was very often vexed by the crotchetsof the girl, and called her wayward, headstrong, and sometimes nothingmilder than "a saucy miss. "

This, however, was absurd, and Mary scarcely deigned to cry about it, but went to her father, as she always did when any weight lay on hermind. Nothing was said about any injustice, because that might lead tomore of it, as well as be (from a proper point of view) most indecorous. Nevertheless, it was felt between them, when her pretty hair was shedupon his noble waistcoat, that they two were in the right, and caredvery little who thought otherwise. 

Now it was time to leave off this; for Mary (without heed almost of anybut her mother) had turned into a full-grown damsel, comely, sweet, and graceful. She was tall enough never to look short, and short enoughnever to seem too tall, even when her best feelings were outraged;and nobody, looking at her face, could wish to do any thing but pleaseher--so kind was the gaze of her deep blue eyes, so pleasant thefrankness of her gentle forehead, so playful the readiness of rosy lipsfor a pretty answer or a lovely smile. But if any could be found socallous and morose as not to be charmed or nicely cheered by this, let him only take a longer look, not rudely, but simply in a spirit ofpolite inquiry; and then would he see, on the delicate rounding of eachsoft and dimpled cheek, a carmine hard to match on palette, morning sky, or flower bed. 

Lovely people ought to be at home in lovely places; and though this cannot be so always, as a general rule it is. At Anerley Farm the land wasequal to the stock it had to bear, whether of trees, or corn, or cattle, hogs, or mushrooms, or mankind. The farm was not so large or ramblingas to tire the mind or foot, yet wide enough and full of change--richpasture, hazel copse, green valleys, fallows brown, and goldenbreast-lands pillowing into nooks of fern, clumps of shade for horseor heifer, and for rabbits sandy warren, furzy cleve for hare andpartridge, not without a little mere for willows and for wild-ducks. Andthe whole of the land, with a general slope of liveliness and rejoicing, spread itself well to the sun, with a strong inclination toward themorning, to catch the cheery import of his voyage across the sea. 

The pleasure of this situation was the more desirable because of allthe parts above it being bleak and dreary. Round the shoulders of theupland, like the arch of a great arm-chair, ran a barren scraggy ridge, whereupon no tree could stand upright, no cow be certain of her owntail, and scarcely a crow breast the violent air by stooping raggedpinions, so furious was the rush of wind when any power awoke theclouds; or sometimes, when the air was jaded with continual conflict, aheavy settlement of brackish cloud lay upon a waste of chalky flint. 

By dint of persevering work there are many changes for the better now, more shelter and more root-hold; but still it is a battle-ground ofwinds, which rarely change their habits, for this is the chump of thespine of the Wolds, which hulks up at last into Flamborough Head. 

Flamborough Head, the furthest forefront of a bare and jagged coast, stretches boldly off to eastward--a strong and rugged barrier. Awayto the north the land falls back, with coving bends, and some straightlines of precipice and shingle, to which the German Ocean sweeps, seldomfree from sullen swell in the very best of weather. But to the southwardof the Head a different spirit seems to move upon the face of everything. For here is spread a peaceful bay, and plains of brighter seamore gently furrowed by the wind, and cliffs that have no cause to be sosteep, and bathing-places, and scarcely freckled sands, where townsmay lay their drain-pipes undisturbed. In short, to have rounded thatheadland from the north is as good as to turn the corner of a gardenwall in March, and pass from a buffeted back, and bare shivers, to asunny front of hope all as busy as a bee, with pears spurring forwardinto creamy buds of promise, peach-trees already in a flush of tasselledpink, and the green lobe of the apricot shedding the snowy bloom. 

Below this point the gallant skipper of the British collier, slouchingwith a heavy load of grime for London, or waddling back in ballast tohis native North, alike is delighted to discover storms ahead, and tocast his tarry anchor into soft gray calm. For here shall he find thegood shelter of friends like-minded with himself, and of hospitableturn, having no cause to hurry any more than he has, all too wise tocommand their own ships; and here will they all jollify together whilethe sky holds a cloud or the locker a drop. Nothing here can shake theirships, except a violent east wind, against which they wet the other eye;lazy boats visit them with comfort and delight, while white waves areleaping, in the offing; they cherish their well-earned rest, and eat thelotus--or rather the onion--and drink ambrosial grog; they lean upon thebulwarks, and contemplate their shadows--the noblest possible employmentfor mankind--and lo! if they care to lift their eyes, in the southshines the quay of Bridlington, inland the long ridge of Priory standshigh, and westward in a nook, if they level well a clear glass (afterholding on the slope so many steamy ones), they may espy Anerley Farm, and sometimes Mary Anerley herself. 

For she, when the ripple of the tide is fresh, and the glance of thesummer morn glistening on the sands, also if a little rocky basinhappens to be fit for shrimping, and only some sleepy ships at anchorin the distance look at her, fearless she--because all sailors aregenerally down at breakfast--tucks up her skirt and gayly runs upon theaccustomed play-ground, with her pony left to wait for her. The pony isold, while she is young (although she was born before him), and now hebelies his name, "Lord Keppel, " by starting at every soft glimmer of thesea. Therefore now he is left to roam at his leisure above high-watermark, poking his nose into black dry weed, probing the winnow castsof yellow drift for oats, and snorting disappointment through a grittydance of sand-hoppers. 

Mary has brought him down the old "Dane's Dike" for society rather thanservice, and to strengthen his nerves with the dew of the salt, forthe sake of her Jack who loved him. He may do as he likes, as he alwaysdoes. If his conscience allows him to walk home, no one will think theless of him. Having very little conscience at his time of life (afterso much contact with mankind), he considers convenience only. To go homewould suit him very well, but his crib would be empty till his youngmistress came; moreover, there is a little dog that plagues him when hisdoor is open; and in spite of old age, it is something to be free, andin spite of all experience, to hope for something good. Therefore LordKeppel is as faithful as the rocks; he lifts his long heavy head, andgazes wistfully at the anchored ships, and Mary is sure that the darlingpines for his absent master. 

But she, with the multitudinous tingle of youth, runs away rejoicing. The buoyant power and brilliance of the morning are upon her, and theair of the bright sea lifts and spreads her, like a pillowy skate's egg. The polish of the wet sand flickers like veneer of maple-wood at everyquick touch of her dancing feet. Her dancing feet are as light as natureand high spirits made them, not only quit of spindle heels, but evenfree from shoes and socks left high and dry on the shingle. And lightereven than the dancing feet the merry heart is dancing, laughing at theshadows of its own delight; while the radiance of blue eyes springs likea fount of brighter heaven; and the sunny hair falls, flows, or floats, to provoke the wind for playmate. 

Such a pretty sight was good to see for innocence and largeness. So thebuoyancy of nature springs anew in those who have been weary, when theysee her brisk power inspiring the young, who never stand still to thinkof her, but are up and away with her, where she will, at the breath ofher subtle encouragement. 

CHAPTER VII

A DANE IN THE DIKE

Now, whether spy-glass had been used by any watchful mariner, or whetheronly blind chance willed it, sure it is that one fine morning Mary metwith somebody. And this was the more remarkable, when people came tothink of it, because it was only the night before that her mother hadalmost said as much. 

"Ye munna gaw doon to t' sea be yersell, " Mistress Anerley said to herdaughter; "happen ye mought be one too many. "

Master Anerley's wife had been at "boarding-school, " as far south asSuffolk, and could speak the very best of Southern English (like herdaughter Mary) upon polite occasion. But family cares and farm-houselife had partly cured her of her education, and from troubles of distantspeech she had returned to the ease of her native dialect. 

"And if I go not to the sea by myself, " asked Mary, with natural logic, "why, who is there now to go with me?" She was thinking of her sadlymissed comrade, Jack. 

"Happen some day, perhaps, one too many. "

The maiden was almost too innocent to blush; but her father took herpart as usual. 

"The little lass sall gaw doon, " he said, "wheniver sha likes. " And soshe went down the next morning. 

A thousand years ago the Dane's Dike must have been a very grandintrenchment, and a thousand years ere that perhaps it was stillgrander; for learned men say that it is a British work, wrought outbefore the Danes had even learned to build a ship. Whatever, however, may be argued about that, the wise and the witless do agree about onething--the stronghold inside it has been held by Danes, while severed bythe Dike from inland parts; and these Danes made a good colony of theirown, and left to their descendants distinct speech and manners, sometraces of which are existing even now. The Dike, extending from therough North Sea to the calmer waters of Bridlington Bay, is nothing morethan a deep dry trench, skillfully following the hollows of the ground, and cutting off Flamborough Head and a solid cantle of high land fromthe rest of Yorkshire. The corner, so intercepted, used to be and isstill called "Little Denmark;" and the in-dwellers feel a large contemptfor all their outer neighbors. And this is sad, because Anerley Farmlies wholly outside of the Dike, which for a long crooked distanceserves as its eastern boundary. 

Upon the morning of the self-same day that saw Mr. Jellicorse set forthupon his return from Scargate Hall, armed with instructions to defy thedevil, and to keep his discovery quiet--upon a lovely August morningof the first year of a new century, Mary Anerley, blithe and gay, cameriding down the grassy hollow of this ancient Dane's Dike. This washer shortest way to the sea, and the tide would suit (if she could onlycatch it) for a take of shrimps, and perhaps even prawns, in time forher father's breakfast. And not to lose this, she arose right early, and rousing Lord Keppel, set forth for the spot where she kept her netcovered with sea-weed. The sun, though up and brisk already upon seaand foreland, had not found time to rout the shadows skulking inthe dingles. But even here, where sap of time had breached the turfyramparts, the hover of the dew-mist passed away, and the steady lightwas unfolded. 

For the season was early August still, with beautiful weather comeat last; and the green world seemed to stand on tiptoe to make theextraordinary acquaintance of the sun. Humble plants which had long lainflat stood up with a sense of casting something off; and the damp heavytrunks which had trickled for a twelvemonth, or been only sponged withmoss, were hailing the fresher light with keener lines and dove-coloredtints upon their smoother boles. Then, conquering the barrier of theeastern land crest, rose the glorious sun himself, strewing before himtrees and crags in long steep shadows down the hill. Then the slopingrays, through furze and brush-land, kindling the sparkles of the dew, descended to the brink of the Dike, and scorning to halt at pettyobstacles, with a hundred golden hurdles bridged it wherever any openingwas. 

Under this luminous span, or through it where the crossing gullies ran, Mary Anerley rode at leisure, allowing her pony to choose his pace. Thatprivilege he had long secured, in right of age, wisdom, and remarkableforce of character. Considering his time of life, he looked well andsleek, and almost sprightly; and so, without any reservation, did hisgentle and graceful rider. The maiden looked well in a place like that, as indeed in almost any place; but now she especially set off the colorof things, and was set off by them. For instance, how could the silverof the dew-cloud, and golden weft of sunrise, playing through thedapples of a partly wooded glen, do better (in the matter of variety)than frame a pretty moving figure in a pink checked frock, with a skirtof russet murrey, and a bright brown hat? Not that the hat itself wasbright, even under the kiss of sunshine, simply having seen already toomuch of the sun, but rather that its early lustre seemed to be revivedby a sense of the happy position it was in; the clustering hair and thebright eyes beneath it answering the sunny dance of life and light. Manya handsomer face, no doubt, more perfect, grand, and lofty, received--atleast if it was out of bed--the greeting of that morning sun; butscarcely any prettier one, or kinder, or more pleasant, so gentlewithout being weak, so good-tempered without looking void of all temperat all. 

Suddenly the beauty of the time and place was broken by sharp angrysound. Bang! bang! came the roar of muskets fired from the shore at themouth of the Dike, and echoing up the winding glen. At the first reportthe girl, though startled, was not greatly frightened; for the sound wascommon enough in the week when those most gallant volunteers entitledthe "Yorkshire Invincibles" came down for their annual practice ofskilled gunnery against the French. Their habit was to bring down ared cock, and tether him against a chalky cliff, and then vie with oneanother in shooting at him. The same cock had tested their skill forthree summers, but failed hitherto to attest it, preferring to return ina hamper to his hens, with a story of moving adventures. 

Mary had watched those Invincibles sometimes from a respectful distance, and therefore felt sure (when she began to think) that she had not themto thank for this little scare. For they always slept soundly in thefirst watch of the morning; and even supposing they had jumped up withnightmare, where was the jubilant crow of the cock? For the cock, beingalmost as invincible as they were, never could deny himself the glory ofa crow when the bullet came into his neighborhood. He replied to everyvolley with an elevated comb, and a flapping of his wings, and a clarionpeal, which rang along the foreshore ere the musket roar died out. Butbefore the girl had time to ponder what it was, or wherefore, round thecorner came somebody, running very swiftly. 

In a moment Mary saw that this man had been shot at, and was making forhis life away; and to give him every chance she jerked her pony aside, and called and beckoned; and without a word he flew to her. Words werebeyond him, till his breath should come back, and he seemed to have notime to wait for that. He had outstripped the wind, and his own wind, byhis speed. 

"Poor man!" cried Mary Anerley, "what a hurry you are in! But I supposeyou can not help it. Are they shooting at you?"

The runaway nodded, for he could not spare a breath, but was deeplyinhaling for another start, and could not even bow without hinderance. But to show that he had manners, he took off his hat. Then he clapped iton his head and set off again. 

"Come back!" cried the maid; "I can show you a place. I can hide youfrom your enemies forever. "

The young fellow stopped. He was come to that pitch of exhaustion inwhich a man scarcely cares whether he is killed or dies. And his faceshowed not a sign of fear. 

"Look! That little hole--up there--by the fern. Up at once, and thiscloth over you!"

He snatched it, and was gone, like the darting lizard, up a littlepuckering side issue of the Dike, at the very same instant that threebroad figures and a long one appeared at the lip of the mouth. Thequick-witted girl rode on to meet them, to give the poor fugitive timeto get into his hole and draw the brown skirt over him. The dazzle ofthe sun, pouring over the crest, made the hollow a twinkling obscurity;and the cloth was just in keeping with the dead stuff around. The threebroad men, with heavy fusils cocked, came up from the sea mouth ofthe Dike, steadily panting, and running steadily with a long-enduringstride. Behind them a tall bony man with a cutlass was swinging it highin the air, and limping, and swearing with great velocity. 

"Coast-riders, " thought Mary, "and he a free-trader! Four against one iscowardice. "

"Halt!" cried the tall man, while the rest were running past her; "halt!ground arms; never scare young ladies. " Then he flourished his hat, witha grand bow to Mary. "Fair young Mistress Anerley, I fear we spoil yourride. But his Majesty's duty must be done. Hats off, fellows, at thename of your king! Mary, my dear, the most daring villain, the devil'sown son, has just run up here--scarcely two minutes--you must have seenhim. Wait a minute; tell no lies--excuse me, I mean fibs. Your father isthe right sort. He hates those scoundrels. In the name of his Majesty, which way is he gone?"

"Was it--oh, was it a man, if you please? Captain Carroway, don't sayso. "

"A man? Is it likely that we shot at a woman? You are trifling. It willbe the worse for you. Forgive me--but we are in such a hurry. Whoa!whoa! pony. "

"You always used to be so polite, Sir, that you quite surprise me. Andthose guns look so dreadful! My father would be quite astonished to seeme not even allowed to go down to the sea, but hurried back here, as ifthe French had landed. "

"How can I help it, if your pony runs away so?" For Mary all this timehad been cleverly contriving to increase and exaggerate her pony's fear, and so brought the gunners for a long way up the Dike, without givingthem any time to spy at all about. She knew that this was wicked from aloyal point of view; not a bit the less she did it. "What a troublesomelittle horse it is!" she cried. "Oh, Captain Carroway, hold him just amoment. I will jump down, and then you can jump up, and ride after allhis Majesty's enemies. "

"The Lord forbid! He slews all out of gear, like a carronade with rottenlashings. If I boarded him, how could I get out of his way? No, no, mydear, brace him up sharp, and bear clear. "

"But you wanted to know about some enemy, captain. An enemy as bad as mypoor Lord Keppel?"

"Mary, my dear, the very biggest villain! A hundred golden guineas onhis head, and half for you. Think of your father, my dear, and Sundaygowns. And you must have a young man by-and-by, you know--such abeautiful maid as you are. And you might get a leather purse, and giveit to him. Mary, on your duty, now?"

"Captain, you drive me so, what can I say? I can not bear the thought ofbetraying any body. "

"Of course not, Mary dear; nobody asks you. He must be half a mile offby this time. You could never hurt him now; and you can tell your fatherthat you have done your duty to the king. "

"Well, Captain Carroway, if you are quite sure that it is too late tocatch him, I can tell you all about him. But remember your word aboutthe fifty guineas. "

"Every farthing, every farthing, Mary, whatever my wife may say to it. Quick! quick! Which way did he run, my dear?"

"He really did not seem to me to be running at all; he was too tired. "

"To be sure, to be sure, a worn-out fox! We have been two hours afterhim; he could not run; no more can we. But which way did he go, I mean?"

"I will not say any thing for certain, Sir; even for fifty guineas. Buthe may have come up here--mind, I say not that he did--and if so, hemight have set off again for Sewerby. Slowly, very slowly, because ofbeing tired. But perhaps, after all, he was not the man you mean. "

"Forward, double-quick! We are sure to have him!" shouted thelieutenant--for his true rank was that--flourishing his cutlass again, and setting off at a wonderful pace, considering his limp. "Five guineasevery man Jack of you. Thank you, young mistress--most heartily thankyou. Dead or alive, five guineas!"

With gun and sword in readiness, they all rushed off; but one of theparty, named John Cadman, shook his head and looked back with greatmistrust at Mary, having no better judgment of women than this, that henever could believe even his own wife. And he knew that it was mainlyby the grace of womankind that so much contraband work was going on. Nevertheless, it was out of his power to act upon his own low opinionsnow. 

The maiden, blushing deeply with the sense of her deceit, was informedby her guilty conscience of that nasty man's suspicions, and thereforegave a smack with her fern whip to Lord Keppel, impelling him to join, like a loyal little horse, the pursuit of his Majesty's enemies. But nosooner did she see all the men dispersed, and scouring the distance withtrustful ardor, than she turned her pony's head toward the sea again, and rode back round the bend of the hollow. What would her mother say ifshe lost the murrey skirt, which had cost six shillings at Bridlingtonfair? And ten times that money might be lost much better than for herfather to discover how she lost it. For Master Stephen Anerley wasa straight-backed man, and took three weeks of training in the LandDefense Yeomanry, at periods not more than a year apart, so that manypeople called him "Captain" now; and the loss of his suppleness at kneeand elbow had turned his mind largely to politics, making him stifflypatriotic, and especially hot against all free-traders putting badbargains to his wife, at the cost of the king and his revenue. If thebargain were a good one, that was no concern of his. 

Not that Mary, however, could believe, or would even have such a badmind as to imagine, that any one, after being helped by her, would bemean enough to run off with her property. And now she came to think ofit, there was something high and noble, she might almost say somethingdownright honest, in the face of that poor persecuted man. And in spiteof all his panting, how brave he must have been, what a runner, and howclever, to escape from all those cowardly coast-riders shooting rightand left at him! Such a man steal that paltry skirt that her mothermade such a fuss about! She was much more likely to find it in herclothes-press filled with golden guineas. 

Before she was as certain as she wished to be of this (by reason ofshrewd nativity), and while she believed that the fugitive must haveseized such a chance and made good his escape toward North Sea orFlamborough, a quick shadow glanced across the long shafts of the sun, and a bodily form sped after it. To the middle of the Dike leaped ayoung man, smiling, and forth from the gully which had saved his life. To look at him, nobody ever could have guessed how fast he had fled, andhow close he had lain hid. For he stood there as clean and spruce andcareless as even a sailor can be wished to be. Limber yet stalwart, agile though substantial, and as quick as a dart while as strong as apike, he seemed cut out by nature for a true blue-jacket; but conditionhad made him a smuggler, or, to put it more gently, a free-trader. Britannia, being then at war with all the world, and alone in the right(as usual), had need of such lads, and produced them accordingly, andsometimes one too many. But Mary did not understand these laws. 

This made her look at him with great surprise, and almost doubt whetherhe could be the man, until she saw her skirt neatly folded in his hand, and then she said, "How do you do, Sir?"

The free-trader looked at her with equal surprise. He had been in sucha hurry, and his breath so short, and the chance of a fatal bullet afterhim so sharp, that his mind had been astray from any sense of beauty, and of every thing else except the safety of the body. But now he lookedat Mary, and his breath again went from him. 

"You can run again now; I am sure of it, " said she; "and if you wouldlike to do any thing to please me, run as fast as possible. "

"What have I to run away from now?" he answered, in a deep sweet voice. "I run from enemies, but not from friends. "

"That is very wise. But your enemies are still almost within call ofyou. They will come back worse than ever when they find you are notthere. "

"I am not afraid, fair lady, for I understand their ways. I have ledthem a good many dances before this; though it would have been mylast, without your help. They will go on, all the morning, in the wrongdirection, even while they know it. Carroway is the most stubborn ofmen. He never turns back; and the further he goes, the better his badleg is. They will scatter about, among the fields and hedges, and callone another like partridges. And when they can not take another step, they will come back to Anerley for breakfast. "

"I dare say they will; and we shall be glad to see them. My father is asoldier, and his duty is to nourish and comfort the forces of the king. "

"Then you are young Mistress Anerley? I was sure of it before. There areno two such. And you have saved my life. It is something to owe it sofairly. "

The young sailor wanted to kiss Mary's hand; but not being used to anygallantry, she held out her hand in the simplest manner to take backher riding skirt; and he, though longing in his heart to keep it, for atoken or pretext for another meeting, found no excuse for doing so. Andyet he was not without some resource. 

For the maiden was giving him a farewell smile, being quite content withthe good she had done, and the luck of recovering her property; and thatsense of right which in those days formed a part of every good youngwoman said to her plainly that she must be off. And she felt how unkindit was to keep him any longer in a place where the muzzle of a gun, witha man behind it, might appear at any moment. But he, having plentifulbreath again, was at home with himself to spend it. 

"Fair young lady, " he began, for he saw that Mary liked to be calleda lady, because it was a novelty, "owing more than I ever can pay youalready, may I ask a little more? Then it is that, on your way down tothe sea, you would just pick up (if you should chance to see it) thefellow ring to this, and perhaps you will look at this to know it by. The one that was shot away flew against a stone just on the left of themouth of the Dike, but I durst not stop to look for it, and I must notgo back that way now. It is more to me than a hatful of gold, thoughnobody else would give a crown for it. "

"And they really shot away one of your ear-rings? Careless, cruel, wasteful men! What could they have been thinking of?"

"They were thinking of getting what is called 'blood-money. ' One hundredpounds for Robin Lyth. Dead or alive--one hundred pounds. "

"It makes me shiver, with the sun upon me. Of course they must offermoney for--for people. For people who have killed other people, and badthings--but to offer a hundred pounds for a free-trader, and firegreat guns at him to get it--I never should have thought it of CaptainCarroway. "

"Carroway only does his duty. I like him none the worse for it. Carrowayis a fool, of course. His life has been in my hands fifty times; but Iwill never take it. He must be killed sooner or later, because he rushesinto every thing. But never will it be my doing. "

"Then are you the celebrated Robin Lyth--the new Robin Hood, as theycall him? The man who can do almost any thing?"

"Mistress Anerley, I am Robin Lyth; but, as you have seen, I can not domuch. I can not even search for my own earring. "

"I will search for it till I find it. They have shot at you too much. Cowardly, cowardly people! Captain Lyth, where shall I put it, if I findit?"

"If you could hide it for a week, and then--then tell me where to findit, in the afternoon, toward four o'clock, in the lane toward BemptonCliffs. We are off tonight upon important business. We have been toocareless lately, from laughing at poor Carroway. "

"You are very careless now. You quite frighten me almost. Thecoast-riders might come back at any moment. And what could you do then?"

"Run away gallantly, as I did before; with this little difference, thatI should be fresh, while they are as stiff as nut-cracks. They havemissed the best chance they ever had at me; it will make their tempervery bad. If they shot at me again, they could do no good. Crooked moodmakes crooked mode. "

"You forget that I should not see such things. You may like very much tobe shot at; but--but you should think of other people. "

"I shall think of you only--I mean of your great kindness, and yourpromise to keep my ring for me. Of course you will tell nobody, Carrowaywill have me like a tiger if you do. Farewell, young lady--for one weekfarewell. "

With a wave of his hat he was gone, before Mary had time to retract herpromise; and she thought of her mother, as she rode on slowly to lookfor the smuggler's trinket. 

CHAPTER VIII

CAPTAIN CARROWAY

Fame, that light-of-love trusted by so many, and never a wife till awidow--fame, the fair daughter of fuss and caprice, may yet take thephantom of bold Robin Lyth by the right hand, and lead it to a pedestalalmost as lofty as Robin Hood's, or she may let it vanish like a batacross Lethe--a thing not bad enough for eminence. 

However, at the date and in the part of the world now dealt with, thisgreat free-trader enjoyed the warm though possibly brief embrace offame, having no rival, and being highly respected by all who wereunwarped by a sense of duty. And blessed as he was with a lively nature, he proceeded happily upon his path in life, notwithstanding a certainticklish sense of being shot at undesirably. This had befallen himnow so often, without producing any tangible effect, that a great manypeople, and especially the shooters (convinced of the accuracy of theiraim), went far to believe that he possessed some charm against wholesomebullet and gunpowder. And lately even a crooked sixpence dipped in holywater (which was still to be had in Yorkshire) confirmed and doubledthe faith of all good people, by being declared upon oath to have passedclean through him, as was proved by its being picked up quite clean. 

This strong belief was of great use to him; for, like many otherbeliefs, it went a very long way to prove itself. Steady left hands nowgrew shaky in the level of the carbine, and firm forefingers trembledslightly upon draught of trigger, and the chief result of a largedischarge was a wale upon the marksman's shoulder. Robin, though soclever and well practiced in the world, was scarcely old enough yet tohave learned the advantage of misapprehension, which, if well handled byany man, helps him, in the cunning of paltry things, better than a truerestimate. But without going into that, he was pleased with the fancy ofbeing invulnerable, which not only doubled his courage, but trebledthe discipline of his followers, and secured him the respect of alltradesmen. However, the worst of all things is that just when they areestablishing themselves, and earning true faith by continuance, out ofpure opposition the direct contrary arises, and begins to prove itself. And to Captain Lyth this had just happened in the shot which carried offhis left ear-ring. 

Not that his body, or any fleshly member, could be said directly to haveparted with its charm, but that a warning and a diffidence arose from sonear a visitation. All genuine sailors are blessed with strong faith, asthey must be, by nature's compensation. Their bodies continually goingup and down upon perpetual fluxion, they never could live if their mindsdid the same, like the minds of stationary landsmen. Therefore theirminds are of stanch immobility, to restore the due share of firmelement. And not only that, but these men have compressed (throughgenerations of circumstance), from small complications, simplicity. Being out in all weathers, and rolling about so, how can they standupon trifles? Solid stays, and stanchions, and strong bulwarks are theirneed, and not a dance of gnats in gossamer; hating all fogs, they blownot up with their own breath misty mysteries, and gazing mainly atthe sky and sea, believe purely in God and the devil. In a word, thesesailors have religion. 

Some of their religion is not well pronounced, but declares itselfin overstrong expressions. However, it is in them, and at any momentwaiting opportunity of action--a shipwreck or a grape-shot; and thechaplain has good hopes of them when the doctor has given them over. 

Now one of their principal canons of faith, and the one best observedin practice, is (or at any rate used to be) that a man is bound to wearear-rings. For these, as sure tradition shows, and no pious marinerwould dare to doubt, act as a whetstone in all weathers to the keenedge of the eyes. Semble--as the lawyers say--that this idea was born ofgreat phonetic facts in the days when a seaman knew his duty betterthan the way to spell it; and when, if his outlook were sharpened bya friendly wring from the captain of the watch, he never dreamed of apolice court. 

But Robin Lyth had never cared to ask why he wore ear-rings. His naturewas not meditative. Enough for him that all the other men of Flamboroughdid so; and enough for them that their fathers had done it. Whether hisown father had done so, was more than he could say, because he knew ofno such parent; and of that other necessity, a mother, he was equallyignorant. His first appearance at Flamborough, though it made littlestir at the moment in a place of so many adventures, might still beconsidered unusual, and in some little degree remarkable. So thatMistress Anerley was not wrong when she pressed upon Lieutenant Carrowayhow unwise it might be to shoot him, any more than Carroway himself waswrong in turning in at Anerley gate for breakfast. 

This he had not done without good cause of honest and loyal necessity. Free-trading Robin had predicted well the course of his pursuers. Rushing eagerly up the Dike, and over its brim, with their muskets, thatgallant force of revenue men steadily scoured the neighborhood; and thefurther they went, the worse they fared. There was not a horse standingdown by a pool, with his stiff legs shut up into biped form, nor a cowstaring blandly across an old rail, nor a sheep with a pectoral coughbehind a hedge, nor a rabbit making rustle at the eyebrow of his hole, nor even a moot, that might either be a man or hold a man inside it, whom or which those active fellows did not circumvent and poke into. In none of these, however, could they find the smallest breach of thestrictest laws of the revenue; until at last, having exhausted theirbodies by great zeal both of themselves and of mind, they braced themagain to the duty of going, as promptly as possible, to breakfast. 

For a purpose of that kind few better places, perhaps, could be foundthan this Anerley Farm, though not at the best of itself just now, because of the denials of the season. It is a sad truth about theheyday of the year, such as August is in Yorkshire--where they have nospring--that just when a man would like his victuals to rise to the markof the period, to be simple yet varied, exhilarating yet substantial, the heat of the summer day defrauds its increased length for feeding. For instance, to cite a very trifling point--at least in someopinions--August has banished that bright content and most devoutresignation which ensue the removal of a petted pig from this troublousworld of grunt. The fat pig rolls in wallowing rapture, defying hisfriends to make pork of him yet, and hugs with complacence unpickleablehams. The partridge among the pillared wheat, tenderly footing the wayfor his chicks, and teaching little balls of down to hop, knows howsacred are their lives to others as well as to himself; and the lesspaternal cock-pheasant scratches the ridge of green-shouldered potatoes, without fear of keeping them company at table. 

But though the bright glory of the griddle remains in suspense for thehoary mornings, and hooks that carried woodcocks once, and hope to doso yet again, are primed with dust instead of lard, and the frying-panhangs on the cellar nail with a holiday gloss of raw mutton suet, yetis there still some comfort left, yet dappled brawn, and bacon streaked, yet golden-hearted eggs, and mushrooms quilted with pink satin, spicedbeef carded with pellucid fat, buckstone cake, and brown bread scentedwith the ash of gorse bloom--of these, and more that pave the way intothe good-will of mankind, what lack have fine farm-houses?

And then, again, for the liquid duct, the softer and more sensitive, the one that is never out of season, but perennially clear--here we haveadvantage of the gentle time that mellows thirst. The long ride of thesummer sun makes men who are in feeling with him, and like him go up anddown, not forego the moral of his labor, which is work and rest. Workall day, and light the rounded land with fruit and nurture, and rest atevening, looking through bright fluid, as the sun goes down. 

But times there are when sun and man, by stress of work, or clouds, orlight, or it may be some Process of the Equinox, make draughts upon theuntilted day, and solace themselves in the morning. For lack of dew thesun draws lengthy sucks of cloud quite early, and men who have laboredfar and dry, and scattered the rime of the night with dust, findthemselves ready about 8 A. M. For the golden encouragement of gentleale. 

The farm-house had an old porch of stone, with a bench of stone oneither side, and pointed windows trying to look out under brows ofivy; and this porch led into the long low hall, where the breakfast wasbeginning. To say what was on the table would be only waste of time, because it has all been eaten so long ago; but the farmer was vexedbecause there were no shrimps. Not that he cared half the clip of awhisker for all the shrimps that ever bearded the sea, only that heliked to seem to love them, to keep Mary at work for him. The flowerof his flock, and of all the flocks of the world of the universe to hismind, was his darling daughter Mary: the strength of his love was uponher, and he liked to eat any thing of her cooking. 

His body was too firm to fidget; but his mind was out of its usualcomfort, because the pride of his heart, his Mary, seemed to be hidingsomething from him. And with the justice to be expected from far clearerminds than his, being vexed by one, he was ripe for the relief ofsnapping at fifty others. Mary, who could read him, as a sailor readshis compass, by the corner of one eye, awaited with good content theusual result--an outbreak of words upon the indolent Willie, wheneverthat young farmer should come down to breakfast, then a comfortingglance from the mother at her William, followed by a plate kept hot forhim, and then a fine shake of the master's shoulders, and a stamp ofdeparture for business. But instead of that, what came to pass was this. 

In the first place, a mighty bark of dogs arose; as needs must be, whena man does his duty toward the nobler animals; for sure it is that thedogs will not fail of their part. Then an inferior noise of men, crying, "Good dog! good dog!" and other fulsome flatteries, in the hope ofavoiding any tooth-mark on their legs; and after that a shaking downand settlement of sounds, as if feet were brought into good order, andstopped. Then a tall man, with a body full of corners, and a face ofgrim temper, stood in the doorway. 

"Well, well, captain, now!" cried Stephen Anerley, getting up afterwaiting to be spoken to, "the breath of us all is hard to get, withdoing of our duty, Sir. Come ye in, and sit doon to table, and hisMajesty's forces along o' ye. "

"Cadman, Ellis, and Dick, be damned!" the lieutenant shouted out tothem; "you shall have all the victuals you want, by-and-by. Cross legs, and get your winds up. Captain of the coast-defense, I am under yourorders, in your own house. " Carroway was starving, as only a man withlong and active jaws can starve; and now the appearance of the farmer'smouth, half full of a kindly relish, made the emptiness of his own morebitter. But happen what might, he resolved, as usual, to enforce strictdiscipline, to feed himself first, and his men in proper order. 

"Walk in gentlemen, all walk in, " Master Anerley shouted, as if all menwere alike, and coming to the door with a hospitable stride; "glad tosee all of ye, upon my soul I am. Ye've hit upon the right time forcoming, too; though there might 'a been more upon the table. Mary, run, that's a dear, and fetch your grandfather's big Sabbath carver. Thempeaky little clams a'most puts out all my shoulder-blades, and wunnabite through a twine of gristle. Plates for all the gentlemen, Winnielass! Bill, go and drah the black jarge full o' yell. "

The farmer knew well enough that Willie was not down yet; but this washis manner of letting people see that he did not approve of such hours. 

"My poor lad Willie, " said the mistress of the house, returning with acourtesy the brave lieutenant's scrape, "I fear he hath the rheum again, overheating of himself after sungate. "

"Ay, ay, I forgot. He hath to heat himself in bed again, with the sunupon his coverlid. Mary lof, how many hours was ye up?"

"Your daughter, Sir, " answered the lieutenant, with a glance at themaiden over the opal gleam of froth, which she had headed up forhim--"your daughter has been down the Dike before the sun was, and doingof her duty by the king and by his revenue. Mistress Anerley, your goodhealth! Master Anerley, the like to you, and your daughter, and all ofyour good household. " Before they had finished their thanks for thishonor, the quart pot was set down empty. "A very pretty brew, Sir--apretty brew indeed! Fall back, men! Have heed of discipline. A chalkedline is what they want, Sir. Mistress Anerley, your good health again. The air is now thirsty in the mornings. If those fellows could be givena bench against the wall--a bench against the wall is what they feel forwith their legs. It comes so natural to their--yes, yes, their legs, andthe crook of their heels, ma'am, from what they were brought up to situpon. And if you have any beer brewed for washing days, ma'am, that iswhat they like, and the right thing for their bellies. Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody, sit down and be thankful. "

"But surely, Captain Carroway, you would never be happy to sit downwithout them. Look at their small-clothes, the dust and the dirt! Andtheir mouths show what you might make of them. "

"Yes, madam, yes; the very worst of them is that. They are alwayslooking out, here, there, and every where, for victuals everlasting. Letthem wait their proper time, and then they do it properly. "

"Their proper time is now, Sir. Winnie, fill their horns up. Mary, waityou upon the officer. Captain Carroway, I will not have any body starvein my house. "

"Madam, you are the lawgiver in your own house. Men of the coast-guard, fall to upon your victuals. "

The lieutenant frowned horribly at his men, as much as to say, "Take noadvantage, but show your best manners;" and they touched their forelockswith a pleasant grin, and began to feed rapidly; and verily their wiveswould have said that it was high time for them. Feeding, as a duty, was the order of the day, and discipline had no rank left. Good thingsappeared and disappeared, with the speedy doom of all excellence. Mary, and Winnie the maid, flitted in and out like carrier-pigeons. 

"Now when the situation comes to this, " said the farmer at last, beingheartily pleased with the style of their feeding and laughing, "hisMajesty hath made an officer of me, though void of his own writing. Mounted Fencibles, Filey Briggers, called in the foreign parts'Brigadiers. ' Not that I stand upon sermonry about it, except in thematter of his Majesty's health, as never is due without ardent spirits. But my wife hath a right to her own way, and never yet I knowed her goaway from it. "

"Not so, by any means, " the mistress said, and said it so quietly thatsome believed her; "I never was so much for that. Captain, you are amarried man. But reason is reason, in the middle of us all, and whatelse should I say to my husband? Mary lass, Mary lof, wherever is yourduty? The captain hath the best pot empty!"

With a bright blush Mary sprang up to do her duty. In those days no girlwas ashamed to blush; and the bloodless cheek savored of small-pox. 

"Hold up your head, my lof, " her father said aloud, with a smile oftidy pride, and a pat upon her back; "no call to look at all ashamed, my dear. To my mind, captain, though I may be wrong, however, but to mymind, this little maid may stan' upright in the presence of downrightany one. "

"There lies the very thing that never should be said. Captain, you haveseven children, or it may be eight of them justly. And the pride oflife--Mary, you be off!"

Mary was glad to run away, for she liked not to be among so many men. But her father would not have her triumphed over. 

"Speak for yourself, good wife, " he said. "I know what you have gotbehind, as well as rooks know plough-tail. Captain, you never heard mesay that the lass were any booty, but the very same as God hath madeher, and thankful for straight legs and eyes. Howsoever, there might beworse-favored maidens, without running out of the Riding. "

"You may ride all the way to the city of London, " the captain exclaimed, with a clinch of his fist, "or even to Portsmouth, where my wife camefrom, and never find a maid fit to hold a candle for Mary to curl herhair by. "

The farmer was so pleased that he whispered something; but Carroway puthis hand before his mouth, and said, "Never, no, never in the morning!"But in spite of that, Master Anerley felt in his pocket for a key, anddeparted. 

"Wicked, wicked, is the word I use, " protested Mrs. Anerley, "for allthis fribble about rooks and looks, and holding of candles, and curlingof hair. When I was Mary's age--oh dear! It may not be so for yourdaughters, captain; but evil for mine was the day that invented thoseproud swinging-glasses. "

"That you may pronounce, ma'am, and I will say Amen. Why, my eldestdaughter, in her tenth year now--"

"Come, Captain Carroway, " broke in the farmer, returning softly with asquare old bottle, "how goes the fighting with the Crappos now? Put yourlegs up, and light your pipe, and tell us all the news. "

"Cadman, and Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody, " the lieutenant of thecoast-guard shouted, "you have fed well. Be off, men; no more neglect ofduty! Place an outpost at fork of the Sewerby road, and strictly observethe enemy, while I hold a council of war with my brother officer, Captain Anerley. Half a crown for you, if you catch the rogue, halfa crown each, and promotion of twopence. Attention, eyes right, makeyourselves scarce! Well, now the rogues are gone, let us make ourselvesat home. Anerley, your question is a dry one. A dry one; but this isuncommonly fine stuff! How the devil has it slipped through our fingers?Never mind that, inter amicos--Sir, I was at school at Shrewsbury--butas to the war, Sir, the service is going to the devil, for the want ofpure principle. "

The farmer nodded; and his looks declared that to some extent he feltit. He had got the worst side of some bargains that week; but his wifehad another way of thinking. 

"Why, Captain Carroway, whatever could be purer? When you were at sea, had you ever a man of the downright principles of Nelson?"

"Nelson has done very well in his way; but he is a man who has risen toofast, as other men rise too slowly. Nothing in him; no substance, madam; I knew him as a youngster, and I could have tossed him on amarling-spike. And instead of feeding well, Sir, he quite wore himselfaway. To my firm knowledge, he would scarcely turn the scale upon a goodFrenchman of half of the peas. Every man should work his own way up, unless his father did it for him. In my time we had fifty men as good, and made no fuss about them. "

"And you not the last of them, captain, I dare say. Though I do love tohear of the Lord's Lord Nelson, as the people call him. If ever a manfought his own way up--"

"Madam, I know him, and respect him well. He would walk up to the devil, with a sword between his teeth, and a boarder's pistol in each hand. Madam, I leaped, in that condition, a depth of six fathoms and a halfinto the starboard mizzen-chains of the French line-of-battle ship Peaceand Thunder. "

"Oh, Captain Carroway, how dreadful! What had you to lay hold with?"

"At such times a man must not lay hold. My business was to lay about;and I did it to some purpose. This little slash, across my eyes struckfire, and it does the same now by moonlight. "

One of the last men in the world to brag was Lieutenant Carroway. Nothing but the great thirst of this morning, and strong necessityof quenching it, could ever have led him to speak about himself, andremember his own little exploits. But the farmer was pleased, and said, "Tell us some more, Sir. "

"Mistress Anerley, " the captain answered, shutting up the scar, which hewas able to expand by means of a muscle of excitement, "you know thata man should drop these subjects when he has got a large family. I havebeen in the Army and the Navy, madam, and now I am in the Revenue; butmy duty is first to my own house. "

"Do take care, Sir; I beg you to be careful. Those free-traders now arecome to such a pitch that any day or night they may shoot you. "

"Not they, madam. No, they are not murderers. In a hand-to-hand conflictthey might do it, as I might do the same to them. This very morning mymen shot at the captain of all smugglers, Robin Lyth, of Flamborough, with a hundred guineas upon his head. It was no wish of mine; but mybreath was short to stop them, and a man with a family like mine cannever despise a hundred guineas. "

"Why, Sophy, " said the farmer, thinking slowly, with a frown, "thatmust have been the noise come in at window, when I were getting upthis morning. I said, 'Why, there's some poacher fellow popping at theconies!' and out I went straight to the warren to see. Three gun-shots, or might 'a been four. How many men was you shooting at?"

"The force under my command was in pursuit of one notoriouscriminal--that well-known villain, Robin Lyth. "

"Captain, your duty is to do your duty. But without your own word forit, I never would believe that you brought four gun muzzles down uponone man. "

"The force under my command carried three guns only. It was not in theirpower to shoot off four. "

"Captain, I never would have done it in your place. I call it no betterthan unmanly. Now go you not for to stir yourself amiss. To look thunderat me is what I laugh at. But many things are done in a hurry, CaptainCarroway, and I take it that this was one of them. "

"As to that, no! I will not have it. All was in thorough good order. I was never so much as a cable's length behind, though the devil, someyears ago, split my heel up, like his own, Sir. "

"Captain, I see it, and I ask your pardon. Your men were out of reach ofhollering. At our time of life the wind dies quick, from want of blowingoftener. "

"Stuff!" cried the captain. "Who was the freshest that came to yourhospitable door, Sir? I will foot it with any man for six leagues, butnot for half a mile, ma'am. I depart from nothing. I said, 'Fire!' andfire they did, and they shall again. What do Volunteers know of theservice?"

"Stephen, you shall not say a single other word;" Mistress Anerleystopped her husband thus; "these matters are out of your linealtogether; because you have never taken any body's blood. The captainhere is used to it, like all the sons of Belial, brought up in the earlyportions of the Holy Writ. "

Lieutenant Carroway's acquaintance with the Bible was not more extensivethan that of other officers, and comprised little more than the storyof Joseph, and that of David and Goliath; so he bowed to his hostess forher comparison, while his gaunt and bristly countenance gave way toa pleasant smile. For this officer of the British Crown had a face ofstrong features, and upon it whatever he thought was told as plainly asthe time of day is told by the clock in the kitchen. At the same time, Master Anerley was thinking that he might have said more than a hostshould say concerning a matter which, after all, was no particularconcern of his; whereas it was his special place to be kind to anyvisitor. All this he considered with a sound grave mind, and thenstretched forth his right hand to the officer. 

Carroway, being a generous man, would not be outdone in apologies. Sothese two strengthened their mutual esteem, without any fighting--whichgenerally is the quickest way of renewing respect--and Mistress Anerley, having been a little frightened, took credit to herself for the goodwords she had used. Then the farmer, who never drank cordials, althoughhe liked to see other people do it, set forth to see a man who was comeabout a rick, and sundry other business. But Carroway, in spite of allhis boasts, was stiff, though he bravely denied that he could be; andwhen the good housewife insisted on his stopping to listen to somethingthat was much upon her mind, and of great importance to the revenue, hecould not help owning that duty compelled him to smoke another pipe, andhearken. 

CHAPTER IX

ROBIN COCKSCROFT

Nothing ever was allowed to stop Mrs. Anerley from seeing to thebedrooms. She kept them airing for about three hours at this time of thesun-stitch--as she called all the doings of the sun upon the sky--andthen there was pushing, and probing, and tossing, and pulling, andthumping, and kneading of knuckles, till the rib of every feather wasaching; and then (like dough before the fire) every well-belabored tickwas left to yeast itself a while. Winnie, the maid, was as strong as apost, and wore them all out in bed-making. Carroway heard the beginningof this noise, but none of it meddled at all with his comfort; he layback nicely in a happy fit of chair, stretched his legs well upon abench, and nodded, keeping slow time with the breathings of his pipe, and drawing a vapory dream of ease. He had fared many stony miles afootthat morning; and feet, legs, and body were now less young than theyused to be once upon a time. Looking up sleepily, the captain had ideaof a pretty young face hanging over him, and a soft voice saying, "Itwas me who did it all, " which was very good grammar in those days; "willyou forgive me? But I could not help it, and you must have been sorry toshoot him. "

"Shoot every body who attempts to land, " the weary man ordered, drowsily. "Mattie, once more, you are not to dust my pistols. "

"I could not be happy without telling you the truth, " the soft voicecontinued, "because I told you such a dreadful story. And now--Oh! herecomes mother!"

"What has come over you this morning, child? You do the mostextraordinary things, and now you can not let the captain rest. Go roundand look for eggs this very moment. You will want to be playing finemusic next. Now, captain, I am at your service, if you please, unlessyou feel too sleepy. "

"Mistress Anerley, I never felt more wide-awake in all my life. We ofthe service must snatch a wink whenever we can, but with one eye open;and it is not often that we see such charming sights. "

The farmer's wife having set the beds to "plump, " had stolen a look atthe glass, and put on her second-best Sunday cap, in honor of a realofficer; and she looked very nice indeed, especially when she received acompliment. But she had seen too much of life to be disturbed thereby. 

"Ah, Captain Carroway, what ways you have of getting on with simplepeople, while you are laughing all the time at them! It comes of theforeign war experience, going on so long that in the end we shall allbe foreigners. But one place there is that you never can conquer, norBoneypart himself, to my belief. "

"Ah, you mean Flamborough--Flamborough, yes! It is a nest ofcockatrices. "

"Captain, it is nothing of the sort. It is the most honest place in allthe world. A man may throw a guinea on the crossroads in the night, andhave it back from Dr. Upandown any time within seven years. You ought toknow by this time what they are, hard as it is to get among them. "

"I only know that they can shut their mouths; and the devil himself--Ibeg your pardon, madam--Old Nick himself never could unscrew them. "

"You are right, Sir. I know their manner well. They are open as the skywith one another, but close as the grave to all the world outside them, and most of all to people of authority like you. "

"Mistress Anerley, you have just hit it. Not a word can I get out ofthem. The name of the king--God bless him!--seems to have no weightamong them. "

"And you can not get at them, Sir, by any dint of money, or even byliving in the midst of them. The only way to do it is by kin of blood, or marriage. And that is how I come to know more about them than almostany body else outside. My master can scarcely win a word of them even, kind as he is, and well-spoken; and neither might I, though my tonguewas tenfold, if it were not for Joan Cockscroft. But being Joan'scousin, I am like one of themselves. "

"Cockscroft! Cockscroft? I have heard that name. Do they keep thepublic-house there?"

The lieutenant was now on the scent of duty, and assumed his mostknowing air, the sole effect of which was to put every body upon guardagainst him. For this was a man of no subtlety, but straightforward, downright, and ready to believe; and his cleverest device was to seem todisbelieve. 

"The Cockscrofts keep no public-house, " Mrs. Anerley answered, with alittle flush of pride. "Why, she was half-niece to my own grandmother, and never was beer in the family. Not that it would have been wrong, ifit was. Captain, you are thinking of Widow Precious, licensed to the Codwith the hook in his gills. I should have thought, Sir, that you mighthave known a little more of your neighbors having fallen below the pathof life by reason of bad bank-tokens. Banking came up in her parts likedog-madness, as it might have done here, if our farmers were the foolsto handle their cash with gloves on. And Joan became robbed by the faultof her trustees, the very best bakers in Scarborough, though Robin nevermarried her for it, thank God! Still it was very sad, and scarcely bearsdescribing of, and pulled them in the crook of this world's swing toa lower pitch than if they had robbed the folk that robbed and ruinedthem. And Robin so was driven to the fish again, which he always hadhankered after. It must have been before you heard of this coast, captain, and before the long war was so hard on us, that every bodyabout these parts was to double his bags by banking, and no man wasright to pocket his own guineas, for fear of his own wife feeling them. And bitterly such were paid out for their cowardice and swindling oftheir own bosoms. "

"I have heard of it often, and it served them right. Master Anerley knewwhere his money was safe, ma'am!"

"Neither Captain Robin Cockscroft nor his wife was in any way to blame, "answered Mrs. Anerley. "I have framed my mind to tell you about them;and I will do it truly, if I am not interrupted. Two hammers never yetdrove a nail straight, and I make a rule of silence when my betters wishto talk. "

"Madam, you remind me of my own wife. She asks me a question, and shewill not let me answer. "

"That is the only way I know of getting on. Mistress Carroway mustunderstand you, captain. I was at the point of telling you how mycousin Joan was married, before her money went, and when she was reallygood-looking. I was quite a child, and ran along the shore to see it. It must have been in the high summer-time, with the weather fit forbathing, and the sea as smooth as a duck-pond. And Captain Robin, beingwell-to-do, and established with every thing except a wife, and pleasedwith the pretty smile and quiet ways of Joan--for he never had heard ofher money, mind--put his oar into the sea and rowed from Flamborough allthe way to Filey Brigg, with thirty-five fishermen after him; for theFlamborough people make a point of seeing one another through theirtroubles. And Robin was known for the handsomest man and the uttermostfisher of the landing, with three boats of his own, and good birth, andlong sea-lines. And there at once they found my cousin Joan, with hertrustees, come overland, four wagons and a cart in all of them; andafter they were married, they burned sea-weed, having no fear in thosedays of invasions. And a merry day they made of it, and rowed back bythe moonshine. For every one liked and respected Captain Cockscroft onaccount of his skill with the deep-sea lines, and the openness of hishands when full--a wonderful quiet and harmless man, as the manner is ofall great fishermen. They had bacon for breakfast whenever they liked, and a guinea to lend to any body in distress. 

"Then suddenly one morning, when his hair was growing gray and his eyesgetting weary of the night work, so that he said his young Robin mustgrow big enough to learn all the secrets of the fishes, while his fathertook a spell in the blankets, suddenly there came to them a shockingpiece of news. All his wife's bit of money, and his own as well, whichhe had been putting by from year to year, was lost in a new-fangledBank, supposed as faithful as the Bible. Joan was very nearly crazedabout it; but Captain Cockscroft never heaved a sigh, though they sayit was nearly seven hundred guineas. 'There are fish enough still in thesea, ' he said; 'and the Lord has spared our children. I will build a newboat, and not think of feather-beds. '

"Captain Carroway, he did so, and every body knows what befell him. Thenew boat, built with his own hands, was called the Mercy Robin, for hisonly son and daughter, little Mercy and poor Robin. The boat is thereas bright as ever, scarlet within and white outside; but the name ispainted off, because the little dears are in their graves. Two nicerchildren were never seen, clever, and sprightly, and good to learn; theynever even took a common bird's nest, I have heard, but loved all thelittle things the Lord has made, as if with a foreknowledge of goingearly home to Him. Their father came back very tired one morning, andwent up the hill to his breakfast, and the children got into the boatand pushed off, in imitation of their daddy. It came on to blow, as itdoes down there, without a single whiff of warning; and when Robin awokefor his middle-day meal, the bodies of his little ones were lying on thetable. And from that very day Captain Cockscroft and his wife began togrow old very quickly. The boat was recovered without much damage; andin it he sits by the hour on dry land, whenever there is no one on thecliffs to see him, with his hands upon his lap, and his eyes upon theplace where his dear little children used to sit. Because he has alwaystaken whatever fell upon him gently; and of course that makes it ever somuch worse when he dwells upon the things that come inside of him. "

"Madam, you make me feel quite sorry for him, " the lieutenant exclaimed, as she began to cry, "If even one of my little ones was drowned, Ideclare to you, I can not tell what I should be like. And to lose themall at once, and as his own wife perhaps would say, because he wasthinking of his breakfast! And when he had been robbed, and the worldall gone against him! Madam, it is a long time, thank God, since I heardso sad a tale. "

"Now you would not, captain, I am sure you would not, " said MistressAnerley, getting up a smile, yet freshening his perception of a tear aswell--"you would never have the heart to destroy that poor old couple bystriking the last prop from under them. By the will of the Lord they arebroken down enough. They are quietly hobbling to their graves, and wouldyou be the man to come and knock them on their heads at once?"

"Mistress Anerley, have you ever heard that I am a brute and inhuman?Madam, I have no less than seven children, and I hope to have fourteen. "

"I hope with all my heart you may. And you will deserve them all, forpromising so very kindly not to shoot poor Robin Lyth. "

"Robin Lyth! I never spoke of him, madam. He is outlawed, condemned, with a fine reward upon him. We shot at him to-day; we shall shoot athim again; and before very long we must hit him. Ma'am, it is my dutyto the king, the Constitution, the service I belong to, and the babes Ihave begotten. "

"Blood-money poisons all innocent mouths, Sir, and breaks out forgenerations. And for it you will have to take three lives--Robin's, thecaptain's, and my dear old cousin Joan's. "

"Mistress Anerley, you deprive me of all satisfaction. It is just myluck, when my duty was so plain, and would pay so well for doing of. "

"Listen now, captain. It is my opinion, and I am generally borne out bythe end, that instead of a hundred pounds for killing Robin Lyth, youmay get a thousand for preserving him alive. Do you know how he cameupon this coast, and how he has won his extraordinary name?"

"I have certainly heard rumors; scarcely any two alike. But I took noheed of them. My duty was to catch him; and it mattered not a straw tome who or what he was. But now I must really beg to know all about him, and what makes you think such things of him. Why should that excellentold couple hang upon him? and what can make him worth such a quantityof money? Honestly, of course, I mean; honestly worth it, ma'am, withoutany cheating of his Majesty. "

"Captain Carroway, " his hostess said, not without a little blush, as shethought of the king and his revenue, "cheating of his Majesty is a thingwe leave for others. But if you wish to hear the story of that youngman, so far as known, which is not so even in Flamborough, you mustplease to come on Sunday, Sir; for Sunday is the only day that I canspare for clacking, as the common people say. I must be off now; I havefifty things to see to. And on Sunday my master has his best things on, and loves no better than to sit with his legs up, and a long clay pipelying on him down below his waist (or, to speak more correctly, whereit used to be, as he might, indeed, almost say the very same to me), andthen not to speak a word, but hear other folk tell stories, that mightnot have made such a dinner as himself. And as for dinner, Sir, ifyou will do the honor to dine with them that are no more than in theVolunteers, a saddle of good mutton fit for the Body-Guards to rideupon, the men with the skins around them all turned up, will be readyjust at one o'clock, if the parson lets us out. "

"My dear madam, I shall scarcely care to look at any slice of victualsuntil one o'clock on Sunday, by reason of looking forward. "

After all, this was not such a gross exaggeration, Anerley Farm beingfamous for its cheer; whereas the poor lieutenant, at the best of times, had as much as he could do to make both ends meet; and his wife, thougha wonderful manager, could give him no better than coarse bread, andalmost coarser meat. 

"And, Sir, if your good lady would oblige us also--"

"No, madam, no!" he cried, with vigorous decision, having found manyfestive occasions spoiled by excess of loving vigilance; "we thank youmost truly; but I must say 'no. ' She would jump at the chance; but ahusband must consider. You may have heard it mentioned that the Lord isnow considering about the production of an eighth little Carroway. "

"Captain, I have not, or I should not so have spoken. But with all myheart I wish you joy. "

"I have pleasure, I assure you, in the prospect, Mistress Anerley. Myfriends make wry faces, but I blow them away, 'Tush, ' I say, 'tush, Sir;at the rate we now are fighting, and exhausting all British material, there can not be too many, Sir, of mettle such as mine!' What do you sayto that, madam?"

"Sir, I believe it is the Lord's own truth. And true it is also that ourcountry should do more to support the brave hearts that fight for it. "

Mrs. Anerley sighed, for she thought of her younger son, by his ownperversity launched into the thankless peril of fighting England'sbattles. His death at any time might come home, if any kind personshould take the trouble even to send news of it; or he might lie at thebottom of the sea unknown, even while they were talking. But Carrowaybuttoned up his coat and marched, after a pleasant and kind farewell. Inthe course of hard service he had seen much grief, and suffered plentyof bitterness, and he knew that it is not the part of a man to multiplyany of his troubles but children. He went about his work, and he thoughtof all his comforts, which need not have taken very long to count, but he added to their score by not counting them, and by the self-sameprocess diminished that of troubles. And thus, upon the whole, hedeserved his Sunday dinner, and the tale of his hostess after it, nota word of which Mary was allowed to hear, for some subtle reason of hermother's. But the farmer heard it all, and kept interrupting so, whenhis noddings and the joggings of his pipe allowed, or, perhaps oneshould say, compelled him, that merely for the courtesy of saving commontime it is better now to set it down without them. Moreover, there aremany things well worthy of production which she did not produce, forreasons which are now no hinderance. And the foremost of those reasonsis that the lady did not know the things; the second that she could nottell them clearly as a man might; and the third, and best of all, thatif she could, she would not do so. In which she certainly was quiteright; for it would have become her very badly, as the cousin of JoanCockscroft (half removed, and upon the mother's side), and thereforekindly received at Flamborough, and admitted into the inner circle, andallowed to buy fish at wholesale prices, if she had turned round uponall these benefits, and described all the holes to be found in theplace, for the teaching of a revenue officer. 

Still, it must be clearly understood that the nature of the people isfishing. They never were known to encourage free-trading, but did theirvery utmost to protect themselves; and if they had produced the verynoblest free-trader, born before the time of Mr. Cobden, neither thecredit nor the blame was theirs. 

CHAPTER X

ROBIN LYTH

Half a league to the north of bold Flamborough Head the billows havecarved for themselves a little cove among cliffs which are rugged, butnot very high. This opening is something like the grain shoot of a mill, or a screen for riddling gravel, so steep is the pitch of the ground, and so narrow the shingly ledge at the bottom. And truly in bad weatherand at high tides there is no shingle ledge at all, but the crest of thewave volleys up the incline, and the surf rushes on to the top of it. For the cove, though sheltered from other quarters, receives the fullbrunt of northeasterly gales, and offers no safe anchorage. But thehardy fishermen make the most of its scant convenience, and gratefullycall it "North Landing, " albeit both wind and tide must be in goodhumor, or the only thing sure of any landing is the sea. The longdesolation of the sea rolls in with a sound of melancholy, the gray fogdroops its fold of drizzle in the leaden-tinted troughs, the pent cliffsoverhang the flapping of the sail, and a few yards of pebble and of weedare all that a boat may come home upon harmlessly. Yet here in the oldtime landed men who carved the shape of England; and here even in theselesser days, are landed uncommonly fine cod. 

The difficulties of the feat are these: to get ashore soundly, and thento make it good; and after that to clinch the exploit by getting onland, which is yet a harder step. Because the steep of the ground, likea staircase void of stairs, stands facing you, and the cliff upon eitherside juts up close, to forbid any flanking movement, and the scantyscarp denies fair start for a rush at the power of the hill front. Yethere must the heavy boats beach themselves, and wallow and yaw in theshingly roar, while their cargo and crew get out of them, their gunwalesswinging from side to side, in the manner of a porpoise rolling, andtheir stem and stern going up and down like a pair of lads at seesaw. 

But after these heavy boats have endured all that, they have not foundtheir rest yet without a crowning effort. Up that gravelly and glidderyascent, which changes every groove and run at every sudden shower, butnever grows any the softer--up that the heavy boats must make clambersomehow, or not a single timber of their precious frames is safe. A bigrope from the capstan at the summit is made fast as soon as the tails ofthe jackasses (laden with three cwt. Of fish apiece) have wagged theirlast flick at the brow of the steep; and then with "yo-heave-ho" aboveand below, through the cliffs echoing over the dull sea, the groaningand grinding of the stubborn tug begins. Each boat has her own specialcourse to travel up, and her own special berth of safety, and she knowsevery jag that will gore her on the road, and every flint from which shewill strike fire. By dint of sheer sturdiness of arms, legs, and lungs, keeping true time with the pant and the shout, steadily goes it withhoist and haul, and cheerily undulates the melody of call that ralliesthem all with a strong will together, until the steep bluff and theburden of the bulk by masculine labor are conquered, and a long row ofpowerful pinnaces displayed, as a mounted battery, against the fishfulsea. With a view to this clambering ruggedness of life, all of theseboats receive from their cradle a certain limber rake and accommodatingcurve, instead of a straight pertinacity of keel, so that they may rideover all the scandals of this arduous world. And happen what may tothem, when they are at home, and gallantly balanced on the brow line ofthe steep, they make a bright show upon the dreariness of coast-land, hanging as they do above the gullet of the deep. Painted outside withthe brightest of scarlet, and inside with the purest white, at a littleway off they resemble gay butterflies, preening their wings for a flightinto the depth. 

Here it must have been, and in the middle of all these, that the veryfamous Robin Lyth--prophetically treating him, but free as yet of fameor name, and simply unable to tell himself--shone in the doubt of theearly daylight (as a tidy-sized cod, if forgotten, might have shone)upon the morning of St. Swithin, A. D. 1782. 

The day and the date were remembered long by all the good people ofFlamborough, from the coming of the turn of a long bad luck and a bittertime of starving. For the weather of the summer had been worse thanusual--which is no little thing to say--and the fish had expressed theiropinion of it by the eloquent silence of absence. Therefore, as thewhole place lives on fish, whether in the fishy or the fiscal form, goodly apparel was becoming very rare, even upon high Sundays; andstomachs that might have looked well beneath it, sank into unobtrusivegrief. But it is a long lane that has no turning; and turns are theessence of one very vital part. 

Suddenly over the village had flown the news of a noble arrival offish. From the cross-roads, and the public-house, and the licensedhead-quarters of pepper and snuff, and the loop-hole where a sheep hadbeen known to hang, in times of better trade, but never could dream ofhanging now; also from the window of the man who had had a hundredheads (superior to his own) shaken at him because he set up for makingbreeches in opposition to the women, and showed a few patterns of whathe could do if any man of legs would trade with him--from all thesehead-centres of intelligence, and others not so prominent but equallypotent, into the very smallest hole it went (like the thrill in atroublesome tooth) that here was a chance come of feeding, a chanceat last of feeding. For the man on the cliff, the despairing watchman, weary of fastening his eyes upon the sea, through constant fog anddrizzle, at length had discovered the well-known flicker, the glassyflaw, and the hovering of gulls, and had run along Weighing Lane sofast, to tell his good news in the village, that down he fell andbroke his leg, exactly opposite the tailor's shop. And this was on St. Swithin's Eve. 

There was nothing to be done that night, of course, for mackerel must bedelicately worked; but long before the sun arose, all Flamborough, ableto put leg in front of leg, and some who could not yet do that, gatheredtogether where the land-hold was, above the incline for the launchingof the boats. Here was a medley, not of fisher-folk alone, and all theirbodily belongings, but also of the thousand things that have no soul, and get kicked about and sworn at much because they can not answer. Rollers, buoys, nets, kegs, swabs, fenders, blocks, buckets, kedges, corks, buckie-pots, oars, poppies, tillers, sprits, gaffs, and everykind of gear (more than Theocritus himself could tell) lay about, and rolled about, and upset their own masters, here and there andeverywhere, upon this half acre of slip and stumble, at the top of theboat channel down to the sea, and in the faint rivalry of three vaguelights, all making darkness visible. 

For very ancient lanterns, with a gentle horny glimmer, and loop-holesof large exaggeration at the top, were casting upon anything quitewithin their reach a general idea of the crinkled tin that framed them, and a shuffle of inconstant shadows, but refused to shed any light onfriend or stranger, or clear up suspicions, more than three yards off. In rivalry with these appeared the pale disk of the moon, just settingover the western highlands, and "drawing straws" through summer haze;while away in the northeast over the sea, a slender irregular wisp ofgray, so weak that it seemed as if it were being blown away, betokenedthe intention of the sun to restore clear ideas of number and of figureby-and-by. But little did anybody heed such things; every one ranagainst everybody else, and all was eagerness, haste, and bustle for thefirst great launch of the Flamborough boats, all of which must be takenin order. 

But when they laid hold of the boat No. 7, which used to be the MercyRobin, and were jerking the timber shores out, one of the men stoopingunder her stern beheld something white and gleaming. He put his handdown to it, and, lo! it was a child, in imminent peril of a deadlycrush, as the boat came heeling over. "Hold hard!" cried the man, not intime with his voice, but in time with his sturdy shoulder, to delay thedescent of the counter. Then he stooped underneath, while they steadiedthe boat, and drew forth a child in a white linen dress, heartily asleepand happy. 

There was no time to think of any children now, even of a man's ownfine breed, and the boat was beginning much to chafe upon the rope, andthirty or forty fine fellows were all waiting, loath to hurry CaptainRobin (because of the many things he had dearly lost), yet strainingupon their own hearts to stand still. And the captain could not find hiswife, who had slipped aside of the noisy scene, to have her own littlecry, because of the dance her children would have made if they had livedto see it. 

There were plenty of other women running all about to help, and to talk, and to give the best advice to their husbands and to one another;but most of them naturally had their own babies, and if words came toaction, quite enough to do to nurse them. On this account, Cockscroftcould do no better, bound as he was to rush forth upon the sea, than laythe child gently aside of the stir, and cover him with an old sail, andleave word with an ancient woman for his wife when found. The little boyslept on calmly still, in spite of all the din and uproar, the song andthe shout, the tramp of heavy feet, the creaking of capstans, and thethump of bulky oars, and the crush of ponderous rollers. Away went theseupon their errand to the sea, and then came back the grating roar andplashy jerks of launching, the plunging, and the gurgling, and the quietmurmur of cleft waves. 

That child slept on, in the warm good luck of having no boat keellaunched upon him, nor even a human heel of bulk as likely to provefatal. And the ancient woman fell asleep beside him, because at her timeof life it was unjust that she should be astir so early. And it happenedthat Mrs. Cockscroft followed her troubled husband down the steep, having something in her pocket for him, which she failed to fetch tohand. So everybody went about its own business (according to the lawsof nature), and the old woman slept by the side of the child, withoutgiving him a corner of her scarlet shawl. 

But when the day was broad and brave, and the spirit of the air wasvigorous, and every cliff had a color of its own, and a character tocome out with; and beautiful boats, upon a shining sea, flashed theiroars, and went up waves which clearly were the stairs of heaven; andnever a woman, come to watch her husband, could be sure how far he hadcarried his obedience in the matter of keeping his hat and coat on;neither could anybody say what next those very clever fishermen mightbe after--nobody having a spy-glass--but only this being understoodall round, that hunger and salt were the victuals for the day, andthe children must chew the mouse-trap baits until their dads came homeagain; and yet in spite of all this, with lightsome hearts (so hopeoutstrips the sun, and soars with him behind her) and a strong will, up the hill they went, to do without much breakfast, but prepare for aglorious supper. For mackerel are good fish that do not strive to liveforever, but seem glad to support the human race. 

Flamburians speak a rich burr of their own, broadly and handsomelydistinct from that of outer Yorkshire. The same sagacious contempt forall hot haste and hurry (which people of impatient fibre are too apt tocall "a drawl") may here be found, as in other Yorkshire, guiding andretarding well that headlong instrument the tongue. Yet even here thereis advantage on the side of Flamborough--a longer resonance, a largerbreadth, a deeper power of melancholy, and a stronger turn up of thetail of discourse, by some called the end of a sentence. Over and aboveall these there dwell in "Little Denmark" many words foreign to thereal Yorkshireman. But, alas! these merits of their speech can not beembodied in print without sad trouble, and result (if successful)still more saddening. Therefore it is proposed to let them speak in ourinferior tongue, and to try to make them be not so very long about it. For when they are left to themselves entirely, they have so much solidmatter to express, and they ripen it in their minds and throats with aprocess so deliberate, that strangers might condemn them briefly, and beoff without hearing half of it. Whenever this happens to a Flamboroughman, he finishes what he proposed to say, and then says it all overagain to the wind. 

When the "lavings" of the village (as the weaker part, unfit for sea, and left behind, were politely called, being very old men, women, andsmall children), full of conversation, came, upon their way back fromthe tide, to the gravel brow now bare of boats, they could not helpdiscovering there the poor old woman that fell asleep because she oughtto have been in bed, and by her side a little boy, who seemed to haveno bed at all. The child lay above her in a tump of stubbly grass, whereRobin Cockscroft had laid him; he had tossed the old sail off, perhapsin a dream, and he threatened to roll down upon the granny. The contrastbetween his young, beautiful face, white raiment, and readiness toroll, and the ancient woman's weary age (which it would be ungracious todescribe), and scarlet shawl which she could not spare, and satisfactionto lie still--as the best thing left her now to do--this differencebetween them was enough to take anybody's notice, facing thewell-established sun. 

"Nanny Pegler, get oop wi' ye!" cried a woman even older, but of tougherconstitution. "Shame on ye to lig aboot so. Be ye browt to bed thistoime o' loife?"

"A wonderful foine babby for sich an owd moother, " another proceededwith the elegant joke; "and foine swaddles too, wi' solid gowd upon'em!"

"Stan' ivery one o' ye oot o' the way, " cried ancient Nanny, now aswide-awake as ever; "Master Robin Cockscroft gie ma t' bairn, an'nawbody sall hev him but Joan Cockscroft. "

Joan Cockscroft, with a heavy heart, was lingering far behind the rest, thinking of the many merry launches, when her smart young Robin wouldhave been in the boat with his father, and her pretty little Mercyclinging to her hand upon the homeward road, and prattling of the fishto be caught that day; and inasmuch as Joan had not been able to getface to face with her husband on the beach, she had not yet heard of thestranger child. But soon the women sent a little boy to fetch her, andshe came among them, wondering what it could be. For now a debate ofsome vigor was arising upon a momentous and exciting point, thoughnot so keen by a hundredth part as it would have been twenty yearsafterward. For the eldest old woman had pronounced her decision. 

"Tell ye wat, ah dean't think bud wat yon bairn mud he a Frogman. "

This caused some panic and a general retreat; for though the immortalNapoleon had scarcely finished changing his teeth as yet, a chronicuneasiness about Crappos haunted that coast already, and they mighthave sent this little boy to pave the way, being capable of almosteverything. 

"Frogman!" cried the old woman next to her by birth, and believed tohave higher parts, though not yet ripe. "Na, na; what Frogman here?Frogmen ha' skinny shanks, and larks' heels, and holes down their bodieslike lamperns. No sign of no frog aboot yon bairn. As fair as a wench, and as clean as a tyke. A' mought a'most been born to Flaambro'. Andwhat gowd ha' Crappos got, poor divils?"

This opened the gate for a clamor of discourse; for there surely couldbe no denial of her words. And yet while her elder was alive and out ofbed, the habit of the village was to listen to her say, unless any manof equal age arose to countervail it. But while they were thus divided, Mrs. Cockscroft came, and they stood aside. For she had been kind toeverybody when her better chances were; and now in her trouble all weregrieved because she took it so to heart. Joan Cockscroft did not saya word, but glanced at the child with some contempt. In spite of whitelinen and yellow gold, what was he to her own dead Robin?

But suddenly this child, whatever he was, and vastly soever inferior, opened his eyes and sent home their first glance to the very heart ofJoan Cockscroft. It was the exact look--or so she always said--of herdead angel, when she denied him something, for the sake of his poor dearstomach. With an outburst of tears, she flew straight to the little one, snatched him in her arms, and tried to cover him with kisses. 

The child, however, in a lordly manner, did not seem to like it. He drewaway his red lips, and gathered up his nose, and passion flew out of hisbeautiful eyes, higher passion than that of any Cockscroft. And hetried to say something which no one could make out. And women of highconsideration, looking on, were wicked enough to be pleased at this, andsay that he must be a young lord, and they had quite foreseen it. ButJoan knew what children are, and soothed him down so with delicatehands, and a gentle look, and a subtle way of warming his cold places, that he very soon began to cuddle into her, and smile. Then she turnedround to the other people, with both of his arms flung round her neck, and his cheek laid on her shoulder, and she only said, "The Lord hathsent him. "

CHAPTER XI

DR. UPANDOWN

The practice of Flamborough was to listen fairly to anything that mightbe said by any one truly of the native breed, and to receive it wellinto the crust of the mind, and let it sink down slowly. But even afterthat, it might not take root, unless it were fixed in its settlement bytheir two great powers--the law, and the Lord. 

They had many visitations from the Lord, as needs must be in such a verystormy place; whereas of the law they heard much less; but still theywere even more afraid of that; for they never knew how much it mightcost. 

Balancing matters (as they did their fish, when the price was worth it, in Weigh Lane), they came to the set conclusion that the law and theLord might not agree concerning the child cast among them by the latter. A child or two had been thrown ashore before, and trouble once or twicehad come of it; and this child being cast, no one could say how, to sucha height above all other children, he was likely enough to bring a spellupon their boats, if anything crooked to God's will were done; and evento draw them to their last stocking, if anything offended the providenceof law. 

In any other place it would have been a point of combat what to say andwhat to do in such a case as this. But Flamborough was of all the wideworld happiest in possessing an authority to reconcile all doubts. Thelaw and the Lord--two powers supposed to be at variance always, and toshare the week between them in proportions fixed by lawyers--theholy and unholy elements of man's brief existence, were combined inFlamborough parish in the person of its magisterial rector. He was alsobelieved to excel in the arts of divination and medicine too, for he wasa full Doctor of Divinity. Before this gentleman must be laid, both forpurse and conscience' sake, the case of the child just come out of thefogs. 

And true it was that all these powers were centred in one famous man, known among the laity as "Parson Upandown. " For the Reverend TurnerUpround, to give him his proper name, was a doctor of divinity, ajustice of the peace, and the present rector of Flamborough. Of all hisoffices and powers, there was not one that he overstrained; and all thatknew him, unless they were thorough-going rogues and vagabonds, lovedhim. Not that he was such a soft-spoken man as many were, who thoughtmore evil; but because of his deeds and nature, which were of thekindest. He did his utmost, on demand of duty, to sacrifice this natureto his stern position as pastor and master of an up-hill parish, withmany wrong things to be kept under. But while he succeeded in the formnow and then, he failed continually in the substance. 

This gentleman was not by any means a fool, unless a kind heart provesfolly. At Cambridge he had done very well, in the early days of thetripos, and was chosen fellow and tutor of Gonville and Caius College. But tiring of that dull round in his prime, he married, and took to aliving; and the living was one of the many upon which a perpetual fastercan barely live, unless he can go naked also, and keep naked children. Now the parsons had not yet discovered the glorious merits of hardfasting, but freely enjoyed, and with gratitude to God, the powers withwhich He had blessed them. Happily Dr. Upround had a solid income ofhis own, and (like a sound mathematician) he took a wife of termscoincident. So, without being wealthy, they lived very well, and helpedtheir poorer neighbors. 

Such a man generally thrives in the thriving of his flock, and does notharry them. He gives them spiritual food enough to support them withoutdaintiness, and he keeps the proper distinction between the Sunday andthe poorer days. He clangs no bell of reproach upon a Monday, when thesquire is leading the lady in to dinner, and the laborer sniffing at hissupper pot; and he lets the world play on a Saturday, while he works hisown head to find good ends for the morrow. Because he is a wise man whoknows what other men are, and how seldom they desire to be told thesame thing more than a hundred and four times in a year. Neither didhis clerical skill stop here; for Parson Upround thought twice about itbefore he said anything to rub sore consciences, even when he had themat his mercy, and silent before him, on a Sunday. He behaved like agentleman in this matter, where so much temptation lurks, looking alwaysat the man whom he did not mean to hit, so that the guilty one receivedit through him, and felt himself better by comparison. In a word, thisparson did his duty well, and pleasantly for all his flock; and nothingimbittered him, unless a man pretended to doctrine without holy orders. 

For the doctor reasoned thus--and sound it sounds--if divinity is amatter for Tom, Dick, or Harry, how can there be degrees in it? He helda degree in it, and felt what it had cost; and not the parish only, buteven his own wife, was proud to have a doctor every Sunday. And his wifetook care that his rich red hood, kerseymere small-clothes, and blacksilk stockings upon calves of dignity, were such that his congregationscorned the surgeons all the way to Beverley. 

Happy in a pleasant nature, kindly heart, and tranquil home, he was alsohappy in those awards of life in which men are helpless. He was blessedwith a good wife and three good children, doing well, and vigorous andhardy as the air and clime and cliffs. His wife was not quite of hisown age, but old enough to understand and follow him faithfully down theslope of years. A wife with mind enough to know that a husband is notfaultless, and with heart enough to feel that if he were, she would notlove him so. And under her were comprised their children--two boys atschool, and a baby-girl at home. 

So far, the rector of this parish was truly blessed and blessing. Butin every man's lot must be some crook, since this crooked world turnedround. In Parson Upround's lot the crook might seem a very small one;but he found it almost too big for him. His dignity and peace of mind, large good-will of ministry and strong Christian sense of magistracy, all were sadly pricked and wounded by a very small thorn in the flesh ofhis spirit. 

Almost every honest man is the rightful owner of a nickname. When hewas a boy at school he could not do without one, and if the other boysvalued him, perhaps he had a dozen. And afterward, when there is lessperception of right and wrong and character, in the weaker time ofmanhood, he may earn another, if the spirit is within him. 

But woe is him if a nasty foe, or somebody trying to be one, annoyed forthe moment with him, yet meaning no more harm than pepper, smite him tothe quick, at venture, in his most retired and privy-conscienced hole. And when this is done by a Nonconformist to a Doctor of Divinity, andthe man who does it owes some money to the man he does it to, can thelatter gentleman take a large and genial view of his critics. 

This gross wrong and ungrateful outrage was inflicted thus. A leadingMethodist from Filey town, who owed the doctor half a guinea, came onesummer and set up his staff in the hollow of a limekiln, where he livedupon fish for change of diet, and because he could get it for nothing. This was a man of some eloquence, and his calling in life was cobbling, and to encourage him therein, and keep him from theology, the rectornot only forgot his half guinea, but sent him three or four pairsof riding-boots to mend, and let him charge his own price, which wasstrictly heterodox. As a part of the bargain, this fellow came tochurch, and behaved as well as could be hoped of a man who had receivedhis money. He sat by a pillar, and no more than crossed his legs at theworst thing that disagreed with him. And it might have done him good, and made a decent cobbler of him, if the parson had only held him whenhe got him on the hook. But this is the very thing which all greatpreachers are too benevolent to do. Dr. Upround looked at this sinner, who was getting into a fright upon his own account, though not a badpreacher when he could afford it; and the cobbler could no more look upto the doctor than when he charged him a full crown beyond the contract. In his kindness for all who seemed convinced of sin, the good preacherhalted, and looked at Mr. Jobbins with a soft, relaxing gaze. Jobbinsappeared as if he would come to church forever, and never cheat anysound clergyman again; whereupon the generous divine omitted a wholepage of menaces prepared for him, and passed prematurely to the tenderstrain which always winds up a good sermon. 

Now what did Jobbins do in return for all this magnanimous mercy?Invited to dine with the senior church-warden upon the strength ofhaving been at church, and to encourage him for another visit, and beingasked, as soon as ever decency permitted, what he thought of ParsonUpround's doctrine, between two crackles of young griskin (come straightfrom the rectory pig-sty), he was grieved to express a stern opinionlong remembered at Flamborough:

"Ca' yo yon mon 'Dr. Uproond?' I ca' un 'Dr. Upandoon. '"

From that day forth the rector of the parish was known far and wide as"Dr. Upandown, " even among those who loved him best. For the name welldescribed his benevolent practice of undoing any harsh thing he mighthave said, sometimes by a smile, and very often with a shilling, or abasket of spring cabbages. So that Mrs. Upround, when buttoning up hiscoat--which he always forgot to do for himself--did it with the words, "My dear, now scold no one; really it is becoming too expensive. " "ShallI abandon duty, " he would answer, with some dignity, "while a shillingis sufficient to enforce it?"

Dr. Upround's people had now found out that their minister andmagistrate discharged his duty toward his pillow, no less than to hispulpit. His parish had acquired, through the work of generations, ahabit of getting up at night, and being all alive at cock-crow; and therector (while very new amongst them) tried to bow--or rather rise--tonight-watch. But a little of that exercise lasted him for long; and heliked to talk of it afterward, but for the present was obliged to dropit. For he found himself pale, when his wife made him see himself; andhis hours of shaving were so dreadful; and scarcely a bit of fair dinnercould be got, with the whole of the day thrown out so. In short, hesettled it wisely that the fishers of fish must yield to the habits offish, which can not be corrected; but the fishers of men (who can livewithout catching them) need not be up to all their hours, but may takethem reasonably. 

His parishioners--who could do very well without him, as far asthat goes, all the week, and by no means wanted him among theirboats--joyfully left him to his own time of day, and no more worriedhim out of season than he worried them so. It became a matter of rightfeeling with them not to ring a big bell, which the rector had put up tochallenge everybody's spiritual need, until the stable clock behind thebell had struck ten and finished gurgling. 

For this reason, on St. Swithin's morn, in the said year 1782, thegrannies, wives, and babes of Flamborough, who had been to help thelaunch, but could not pull the laboring oar, nor even hold the tiller, spent the time till ten o'clock in seeing to their own affairs--themost laudable of all pursuits for almost any woman. And then, with somelittle dispute among them (the offspring of the merest accident), theyarrived in some force at the gate of Dr. Upround, and no woman liked topull the bell, and still less to let another woman do it for her. But anold man came up who was quite deaf, and every one asked him to do it. 

In spite of the scarcity of all good things, Mrs. Cockscroft hadthoroughly fed the little stranger, and washed him, and undressed him, and set him up in her own bed, and wrapped him in her woollen shawl, because he shivered sadly; and there he stared about with wonderingeyes, and gave great orders--so far as his new nurse could make out--butspeaking gibberish, as she said, and flying into a rage because it wasout of Christian knowledge. But he seemed to understand some English, although he could only pronounce two words, both short, and in suchconjunction quite unlawful for any except the highest Spiritual Power. Mrs. Cockscroft, being a pious woman, hoped that her ears were wrong, or else that the words were foreign and meant no harm, though thechild seemed to take in much of what was said, and when asked his name, answered, wrathfully, and as if everybody was bound to know, "Izunsabe!Izunsabe!"

But now, when brought before Dr. Upround, no child of the very bestEnglish stock could look more calm and peaceful. He could walk wellenough, but liked better to be carried; and the kind woman who had sotaken him up was only too proud to carry him. Whatever the rector andmagistrate might say, her meaning was to keep this little one, with herhusband's good consent, which she was sure of getting. 

"Set him down, ma'am, " the doctor said, when he had heard from half adozen good women all about him; "Mistress Cockscroft, put him on hislegs, and let me question him. "

But the child resisted this proceeding. With nature's inborn and justloathing of examination, he spun upon his little heels, and swore withall his might, at the same time throwing up his hands and twirling histhumbs in a very odd and foreign way. 

"What a shocking child!" cried Mrs. Upround, who was come to know allabout it. "Jane, run away with Miss Janetta. "

"The child is not to blame, " said the rector, "but only the people whohave brought him up. A prettier or more clever little head I have neverseen in all my life; and we studied such things at Cambridge. My finelittle fellow, shake hands with me. "

The boy broke off his vicious little dance, and looked up at this tallgentleman with great surprise. His dark eyes dwelt upon the parson'skindly face, with that power of inquiry which the very young possess, and then he put both little hands into the gentleman's, and burst into atorrent of the most heart-broken tears. 

"Poor little man!" said the rector, very gently, taking him up in hisarms and patting the silky black curls, while great drops fell, anda nose was rubbed on his shoulder; "it is early for you to begin badtimes. Why, how old are you, if you please?"

The little boy sat up on the kind man's arm, and poked a smallinvestigating finger into the ear that was next to him, and the locksjust beginning to be marked with gray; and then he said, "Sore, " andtossed his chin up, evidently meaning, "Make your best of that. " And thewomen drew a long breath, and nudged at one another. 

"Well done! Four years old, my dear. You see that he understands Englishwell enough, " said the parson to his parishioners: "he will tell us allabout himself by-and-by, if we do not hurry him. You think him a Frenchchild. I do not, though the name which he gives himself, 'Izunsabe, 'has a French aspect about it. Let me think. I will try him with a Frenchinterrogation: 'Parlez-vous Francais, mon enfan?'"

Dr. Upround watched the effect of his words with outward calm, but aninward flutter. For if this clever child should reply in French, thedoctor could never go on with it, but must stand there before hiscongregation in a worse position than when he lost his place, assometimes happened, in a sermon. With wild temerity he had given vent tothe only French words within his knowledge; and he determined to followthem up with Latin if the worst came to the worst. 

But luckily no harm came of this, but, contrariwise, a lasting good. For the child looked none the wiser, while the doctor's influence wasincreased. 

"Aha!" the good parson cried. "I was sure that he was no Frenchman. But we must hear something about him very soon, for what you tell me isimpossible. If he had come from the sea, he must have been wet; it couldnever be otherwise. Whereas, his linen clothes are dry, and even quitelately fullered--ironed you might call it. "

"Please your worship, " cried Mrs. Cockscroft, who was growing wild withjealousy, "I did up all his little things, hours and hours ere yourhoose was up. "

"Ah, you had night-work! To be sure! Were his clothes dry or wet whenyou took them off?"

"Not to say dry, your worship; and yet not to say very wet. Betwixt andbetween, like my good master's, when he cometh from a pour of rain, or aheavy spray. And the color of the land was upon them here and there. And the gold tags were sewn with something wonderful. My best pair ofscissors would not touch it. I was frightened to put them to the tub, your worship; but they up and shone lovely like a tailor's buttons. Mymaster hath found him, Sir; and it lies with him to keep him. And theLord hath taken away our Bob. "

"It is true, " said Dr. Upround, gently, and placing the child in herarms again, "the Almighty has chastened you very sadly. This child isnot mine to dispose of, nor yours; but if he will comfort you, keep himtill we hear of him. I will take down in writing the particulars of thecase, when Captain Robin has come home and had his rest--say, at thistime to-morrow, or later; and then you will sign them, and they shall bepublished. For you know, Mrs. Cockscroft, however much you may be takenwith him, you must not turn kidnapper. Moreover, it is needful, as theremay have been some wreck (though none of you seem to have heard of any), that this strange occurrence should be made known. Then, if nothing isheard of it, you can keep him, and may the Lord bless him to you!"

Without any more ado, she kissed the child, and wanted to carry himstraight away, after courtesying to his worship; but all the other womeninsisted on a smack of him, for pity's sake, and the pleasure of thegold, and to confirm the settlement. And a settlement it was, fornothing came of any publication of the case, such as in those days couldbe made without great expense and exertion. 

So the boy grew up, tall, brave, and comely, and full of the spirit ofadventure, as behooved a boy cast on the winds. So far as that goes, hisfoster-parents would rather have found him more steady and less comely, for if he was to step into their lost son's shoes, he might do itwithout seeming to outshine him. But they got over that little jealousyin time, when the boy began to be useful, and, so far as was possible, they kept him under by quoting against him the character of Bob, bringing it back from heaven of a much higher quality than ever it wasupon the earth. In vain did this living child aspire to such level; howcan an earthly boy compare with one who never did a wrong thing, as soonas he was dead?

Passing that difficult question, and forbearing to compare a boy withangels, be he what he will, his first need (after that of victuals) is aname whereby his fellow-boys may know him. Is he to be shouted at with, "Come here, what's your name?" or is he to be called (as if in highrebuke), "Boy?" And yet there are grown-up folk who do all this withouthesitation, failing to remember their own predicament at a by-goneperiod. Boys are as useful, in their way, as any other order; and ifthey can be said to do some mischief, they can not be said to do itnegligently. It is their privilege and duty to be truly active; andtheir Maker, having spread a dull world before them, has provided themwith gifts of play while their joints are supple. 

The present boy, having been born without a father or a mother (so faras could yet be discovered), was driven to do what our ancestors musthave done when it was less needful. That is to say, to work his own nameout by some distinctive process. When the parson had clearly shown himnot to be a Frenchman, a large contumely spread itself about, by reasonof his gold, and eyes, and hair, and name (which might be meant forIsaak), that he was sprung from a race more honored now than a hundredyears ago. But the women declared that it could not be; and the rectordesiring to christen him, because it might never have been done before, refused point-blank to put any "Isaac" in, and was satisfied with"Robin" only, the name of the man who had saved him. 

The rector showed deep knowledge of his flock, which looked upon Jewsas the goats of the Kingdom; for any Jew must die for a world ofgenerations ere ever a Christian thinks much of him. But finding him notto be a Jew, the other boys, instead of being satisfied, condemned himfor a Dutchman. 

Whatever he was, the boy throve well, and being so flouted by hisplaymates, took to thoughts and habits and amusements of his own. In-door life never suited him at all, nor too much of hard learning, although his capacity was such that he took more advancement in an hourthan the thick heads of young Flamborough made in a whole leap-year ofSundays. For any Flamburian boy was considered a "Brain Scholar, " and a"Head-Languager, " when he could write down the parson's text, and chalkup a fish on the weigh-board so that his father or mother could tell inthree guesses what manner of fish it was. And very few indeed had everpassed this trial. 

For young Robin it was a very hard thing to be treated so by the otherboys. He could run, or jump, or throw a stone, or climb a rock with thebest of them; but all these things he must do by himself, simply becausehe had no name. A feeble youth would have moped, but Robin only grewmore resolute. Alone he did what the other boys would scarcely incompetition dare. No crag was too steep for him, no cave too dangerousand wave-beaten, no race of the tide so strong and swirling as to scarehim of his wits. He seemed to rejoice in danger, having very little elseto rejoice in; and he won for himself by nimble ways and rapid turns onland and sea, the name of "Lithe, " or "Lyth, " and made it famous evenfar inland. 

For it may be supposed that his love of excitement, versatility, and daring demanded a livelier outlet than the slow toil of deep-seafishing. To the most patient, persevering, and long-suffering of thearts, Robin Lyth did not take kindly, although he was so handy with aboat. Old Robin vainly strove to cast his angling mantle over him. Thegifts of the youth were brighter and higher; he showed an inborn fitnessfor the lofty development of free trade. Eminent powers must force theirway, as now they were doing with Napoleon; and they did the same withRobin Lyth, without exacting tithe in kind of all the foremost humanrace. 

CHAPTER XII

IN A LANE, NOT ALONE

Stephen Anerley's daughter was by no means of a crooked mind, but openas the day in all things, unless any one mistrusted her, and showed itby cross-questioning. When this was done, she resented it quickly byconcealing the very things which she would have told of her own accord;and it so happened that the person to whom of all she should have beenmost open, was the one most apt to check her by suspicious curiosity. And now her mother already began to do this, as concerned the smuggler, knowing from the revenue officer that Mary must have seen him. Mary, being a truthful damsel, told no lies about it; but, on the other hand, she did not rush forth with all the history, as she probably would havedone if left unexamined. And so she said nothing about the ear-ring, orthe run that was to come off that week, or the riding-skirt, or a hostof little things, including her promise to visit Bempton Lane. 

On the other hand, she had a mind to tell her father, and take hisopinion about it all. But he was a little cross that evening, not withher, but with the world at large; and that discouraged her; and then shethought that being an officer of the king--as he liked to call himselfsometimes--he might feel bound to give information about the impendingprocess of free trade; which to her would be a breach of honor, considering how she knew of it. 

Upon the whole, she heartily wished that she never had seen that RobinLyth; and then she became ashamed of herself for indulging such aselfish wish. For he might have been lying dead but for her; and thenwhat would become of the many poor people whose greatest comfort he wassaid to be? And what good could arise from his destruction, if cruelpeople compassed it? Free trade must be carried on, for the sake ofeverybody, including Captain Carroway himself; and if an old and uglyman succeeded a young and generous one as leader of the free-trademovement, all the women in the country would put the blame on her. 

Looking at these things loftily, and with a strong determination notto think twice of what any one might say who did not understand thesubject, Mary was forced at last to the stern conclusion that she mustkeep her promise. Not only because it was a promise--although that wenta very long way with her--but also because there seemed no other chanceof performing a positive duty. Simple honesty demanded that she shouldrestore to the owner a valuable, and beyond all doubt important, pieceof property. Two hours had she spent in looking for it, and deprivedher dear father of his breakfast shrimps; and was all this trouble to bethrown away, and herself, perhaps, accused of theft, because her motherwas so short and sharp in wanting to know everything, and to turn it herown way?

The trinket, which she had found at last, seemed to be a very uncommonand precious piece of jewelry; it was made of pure gold, minutely chasedand threaded with curious workmanship, in form like a melon, and bearingwhat seemed to be characters of some foreign language: there might bea spell, or even witchcraft, in it, and the sooner it was out of herkeeping the better. Nevertheless she took very good care of it, wrappingit in lamb's-wool, and peeping at it many times a day, to be sure thatit was safe, until it made her think of the owner so much, and the manywonders she had heard about him, that she grew quite angry with herselfand it, and locked it away, and then looked at it again. 

As luck would have it, on the very day when Mary was to stroll downBempton Lane (not to meet any one, of course, but simply for the merestchance of what might happen), her father had business at Driffield cornmarket, which would keep him from home nearly all the day. When hisdaughter heard of it she was much cast down; for she hoped that hemight have been looking about on the northern part of the farm, as hegenerally was in the afternoon; and although he could not see BemptonLane at all, perhaps, without some newly acquired power of seeing roundsharp corners, still it would have been a comfort and a strong resourcefor conscience to have felt that he was not so very far away. And thisfeeling of want made his daughter resolve to have some one at anyrate near her. If Jack had only been at home, she need have sought nofurther, for he would have entered into all her thoughts about it, andobeyed her orders beautifully. But Willie was quite different, and hatedany trouble, being spoiled so by his mother and the maidens all aroundthem. 

However, in such a strait, what was there to do but to trust in Willie, who was old enough, being five years in front of Mary, and then to tryto make him sensible? Willie Anerley had no idea that anybody--far lesshis own sister--could take such a view of him. He knew himself to be, and all would say the same of him, superior in his original gifts, and his manner of making use of them, to the rest of the family puttogether. He had spent a month in Glasgow, when the whole place wasastir with the ferment of many great inventions, and another month inEdinburgh, when that noble city was aglow with the dawn of large ideas;also, he had visited London, foremost of his family, and seen enough newthings there to fill all Yorkshire with surprise; and the result of suchwide experience was that he did not like hard work at all. Neither couldhe even be content to accept and enjoy, without labor of his own, themany good things provided for him. He was always trying to discoversomething which never seemed to answer, and continually flying aftersomething new, of which he never got fast hold. In a word, he wasspoiled, by nature first, and then by circumstances, for the peacefullife of his ancestors, and the unacknowledged blessings of a farmer. 

"Willie dear, will you come with me?" Mary said to him that day, catching him as he ran down stairs to air some inspiration. "Will youcome with me for just one hour? I wish you would; and I would be sothankful. "

"Child, it is quite impossible, " he answered, with a frown which set offhis delicate eyebrows and high but rather narrow forehead; "you alwayswant me at the very moment when I have the most important work in hand. Any childish whim of yours matters more than hours and hours of hardlabor. "

"Oh, Willie, but you know how I try to help you, and all the patternsI cut out last week! Do come for once, Willie; if you refuse, you willnever, never forgive yourself. "

Willie Anerley was as good-natured as any self-indulged youth can be; heloved his sister in his way, and was indebted to her for getting out ofa great many little scrapes. He saw how much she was in earnest now, andfelt some desire to know what it was about. Moreover--which settledthe point--he was getting tired of sticking to one thing for a timeunusually long with him. But he would not throw away the chance ofscoring a huge debt of gratitude. 

"Well, do what you like with me, " he answered, with a smile; "I nevercan have my own way five minutes. It serves me quite right for being sogood-natured. "

Mary gave him a kiss, which must have been an object of ambition toanybody else; but it only made him wipe his mouth; and presently the twoset forth upon the path toward Bempton. 

Robin Lyth had chosen well his place for meeting Mary. The lane (ofwhich he knew every yard as well as he knew the rocks themselves)was deep and winding, and fringed with bushes, so that an active andkeen-eyed man might leap into thicket almost before there was a fairchance of shooting him. He knew well enough that he might trust Mary;but he never could be sure that the bold "coast-riders, " despairing bythis time of catching him at sea, and longing for the weight of goldput upon his head, might not be setting privy snares to catch him in hiswalks abroad. They had done so when they pursued him up the Dike; andthough he was inclined to doubt the strict legality of that proceeding, he could not see his way to a fair discussion of it, in case of theirputting a bullet through him. And this consideration made him careful. 

The brother and sister went on well by the foot-path over the uplands ofthe farm, and crossing the neck of the Flamburn peninsula, tripped awaymerrily northward. The wheat looked healthy, and the barley also, and afour-acre patch of potatoes smelled sweetly (for the breeze of them waspleasant in their wholesome days), and Willie, having overworked hisbrain, according to his own account of it, strode along loftily beforehis sister, casting over his shoulder an eddy of some large ideas withwhich he had been visited before she interrupted him. But as nothingever came of them, they need not here be stated. From a practical pointof view, however, as they both had to live upon the profits of the farm, it pleased them to observe what a difference there was when they hadsurmounted the chine and began to descend toward the north upon otherpeople's land. Here all was damp and cold and slow; and chalk lookedslimy instead of being clean; and shadowy places had an oozy cast; andtrees (wherever they could stand) were facing the east with wrinkledvisage, and the west with wiry beards. Willie (who had, among othergreat inventions, a scheme for improvement of the climate) was remindedat once of all the things he meant to do in that way; and making, as healways did, a great point of getting observations first--a point whereonhe stuck fast mainly--without any time for delay he applied himself to arapid study of the subject. He found some things just like other thingswhich he had seen in Scotland, yet differing so as to prove, moreclearly than even their resemblance did, the value of his discovery. 

"Look!" he cried; "can anything be clearer? The cause of all these evilsis not (as an ignorant person might suppose) the want of sunshine, ortoo much wet, but an inadequate movement of the air--"

"Why, I thought it was always blowing up here. The very last time Icame, my bonnet strings were split. "

"You do not understand me; you never do. When I say inadequate, I mean, of course, incorrect, inaccurate, unequable. Now the air is a fluid; youmay stare as you like, Mary, but the air has been proved to be afluid. Very well; no fluid in large bodies moves with an equal velocitythroughout. Part of it is rapid and part quite stagnant. The stagnantplaces of the air produce this green scum, this mossy, unwholesome, andinjurious stuff; while the overrapid motion causes this iron appearance, this hard surface, and general sterility. By the simplest of simplecontrivances, I make this evil its own remedy. An equable impulse givento the air produces an adequate uniform flow, preventing stagnation inone place, and excessive vehemence in another. And the beauty of it isthat by my new invention I make the air itself correct and regulate itsown inequalities. "

"How clever you are, to be sure!" exclaimed Mary, wondering that herfather could not see it. "Oh, Willie, you will make your fortune by it!However do you do it?"

"The simplicity of it is such that even you can understand it. Allgreat discoveries are simple. I fix in a prominent situation a largeand vertically revolving fan, of a light and vibrating substance. Themovement of the air causes this to rotate by the mere force of theimpact. The rotation and the vibration of the fan convert an irregularimpulse into a steady and equable undulation; and such is the elasticityof the fluid called, in popular language, 'the air, ' that for milesaround the rotation of this fan regulates the circulation, modifiesextremes, annihilates sterility, and makes it quite impossible for mossand green scum and all this sour growth to live. Even you can see, Mary, how beautiful it is. "

"Yes, that I can, " she answered, simply, as they turned the corner upona large windmill, with arms revolving merrily; "but, Willie dear, wouldnot Farmer Topping's mill, perpetually going as it is, answer the samepurpose? And yet the moss seems to be as thick as ever here, and theground as naked. "

"Tush!" cried Willie. "Stuff and nonsense! When will you girlsunderstand? Good-by! I will throw away no more time on you. "

Without stopping to finish his sentence he was off and out of sightboth of the mill and Mary, before the poor girl, who had not the leastintention of offending him, could even beg his pardon, or say how muchshe wanted him; for she had not dared as yet to tell him what was thepurpose of her walk, his nature being such that no one, not even his ownmother, could tell what conclusion he might come to upon any practicalquestion. He might rush off at once to put the revenue men on thesmuggler's track, or he might stop his sister from going, or he might(in the absence of his father) order a feast to be prepared, and fetchthe outlaw to be his guest. So Mary had resolved not to tell him untilthe last moment, when he could do none of these things. 

But now she must either go on all alone, or give up her purpose andbreak her promise. After some hesitation she determined to go on, forthe place would scarcely seem so very lonely now with the windmillin view, which would always remind her henceforth of her dear brotherWilliam. It was perfectly certain that Captain Robert Lyth, whose famefor chivalry was everywhere, and whose character was all in all to himwith the ladies who bought his silks and lace, would see her through alldanger caused by confidence in him; and really it was too bad of herto admit any paltry misgivings. But reason as she might, her youngconscience told her that this was not the proper thing to do, and shemade up her mind not to do it again. Then she laughed at the notion ofbeing ever even asked, and told herself that she was too conceited; andto cut the matter short, went very bravely down the hill. 

The lane, which came winding from the beach up to the windmill, was aspretty a lane as may anywhere be found in any other county than that ofDevon. With a Devonshire lane it could not presume to vie, having littleof the glorious garniture of fern, and nothing of the crystal brook thatleaps at every corner; no arches of tall ash, keyed with dog-rose, andnot much of honeysuckle, and a sight of other wants which people feelwho have lived in the plenitude of everything. But in spite of all that, the lane was very fine for Yorkshire. 

On the other hand, Mary had prettier ankles, and a more graceful andlighter walk, than the Devonshire lanes, which like to echo something, for the most part seem accustomed to; and the short dress of the timemade good such favorable facts when found. Nor was this all that couldbe said, for the maiden (while her mother was so busy pickling cabbage, from which she drove all intruders) had managed to forget what the dayof the week was, and had opened the drawer that should be lockedup until Sunday. To walk with such a handsome tall fellow as Williecompelled her to look like something too, and without any thought of itshe put her best hat on, and a very pretty thing with some French name, and made of a delicate peach-colored silk, which came down over herbosom, and tied in the neatest of knots at the small of her back, whichat that time of life was very small. All these were the gifts of herdear uncle Popplewell, upon the other side of Filey, who might have beenmarried for forty years, but nobody knew how long it was, because he hadno children, and so he made Mary his darling. And this ancient gentlemanhad leanings toward free trade. 

Whether these goods were French or not--which no decent person couldthink of asking--no French damsel could have put them on better, orshown a more pleasing appearance in them; for Mary's desire was toplease all people who meant no harm to her--as nobody could--and yetto let them know that her object was only to do what was right, and tonever think of asking whether she looked this, that, or the other. Hermother, as a matter of duty, told her how plain she was almost everyday; but the girl was not of that opinion; and when Mrs. Anerleyfinished her lecture (as she did nine times in ten) by turning the glassto the wall, and declaring that beauty was a snare skin-deep, with afrown of warning instead of a smile of comfort, then Mary believed inher looking-glass again, and had the smile of comfort on her own face. 

However, she never thought of that just now, but only of how she coulddo her duty, and have no trouble in her own mind with thinking, andsatisfy her father when she told him all, as she meant to do, when therecould be no harm done to any one; and this, as she heartily hoped, wouldbe to-morrow. And truly, if there did exist any vanity at all, it wasnot confined to the sex in which it is so much more natural and comely. 

For when a very active figure came to light suddenly, at a little elbowof the lane, and with quick steps advanced toward Mary, she was lostin surprise at the gayety, not to say grandeur, of its apparel. Abroad hat, looped at the side, and having a pointed black crown, with ascarlet feather and a dove-colored brim, sat well upon the mass of crispblack curls. A short blue jacket of the finest Flemish cloth, and set(not too thickly) with embossed silver buttons, left properly open thestrong brown neck, while a shirt of pale blue silk, with a turned-downcollar of fine needle-work, fitted, without a wrinkle or a pucker, thebroad and amply rounded chest. Then a belt of brown leather, with ananchor clasp, and empty loops for either fire-arm or steel, supportedtrue sailor's trousers of the purest white and the noblest man-of-warcut; and where these widened at the instep shone a lovely pair of pumps, with buckles radiant of best Bristol diamonds. The wearer of all thesesplendors smiled, and seemed to become them as they became him. 

"Well, " thought Mary, "how free trade must pay! What a pity that he isnot in the Royal Navy!"

With his usual quickness, and the self-esteem which added such lustre tohis character, the smuggler perceived what was passing in her mind, buthe was not rude enough to say so. 

"Young lady, " he began--and Mary, with all her wisdom, could not helpbeing fond of that--"young lady, I was quite sure that you would keepyour word. "

"I never do anything else, " she answered, showing that she scarcelylooked at him. "I have found this for you, and then good-by. "

"Surely you will wait to hear my thanks, and to know what made me dareto ask you, after all you had done for me already, to begin again forme. But I am such an outcast that I never should have done it. "

"I never saw any one look more thoroughly unlike an outcast, " Mary said;and then she was angry with herself for speaking, and glancing, and, worst of all, for smiling, "Ladies who live on land can never understand what we go through, " Robinreplied, in his softest voice, as rich as the murmur of the summer sea. "When we expect great honors, we try to look a little tidy, as any onebut a common boor would do; and we laugh at ourselves for trying to lookwell, after all the knocking about we get. Our time is short--we mustmake the most of it. "

"Oh, please not to talk in such a dreadful way, " said Mary. 

"You remind me of my dear friend Dr. Upround--the very best man in thewhole world, I believe. He always says to me, 'Robin, Robin--'"

"What! is Dr. Upandown a friend of yours?" Mary exclaimed, in amazement, and with a stoppage of the foot that was poised for quick departure. 

"Dr. Upandown, as many people call him, " said the smuggler, with a toneof condemnation, "is the best and dearest friend I have, next to Captainand Mistress Cockscroft, who may have been heard of at Anerley Manor. Dr. Upround is our magistrate and clergyman, and he lets people say whatthey like against me, while he honors me with his friendship. I must notstay long to thank you even, because I am going to the dear old doctor'sfor supper at seven o'clock and a game of chess. "

"Oh dear! oh dear! And he is such a Justice! And yet they shot at youlast week! It makes me wonder when I hear such things. "

"Young lady, it makes everybody wonder. In my opinion there never couldbe a more shameful murder than to shoot me; and yet but for you it wouldsurely have been done. "

"You must not dwell upon such things, " said Mary; "they may have a verybad effect upon your mind. But good-by, Captain Lyth; I forgot that Iwas robbing Dr. Upround of your society. "

"Shall I be so ungrateful as not to see you safe upon your own landafter all your trouble? My road to Flamborough lies that way. Surely youwill not refuse to hear what made me so anxious about this bauble, which now will be worth ten times as much. I never saw it look so brightbefore. "

"It--it must be the sand has made it shine, " the maiden stammered, witha fine bright blush; "it does the same to my shrimping net. "

"Ah, shrimping is a very fine pursuit! There is nothing I love better;what pools I could show you, if I only might; pools where you may filla sack with large prawns in a single tide--pools known to nobody butmyself. When do you think of going shrimping next?"

"Perhaps next summer I may try again, if Captain Carroway will come withme. "

"That is too unkind of you. How very harsh you are to me! I could hardlyhave believed it after all that you have done. And you really do notcare to hear the story of this relic?"

"If I could stop, I should like it very much. But my brother, who camewith me, may perhaps be waiting for me. " Mary knew that this was notvery likely; still, it was just possible, for Willie's ill tempersseldom lasted very long; and she wanted to let the smuggler know thatshe had not come all alone to meet him. 

"I shall not be two minutes, " Robin Lyth replied; "I have been forced tolearn short talking. May I tell you about this trinket?"

"Yes, if you will only begin at once, and finish by the time we get tothat corner. "

"That is very short measure for a tale, " said Robin, though he likedher all the better for such qualities; "however, I will try; only walka little slower. Nobody knows where I was born, any more than they knowhow or why. Only when I came upon this coast as a very little boy, andwithout knowing anything about it, they say that I had very wonderfulbuttons of gold upon a linen dress, adorned with gold-lace, which I usedto wear on Sundays. Dr. Upround ordered them to keep those buttons, andwas to have had them in his own care; but before that, all of them werelost save two. My parents, as I call them from their wonderful goodness, kinder than the ones who have turned me on the world (unless themselveswent out of it), resolved to have my white coat done up grandly, whenI grew too big for it, and to lay it by in lavender; and knowing of agreat man in the gold-lace trade, as far away as Scarborough, they sentit by a fishing-smack to him, with people whom they knew thoroughly. That was the last of it ever known here. The man swore a manifest thathe never saw it, and threatened them with libel; and the smack wascondemned, and all her hands impressed, because of some trifle shehappened to carry; and nobody knows any more of it. But two of thebuttons had fallen off, and good mother had put them by, to give a lastfinish to the coat herself; and when I grew up, and had to go to seaat night, they were turned into a pair of ear-rings. There, now, MissAnerley, I have not been long, and you know all about it. "

"How very lonesome it must be for you, " said Mary, with a gentle gaze, which, coming from such lovely eyes, went straight into his heart, "tohave no one belonging to you by right, and to seem to belong to nobody!I am sure I can not tell whatever I should do without any father, ormother, or uncle, or even a cousin to be certain of. "

"All the ladies seem to think that it is rather hard upon me, " Robinanswered, with an excellent effort at a sigh; "but I do my very bestto get on without them. And one thing that helps me most of all is whenkind ladies, who have good hearts, allow me to talk to them as if I hada sister. This makes me forget what I am sometimes. "

"You never should try to forget what you are. Everybody in the worldspeaks well of you. Even that cruel Lieutenant Carroway can not helpadmiring you. And if you have taken to free trade, what else could youdo, when you had no friends, and even your coat was stolen?"

"High-minded people take that view of it, I know. But I do not pretendto any such excuse. I took to free trade for the sake of my friends--tosupport the old couple who have been so good to me. "

"That is better still; it shows such good principle. My uncle Popplewellhas studied the subject of what they call 'political economy, ' and hesays that the country requires free trade, and the only way to get it isto go on so that the government must give way at last. However, I neednot instruct you about that; and you must not stop any longer. "

"Miss Anerley, I will not encroach upon your kindness. You have saidthings that I never shall forget. On the Continent I meet very manyladies who tell me good things, and make me better; but not at all asyou have done. A minute of talk with you is worth an hour with anybodyelse. But I fear that you laugh at me all the while, and are only tooglad to be rid of me. Good-by. May I kiss your hand? God bless you!"

Mary had no time to say a single word, or even to express her ideas bya look, before Robin Lyth, with all his bright apparel, was "conspicuousby his absence. " As a diving bird disappears from a gun, or a trout froma shadow on his hover, or even a debtor from his creditor, so the greatfree-trader had vanished into lightsome air, and left emptiness behindhim. 

The young maid, having been prepared to yield him a few yards more ofgood advice, if he held out for another corner, now could only say toherself that she never had met such a wonderful man. So active, strong, and astonishingly brave; so thoroughly acquainted with foreign lands, yet superior to their ladies; so able to see all the meaning of goodwords, and to value them when offered quietly; so sweet in his manner, and voice, and looks; and with all his fame so unpretending, and--muchas it frightened her to think it--really seeming to be afraid of her. 

CHAPTER XIII

GRUMBLING AND GROWLING

While these successful runs went on, and great authorities smiled atseeing the little authorities set at naught, and men of the revenuesmote their breasts for not being born good smugglers, and the generalpublic was well pleased, and congratulated them cordially upon theiraccomplishment of naught, one man there was whose noble spirit chafedand knew no comfort. He strode up and down at Coast-guard Point, andcommuned with himself, while Robin held sweet converse in the lane. 

"Why was I born?" the sad Carroway cried; "why was I thoroughlyeducated and trained in both services of the king, expected to rise, andbeginning to rise, till a vile bit of splinter stopped me, and then sentdown to this hole of a place to starve, and be laughed at, and baffledby a boy? Another lucky run, and the revenue bamboozled, and the wholeof us sent upon a wild-goose chase! Every gapper-mouth zany grinningat me, and scoundrels swearing that I get my share! And the only time Ihave had my dinner with my knees crook'd, for at least a fortnight, wasat Anerley Farm on Sunday. I am not sure that even they wouldn't turnagainst me; I am certain that pretty girl would. I've a great mind tothrow it up--a great mind to throw it up. It is hardly the work fora gentleman born, and the grandson of a rear-admiral. Tinkers' andtailors' sons get the luck now; and a man of good blood is put on theback shelf, behind the blacking-bottles. A man who has battled for hiscountry--"

"Charles, are you coming to your dinner, once more?"

"No, I am not. There's no dinner worth coming to. You and the childrenmay eat the rat pie. A man who has battled for his country, and bledtill all his veins were empty, and it took two men to hold him up, and yet waved his Sword at the head of them--it is the downrightcontradiction of the world in everything for him to poke about with potsand tubs, like a pig in a brewery, grain-hunting. "

"Once more, Charles, there is next to nothing left. The children areeating for their very lives. If you stay out there another minute, youmust take the consequence. "

"Alas, that I should have so much stomach, and so little to put into it!My dear, put a little bit under a basin, if any of them has no appetite. I wanted just to think a little. "

"Charles, they have all got tremendous appetites. It is the way the windis. You may think by-and-by, but if you want to eat, you must do it now, or never. "

"'Never' never suits me in that matter, " the brave lieutenant answered. "Matilda, put Geraldine to warm the pewter plate for me. Geraldinedarling, you can do it with your mouth full. "

The commander of the coast-guard turned abruptly from his long indignantstride, and entered the cottage provided for him, and which he hadpeopled so speedily. 

Small as it was, it looked beautifully clean and neat, and everybodyused to wonder how Mrs. Carroway kept it so. But in spite of all hertroubles and many complaints, she was very proud of this little house, with its healthful position and beautiful outlook over the bay ofBridlington. It stood in a niche of the low soft cliff, where now thesea-parade extends from the northern pier of Bridlington Quay; and whenthe roadstead between that and the point was filled with a fleet ofevery kind of craft, or, better still, when they all made sail atonce--as happened when a trusty breeze arose--the view was lively, andvery pleasant, and full of moving interest. Often one of his Majesty'scutters, Swordfish, Kestrel, or Albatross, would swoop in with allsail set, and hover, while the skipper came ashore to see the "AncientCarroway, " as this vigilant officer was called; and sometimes evena sloop of war, armed brigantine, or light corvette, prowling forrecruits, or cruising for their training, would run in under the Head, and overhaul every wind-bound ship with a very high hand. 

"Ancient Carroway"--as old friends called him, and even young peoplewho had never seen him--was famous upon this coast now for nearlythree degrees of latitude. He had dwelled here long, and in highlygood content, hospitably treated by his neighbors, and himself morehospitable than his wife could wish, until two troubles in his lifearose, and from year to year grew worse and worse. One of these troubleswas the growth of mouths in number and size, that required to be filled;and the other trouble was the rampant growth of smuggling, and the gloryof that upstart Robin Lyth. Now let it be lawful to take that subjectfirst. 

Fair Robin, though not at all anxious for fame, but modestly willingto decline it, had not been successful--though he worked so much bynight--in preserving sweet obscurity. His character was public, and seton high by fortune, to be gazed at from wholly different points of view. From their narrow and lime-eyed outlook the coast-guard beheld inhim the latest incarnation of Old Nick; yet they hated him only in anabstract manner, and as men feel toward that evil one. Magistrates also, and the large protective powers, were arrayed against him, yet happy toabstain from laying hands, when their hands were their own, upon him. And many of the farmers, who should have been his warmest friends andbest customers, were now so attached to their king and country, bybellicose warmth and army contracts, that instead of a guinea for afour-gallon anker, they would offer three crowns, or the exciseman. And not only conscience, but short cash, after three bad harvests, constrained them. 

Yet the staple of public opinion was sound, as it must be where womenpredominate. The best of women could not see why they should not haveanything they wanted for less than it cost the maker. To gaze at asister woman better dressed at half the money was simply to abjure everylofty principle. And to go to church with a counterfeit on, when thegenuine lace was in the next pew on a body of inferior standing, was adownright outrage to the congregation, the rector, and all religion. Acold-blooded creature, with no pin-money, might reconcile it with herprinciples, if any she had, to stand up like a dowdy and allow a poorman to risk his life by shot and storm and starvation, and then to denyhim a word or a look, because of his coming with the genuine thing ata quarter the price fat tradesmen asked, who never stirred out of theirshops when it rained, for a thing that was a story and an imposition. Charity, duty, and common honesty to their good husbands in these badtimes compelled them to make the very best of bargains; of which theygot really more and more, as those brave mariners themselves borewitness, because of the depression in the free trade now and theglorious victories of England. Were they bound to pay three times thegenuine value, and then look a figure, and be laughed at?

And as for Captain Carroway, let him scold, and threaten, and strideabout, and be jealous, because his wife dare not buy true things, poorcreature--although there were two stories also about that, and thequantities of things that he got for nothing, whenever he was cleverenough to catch them, which scarcely ever happened, thank goodness! LetCaptain Carroway attend to his own business; unless he was much belied, he had a wife who would keep him to it. Who was Captain Carroway to comedown here, without even being born in Yorkshire, and lay down the law, as if he owned the manor?

Lieutenant Carroway had heard such questions, but disdained to answerthem. He knew who he was, and what his grandfather had been, and henever cared a--short word--what sort of stuff long tongues might prateof him. Barbarous broad-drawlers, murderers of his Majesty's English, could they even pronounce the name of an officer highly distinguishedfor many years in both of the royal services? That was his description, and the Yorkshire yokels might go and read it--if read they could--inthe pages of authority. 

Like the celebrated calf that sucked two cows, Carroway had drawn royalpay, though in very small drains, upon either element, beginning with askeleton regiment, and then, when he became too hot for it, diving offinto a frigate as a recommended volunteer. Here he was more at home, though he never ceased longing to be a general; and having the creditof fighting well ashore, he was looked at with interest when he fought afight at sea. He fought it uncommonly well, and it was good, and so manymen fell that he picked up his commission, and got into a fifty-two-gunship. After several years of service, without promotion--for hisgrandfather's name was worn out now, and the wars were not properlyconstant--there came a very lively succession of fights, and Carrowaygot into all of them, or at least into all the best of them. And heought to have gone up much faster than he did, and he must have done sobut for his long lean jaws, the which are the worst things that any mancan have. Not only because of their own consumption and slow lengthof leverage, but mainly on account of the sadness they impart, and thetimid recollection of a hungry wolf, to the man who might have lifted upa fatter individual. 

But in Rodney's great encounter with the Spanish fleet, Carrowayshowed such a dauntless spirit, and received such a wound, that it wasimpossible not to pay him some attention. His name was near the bottomof a very long list, but it made a mark on some one's memory, depositinga chance of coming up some day, when he should be reported hit again. And so good was his luck that he soon was hit again, and a very badhit it was; but still he got over it without promotion, because thatenterprise was one in which nearly all our men ran away, and thereforerequired to be well pushed up for the sake of the national honor. Whensuch things happen, the few who stay behind must be left behind in theGazette as well. That wound, therefore, seemed at first to go againsthim, but he bandaged it, and plastered it, and hoped for better luck. And his third wound truly was a blessed one, a slight one, and taken inthe proper course of things, without a slur upon any of his comrades. This set him up again with advancement and appointment, and enabled himto marry and have children seven. 

The lieutenant was now about fifty years of age, gallant and lively asever, and resolute to attend to his duty and himself as well. His dutywas now along shore, in command of the Coast-guard of the East District;for the loss of a good deal of one heel made it hard for him to stepabout as he should do when afloat. The place suited him, and he was fondof it, although he grumbled sometimes about his grandfather, and wenton as if his office was beneath him. He abused all his men, and all thegood ones liked him, and respected him for his clear English. And heenjoyed this free exercise of language out-of-doors, because inside histhreshold he was on his P's and Q's. To call him "ugly Carroway, " ascoarse people did, because of a scar across his long bold nose, waspetty and unjust, and directly contradicted by his own and his wife'sopinion. For nobody could have brighter eyes, or a kindlier smile, andmore open aspect in the forepart of the week, while his Sunday shaveretained its influence, so far as its limited area went, for he kept along beard always. By Wednesday he certainly began to look grim, and onSaturday ferocious, pending the advent of the Bridlington barber, whoshaved all the Quay every Sunday. But his mind was none the worse, andhis daughters liked him better when he rasped their young cheeks withhis beard, and paid a penny. For to his children he was a loving andtender-hearted father, puzzled at their number, and sometimes perplexedat having to feed and clothe them, yet happy to give them his last andgo without, and even ready to welcome more, if Heaven should be pleasedto send them. 

But Mrs. Carroway, most fidgety of women, and born of a well-shornfamily, was unhappy from the middle to the end of the week that shecould not scrub her husband's beard off. The lady's sense of humancrime, and of everything hateful in creation, expressed itself mainly inthe word "dirt. " Her rancor against that nobly tranquil and most naturalof elements inured itself into a downright passion. From babyhood shehad been notorious for kicking her little legs out at the least speckof dust upon a tiny red shoe. Her father--a clergyman--heard so much ofthis, and had so many children of a different stamp, that when he cameto christen her, at six months of age (which used to be considered quitean early time of life), he put upon her the name of "Lauta, " to whichshe thoroughly acted up; but people having ignorance of foreign tonguessaid that he always meant "Matilda. "

Such was her nature, and it grew upon her; so that when a young andgallant officer, tall and fresh, and as clean as a frigate, was capturedby her neat bright eyes, very clean run, and sharp cut-water, she beganto like to look at him. Before very long, his spruce trim ducks, carefulscrape of Brunswick-leather boots, clean pocket-handkerchiefs, andfine specklessness, were making and keeping a well-swept path to thethoroughly dusted store-room of her heart. How little she dreamed, inthose virgin days, that the future could ever contain a week when herCharles would decline to shave more than once, and then have it done forhim on a Sunday!

She hesitated, for she had her thoughts--doubts she disdained to callthem--but still he forgot once to draw his boots sideways, after havingpurged the toe and heel, across the bristle of her father's mat. Withthe quick eye of love he perceived her frown, and the very next day heconquered her. His scheme was unworthy, as it substituted corporate forpersonal purity; still it succeeded, as unworthy schemes will do. On thebirthday of his sacred Majesty, Charles took Matilda to see his ship, the 48-gun frigate Immaculate, commanded by a well-known martinet. Herspirit fell within her, like the Queen of Sheba's, as she gazed, buttrembled to set down foot upon the trim order and the dazzling choring. She might have survived the strict purity of all things, the deck lineswhiter than Parian marble, the bulwarks brighter than the cheek-piece ofa grate, the breeches of the guns like goodly gold, and not a whiskerof a rope's end curling the wrong way, if only she could have espied aswab, or a bucket, or a flake of holy-stone, or any indicament of labordone. "Artis est celare artem;" this art was unfathomable. 

Matilda was fain to assure herself that the main part of this might besuperficial, like a dish-cover polished with the spots on, and she losther handkerchief on purpose to come back and try a little test-workof her own. This was a piece of unstopped knotting in the panel of ahatchway, a resinous hole that must catch and keep any speck of dustmeandering on the wayward will of wind. Her cambric came out as white asit went in!

She surrendered at discretion, and became the prize of Carroway. 

Now people at Bridlington Quay declared that the lieutenant, though hemight have carried off a prize, was certainly not the prize-master; andthey even went so far as to say that "he could scarcely call his soulhis own. " The matter was no concern of theirs, neither were theirconclusions true. In little things the gallant officer, for the sake ofdiscipline and peace, submitted to due authority; and being so much fromhome, he left all household matters to a firm control. In return forthis, he was always thought of first, and the best of everything waskept for him, and Mrs. Carroway quoted him to others as a wonder, thoughshe may not have done so to himself. And so, upon the whole, they got onvery well together. 

Now on this day, when the lieutenant had exhausted a grumble of unusualintensity, and the fair Geraldine (his eldest child) had obeyed him tothe letter, by keeping her mouth full while she warmed a plate for him, it was not long before his usual luck befell the bold Carroway. Rap, rap, came a knock at the side door of his cottage--a knock only toofamiliar; and he heard the gruff voice of Cadman--"Can I see his honorimmediately?"

"No, you can not, " replied Mrs. Carroway. "One would think you were allin a league to starve him. No sooner does he get half a mouthful--"

"Geraldine, put it on the hob, my dear, and a basin over it. Matilda, mylove, you know my maxim--'Duty first, dinner afterward. ' Cadman, I willcome with you. "

The revenue officer took up his hat (which had less time now than hisdinner to get cold) and followed Cadman to the usual place for holdingprivy councils. This was under the heel of the pier (which was thenabout half as long as now) at a spot where the outer wall combed over, to break the crest of the surges in the height of a heavy eastern gale. At neap tides, and in moderate weather, this place was dry, with a finesalt smell; and with nothing in front of it but the sea, and nothingbehind it but solid stone wall, any one would think that here must becommune sacred, secret, and secluded from eavesdroppers. And yet it wasnot so, by reason of a very simple reason. 

Upon the roadway of the pier, and over against a mooring-post, where theparapet and the pier itself made a needful turn toward the south, therewas an equally needful thing, a gully-hole with an iron trap to carryoff the rain that fell, or the spray that broke upon the fabric; and theoutlet of this gully was in the face of the masonry outside. Carroway, not being gifted with a crooked mind, had never dreamed that this littlegut might conduct the pulses of the air, like the Tyrant's Ear, andthat the trap at the end might be a trap for him. Yet so it was; and bygently raising the movable iron frame at the top, a well-disposed personmight hear every word that was spoken in the snug recess below. Cadmanwas well aware of this little fact, but left his commander to find itout. 

The officer, always thinly clad (both through the state of his wardrobeand his dread of effeminate comfort), settled his bony shouldersagainst the rough stonework, and his heels upon a groyne, and gave hissubordinate a nod, which meant, "Make no fuss, but out with it. " Cadman, a short square fellow with crafty eyes, began to do so. 

"Captain, I have hit it off at last. Hackerbody put me wrong last time, through the wench he hath a hankering after. This time I got it, and nomistake, as right as if the villain lay asleep 'twixt you and me, andtold us all about it with his tongue out; and a good thing for men oflarge families like me. "

"All that I have heard such a number of times, " his commander answered, crustily, "that I whistle, as we used to do in a dead calm, Cadman. Anold salt like you knows how little comes of that. "

"There I don't quite agree with your honor. I have known a hurricanecome from whistling. But this time there is no woman about it, and thepenny have come down straightforrard. New moon Tuesday next, and Mondaywe slips first into that snug little cave. He hath a' had his last goodrun. "

"How much is coming this time, Cadman? I am sick and tired of thosethree caves. It is all old woman's talk of caves, while they are runningsouth, upon the open beach. "

"Captain, it is a big venture--the biggest of all the summer, I dobelieve. Two thousand pounds, if there is a penny, in it. The schooner, and the lugger, and the ketch, all to once, of purpose to send usscattering. But your honor knows what we be after most. No woman in itthis time, Sir. The murder has been of the women, all along. When thereis no woman, I can see my way. We have got the right pig by the ear thistime. "

"John Cadman, your manner of speech is rude. You forget that yourcommanding officer has a wife and family, three-quarters of which arefemale. You will give me your information without any rude observationsas to sex, of which you, as a married man, should be ashamed. A man andhis wife are one flesh, Cadman, and therefore you are a woman yourself, and must labor not to disgrace yourself. Now don't look amazed, butconsider these things. If you had not been in a flurry, like a woman, you would not have spoiled my dinner so. I will meet you at the outlookat six o'clock. I have business on hand of importance. "

With these words Carroway hastened home, leaving Cadman to mutter hiswrath, and then to growl it, when his officer was out of ear-shot. 

"Never a day, nor an hour a'most, without he insulteth of me. A woman, indeed! Well, his wife may be a man, but what call hath he to speak ofmine so? John Cadman a woman, and one flesh with his wife! Pretty newsthat would be for my missus!"

CHAPTER XIV

SERIOUS CHARGES

"Stephen, if it was anybody else, you would listen to me in a moment, "said Mrs. Anerley to her lord, a few days after that little interview inthe Bempton Lane; "for instance, if it was poor Willie, how long wouldyou be in believing it? But because it is Mary, you say 'pooh! pooh!'And I may as well talk to the old cracked churn. "

"First time of all my born days, " the farmer answered, with a pleasantsmile, "that ever I was resembled to a churn. But a man's wife ought toknow best about un. "

"Stephen, it is not the churn--I mean you; and you never should attemptto ride off in that sort of way. I tell you Mary hath a mischief on hermind; and you never ought to bring up old churns to me. As long as Ican carry almost anything in mind, I have been considered to be full ofcommon-sense. And what should I use it upon, Captain Anerley, without itwas my own daughter?"

The farmer was always conquered when she called him "Captain Anerley. "He took it to point at him as a pretender, a coxcomb fond of titles, awould-be officer who took good care to hold aloof from fighting. And heknew in his heart that he loved to be called "Captain Anerley" by everyone who meant it. 

"My dear, " he said, in a tone of submission, and with a look thatgrieved her, "the knowledge of such things is with you. I can not enterinto young maids' minds, any more than command a company. "

"Stephen, you could do both, if you chose, better than ten of elevenwho do it. For, Stephen, you have a very tender mind, and are not at alllike a churn, my dear. That was my manner of speech, you ought to know, because from my youngest days I had a crowd of imagination. You rememberthat, Stephen, don't you?"

"I remember, Sophy, that in the old time you never resembled me to achurn, let alone a cracked one. You used to christen me a pillar, anda tree, and a rock, and a polished corner; but there, what's the odds, when a man has done his duty? The names of him makes no difference. "

"'Twist you and me, my dear, " she said, "nothing can make anydifference. We know one another too well for that. You are all that Iever used to call you, before I knew better about you, and when I usedto dwell upon your hair and your smile. You know what I used to say ofthem, now, Stephen?"

"Most complimentary--highly complimentary! Another young woman broughtme word of it, and it made me stick firm when my mind was doubtful. "

"And glad you ought to be that you did stick firm. And you have the Lordto thank for it, as well as your own sense. But no time to talk ofour old times now. They are coming up again, with those younkers, I'mafraid. Willie is like a Church; and Jack--no chance of him getting thechance of it; but Mary, your darling of the lot, our Mary--her mind isunsettled, and a worry coming over her; the same as with me when I sawyou first. "

"It is the Lord that directs those things, " the farmer answered, steadfastly; "and Mary hath the sense of her mother, I believe. That itis maketh me so fond on her. If the young maid hath taken a fancy, it will pass, without a bit of substance to settle on. Why, how manyfancies had you, Sophy, before you had the good luck to clap eyes onme?"

"That is neither here nor there, " his wife replied, audaciously; "howmany times have you asked such questions, which are no concern of yours?You could not expect me, before ever I saw you, not to have any eyes orears. I had plenty to say for myself; and I was not plain; and I actedaccordingly. "

Master Anerley thought about this, because he had heard it and thoughtof it many times before. He hated to think about anything new, havingnever known any good come of it; and his thoughts would rather flow thanfly, even in the fugitive brevity of youth. And now, in his settled way, his practice was to tread thought deeper into thought, as a man indeep snow keeps the track of his own boots, or as a child writes ink onpencil in his earliest copy-books. "You acted according, " he said; "andMary might act according to you, mother. "

"How can you talk so, Stephen? That would be a different thingaltogether. Young girls are not a bit like what they used to be in mytime. No steadiness, no diligence, no duty to their parents. Gaddingabout is all they think of, and light-headed chatter, and saucyribbons. "

"May be so with some of them. But I never see none of that in Mary. "

"Mary is a good girl, and well brought up, " her mother could not helpadmitting, "and fond of her home, and industrious. But for all that, shemust be looked after sharply. And who can look after a child like hermother? I can tell you one thing, Master Stephen: your daughter Maryhas more will of her own than the rest of your family all put together, including even your own good wife. "

"Prodigious!" cried the farmer, while he rubbed his hands andlaughed--"prodigious, and a man might say impossible. A young lass likeMary, such a coaxing little poppet, as tender as a lambkin, and as softas wool!"

"Flannel won't only run one way; no more won't Mary, " said her mother. "I know her better a long sight than you do; and I say if ever Marysets her heart on any one, have him she will, be he cowboy, thief, orchimney-sweep. So now you know what to expect, Master Anerley. "

Stephen Anerley never made light of his wife's opinions in thosefew cases wherein they differed from his own. She agreed with him sogenerally that in common fairness he thought very highly of her wisdom, and the present subject was one upon which she had an especial right tobe heard. 

"Sophy, " he said, as he set up his coat to be off to a cutting of cloveron the hill--for no reaping would begin yet for another month--"thethings you have said shall abide in my mind. Only you be a-watching ofthe little wench. Harry Tanfield is the man I would choose for her ofall others. But I never would force any husband on a lass; though sternwould I be to force a bad one off, or one in an unfit walk of life. Noinkle in your mind who it is, or wouldst have told me?"

"Well, I may, or I may not. I never like to speak promiscuous. Youhave the first right to know what I think. But I beg you to let me be awhile. Not even to you, Steve, would I say it, without more to go uponthan there is yet. I might do the lass a great wrong in my surmising;and then you would visit my mistake on me, for she is the apple of youreye, no doubt. "

"There is never such another maid in all York County, nor in England, tomy thinking. "

"She is my daughter as well as yours, and I would be the last to makecheap of her. I will not say another word until I know. But if I amright--which the Lord forbid--we shall both be ashamed of her, Stephen. "

"The Lord forbid! The Lord forbid! Amen. I will not hear another word. "The farmer snatched up his hat, and made off with a haste unusual forhim, while his wife sat down, and crossed her arms, and began to thinkrather bitterly. For, without any dream of such a possibility, she wasjealous sometimes of her own child. Presently the farmer rushed backagain, triumphant with a new idea. His eyes were sparkling, and his stepfull of spring, and a brisk smile shone upon his strong and ruddy face. 

"What a pair of stupes we must be to go on so!" he cried, with a coupleof bright guineas in his hand. "Mary hath not had a new frock even, going on now for a year and a half. Sophy, it is enough to turn amaid into thinking of any sort of mischief. Take you these and makeeverything right. I was saving them up for her birthday, but maybeanother will turn up by that. My dear, you take them, and never beafeared. "

"Stephen, you may leave them, if you like. I shall not be in any hasteto let them go. Either give them to the lass yourself, or leave it to mepurely. She shall not have a sixpence, unless it is deserved. "

"Of course I leave it in your hands, wife. I never come between you andyour children. But young folk go piping always after money now; and evenour Mary might be turning sad without it. "

He hastened off again, without hearing any more; for he knew that somehours of strong labor were before him, and to meet them with a heavyheart would be almost a new thing for him. Some time ago he had begunto hold the plough of heaviness, through the difficult looseness ofWillie's staple, and the sudden maritime slope of Jack; yet he held onsteadily through all this, with the strength of homely courage. But ifin the pride of his heart, his Mary, he should find no better than acrooked furrow, then truly the labor of his latter days would be thedull round of a mill horse. 

Now Mary, in total ignorance of that council held concerning her, andeven of her mother's bad suspicions, chanced to come in at the frontporch door soon after her father set off to his meadows by way of theback yard. Having been hard at work among her flowers, she was come toget a cupful of milk for herself, and the cheery content and generalgoodwill encouraged by the gardener's gentle craft were smiling on herrosy lips and sparkling in her eyes. Her dress was as plain as plaincould be--a lavender twill cut and fitted by herself--and there was notan ornament about her that came from any other hand than Nature's. Butsimple grace of movement and light elegance of figure, fair curves ofgentle face and loving kindness of expression, gladdened with the hopeof youth--what did these want with smart dresses, golden brooches, andtwo guineas? Her mother almost thought of this when she called Mary intothe little parlor. And the two guineas lay upon the table. 

"Mary, can you spare a little time to talk with me? You seem wonderfullybusy, as usual. "

"Mother, will you never make allowance for my flowers? They depend uponthe weather, and they must have things accordingly. "

"Very well; let them think about what they want next, while you sit downa while and talk with me. "

The girl was vexed; for to listen to a lecture, already manifest inher mother's eyes, was a far less agreeable job than gardening. And thelecture would have done as well by candle-light, which seldom can besaid of any gardening. However, she took off her hat, and sat down, without the least sign of impatience, and without any token of guilt, asher mother saw, and yet stupidly proceeded just the same. 

"Mary, " she began, with a gaze of stern discretion, which the girl metsteadfastly and pleasantly, "you know that I am your own mother, andbound to look after you well, while you are so very young; for thoughyou are sensible some ways, Mary, in years and in experience what areyou but a child? Of the traps of the world and the wickedness of peopleyou can have no knowledge. You always think the best of everybody; whichis a very proper thing to do, and what I have always brought you up to, and never would dream of discouraging. And with such examples as yourfather and your mother, you must be perverse to do otherwise. Still, it is my duty to warn you, Mary--and you are getting old enough to wantit--that the world is not made up of fathers and mothers, brothers andsisters, and good uncles. There are always bad folk who go prowlingabout like wolves in--wolves in--what is it--"

"Sheep's clothing, " the maiden suggested, with a smile, and then droppedher eyes maliciously. 

"How dare you be pert, miss, correcting your own mother? Do I evercatch you reading of your Bible? But you seem to know so much about it, perhaps you have met some of them?"

"How can I tell, mother, when you won't tell me?"

"I tell you, indeed! It is your place to tell me, I think. And what ismore, I insist at once upon knowing all about it. What makes you goon in the way that you are doing? Do you take me for a drumledore, you foolish child? On Tuesday afternoon I saw you sewing with a doublethread. Your father had potato-eyes upon his plate on Sunday; and whichway did I see you trying to hang up a dish-cover? But that is nothing;fifty things you go wandering about in; and always out, on somepretense, as if the roof you were born under was not big enough foryou. And then your eyes--I have seen your eyes flash up, as if you werefighting; and the bosom of your Sunday frock was loose in church twobuttons; it was not hot at all to speak of, and there was a wasp nextpew. All these things make me unhappy, Mary. My darling, tell me what itis. "

Mary listened with great amazement to this catalogue of crimes. At thetime of their commission she had never even thought of them, althoughshe was vexed with herself when she saw one eye--for in verity that wasall--of a potato upon her father's plate. Now she blushed when she heardof the buttons of her frock--which was only done because of tightness, and showed how long she must have worn it; but as to the double thread, she was sure that nothing of that sort could have happened. 

"Why, mother dear, " she said, quite softly, coming up in her coaxingway, which nobody could resist, because it was true and gentlelovingness, "you know a hundred times more than I do. I have never knownof any of the sad mistakes you speak of, except about the potato-eye, and then I had a round-pointed knife. But I want to make no excuses, mother; and there is nothing the matter with me. Tell me what you meanabout the wolves. "

"My child, " said her mother, whose face she was kissing, while they bothwent on with talking, "it is no good trying to get over me. Either youhave something on your mind, or you have not--which is it?"

"Mother, what can I have on my mind? I have never hurt any one, andnever mean to do it. Every one is kind to me, and everybody likes me, and of course I like them all again. And I always have plenty to do, inand out, as you take very good care, dear mother. My father loves me, and so do you, a great deal more than I deserve, perhaps. I am happyin a Sunday frock that wants more stuff to button; and I have only onetrouble in all the world. When I think of the other girls I see--"

"Never mind them, my dear. What is your one trouble?"

"Mother, as if you could help knowing! About my dear brother Jack, ofcourse. Jack was so wonderfully good to me! I would walk on my hands andknees all the way to York to get a single glimpse of him. "

"You would never get as far as the rick-yard hedge. You children talksuch nonsense. Jack ran away of his own free-will, and out of downrightcontrariness. He has repented of it only once, I dare say, and that hasbeen ever since he did it, and every time he thought of it. I wishhe was home again, with all my heart, for I can not bear to lose mychildren. And Jack was as good a boy as need be, when he got everythinghis own way. Mary, is that your only trouble? Stand where I can see youplainly, and tell me every word the truth. Put your hair back from youreyes now, like the catechism. "

"If I were saying fifty catechisms, what more could I do than speak thetruth?" Mary asked this with some little vexation, while she stood upproudly before her mother, and clasped her hands behind her back. "Ihave told you everything I know, except one little thing, which I am notsure about. "

"What little thing, if you please? and how can you help being sure aboutit, positive as you are about everything?"

"Mother, I mean that I have not been sure whether I ought to tell you;and I meant to tell my father first, when there could be no mischief. "

"Mary, I can scarcely believe my ears. To tell your father before yourmother, and not even him until nothing could be done to stop it, whichyou call 'mischief!' I insist upon knowing at once what it is. I havefelt that you were hiding something. How very unlike you, how unlike achild of mine!"

"You need not disturb yourself, mother dear. It is nothing of anyimportance to me, though to other people it might be. And that is thereason why I kept it to myself. "

"Oh, we shall come to something by-and-by! One would really think youwere older than your mother. Now, miss, if you please, let us judge ofyour discretion. What is it that you have been hiding so long?"

Mary's face grew crimson now, but with anger rather than with shame; shehad never thought twice about Robin Lyth with anything warmer than pity, but this was the very way to drive her into dwelling in a mischievousmanner upon him. 

"What I have been hiding, " she said, most distinctly, and steadfastlylooking at her mother, "is only that I have had two talks with the greatfree-trader Robin Lyth. "

"That arrant smuggler! That leader of all outlaws! You have been meetinghim on the sly!"

"Certainly not. But I met him once by chance; and then, as a matter ofbusiness, I was forced to meet him again, dear mother. "

"These things are too much for me, " Mrs. Anerley said, decisively. "Whenmatters have come to such a pass, I must beg your dear father to see tothem. "

"Very well, mother; I would rather have it so. May I go now and make anend of my gardening?"

"Certainly--as soon as you have made an end of me, as you must quitehave laid your plans to do. I have seen too much to be astonished anymore. But to think that a child of mine, my one and only daughter, wholooks as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, should be hand in glovewith the wickedest smuggler of the age, the rogue everybody shootsat--but can not hit him, because he was born to be hanged---the by-name, the by-word, the by-blow, Robin Lyth!" Mrs. Anerley covered her facewith both hands. 

"How would you like your own second cousin, " said Mary, plucking up herspirit, "your own second cousin, Mistress Cockscroft, to hear you speakso of the man that supports them at the risk of his life, every hour ofit? He may be doing wrong--it is not for me to say--but he does it verywell, and he does it nobly. And what did you show me in your drawer, dear mother? And what did you wear when that very cruel man, CaptainCarroway, came here to dine on Sunday?"

"You wicked, undutiful child! Go away! I wish to have nothing more tosay to you. "

"No, I will not go away, " cried Mary, with her resolute spirit in hereyes and brow; "when false and cruel charges are brought against me, Ihave the right to speak, and I will use it. I am not hand in glove withRobin Lyth, or any other Robin. I think a little more of myself thanthat. If I have done any wrong, I will meet it, and be sorry, and submitto any punishment. I ought to have told you before, perhaps; that is theworst you can say of it. But I never attached much importance to it; andwhen a man is hunted so, was I to join his enemies? I have only seen himtwice: the first time by purest accident, and the second time to givehim back a piece of his own property. And I took my brother with me; buthe ran away, as usual. "

"Of course, of course. Every one to blame but you, miss. However, weshall see what your father has to say. You have very nearly taken allmy breath away; but I shall expect the whole sky to tumble in upon usif Captain Anerley approves of Robin Lyth as a sweetheart for hisdaughter. "

"I never thought of Captain Lyth; and Captain Lyth never thought of me. But I can tell you one thing, mother--if you wanted to make me think ofhim, you could not do it better than by speaking so unjustly. "

"After that perhaps you will go back to your flowers. I have heard thatthey grow very fine ones in Holland. Perhaps you have got some smuggledtulips, my dear. "

Mary did not condescend to answer, but said to herself, as she went towork again, "Tulips in August! That is like the rest of it. However, Iam not going to be put out, when I feel that I have not done a singlebit of harm. " And she tried to be happy with her flowers, but could notenter into them as before. 

Mistress Anerley was as good as her word, at the very first opportunity. Her husband returned from the clover-stack tired and hungry, and angrywith a man who had taken too much beer, and ran at him with a pitchfork;angry also with his own son Willie for not being anywhere in the way tohelp. He did not complain; and his wife knew at once that he ought tohave done so, to obtain relief. She perceived that her own discourseabout their daughter was still on his mind, and would require workingoff before any more was said about it. And she felt as sure as if shesaw it that in his severity against poor Willie--for not doing thingsthat were beneath him--her master would take Mary's folly as a joke, and fall upon her brother, who was so much older, for not going on toprotect and guide her. So she kept till after supper-time her mouthfulof bad tidings. 

And when the farmer heard it all, as he did before going to sleep thatnight, he had smoked three pipes of tobacco, and was calm; he had sipped(for once in a way) a little Hollands, and was hopeful. And though hesaid nothing about it, he felt that without any order of his, or so muchas the faintest desire to be told of it, neither of these petty comfortswould bear to be rudely examined of its duty. He hoped for the best, and he believed the best, and if the king was cheated, why, his loyalsubject was the same, and the women were their masters. 

"Have no fear, no fear, " he muttered back through the closing gate ofsleep; "Mary knows her business--business--" and he buzzed it off into asnore. 

In the morning, however, he took a stronger and more serious view of thecase, pronouncing that Mary was only a young lass, and no one could evertell about young lasses. And he quite fell into his wife's suggestion, that the maid could be spared till harvest-time, of which (even with thebest of weather) there was little chance now for another six weeks, theseason being late and backward. So it was resolved between them boththat the girl should go on the following day for a visit to her unclePopplewell, some miles the other side of Filey. No invitation wasrequired; for Mr. And Mrs. Popplewell, a snug and comfortable pair, were only too glad to have their niece, and had often wanted to have heraltogether; but the farmer would never hear of that. 

CHAPTER XV

CAUGHT AT LAST

While these little things were doing thus, the coast from the mouth ofthe Tees to that of Humber, and even the inland parts, were in a greatstir of talk and work about events impending. It must not be thoughtthat Flamborough, although it was Robin's dwelling-place--so far as hehad any--was the principal scene of his operations, or the strongholdof his enterprise. On the contrary, his liking was for quiet coves nearScarborough, or even to the north of Whitby, when the wind and tidewere suitable. And for this there were many reasons which are not of anymoment now. 

One of them showed fine feeling and much delicacy on his part. He knewthat Flamborough was a place of extraordinary honesty, where everyone of his buttons had been safe, and would have been so forever; andstrictly as he believed in the virtue of his own free importation, it was impossible for him not to learn that certain people thoughtotherwise, or acted as if they did so. From the troubles which suchdoubts might cause, he strove to keep the natives free. 

Flamburians scarcely understood this largeness of good-will to them. Their instincts told them that free trade was every Briton's privilege;and they had the finest set of donkeys on the coast for landing it. Butnone the more did any of them care to make a movement toward it. Theywere satisfied with their own old way--to cast the net their fathercast, and bait the hook as it was baited on their good grandfather'sthumb. 

Yet even Flamborough knew that now a mighty enterprise was in hand. Itwas said, without any contradiction, that young Captain Robin had laida wager of one hundred guineas with the worshipful mayor of Scarboroughand the commandant of the castle, that before the new moon he would landon Yorkshire coast, without firing pistol or drawing steel, free goodsto the value of two thousand pounds, and carry them inland safely. AndFlamborough believed that he would do it. 

Dr. Upround's house stood well, as rectories generally contrive to do. No place in Flamborough parish could hope to swindle the wind of itsvested right, or to embezzle much treasure of the sun, but the parsonagemade a good effort to do both, and sometimes for three days together gotthe credit of succeeding. And the dwellers therein, who felt the edgeof the difference outside their own walls, not only said but thoroughlybelieved that they lived in a little Goshen. 

For the house was well settled in a wrinkle of the hill expandingsouthward, and encouraging the noon. From the windows a pleasant glimpsemight be obtained of the broad and tranquil anchorage, peopled withwhite or black, according as the sails went up or down; for the rectorystood to the southward of the point, as the rest of Flamborough surelymust have stood, if built by any other race than armadillos. But to seeall those vessels, and be sure what they were doing, the proper placewas a little snug "gazebo, " chosen and made by the doctor himself, nearthe crest of the gully he inhabited. 

Here upon a genial summer day--when it came, as it sometimes dared todo--was the finest little nook upon the Yorkshire coast for watchingwhat Virgil calls "the sail-winged sea. " Not that a man could see roundthe Head, unless his own were gifted with very crooked eyes; but withoutdoing that (which would only have disturbed the tranquillity of hisprospect) there was plenty to engage him in the peaceful spread ofcomparatively waveless waters. Here might he see long vessels rolling, not with great misery, but just enough to make him feel happy in thefirmness of his bench, and little jolly-boats it was more jolly to beout of, and faraway heads giving genial bobs, and sea-legs straddledin predicaments desirable rather for study than for practice. All washighly picturesque and nice, and charming for the critic who had nevergot to do it. 

"Now, papa, you must come this very moment, " cried Miss Janetta Upround, the daughter of the house, and indeed the only daughter, with a gush ofexcitement, rushing into the study of this deeply read divine; "thereis something doing that I can not understand. You must bring up thespy-glass at once and explain. I am sure that there is something verywrong. "

"In the parish, my dear?" the rector asked, with a feeble attempt atmalice, for he did not want to be disturbed just now, and for weeks hehad tried (with very poor success) to make Janetta useful; for she hadno gift in that way. 

"No, not in the parish at all, papa, unless it runs out under water, as I am certain it ought to do, and make every one of those ships paytithe. If the law was worth anything, they would have to do it. Theyget all the good out of our situation, and they save whole thousandsof pounds at a time, and they never pay a penny, nor even hoist a flag, unless the day is fine, and the flag wants drying. But come along, papa, now. I really can not wait; and they will have done it all without us. "

"Janetta, take the glass and get the focus. I will come presently, presently. In about two minutes--by the time that you are ready. "

"Very well, papa. It is very good of you. I see quite clearly whatyou want to do; and I hope you will do it. But you promise not to playanother game now?"

"My dear, I will promise that with pleasure. Only do please be off aboutyour business. "

The rector was a most inveterate and insatiable chess-player. In thehousehold, rather than by it, he was, as a matter of lofty belief, supposed to be deeply engaged with theology, or magisterial questions ofalmost equal depth, or (to put it at the lowest) parochial affairs, the while he was solidly and seriously engaged in getting up the sounddefense to some Continental gambit. And this, not only to satisfyhimself upon some point of theory, but from a nearer and dearer point ofview--for he never did like to be beaten. 

At present he was laboring to discover the proper defense to a new andslashing form of the Algaier gambit, by means of which Robin Lyth hadwon every game in which he had the move, upon their last encounter. The great free-trader, while a boy, had shown an especial aptitude forchess, and even as a child he had seemed to know the men when first, bysome accident, he saw them. The rector being struck by this exceptionto the ways of childhood--whose manner it is to take chess-men for"dollies, " or roll them about like nine-pins--at once included inthe education of "Izunsabe, " which he took upon himself, a course ofelemental doctrine in the one true game. And the boy fought his way upat such a pace that he jumped from odds of queen and rook to pawn andtwo moves in less than two years. And now he could almost give odds tohis tutor, though he never presumed to offer them; and trading as hedid with enlightened merchants of large Continental sea-ports, who hadplenty of time on their hands and played well, he imported new openingsof a dash and freedom which swallowed the ground up under the feet ofthe steady-going players, who had never seen a book upon their favoritesubject. Of course it was competent to all these to decline such fieryonslaught; but chivalry and the true love of analysis (which without maynone play chess) compelled the acceptance of the challenge, even with atrembling forecast of the taste of dust. 

"Never mind, " said Dr. Upround, as he rose and stretched himself, a goodstraight man of threescore years, with silver hair that shone likesilk; "it has not come to me yet; but it must, with a littlemore perseverance. At Cambridge I beat everybody; and who is thisuncircumcised--at least, I beg his pardon, for I did myself baptizehim--but who is Robin Lyth, to mate his pastor and his master? All thesegambits are like a night attack. If once met properly and expelled, you are in the very heart of the enemy's camp. He has left his ownwatch-fires to rush at yours. The next game I play, I shall be sure tobeat him. "

Fully convinced of this great truth, he took a strong oak staff andhastened to obey his daughter. Miss Janetta Upround had not only learnedby nature, but also had been carefully taught by her parents, and byevery one, how to get her own way always, and to be thanked for takingit. But she had such a happy nature, full of kindness and good-will, that other people's wishes always seemed to flow into her own, insteadof being swept aside. Over her father her government was in no sortconstitutional, nor even a quiet despotism sweetened with liberalillusions, but as pure a piece of autocracy as the Continent coulditself contain, in the time of this first Napoleon. 

"Papa, what a time you have been, to be sure!" she exclaimed, as thedoctor came gradually up, probing his way in perfect leisure, andfragrant still of that gambit; "one would think that your parish wason dry land altogether, while the better half of it, as they callthemselves--though the women are in righteousness the better half ahundredfold--"

"My dear, do try to talk with some little sense of arithmetic, if noother. A hundredfold the half would be the unit multiplied by fifty. Notto mention that there can be no better half--"

"Yes, there can, papa, ever so many; and you may see one in mamma everyday. Now you put one eye to this glass, and the half is better than thewhole. With both, you see nothing; with one, you see better, fifty timesbetter, than with both before. Don't talk of arithmetic after that. Itis algebra now, and quod demonstrandum. "

"To reason with the less worthy gender is degeneration of reason. Whatwould they have said in the Senate-house, Janetta? However, I will obeyyour orders. What am I to look at?"

"A tall and very extraordinary man, striking his arms out, thus andthus. I never saw any one looking so excited; and he flourishes a longsword now and again, as if he would like to cut everybody's head off. There he has been going from ship to ship, for an hour or more, with along white boat, and a lot of men jumping after him. Every one seemsto be scared of him, and he stumps along the deck just as if he were onsprings, and one spring longer than the other. You see that heavy brigoutside the rest, painted with ten port-holes; well, she began to makesail and run away, but he fired a gun--quite a real cannon--and shehad to come back again and drop her colors. Oh, is it some very greatadmiral, papa? Perhaps Lord Nelson himself; I would go and be seasickfor three days to see Lord Nelson. Papa, it must be Lord Nelson. "

"My dear, Lord Nelson is a little, short man, with a very brisk walk, and one arm gone. Now let me see who this can be. Whereabout is he now, Janetta?"

"Do you see that clumsy-looking schooner, papa, just behind apilot-boat? He is just in front of her foremast--making such a fuss--"

"What eyes you have got, my child! You see better without the glass thanI do with it. --Oh, now I have him! Why, I might have guessed. Of courseit is that very active man and vigilant officer Lieutenant Carroway. "

"Captain Carroway from Bridlington, papa? Why, what can he be doing withsuch authority? I have often heard of him, but I thought he was only acoast-guard. "

"He is, as you say, showing great authority, and, I fear, using verybad language, for which he is quite celebrated. However, the telescoperefuses to repeat it, for which it is much to be commended. Butevery allowance must be made for a man who has to deal with a whollyuncultivated race, and not of natural piety, like ours. "

"Well, papa, I doubt if ours have too much, though you always make thebest of them. But let me look again, please; and do tell me what he canbe doing there. "

"You know that the revenue officers must take the law into theirown hands sometimes. There have lately been certain rumors of somecontraband proceedings on the Yorkshire coast. Not in Flamboroughparish, of course, and perhaps--probably, I may say--a long way off---"

"Papa dear, will you never confess that free trade prevails andflourishes greatly even under your own dear nose?"

"Facts do not warrant me in any such assertion. If the fact were so, it must have been brought officially before me. I decline to listen touncharitable rumors. But however that matter may be, there are officerson the spot to deal with it. My commission as a justice of the peacegives me no cognizance of offenses--if such there are--upon the highseas. Ah! you see something particular; my dear, what is it?"

"Captain Carroway has found something, or somebody, of great importance. He has got a man by the collar, and he is absolutely dancing withdelight. Ah! there he goes, dragging him along the deck as if he werea cod-fish or a conger. And now, I declare, he is lashing his armsand legs with a great thick rope. Papa, is that legal, without even awarrant?"

"I can hardly say how far his powers may extend, and he is just the manto extend them farther. I only hope not to be involved in the matter. Maritime law is not my province. "

"But, papa, it is much within three miles of the shore, if that has gotanything to do with it. My goodness me! They are all coming here; I amalmost sure that they will apply to you. Yes, two boat-loads of people, racing to get their oars out, and to be here first. Where are yourspectacles, dear papa? You had better go and get up the law before theycome. You will scarcely have time, they are coming so fast--a white boatand a black boat. The prisoner is in the white boat, and the officerhas got him by the collar still. The men in the white boat will wantto commit him, and the men in the black boat are his friends, no doubt, coming for a habeas corpus--"

"My dear, what nonsense you do talk! What has a simple justice of thepeace--"

"Never mind that, papa; my facts are sound--sounder than yours aboutsmuggling, I fear. But do hurry in, and get up the law. I will go andlock both gates, to give you more time. "

"Do nothing of the kind, Janetta. A magistrate should be accessiblealways; and how can I get up the law, without knowing what it is to beabout--or even a clerk to help me? And perhaps they are not coming hereat all. They may be only landing their prisoner. "

"If that were it, they would not be coming so, but rowing toward theproper place, Bridlington Quay, where their station-house is. Papa, youare in for it, and I am getting eager. May I come and hear all about it?I should be a great support to you, you know. And they would tell thetruth so much better!"

"Janetta, what are you dreaming of? It may even be a case of secrecy. "

"Secrecy, papa, with two boat-loads of men and about thirty shipsinvolved in it! Oh, do let me hear all about it!"

"Whatever it may be, your presence is not required, and would beimproper. Unless I should happen to want a book; and in that case Imight ring for you. "

"Oh, do, papa, do! No one else can ever find them. Promise me now thatyou will want a book. If I am not there, there will be no justice done. I wish you severely to reprimand, whatever the facts of the case may be, and even to punish, if you can, that tall, lame, violent, ferociousman, for dragging the poor fellow about like that, and cutting him withropes, when completely needless, and when he was quite at his mercy. It is my opinion that the other man does not deserve one bit of it; andwhatever the law may be, papa, your duty is to strain it benevolently, and question every syllable upon the stronger side. "

"Perhaps I had better resign, my dear, upon condition that you shall beappointed in the stead of me. It might be a popular measure, and wouldsecure universal justice. "

"Papa, I would do justice to myself--which is a thing you never do. Buthere, they are landing; and they hoist him out as if he were a sack, or a thing without a joint. They could scarcely be harder with a mancompelled to be hanged to-morrow morning. "

"Condemned is what you mean, Janetta. You never will understand the useof words. What a nice magistrate you would make!"

"There can be no more correct expression. Would any man be hanged if hewere not compelled? Papa, you say the most illegal things sometimes. Nowplease to go in and get up your legal points. Let me go and meet thosepeople for you. I will keep them waiting till you are quite ready. "

"My dear, you will go to your room, and try to learn a little patience. You begin to be too pat with your own opinions, which in a young lady isungraceful. There, you need not cry, my darling, because your opinionsare always sensible, and I value them very highly; but still you mustbear in mind that you are but a girl. "

"And behave accordingly, as they say. Nobody can do more so. But thoughI am only a girl, papa, can you put your hand upon a better one?"

"Certainly not, my dear; for going down hill, I can always depend onyou. "

Suiting the action to the word, Dr. Upround, whose feet were a littletouched with gout, came down from his outlook to his kitchen-garden, andthence through the shrubbery back to his own study, where, with a littlesigh, he put away his chess-men, and heartily hoped that it might not behis favorite adversary who was coming before him to be sent to jail. For although the good rector had a warm regard, and even affection, forRobin Lyth, as a waif cast into his care, and then a pupil wonderfullyapt (which breeds love in the teacher), and after that a most gallantand highly distinguished young parishioner--with all this it was adifficulty for him to be ignorant that the law was adverse. More thanonce he had striven hard to lead the youth into some better path oflife, and had even induced him to "follow the sea" for a short time inthe merchant service. But the force of nature and of circumstances hadvery soon prevailed again, and Robin returned to his old pursuits withlarger experience, and seamanship improved. 

A violent ringing at the gate bell, followed by equal urgency uponthe front door, apprised the kind magistrate of a sharp call on hisfaculties, and perhaps a most unpleasant one. "The poor boy!" he said tohimself--"poor boy! From Carroway's excitement I greatly fear that it isindeed poor Robin. How many a grand game have we had! His new variety ofthat fine gambit scarcely beginning to be analyzed; and if I commit himto the meeting next week, when shall we ever meet again? It will seemas if I did it because he won three games; and I certainly was a littlevexed with him. However, I must be stern, stern, stern. Show them in, Betsy; I am quite prepared. "

A noise, and a sound of strong language in the hall, and a dragging ofsomething on the oil-cloth, led up to the entry of a dozen rough men, pushed on by at least another dozen. 

"You will have the manners to take off your hats, " said the magistrate, with all his dignity; "not from any undue deference to me, but commonrespect to his Majesty. "

"Off with your covers, you sons of"--something, shouted a loud voice;and then the lieutenant, with his blade still drawn, stood before them. 

"Sheathe your sword, Sir, " said Dr. Upround, in a voice which amazed theofficer. 

"I beg your Worship's pardon, " he began, with his grim face flushingpurple, but his sword laid where it should have been; "but if you knewhalf of the worry I have had, you would not care to rebuke me. Cadman, have you got him by the neck? Keep your knuckles into him, while I makemy deposition. "

"Cast that man free, I receive no depositions with a man half strangledbefore me. "

The men of the coast-guard glanced at their commander, and receiving asurly nod, obeyed. But the prisoner could not stand as yet; he gaspedfor breath, and some one set him on a chair. 

"Your Worship, this is a mere matter of form, " said Carroway, stillkeeping eyes on his prey; "if I had my own way, I would not trouble youat all, and I believe it to be quite needless. For this man is an outlawfelon, and not entitled to any grace of law; but I must obey my orders. "

"Certainly you must, Lieutenant Carroway, even though you are betteracquainted with the law. You are ready to be sworn? Take this book, andfollow me. "

This being done, the worthy magistrate prepared to write down what thegallant officer might say, which, in brief, came to this, that havingorders to seize Robin Lyth wherever he might find him, and having sureknowledge that said Robin was on board of a certain schooner vessel, theElizabeth, of Goole, the which he had laden with goods liable to duty, he, Charles Carroway, had gently laid hands on him, and brought him tothe nearest justice of the peace, to obtain an order of commitment. 

All this, at fifty times the length here given, Lieutenant Carrowaydeposed on oath, while his Worship, for want of a clerk, set it down inhis own very neat handwriting. But several very coaly-looking men, whocould scarcely be taught to keep silence, observed that the magistratesmiled once or twice; and this made them wait a bit, and wink at oneanother. 

"Very clear indeed, Lieutenant Carroway, " said Dr. Upround, withspectacles on nose. "Good Sir, have the kindness to sign yourdeposition. It may become my duty to commit the prisoner, uponidentification. Of that I must have evidence, confirmatory evidence. Butfirst we will hear what he has to say. Robin Lyth, stand forward. "

"Me no Robin Lyth, Sar; no Robin man or woman, " cried the captive, trying very hard to stand; "me only a poor Francais, make liberty towhat you call--row, row, sweem, sweem, sail, sail, from la belle France;for why, for why, there is no import to nobody. "

"Your Worship, he is always going on about imports, " Cadman said, respectfully; "that is enough to show who he is. "

"You may trust me to know him, " cried Lieutenant Carroway. "Myfine fellow, no more of that stuff! He can pass himself off for anycountryman whatever. He knows all their jabber, Sir, better than hisown. Put a cork between his teeth, Hackerbody. I never did see such anoisy rogue. He is Robin Lyth all over. "

"I'll be blest if he is, nor under nayther, " cried the biggest of thecoaly men; "this here froggy come out of a Chaise and Mary as had run upfrom Dunkirk. I know Robin Lyth as well as our own figure-head. But whatgood to try reason with that there revenue hofficer?"

At this, all his friends set a good laugh up, and wanted to give him acheer for such a speech; but that being hushed, they were satisfied withcondemning his organs of sight and their own quite fairly. 

"Lieutenant Carroway, " his Worship said, amidst an impressive silence, "I greatly fear that you have allowed zeal, my dear Sir, to outrundiscretion. Robin Lyth is a young, and in many ways highly respected, parishioner of mine. He may have been guilty of casual breaches of thelaws concerning importation--laws which fluctuate from year to year, andrequire deep knowledge of legislation both to observe and to administer. I heartily trust that you may not suffer from having discharged yourduty in a manner most truly exemplary, if only the example had been theright one. This gentleman is no more Robin Lyth than I am. "

CHAPTER XVI

DISCIPLINE ASSERTED

As soon as his troublesome visitors were gone, the rector sat down inhis deep arm-chair, laid aside his spectacles, and began to think. Hisface, while he thought, lost more and more of the calm and cheerfulexpression which made it so pleasant a face to gaze upon; and he sighed, without knowing it, at some dark ideas, and gave a little shake of hisgrand old head. The revenue officer had called his favorite pupil andcleverest parishioner "a felon outlaw;" and if that were so, Robin Lythwas no less than a convicted criminal, and must not be admitted withinhis doors. Formerly the regular penalty for illicit importation had beenthe forfeiture of the goods when caught, and the smugglers (unlessthey made resistance or carried fire-arms) were allowed to escape andretrieve their bad luck, which they very soon contrived to do. And asyet, upon this part of the coast, they had not been guilty of atrociouscrimes, such as the smugglers of Sussex and Hampshire--who must havebeen utter fiends--committed, thereby raising all the land againstthem. Dr. Upround had heard of no proclamation, exaction, or even capiasissued against this young free-trader; and he knew well enough that theworst offenders were not the bold seamen who contracted for the run, northe people of the coast who were hired for the carriage, but the richindwellers who provided all the money, and received the lion's shareof all the profits. And with these the law never even tried to deal. However, the magistrate-parson resolved that, in spite of all theinterest of tutorship and chess-play, and even all the influence of hiswife and daughter (who were hearty admirers of brave smuggling), he musteither reform this young man, or compel him to keep at a distance, whichwould be very sad. 

Meanwhile the lieutenant had departed in a fury, which seemed to beincapable of growing any worse. Never an oath did he utter all the wayto the landing where his boat was left; and his men, who knew how muchthat meant, were afraid to do more than just wink at one another. Eventhe sailors of the collier schooner forbore to jeer him, until he wasafloat, when they gave him three fine rounds of mock cheers, to whichthe poor Frenchman contributed a shriek. For this man had been mostinhospitably treated, through his strange but undeniable likeness to aperfidious Briton. 

"Home!" cried the officer, glowering at those fellows, while his menheld their oars, and were ready to rush at them. "Home, with a will!Give way, men!" And not another word he spoke, till they touched thesteps at Bridlington. Then he fixed stern eyes upon Cadman, who vainlystrove to meet them, and he said, "Come to me in one hour and a half. "Cadman touched his hat without an answer, saw to the boat, and then wenthome along the quay. 

Carroway, though of a violent temper, especially when laughed at, was not of that steadfast and sedentary wrath which chews the cudof grievances, and feeds upon it in a shady place. He had a goodwife--though a little overclean--and seven fine-appetited children, whogave him the greatest pleasure in providing victuals. Also, he had hispipe, and his quiet corners, sacred to the atmosphere and the privatethoughts of Carroway. And here he would often be ambitious even now, perceiving no good reason why he might not yet command a line-of-battleship, and run up his own flag, and nobly tread his own loftyquarter-deck. If so, he would have Mrs. Carroway on board, and not onlyon the boards, but at them; so that a challenge should be issued everyday for any other ship in all the service to display white so whollyspotless, and black so void of streakiness. And while he was dwellingupon personal matters--which, after all, concerned the nation most--hehad tried very hard to discover any reason (putting paltry luck aside)why Horatio Nelson should be a Lord, and what was more to the purpose, an admiral, while Charles Carroway (his old shipmate, and in every waysuperior, who could eat him at a mouthful, if only he were good enough)should now be no more than a 'long-shore lieutenant, and a Jonathan Wildof the revenue. However, as for envying Nelson, the Lord knew that hewould not give his little Geraldine's worst frock for all the fellow'sgrand coat of arms, and freedom in a snuff-box, and golden shields, anddevices, this, that, and the other, with Bona Robas to support them. 

To this conclusion he was fairly come, after a good meal, and with thesecond glass of the finest Jamaica pine-apple rum--which he drank frompure principle, because it was not smuggled--steaming and scenting theblue curls of his pipe, when his admirable wife came in to say that onno account would she interrupt him. 

"My dear, I am busy, and am very glad to hear it. Pish! where have I putall those accounts?"

"Charles, you are not doing any accounts. When you have done your pipeand glass, I wish to say a quiet word or two. I am sure that there isnot a woman in a thousand--"

"Matilda, I know it. Nor one in fifty thousand. You are very good atfigures: will you take this sheet away with you? Eight o'clock will bequite time enough for it. "

"My dear, I am always too pleased to do whatever I can to help you. ButI must talk to you now; really I must say a few words about something, tired as you may be, Charles, and well deserving of a little good sleep, which you never seem able to manage in bed. You told me, you know, thatyou expected Cadman, that surly, dirty fellow, who delights to spoil mystones, and would like nothing better than to take the pattern outof our drawing-room Kidderminster. Now I have a reason for sayingsomething. Charles, will you listen to me once, just once?"

"I never do anything else, " said the husband, with justice, and meaningno mischief. 

"Ah! how very seldom you hear me talk; and when I do, I might just aswell address the winds! But for once, my dear, attend, I do implore you. That surly, burly Cadman will be here directly, and I know that youare much put out with him. Now I tell you he is dangerous, savagelydangerous; I can see it in his unhealthy skin. Oh, Charles, where haveyou put down your pipe? I cleaned that shelf this very morning! Howlittle I thought when I promised to be yours that you ever would knockout your ashes like that! But do bear in mind, dear, whatever you do, ifanything happened to you, what ever would become of all of us? All yoursweet children and your faithful wife--I declare you have made two greatrings with your tumbler upon the new cover of the table. "

"Matilda, that has been done ever so long. But I am almost certain thistumbler leaks. "

"So you always say; just as if I would allow it. You never will think ofsimply wiping the rim every time you use it; when I put you a saucer foryour glass, you forget it; there never was such a man, I do believe. Ishall have to stop the rum and water altogether. "

"No, no, no. I'll do anything you like. I'll have a tumbler made witha saucer to it--I'll buy a piece of oil-cloth the size of aforetop-sail--I'll--"

"Charles, no nonsense, if you please: as if I were ever unreasonable!But your quickness of temper is such that I dread what you may say tothat Cadman. Remember what opportunities he has, dear. He might shootyou in the dark any night, my darling, and put it upon the smugglers. Ientreat you not to irritate the man, and make him your enemy. He is sospiteful; and I should be in terror the whole night long. "

"Matilda, in the house you may command me as you please--even in myown cuddy here. But as regards my duty, you know well that I permitno interference. And I should have expected you to have more sense. Apretty officer I should be if I were afraid of my own men! When a manis to blame, I tell him so, in good round language, and shall do so now. This man is greatly to blame, and I doubt whether to consider him a foolor a rogue. If it were not that he has seven children, as we have, Iwould discharge him this very night. "

"Charles, I am very sorry for his seven children, but our place is tothink of our own seven first. I beg you, I implore you, to discharge theman; for he has not the courage to harm you, I believe, except with thecowardly advantage he has got. Now promise me either to say nothing tohim, or to discharge him, and be done with him. "

"Matilda, of such things you know nothing; and I can not allow you tosay any more. "

"Very well, very well. I know my duty. I shall sit up and pray everydark night you are out, and the whole place will go to the dogs, ofcourse. Of the smugglers I am not afraid one bit, nor of any honestfighting, such as you are used to. But oh, my dear Charles, the verybravest man can do nothing against base treachery. "

"To dream of such things shows a bad imagination, " Carroway answered, sternly; but seeing his wife's eyes fill with tears, he took her handgently, and begged her pardon, and promised to be very careful, "I amthe last man to be rash, " he said, "after getting so many more kicksthan coppers. I never had a fellow under my command who would lifta finger to harm me. And you must remember, my darling Tilly, that Icommand Englishmen, not Lascars. "

With this she was forced to be content, to the best of her ability; andGeraldine ran bouncing in from school to fill her father's pipe for him;so that by the time John Cadman came, his commander had almost forgottenthe wrath created by the failure of the morning. But unluckily Cadmanhad not forgotten the words and the look he received before hiscomrades. 

"Here I am, Sir, to give an account of myself, " he said, in an insolenttone, having taken much liquor to brace him for the meeting. "Is it yourpleasure to say out what you mean?"

"Yes, but not here. You will follow me to the station. " The lieutenanttook his favorite staff, and set forth, while his wife, from the littlewindow, watched him with a very anxious gaze. She saw her husband stridein front with the long rough gait she knew so well, and the swing of hisarms which always showed that his temper was not in its best condition;and behind him Cadman slouched along, with his shoulders up and his redhands clinched. And the poor wife sadly went back to work, for her lifewas a truly anxious one. 

The station, as it was rather grandly called, was a hut, about the sizeof a four-post bed, upon the low cliff, undermined by the sea, andeven then threatened to be swept away. Here was a tall flag-staff forsignals, and a place for a beacon-light when needed, and a bench witha rest for a spy-glass. In the hut itself were signal flags, and a fewspare muskets, and a keg of bullets, with maps and codes hung round thewall, and flint and tinder, and a good many pipes, and odds and ends onledges. Carroway was very proud of this place, and kept the key strictlyin his own pocket, and very seldom allowed a man to pass throughthe narrow doorway. But he liked to sit inside, and see them lookingdesirous to come in. 

"Stand there, Cadman, " he said, as soon as he had settled himself in theone hard chair; and the man, though thoroughly primed for revolt, obeyedthe old habit, and stood outside. 

"Once more you have misled me, Cadman, and abused my confidence. Morethan that, you have made me a common laughing-stock for scores of fools, and even for a learned gentleman, magistrate of divinity. I was notcontent with your information until you confirmed it by letters youproduced from men well known to you, as you said, and even fromthe inland trader who had contracted for the venture. The schoonerElizabeth, of Goole, disguised as a collier, was to bring to, with RobinLyth on board of her, and the goods in her hold under covering of coal, and to run the goods at the South Flamborough landing this very night. Ihave searched the Elizabeth from stem to stern, and the craft broughtup alongside of her; and all I have found is a wretched Frenchman, whoskulked so that I made sure of him, and not a blessed anker of foreignbrandy, nor even a forty-pound bag of tea. You had that packet ofletters in your neck-tie. Hand them to me this moment--"

"If your Honor has made up your mind to think that a sailor of the RoyalNavy--"

"Cadman, none of that! No lick-spittle lies to me; those letters, thatI may establish them! You shall have them back, if they are right. And Iwill pay you a half crown for the loan. "

"If I was to leave they letters in your hand, I could never hold head upin Burlington no more. "

"That is no concern of mine. Your duty is to hold up your head with me, and those who find you in bread and butter. "

"Precious little butter I ever gets, and very little bread to speak of. The folk that does the work gets nothing. Them that does nothing getsthe name and game. "

"Fellow, no reasoning, but obey me!" Carroway shouted, with his temperrising. "Hand over those letters, or you leave the service. "

"How can I give away another man's property?" As he said these words, the man folded his arms, as who should say, "That is all you get out ofme. "

"Is that the way you speak to your commanding officer? Who owns thoseletters, then, according to your ideas?"

"Butcher Hewson; and he says that you shall have them as soon as he seesthe money for his little bill. "

This was a trifle too much for Carroway. Up he jumped with surprisingspeed, took one stride through the station door, and seizing Cadman bythe collar, shook him, wrung his ear with the left hand, which was likea pair of pincers, and then with the other flung him backward as if hewere an empty bag. The fellow was too much amazed to strike, or closewith him, or even swear, but received the vehement impact without anystay behind him. So that he staggered back, hat downward, and strikingone heel on a stone, fell over the brink of the shallow cliff to thesand below. 

The lieutenant, who never had thought of this, was terribly scared, andhis wrath turned cold. For although the fall was of no great depth, andthe ground at the bottom so soft, if the poor man had struck it pollforemost, as he fell, it was likely that his neck was broken. Withoutany thought of his crippled heel, Carroway took the jump himself. 

As soon as he recovered from the jar, which shook his stiff joints andstiffer back, he ran to the coast-guardsman and raised him, and foundhim very much inclined to swear. This was a good sign, and the officerwas thankful, and raised him in the gravelly sand, and kindly requestedhim to have it out, and to thank the Lord as soon as he felt better. ButCadman, although he very soon came round, abstained from every token ofgratitude. Falling with his mouth wide open in surprise, he had filledit with gravel of inferior taste, as a tidy sewer pipe ran out justthere, and at every execration he discharged a little. 

"What can be done with a fellow so ungrateful?" cried the lieutenant, standing stiffly up again; "nothing but to let him come back to hismanners. Hark you, John Cadman, between your bad words, if a glass ofhot grog will restore your right wits, you can come up and have it, whenyour clothes are brushed. "

With these words Carroway strode off to his cottage, without evendeigning to look back, for a minute had been enough to show him that novery serious harm was done. 

The other man did not stir until his officer was out of sight; and thenhe arose and rubbed himself, but did not care to go for his rummer ofhot grog. 

"I must work this off, " the lieutenant said, as soon as he had toldhis wife, and received his scolding; "I can not sit down; I must dosomething. My mind is becoming too much for me, I fear. Can you expectme to be laughed at? I shall take a little sail in the boat; the windsuits, and I have a particular reason. Expect me, my dear, when you seeme. "

In half an hour the largest boat, which carried a brass swivel-gun inher bows, was stretching gracefully across the bay, with her three whitesails flashing back the sunset. The lieutenant steered, and he had fourmen with him, of whom Cadman was not one, that worthy being left athome to nurse his bruises and his dudgeon. These four men now were quitemarvellously civil, having heard of their comrade's plight, and beingpleased alike with that and with their commander's prowess. For Cadmanwas by no means popular among them, because, though his pay was the sameas theirs, he always tried to be looked up to; the while his mannerswere not distinguished, and scarcely could be called polite, when asupper required to be paid for. In derision of this, and of his desirefor mastery, they had taken to call him "Boatswain Jack, " or "JohnBoatswain, " and provoked him by a subscription to present him with apig-whistle. For these were men who liked well enough to receive hardwords from their betters who were masters of their business, but sawneither virtue nor value in submitting to superior airs from theirequals. 

The Royal George, as this boat was called, passed through the fleet ofquiet vessels, some of which trembled for a second visitation; but notdeigning to molest them, she stood on, and rounding Flamborough Head, passed by the pillar rocks called King and Queen, and bore up for theNorth Landing cove. Here sail was taken in, and oars were manned; andCarroway ordered his men to pull in to the entrance of each of thewell-known caves. 

To enter these, when any swell is running, requires great care andexperience; and the Royal George had too much beam to do it comfortably, even in the best of weather. And now what the sailors call a "choppingsea" had set in with the turn of the tide, although the wind was stilloff-shore; so that even to lie to at the mouth made rather a ticklishjob of it. The men looked at one another, and did not like it, fora badly handled oar would have cast them on the rocks, which arevillainously hard and jagged, and would stave in the toughest boat, likebiscuit china. However, they durst not say that they feared it; and byskill and steadiness they examined all three caves quite enough to becertain that no boat was in them. 

The largest of the three, and perhaps the finest, was the one they firstcame to, which already was beginning to be called the cave of RobinLyth. The dome is very high, and sheds down light when the gleam of thesea strikes inward. From the gloomy mouth of it, as far as they couldventure, the lapping of the wavelets could be heard all round it, without a boat, or even a balk of wood to break it. Then they triedecho, whose clear answer hesitates where any soft material is; but theshout rang only of hard rock and glassy water. To make assurance doublysure, they lit a blue-light, and sent it floating through the depths, while they held their position with two boat-hooks and a fender. Thecavern was lit up with a very fine effect, but not a soul inside of itto animate the scene. And to tell the truth, the bold invaders wereby no means grieved at this; for if there had been smugglers there, itwould have been hard to tackle them. 

Hauling off safely, which was worse than running in, they pulled acrossthe narrow cove, and rounding the little headland, examined the ChurchCave and the Dovecote likewise, and with a like result. Then heartilytired, and well content with having done all that man could do, theyset sail again in the dusk of the night, and forged their way against astrong ebb-tide toward the softer waters of Bridlington, and the warmercomfort of their humble homes. 

CHAPTER XVII

DELICATE INQUIRIES

A genuine summer day pays a visit nearly once in the season toFlamborough; and when it does come, it has a wonderful effect. Often thesun shines brightly there, and often the air broods hot with thunder;but the sun owes his brightness to sweep of the wind, which sweeps awayhis warmth as well; while, on the other hand, the thunder-clouds, likeheavy smoke capping the headland, may oppress the air with heat, but arenot of sweet summer's beauty. 

For once, however, the fine day came, and the natives made haste torevile it. Before it was three hours old they had found a hundred andfifty faults with it. Most of the men truly wanted a good sleep, afterbeing lively all the night upon the waves, and the heat and the yellowlight came in upon their eyes, and set the flies buzzing all about them. And even the women, who had slept out their time, and talked quietly, like the clock ticking, were vexed with the sun, which kept theirkettles from good boiling, and wrote upon their faces the years of theirlife. But each made allowance for her neighbor's appearance, on thestrength of the troubles she had been through. For the matter of that, the sun cared not the selvage of a shadow what was thought of him, butwent his bright way with a scattering of clouds and a tossing of vaporsanywhere. Upon the few fishermen who gave up hope of sleep, and cameto stand dazed in their doorways, the glare of white walls and chalkystones, and dusty roads, produced the same effect as if they had put ontheir fathers' goggles. Therefore they yawned their way back to theirroom, and poked up the fire, without which, at Flamborough, no hotweather would be half hot enough. 

The children, however, were wide-awake, and so were the washer-women, whose turn it had been to sleep last night for the labors of themorning. These were plying hand and tongue in a little field by thethree cross-roads, where gaffers and gammers of by-gone time had set uptroughs of proven wood, and the bilge of a long storm-beaten boat, neara pool of softish water. Stout brown arms were roped with curd, andwedding rings looked slippery things, and thumb-nails bordered withinveterate black, like broad beans ripe for planting, shone through ahubbub of snowy froth; while sluicing and wringing and rinsing went onover the bubbled and lathery turf; and every handy bush or stub, andevery tump of wiry grass, was sheeted with white, like a ship in fullsail, and shining in the sun-glare. 

From time to time these active women glanced back at their cottages, to see that the hearth was still alive, or at their little daughterssquatting under the low wall which kept them from the road, where theyhad got all the babies to nurse, and their toes and other members tocompare, and dandelion chains to make. But from their washing ground thewomen could not see the hill that brings to the bottom of the villagethe crooked road from Sewerby. Down that hill came a horseman slowly, with nobody to notice him, though himself on the watch for everybody;and there in the bottom below the first cottage he allowed his horse toturn aside and cool hot feet and leathery lips, in a brown pool spreadby Providence for the comfort of wayworn roadsters. 

The horse looked as if he had labored far, while his rider was calmlyresting; for the cross-felled sutures of his flank were crusted withgray perspiration, and the runnels of his shoulders were dabbled; andnow it behooved him to be careful how he sucked the earthy-flavoredwater, so as to keep time with the heaving of his barrel. In a word, he was drinking as if he would burst--as his hostler at home often toldhim--but the clever old roadster knew better than that, and timing itwell between snorts and coughs, was tightening his girths with deeppleasure. 

"Enough, my friend, is as good as a feast, " said his rider to him, gently, yet strongly pulling up the far-stretched head, "and too much isworse than a famine. "

The horse, though he did not belong to this gentleman, but was hired byhim only yesterday, had already discovered that, with him on his back, his own judgment must lie dormant, so that he quietly whisked his tailand glanced with regret at the waste of his drip, and then, with aroundabout step, to prolong the pleasure of this little wade, sadly butsteadily out he walked, and, after the necessary shake, began hisfirst invasion of the village. His rider said nothing, but kept a sharplook-out. 

Now this was Master Geoffrey Mordacks, of the ancient city of York, ageneral factor and land agent. What a "general factor" is, or is not, none but himself can pretend to say, even in these days of definition, and far less in times when thought was loose; and perhaps Mr. Mordackswould rather have it so. But any one who paid him well could trust him, according to the ancient state of things. To look at him, nobody wouldeven dare to think that money could be a consideration to him, orthe name of it other than an insult. So lofty and steadfast his wholeappearance was, and he put back his shoulders so manfully. Upright, stiff, and well appointed with a Roman nose, he rode with the seat of asoldier and the decision of a tax-collector. From his long steel spursto his hard coned hat not a soft line was there, nor a feeble curve. Stern honesty and strict purpose stamped every open piece of him sostrictly that a man in a hedge-row fostering devious principles, andresolved to try them, could do no more than run away, and be thankfulfor the chance of it. 

But in those rough and dangerous times, when thousands of people werestarving, the view of a pistol-butt went further than sternest aspect ofstrong eyes. Geoffrey Mordacks well knew this, and did not neglect hisknowledge. The brown walnut stock of a heavy pistol shone above eitherholster, and a cavalry sword in a leathern scabbard hung within easyreach of hand. Altogether this gentleman seemed not one to be rashlyattacked by daylight. 

No man had ever dreamed as yet of coming to this outlandish place forpleasure of the prospect. So that when this lonely rider was descriedfrom the washing field over the low wall of the lane, the women madeup their minds at once that it must be a justice of the peace, or somegreat rider of the Revenue, on his way to see Dr. Upandown, or at theleast a high constable concerned with some great sheep-stealing. Notthat any such crime was known in the village itself of Flamborough, which confined its operations to the sea; but in the outer world ofland that malady was rife just now, and a Flamborough man, too fond ofmutton, had farmed some sheep on the downs, and lost them, which wasconsidered a judgment on him for willfully quitting ancestral ways. 

But instead of turning at the corner where the rector was trying to growsome trees, the stranger kept on along the rugged highway, and betweenthe straggling cottages, so that the women rinsed their arms, and turnedround to take a good look at him, over the brambles and furze, and thewall of chalky flint and rubble. 

"This is just what I wanted, " thought Geoffrey Mordacks: "skill makesluck, and I am always lucky. Now, first of all, to recruit the innerman. "

At this time Mrs. Theophila Precious, generally called "Tapsy, " thewidow of a man who had been lost at sea, kept the "Cod with a Hook inhis Gills, " the only hostelry in Flamborough village, although therewas another toward the Landing. The cod had been painted from life--ordeath--by a clever old fisherman who understood him, and he looked sofirm, and stiff, and hard, that a healthy man, with purse enough to tireof butcher's-meat, might grow in appetite by gazing. Mr. Mordacks pulledup, and fixed steadfast eyes upon this noble fish, the while a scoreof sharp eyes from the green and white meadow were fixed steadfastly onhim. 

"How he shines with salt-water! How firm he looks, and his gills asbright as a rose in June! I have never yet tasted a cod at first hand. It is early in the day, but the air is hungry. My expenses are paid, andI mean to live well, for a strong mind will be required. I will have acut out of that fish, to begin with. "

Inditing of this, and of matters even better, the rider turned into theyard of the inn, where an old boat (as usual) stood for a horse-trough, and sea-tubs served as buckets. Strong sunshine glared upon theoversaling tiles, and white buckled walls, and cracky lintels;but nothing showed life, except an old yellow cat, and a pair ofhouse-martins, who had scarcely time to breathe, such a number of littleheads flipped out with a white flap under the beak of each, demandingmomentous victualling. At these the yellow cat winked with dreamyjoyfulness, well aware how fat they would be when they came to tumbleout. 

"What a place of vile laziness!" grumbled Mr. Mordacks, as he got offhis horse, after vainly shouting "Hostler!" and led him to the byre, which did duty for a stable. "York is a lazy hole enough, but thefurther you go from it, the lazier they get. No energy, no movement, noambition, anywhere. What a country! what a people! I shall have to goback and enlist the washer-women. "

A Yorkshireman might have answered this complaint, if he thought itdeserving of an answer, by requesting Master Mordacks not to be sooverquick, but to bide a wee bit longer before he made so sure of thevast superiority of his own wit, for the long heads might prove betterthan the sharp ones in the end of it. However, the general factorthought that he could not have come to a better place to get all that hewanted out of everybody. He put away his saddle, and the saddlebagsand sword, in a rough old sea-chest with a padlock to it, and having asprinkle of chaff at the bottom. Then he calmly took the key, as ifthe place were his, gave his horse a rackful of long-cut grass, andpresented himself, with a lordly aspect, at the front door of the silentinn. Here he made noise enough to stir the dead; and at the conclusionof a reasonable time, during which she had finished a pleasant dreamto the simmering of the kitchen pot, the landlady showed herself in thedistance, feeling for her keys with one hand, and rubbing her eyeswith the other. This was the head-woman of the village, but seldomtyrannical, unless ill-treated, Widow Precious, tall and square, and ofno mean capacity. 

"Young mon, " with a deep voice she said, "what is tha' deein' wi' awthat clatter?"

"Alas, my dear madam, I am not a young man; and therefore time is moreprecious to me. I have lived out half my allotted span, and shall nevercomplete it unless I get food. "

"T' life o' mon is aw a hoory, " replied Widow Precious, with slow truth. "Young mon, what 'll ye hev?"

"Dinner, madam; dinner at the earliest moment. I have ridden far, and myback is sore, and my substance is calling for renewal. "

"Ate, ate, ate, that's t' waa of aw menkins. Bud ye maa coom in, andcrack o' it. "

"Madam, you are most hospitable; and the place altogether seems to beof that description. What a beautiful room! May I sit down? I perceivea fine smell of most delicate soup. Ah, you know how to do things atFlamborough. "

"Young mon, ye can ha' nune of yon potty. Yon's for mesell and t'childer. "

"My excellent hostess, mistake me not. I do not aspire to such loftypot-luck. I simply referred to it as a proof of your admirable culinarypowers. "

"Yon's beeg words. What 'll ye hev te ate?"

"A fish like that upon your sign-post, madam, or at least the upper halfof him; and three dozen oysters just out of the sea, swimming in theirown juice, with lovely melted butter. "

"Young mon, hast tha gotten t' brass? Them 'at ates offens forgets t'reck'nin'. "

"Yes, madam, I have the needful in abundance. Ecce signum! Which isLatin, madam, for the stamps of the king upon twenty guineas. One to bedeposited in your fair hand for a taste, for a sniff, madam, such as Ihad of your pot. "

"Na, na. No tokkins till a' airned them. What ood your Warship be forating when a' boileth?"

The general factor, perceiving his way, was steadfast to the shouldercut of a decent cod; and though the full season was scarcely yet come, Mrs. Precious knew where to find one. Oysters there were none, but shegave him boiled limpets, and he thought it the manner of the place thatmade them tough. After these things he had a duck of the noblest andbest that live anywhere in England. Such ducks were then, and perhapsare still, the most remarkable residents of Flamborough. Not onlybecause the air is fine, and the puddles and the dabblings ofextraordinary merit, and the wind fluffs up their pretty feathers whilealive, as the eloquent poulterer by-and-by will do; but because theyhave really distinguished birth, and adventurous, chivalrous, and brightblue Norman blood. To such purpose do the gay young Vikings of theworld of quack pour in (when the weather and the time of year invite), equipped with red boots and plumes of purple velvet, to enchant the coylady ducks in soft water, and eclipse the familiar and too legal drake. For a while they revel in the change of scene, the luxury of unsaltedmud and scarcely rippled water, and the sweetness and culture of tamedilly-ducks, to whom their brilliant bravery, as well as an airof romance and billowy peril, commends them too seductively. Theresponsible sire of the pond is grieved, sinks his unappreciated billinto his back, and vainly reflects upon the vanity of love. 

From a loftier point of view, however, this is a fine provision; and Mr. Mordacks always took a lofty view of everything. 

"A beautiful duck, ma'am; a very grand duck!" in his usual loud andmasterful tone, he exclaimed to Widow Precious. "I understand yourquestion now as to my ability to pay for him. Madam, he is worth a man'slast shilling. A goose is a smaller and a coarser bird. In what mannerdo you get them?"

"They gets their own sells, wi' the will of the Lord. What will yourWarship be for ating, come after?"

"None of your puddings and pies, if you please, nor your excellentjellies and custards. A red Dutch cheese, with a pat of fresh butter, and another imperial pint of ale. "

"Now yon is what I call a man, " thought Mrs. Precious, having neitherpie nor pudding, as Master Mordacks was well aware; "aisy to please, and a' knoweth what a' wants. A' mought 'a been born i' Flaambro. A' maabaide for a week, if a' hath the tokkins. "

Mr. Mordacks felt that he had made his footing; but he was not the manto abide for a week where a day would suit his purpose. His rule wasnever to beat about the bush when he could break through it, and hethought that he saw his way to do so now. Having finished his meal, he set down his knife with a bang, sat upright in the oaken chair, andgazed in a bold yet pleasant manner at the sturdy hostess. 

"You are wondering what has brought me here. That I will tell you ina very few words. Whatever I do is straightforward, madam; and all theworld may know it. That has been my character throughout life; and inthat respect I differ from the great bulk of mankind. You Flamboroughfolk, however, are much of the very same nature as I am. We ought toget on well together. Times are very bad--very bad indeed. I could puta good trifle of money in your way; but you tell the truth withoutit, which is very, very noble. Yet people with a family have duties todischarge to them, and must sacrifice their feelings to affection. Fiftyguineas is a tidy little figure, ma'am. With the famine growing in theland, no parent should turn his honest back upon fifty guineas. Andto get the gold, and do good at the same time, is a very rare chanceindeed. "

This speech was too much for Widow Precious to carry to her settledjudgment, and get verdict in a breath. She liked it, on the whole, butyet there might be many things upon the other side; so she did whatFlamborough generally does, when desirous to consider things, as itgenerally is. That is to say, she stood with her feet well apart, andher arms akimbo, and her head thrown back to give the hinder part arest, and no sign of speculation in her eyes, although they certainlywere not dull. When these good people are in this frame of mind andbody, it is hard to say whether they look more wise or foolish. Mr. Mordacks, impatient as he was, even after so fine a dinner, was not farfrom catching the infection of slow thought, which spreads itself aspleasantly as that of slow discourse. 

"You are heeding me, madam; you have quick wits, " he said, without anysarcasm, for she rescued the time from waste by affording a study of thedeepest wisdom; "you are wondering how the money is to come, and whetherit brings any risk with it. No, Mistress Precious, not a particle ofrisk. A little honest speaking is the one thing needed. "

"The money cometh scores of times more freely fra wrong-doing. "

"Your observation, madam, shows a deep acquaintance with the human race. Too often the money does come so; and thus it becomes mere mammon. Onsuch occasions we should wash our hands, and not forget the charities. But the beauty of money, fairly come by, is that we can keep it all. Todo good in getting it, and do good with it, and to feel ourselves betterin every way, and our dear children happier--this is the true way ofconsidering the question. I saw some pretty little dears peeping in, andwanted to give them a token or two, for I do love superior children. Butyou called them away, madam. You are too stern. "

Widow Precious had plenty of sharp sense to tell her that her childrenwere by no means "pretty dears" to anybody but herself, and to herselfonly when in a very soft state of mind; at other times they were butthree gew-mouthed lasses, and two looby loons with teeth enough forcrunching up the dripping-pan. 

"Your Warship spaketh fair, " she said; "a'most too fair, I'm doubting. Wad ye say what the maning is, and what name goeth pledge for the faftypoon, Sir?"

"Mistress Precious, my meaning always is plainer than a pikestaff; andas to pledges, the pledge is the hard cash down upon the nail, ma'am. "

"Bank-tokkins, mayhap, and I prummeese to paa, with the sign of theDragon, and a woman among sheeps. "

"Madam, a bag of solid gold that can be weighed and counted. Fifty newguineas from the mint of King George, in a water-proof bag just fit tobe buried at the foot of a tree, or well under the thatch, or sewn upin the sacking of your bedstead, ma'am. Ah, pretty dreams, what prettydreams, with a virtuous knowledge of having done the right! Shall we sayit is a bargain, ma'am, and wet it with a glass, at my expense, of thecrystal spring that comes under the sea?"

"Naw, Sir, naw!--not till I knaw what. I niver trafficks with the divil, Sir. There wur a chap of Flaambro deed--"

"My good madam, I can not stop all day. I have far to ride beforenight-fall. All that I want is simply this, and having gone so far, Imust tell you all, or make an enemy of you. I want to match this; and Ihave reason to believe that it can be matched in Flamborough. Produce methe fellow, and I pay you fifty guineas. "

With these words Mr. Mordacks took from an inner pocket a littlepill-box, and thence produced a globe, or rather an oblate spheroid, ofbright gold, rather larger than a musket-ball, but fluted or crenelledlike a poppy-head, and stamped or embossed with marks like letters. Widow Precious looked down at it, as if to think what an extraordinarything it was, but truly to hide from the stranger her surprise at thesudden recognition. For Robin Lyth was a foremost favorite of hers, andmost useful to her vocation; and neither fifty guineas nor five hundredshould lead her to do him an injury. At a glance she had known thatthis bead must belong to the set from which Robin's ear-rings came; andperhaps it was her conscience which helped her to suspect that a trapwas being laid for the free-trade hero. To recover herself, and havetime to think, as well as for closer discretion, she invited MasterMordacks to the choice guest-chamber. 

"Set ye doon, Sir, hereaboot, " she said, opening a solid door intothe inner room; "neaver gain no fear at aw o' crackin' o' the setties;fairm, fairm anoo' they be, thoo sketterish o' their lukes, Sir. Set yedoon, your Warship; fafty poons desarveth a good room, wi'oot ony lugso' anemees. "

"What a beautiful room!" exclaimed Mr. Mordacks; "and how it savors ofthe place! I never should have thought of finding art and taste of suchdegree in a little place like Flamborough. Why, madam, you must haveinherited it direct from the Danes themselves. "

"Naw, Sir, naw. I fetched it aw oop fra the breck of the say and thecobbles. Book-folk tooneth naw heed o' what we do. "

"Well, it is worth a great deal of heed. Lovely patterns of sea-weedon the floor--no carpet can compare with them; shelves of--I am sureI don't know what--fished up from the deep, no doubt; and shellsinnumerable, and stones that glitter, and fish like glass, and tuftslike lace, and birds with most wonderful things in their mouths:Mistress Precious, you are too bad. The whole of it ought to go toLondon, where they make collections!"

"Lor, Sir, how ye da be laffin' at me. But purty maa be said of 'emwi'out ony lees. "

The landlady smiled as she set for him a chair, toward which he trodgingerly, and picking every step, for his own sake as well as of thegarniture. For the black oak floor was so oiled and polished, to setoff the pattern of the sea-flowers on it (which really were laid with nomean taste and no small sense of color), that for slippery boots therewas some peril. 

"This is a sacred as well as beautiful place, " said Mr. Mordacks. "I mayfinish my words with safety here. Madam, I commend your prudence as wellas your excellent skill and industry. I should like to bring my daughterArabella here: what a lesson she would gain for tapestry! But now, again, for business. What do you say? Unless I am mistaken, you havesome knowledge of the matter depending on this bauble. You must notsuppose that I came to you at random. No, madam, no; I have heard faraway of your great intelligence, caution, and skill, and influence inthis important town. 'Mistress Precious is the Mayor of Flamborough, 'was said to me only last Saturday; 'if you would study the wise peoplethere, hang up your hat in her noble hostelry. ' Madam, I have taken thatadvice, and heartily rejoice at doing so. I am a man of few words, very few words--as you must have seen already--but of the stricteststraightforwardness in deeds. And now again, what do you say, ma'am?"

"Your Warship hath left ma nowt to saa. Your Warship hath had the moothaw to yosell. "

"Now Mistress, Mistress Precious, truly that is a little too bad of you. It is out of my power to help admiring things which are utterly beyondme to describe, and a dinner of such cooking may enlarge the tongue, after all the fine things it has been rolling in. But business is mymotto, in the fewest words that may be. You know what I want; you willkeep it to yourself, otherwise other people might demand the money. Through very simple channels you will find out whether the fellow thingto this can be found here or elsewhere; and if so, who has got it, andhow it was come by, and everything else that can be learned about it;and when you know all, you just make a mark on this piece of paper, ready folded and addressed; and then you will seal it, and give it tothe man who calls for the letters nearly twice a week. And when I getthat, I come and eat another duck, and have oysters with my cod-fish, which to-day we could not have, except in the form of mussels, ma'am. "

"Naw, not a moosel--they was aw gude flithers. "

"Well, ma'am, they may have been unknown animals; but good they were, and as fresh as the day. Now, you will remember that my desire is to dogood. I have nothing to do with the revenue, nor the magistrates, nor his Majesty. I shall not even go to your parson, who is the chiefauthority, I am told; for I wish this matter to be kept quiet, andbeside the law altogether. The whole credit of it shall belong to you, and a truly good action you will have performed, and done a little goodfor your own good self. As for this trinket, I do not leave it with you, but I leave you this model in wax, ma'am, made by my daughter, who isvery clever. From this you can judge quite as well as from the other. If there are any more of these things in Flamborough, as I have strongreason to believe, you will know best where to find them, and I neednot tell you that they are almost certain to be in the possession of awoman. You know all the women, and you skillfully inquire, without evenletting them suspect it. Now I shall just stretch my legs a little, and look at your noble prospect, and in three hours' time a littlemore refreshment, and then, Mistress Precious, you see the last of yourobedient servant, until you demand from him fifty gold guineas. "

After seeing to his horse again, he set forth for a stroll, in thecourse of which he met with Dr. Upround and his daughter. The rectorlooked hard at this distinguished stranger, as if he desired to knowhis name, and expected to be accosted by him, while quick Miss Janettaglanced with undisguised suspicion, and asked her father, so that Mr. Mordacks overheard it, what business such a man could have, and whatcould he come spying after, in their quiet parish? The general factorraised his hat, and passed on with a tranquil smile, taking the crookedpath which leads along and around the cliffs, by way of the light-house, from the north to the southern landing. The present light-house was notyet built, but an old round tower, which still exists, had long beenused as a signal station, for semaphore by day, and at night forbeacon, in the times of war and tumult; and most people called it the"Monument. " This station was now of very small importance, and sometimesdid nothing for a year together; but still it was very good and useful, because it enabled an ancient tar, whose feet had been carried away bya cannon-ball, to draw a little money once a month, and to think himselfstill a fine British bulwark. 

In the summer-time this hero always slung his hammock here, with plentyof wind to rock him off to sleep, but in winter King AEolus himselfcould not have borne it. "Monument Joe, " as almost everybody called him, was a queer old character of days gone by. Sturdy and silent, but ashonest as the sun, he made his rounds as regularly as that great orb, and with equally beneficent object. For twice a day he stumped to fetchhis beer from Widow Precious, and the third time to get his littlepannikin of grog. And now the time was growing for that last importantduty, when a stranger stood before him with a crown piece in his hand. 

"Now don't get up, captain, don't disturb yourself, " said Mr. Mordacks, graciously; "your country has claimed your activity, I see, and I hopeit makes amends to you. At the same time I know that it very seldomdoes. Accept this little tribute from the admiration of a friend. "

Old Joe took the silver piece and rung it on his tin tobacco-box, thenstowed it inside, and said, "Gammon! What d'ye want of me?"

"Your manners, my good Sir, are scarcely on a par with your merits. I bribe no man; it is the last thing I would ever dream of doing. Butwhenever a question of memory arises, I have often observed a greatfailure of that power without--without, if you will excuse theexpression, the administration of a little grease. "

"Smooggling? Aught about smooggling?" Old Joe shut his mouth sternly;for he hated and scorned the coast-guards, whose wages were shamefullyabove his own, and who had the impudence to order him for signals;while, on the other hand, he found free trade a policy liberal, enlightening, and inspiriting. 

"No, captain, no; not a syllable of that. You have been in this placeabout sixteen years. If you had only been here four years more, yourevidence would have settled all I want to know. No wreck can take placehere, of course, without your knowledge?"

"Dunno that. B'lieve one have. There's a twist of the tide here--butwhat good to tell landlubbers?"

"You are right. I should never understand such things. But I find themwonderfully interesting. You are not a native of this place, and knewnothing of Flamborough before you came here?"

Monument Joe gave a grunt at this, and a long squirt of tobacco juice. "And don't want, " he said. 

"Of course, you are superior, in every way superior. You find thesepeople rough, and far inferior in manners. But either, my good friend, you will re-open your tobacco-box, or else you will answer me a fewshort questions, which trespass in no way upon your duty to the king, orto his loyal smugglers. "

Old Joe looked up, with weather-beaten eyes, and saw that he had nofool to deal with, in spite of all soft palaver. The intensity of Mr. Mordacks's eyes made him blink, and mutter a bad word or two, but remainpretty much at his service. And the last intention he could entertainwas that of restoring this fine crown piece. "Spake on, Sir, " he said;"and I will spake accordin'. "

"Very good. I shall give you very little trouble. I wish to know whetherthere was any wreck here, kept quiet perhaps, but still some ship lost, about three or four years before you came to this station. It does notmatter what ship, any ship at all, which may have gone down without anyfuss at all. You know of none such? Very well. You were not here; andthe people of this place are wonderfully close. But a veteran of theRoyal Navy should know how to deal with them. Make your inquirieswithout seeming to inquire. The question is altogether private, andcan not in any way bring you into trouble. Whereas, if you find outanything, you will be a made man, and live like a gentleman. You hatethe lawyers? All the honest seamen do. I am not a lawyer, and my objectis to fire a broadside into them. Accept this guinea; and if it wouldsuit you to have one every week for the rest of your life, I will pledgeyou my word for it, paid in advance, if you only find out for me onelittle fact, of which I have no doubt whatever, that a merchant ship wascast away near this Head just about nineteen years agone. "

That ancient sailor was accustomed to surprises; but this, as he said, when he came to think of it, made a clean sweep of him, fore and aft. Nevertheless, he had the presence of mind required for pocketing theguinea, which was too good for his tobacco-box; and as one thing at atime was quite enough upon his mind, he probed away slowly, to be surethere was no hole. Then he got up from his squatting form, with theusual activity of those who are supposed to have none left, and touchedhis brown hat, standing cleverly. "What be I to do for all this?" heasked. 

"Nothing more than what I have told you. To find out slowly, and withoutsaying why, in the way you sailors know how to do, whether such a thingcame to pass, as I suppose. You must not be stopped by the lies ofanybody. Of course they will deny it, if they got some of the wrecking;or it is just possible that no one even heard of it; and yet there maybe some traces. Put two and two together, my good friend, as you havethe very best chance of doing; and soon you may put two to that in yourpocket, and twenty, and a hundred, and as much as you can hold. "

"When shall I see your good honor again, to score log-run, and come to areckoning?"

"Master Joseph, work a wary course. Your rating for life will dependupon that. You may come to this address, if you have anything important. Otherwise you shall soon hear of me again. Good-by. "

CHAPTER XVIII

GOYLE BAY

While all the world was at cross-purposes thus--Mr. Jellicorse uneasy atsome rumors he had heard; Captain Carroway splitting his poor heel withindignation at the craftiness of free-traders; Farmer Anerley vexed atbeing put upon by people, without any daughter to console him, or catchshrimps; Master Mordacks pursuing a noble game, strictly above-board, asusual; Robin Lyth troubled in his largest principles of revolt againstrevenue by a nasty little pain that kept going to his heart, with anemptiness there, as for another heart; and last, and perhaps of allmost important, the rector perpetually pining for his game of chess, andutterly discontented with the frigid embraces of analysis--where was thebest, and most simple, and least selfish of the whole lot, Mary Anerley?

Mary was in as good a place as even she was worthy of. A place not byany means so snug and favored by nature as Anerley Farm, but prettywell sheltered by large trees of a strong and hardy order. And thecomfortable ways of good old folk, who needed no labor to live by spreada happy leisure and a gentle ease upon everything under their roof-tree. Here was no necessity for getting up until the sun encouraged it; andthe time for going to bed depended upon the time of sleepiness. OldJohnny Popplewell, as everybody called him, without any protest on hispart, had made a good pocket by the tanning business, and having nochildren to bring up to it, and only his wife to depend upon him, hadsold the good-will, the yard, and the stock as soon as he had turned hissixtieth year. "I have worked hard all my life, " he said, "and I mean torest for the rest of it. "

At first he was heartily miserable, and wandered about with a vacantlook, having only himself to look after. And he tried to find a hole inhis bargain with the man who enjoyed all the smells he was accustomedto, and might even be heard through a gap in the fence rating the menas old Johnny used to do, at the same time of day, and for the sameneglect, and almost in the self-same words which the old owner used, butstronger. Instead of being happy, Master Popplewell lost more flesh in amonth than he used to lay on in the most prosperous year; and he owedit to his wife, no doubt, as generally happens, that he was not speedilygathered to the bosom of the hospitable Simon of Joppa. For Mrs. Popplewell said, "Go away; Johnny, go away from this village; smellnew smells, and never see a hide without a walking thing inside of it. Sea-weed smells almost as nice as tan; though of course it is not sowholesome. " The tanner obeyed, and bought a snug little place about tenmiles from the old premises, which he called, at the suggestion of theparson, "Byrsa Cottage. "

Here was Mary, as blithe as a lark, and as petted as a robin-redbreast, by no means pining, or even hankering, for any other robin. She was notthe girl to give her heart before it was even asked for; and hithertoshe had regarded the smuggler with pity more than admiration. For inmany points she was like her father, whom she loved foremost of theworld; and Master Anerley was a law-abiding man, like every othertrue Englishman. Her uncle Popplewell was also such, but exerted hisprinciples less strictly. Moreover, he was greatly under influence ofwife, which happens more freely to a man without children, the which area source of contradiction. And Mistress Popplewell was a most thoroughand conscientious free-trader. 

Now Mary was from childhood so accustomed to the sea, and the relishof salt breezes, and the racy dance of little waves that crowd on oneanother, and the tidal delivery of delightful rubbish, that to failof seeing the many works and plays and constant variance of her neverwearying or weary friend was more than she could long put up with. Shecalled upon Lord Keppel almost every day, having brought him from homefor the good of his health, to gird up his loins, or rather get hisbelly girths on, and come along the sands with her, and dig into newplaces. But he, though delighted for a while with Byrsa stable, andthe social charms of Master Popplewell's old cob, and a rick of finetan-colored clover hay and bean haulm, when the novelty of thesedelights was passed, he pined for his home, and the split in his crib, and the knot of hard wood he had polished with his neck, and even thelittle dog that snapped at him. He did not care for retired people--ashe said to the cob every evening--he liked to see farm-work going on, orat any rate to hear all about it, and to listen to horses who had workedhard, and could scarcely speak, for chewing, about the great quantitythey had turned of earth, and how they had answered very bad words witha bow. In short, to put it in the mildest terms, Lord Keppel was givinghimself great airs, unworthy of his age, ungrateful to a degree, andungraceful, as the cob said repeatedly; considering how he was fed, andbedded, and not a thing left undone for him. But his arrogance soon hadto pay its own costs. 

For, away to the right of Byrsa Cottage, as you look down the hollowof the ground toward the sea, a ridge of high scrubby land runs up toa forefront of bold cliff, indented with a dark and narrow bay. "GoyleBay, " as it is called, or sometimes "Basin Bay, " is a lonely and ruggedplace, and even dangerous for unwary visitors. For at low spring tidesa deep hollow is left dry, rather more than a quarter of a mile across, strewn with kelp and oozy stones, among which may often be found prettyshells, weeds richly tinted and of subtle workmanship, stars, andflowers, and love-knots of the sea, and sometimes carnelians andcrystals. But anybody making a collection here should be able to keepone eye upward and one down, or else in his pocket to have two things--agood watch and a trusty tide-table. 

John and Deborah Popplewell were accustomed to water in small supplies, such as that of a well, or a road-side pond, or their own old nobletan-pits; but to understand the sea it was too late in life, though itpleased them, and gave them fine appetites now to go down when it wasperfectly calm, and a sailor assured them that the tide was mild. Buteven at such seasons they preferred to keep their distance, and calledout frequently to one another. They looked upon their niece, from allshe told them, as a creature almost amphibious; but still they wereoften uneasy about her, and would gladly have kept her well inland. She, however, laughed at any such idea; and their discipline was to let herhave her own way. But now a thing happened which proved forever how muchbetter old heads are than young ones. 

For Mary, being tired of the quiet places, and the strands where sheknew every pebble, resolved to explore Goyle Bay at last, and she chosethe worst possible time for it. The weather had been very fine andgentle, and the sea delightfully plausible, without a wave--tide aftertide--bigger than the furrow of a two-horse plough; and the maid beganto believe at last that there never were any storms just here. She hadheard of the pretty things in Goyle Bay, which was difficult of accessfrom the land, but she resolved to take opportunity of tide, and thuscircumvent the position; she would rather have done it afoot, but heruncle and aunt made a point of her riding to the shore, regarding thepony as a safe companion, and sure refuge from the waves. And so, uponthe morning of St. Michael, she compelled Lord Keppel, with an adversemind, to turn a headland they had never turned before. 

The tide was far out and ebbing still, but the wind had shifted, and wasblowing from the east rather stiffly, and with increasing force. Maryknew that the strong equinoctial tides were running at their height; butshe had timed her visit carefully, as she thought, with no less than anhour and a half to spare. And even without any thought of tide, she wasbound to be back in less time than that, for her uncle had been mostparticular to warn her to be home without fail at one o'clock, when thesacred goose, to which he always paid his duties, would be on the table. And if anything marred his serenity of mind, it was to have dinner keptwaiting. 

Without any misgivings, she rode into Basin Bay, keeping within theblack barrier of rocks, outside of which wet sands were shining. Shesaw that these rocks, like the bar of a river, crossed the inlet ofthe cove; but she had not been told of their peculiar frame and upshot, which made them so treacherous a rampart. At the mouth of the bay theyformed a level crescent, as even as a set of good teeth, against thesea, with a slope of sand running up to their outer front, but a deepand long pit inside of them. This pit drained itself very nearly drywhen the sea went away from it, through some stony tubes which onlyworked one way, by the closure of their mouths when the tide returned;so that the volume of the deep sometimes, with tide and wind behind it, leaped over the brim into the pit, with tenfold the roar, a thousandfoldthe power, and scarcely less than the speed, of a lion. 

Mary Anerley thought what a lovely place it was, so deep and secludedfrom anybody's sight, and full of bright wet colors. Her pony refused, with his usual wisdom, to be dragged to the bottom of the hole, but shemade him come further down than he thought just, and pegged him bythe bridle there. He looked at her sadly, and with half a mind toexpostulate more forcibly, but getting no glimpse of the sea where hestood, he thought it as well to put up with it; and presently he snortedout a tribe of little creatures, which puzzled him and took up hisattention. 

Meanwhile Mary was not only puzzled, but delighted beyond description. She never yet had come upon such treasures of the sea, and she scarcelyknew what to lay hands upon first. She wanted the weeds of suchwonderful forms, and colors yet more exquisite, and she wanted theshells of such delicate fabric that fairies must have made them, and athousand other little things that had no names; and then she seemed mostof all to want the pebbles. For the light came through them in stripesand patterns, and many of them looked like downright jewels. She hadbrought a great bag of strong canvas, luckily, and with both hands sheset to to fill it. 

So busy was the girl with the vast delight of sanguine acquisition--thisfor her father, and that for her mother, and so much for everybody shecould think of--that time had no time to be counted at all, but flewby with feathers unheeded. The mutter of the sea became a roar, and thebreeze waxed into a heavy gale, and spray began to sputter through theair like suds; but Mary saw the rampart of the rocks before her, andthought that she could easily get back around the point. And her tastebegan continually to grow more choice, so that she spent as much timein discarding the rubbish which at first she had prized so highly asshe did in collecting the real rarities, which she was learning todistinguish. But unluckily the sea made no allowance for all this. 

For just as Mary, with her bag quite full, was stooping with a longstretch to get something more--a thing that perhaps was the very best ofall, and therefore had got into a corner--there fell upon her back quitea solid lump of wave, as a horse gets the bottom of the bucket cast athim. This made her look up, not a minute too soon; and even then she wasnot at all aware of danger, but took it for a notice to be moving. And she thought more of shaking that saltwater from her dress than ofrunning away from the rest of it. 

But as soon as she began to look about in earnest, sweeping back hersalted hair, she saw enough of peril to turn pale the roses and strikeaway the smile upon her very busy face. She was standing several yardsbelow the level of the sea, and great surges were hurrying to swallowher. The hollow of the rocks received the first billow with a thump anda slush, and a rush of pointed hillocks in a fury to find their way backagain, which failing, they spread into a long white pool, taking Maryabove her pretty ankles. "Don't you think to frighten me, " said Mary; "Iknow all your ways, and I mean to take my time. "

But even before she had finished her words, a great black wall (doubledover at the top with whiteness, that seemed to race along it like afringe) hung above the rampart, and leaped over, casting at Mary such avolley that she fell. This quenched her last audacity, although she wasnot hurt; and jumping up nimbly, she made all haste through the risingwater toward her pony. But as she would not forsake her bag, and therocks became more and more slippery, towering higher and higher surgescrashed in over the barrier, and swelled the yeasty turmoil which beganto fill the basin; while a scurry of foam flew like pellets from therampart, blinding even the very best young eyes. 

Mary began to lose some of her presence of mind and familiar approvalof the sea. She could swim pretty well, from her frequent bathing; butswimming would be of little service here, if once the great rollerscame over the bar, which they threatened to do every moment. And when atlength she fought her way to the poor old pony, her danger and distresswere multiplied. Lord Keppel was in a state of abject fear; despair wasknocking at his fine old heart; he was up to his knees in the loathsomebrine already, and being so twisted up by his own exertions that tobudge another inch was beyond him, he did what a horse is apt to do insuch condition--he consoled himself with fatalism. He meant to expire;but before he did so he determined to make his mistress feel what shehad done. Therefore, with a sad nudge of white old nose, he drew herattention to his last expression, sighed as plainly as a man could sigh, and fixed upon her meek eyes, telling volumes. 

"I know, I know that it is all my fault, " cried Mary, with the brinealmost smothering her tears, as she flung her arms around his neck; "butI never will do it again, my darling. And I never will run away and letyou drown. Oh, if I only had a knife! I can not even cast your bridleoff; the tongue has stuck fast, and my hands are cramped. But, Keppel, Iwill stay, and be drowned with you. "

This resolve was quite unworthy of Mary's common-sense; for how couldher being drowned with Keppel help him? However, the mere conceptionshowed a spirit of lofty order; though the body might object to beordered under. Without any thought of all that, she stood, resolute, tearful, and thoroughly wet through, while she hunted in her pocket fora penknife. 

The nature of all knives is, not to be found; and Mary's knife was loyalto its kind. Then she tugged at her pony, and pulled out his bit, andlabored again at the obstinate strap; but nothing could be done with it. Keppel must be drowned, and he did not seem to care, but to think thatthe object of his birth was that. If the stupid little fellow wouldhave only stepped forward, the hands of his mistress, though cramped andbenumbed, might perhaps have unbuckled his stiff and sodden reins, oreven undone their tangle; on the other hand, if he would have jerkedwith all his might, something or other must have given way; but stir hewould not from one fatuous position, which kept all his head-gear on thestrain, but could not snap it. Mary even struck him with her heavy bagof stones, to make him do something; but he only looked reproachful. 

"Was there ever such a stupid?" the poor girl cried, with the waterrising almost to her waist, and the inner waves beginning to dash overher, while the outer billows threatened to rush in and crush them both. "But I will not abuse you any more, poor Keppel. What will dear fathersay? Oh, what will he think of it?"

Then she burst into a fit of sobs, and leaned against the pony, tosupport her from a rushing wave which took her breath away, and shethought that she would never try to look up any more, but shut her eyesto all the rest of it. But suddenly she heard a loud shout and a splash, and found herself caught up and carried like an infant. 

"Lie still. Never mind the pony: what is he? I will go for himafterward. You first, you first of all the world, my Mary. "

She tried to speak, but not a word would come; and that was all thebetter. She was carried quick as might be through a whirl of tossingwaters, and gently laid upon a pile of kelp; and then Robin Lyth said, "You are quite safe here, for at least another hour. I will go and getyour pony. "

"No, no; you will be knocked to pieces, " she cried; for the pony, in thedrift and scud, could scarcely be seen but for his helpless struggles. But the young man was half way toward him while she spoke, and she kneltupon the kelp, and clasped her hands. 

Now Robin was at home in a matter such as this. He had landed many kegsin a sea as strong or stronger, and he knew how to deal with the horsesin a surf. There still was a break of almost a fathom in the level ofthe inner and the outer waves, for the basin was so large that it couldnot fill at once; and so long as this lasted, every roller must combover at the entrance, and mainly spend itself. "At least five minutes tospare, " he shouted back, "and there is no such thing as any danger. " Butthe girl did not believe him. 

Rapidly and skillfully he made his way, meeting the larger wavessideways, and rising at their onset; until he was obliged to swim atlast where the little horse was swimming desperately. The leather, still jammed in some crevice at the bottom, was jerking his poor chindownward; his eyes were screwed up like a new-born kitten's, and hisdainty nose looked like a jelly-fish. He thought how sad it was thathe should ever die like this, after all the good works of his life--thepeople he had carried, and the chaise that he had drawn, and all hiskindness to mankind. Then he turned his head away to receive the strokeof grace, which the next wave would administer. 

No! He was free. He could turn his honest tail on the sea, which healways had detested so; he could toss up his nose and blow the filthysalt out, and sputter back his scorn, while he made off for his life. So intent was he on this that he never looked twice to make out who hisbenefactor was, but gave him just a taste of his hind-foot on theelbow, in the scuffle of his hurry to be round about and off. "Such isgratitude!" the smuggler cried; but a clot of salt-water flipped intohis mouth, and closed all cynical outlet. Bearing up against the waves, he stowed his long knife away, and then struck off for the shore withmight and main. 

Here Mary ran into the water to meet him, shivering as she was withfright and cold, and stretched out both hands to him as he waded forth;and he took them and clasped them, quite as if he needed help. LordKeppel stood afar off, recovering his breath, and scarcely dared to lookaskance at the execrable sea. 

"How cold you are!" Robin Lyth exclaimed. "You must not stay a moment. No talking, if you please--though I love your voice so. You are notsafe yet. You can not get back round the point. See the waves dashingup against it! You must climb the cliff, and that is no easy job for alady, in the best of weather. In a couple of hours the tide will beover the whole of this beach a fathom deep. There is no boat nearer thanFiley; and a boat could scarcely live over that bar. You must climb thecliff, and begin at once, before you get any colder. "

"Then is my poor pony to be drowned, after all? If he is, he had betterhave been drowned at once. "

The smuggler looked at her with a smile, which meant, "Your gratitudeis about the same as his;" but he answered, to assure her, though by nomeans sure himself:

"There is time enough for him; he shall not be drowned. But you must begot out of danger first. When you are off my mind, I will fetch up pony. Now you must follow me step by step, carefully and steadily. I wouldcarry you up if I could; but even a giant could scarcely do that, in astiff gale of wind, and with the crag so wet. "

Mary looked up with a shiver of dismay. She was brave and nimblegenerally, but now so wet and cold, and the steep cliff looked soslippery, that she said: "It is useless; I can never get up there. Captain Lyth, save yourself, and leave me. "

"That would be a pretty thing to do!" he replied; "and where should I beafterward? I am not at the end of my devices yet. I have got a very snuglittle crane up there. It was here we ran our last lot, and beat thebrave lieutenant so. But unluckily I have no cave just here. None of mylads are about here now, or we would make short work of it. But I couldhoist you very well, if you would let me. "

"I would never think of such a thing. To come up like a keg! CaptainLyth, you must know that I never would be so disgraced. "

"Well, I was afraid that you might take it so, though I can not see whyit should be any harm. We often hoist the last man so. "

"It is different with me, " said Mary. "It may be no harm; but I couldnot have it. "

The free-trader looked at her bright eyes and color, and admired herspirit, which his words had roused. 

"I pray your forgiveness, Miss Anerley, " he said; "I meant no harm. Iwas thinking of your life. But you look now as if you could do anythingalmost. "

"Yes, I am warm again. I have no fear. I will not go up like a keg, butlike myself. I can do it without help from anybody. "

"Only please to take care not to cut your little hands, " said Robin, ashe began the climb; for he saw that her spirit was up to do it. 

"My hands are not little; and I will cut them if I choose. Please noteven to look back at me. I am not in the least afraid of anything. "

The cliff was not of the soft and friable stuff to be found atBridlington, but of hard and slippery sandstone, with bulky ribsoversaling here and there, and threatening to cast the climber back. Atsuch spots nicks for the feet had been cut, or broken with a hammer, butscarcely wider than a stirrup-iron, and far less inviting. To surmountthese was quite impossible except by a process of crawling; and Mary, with her heart in her mouth, repented of her rash contempt for the cranesling. Luckily the height was not very great, or, tired as she was, shemust have given way; for her bodily warmth had waned again in the strongwind buffeting the cliff. Otherwise the wind had helped her greatly bykeeping her from swaying outward; but her courage began to fail at last, and very near the top she called for help. A short piece of lanyard wasthrown to her at once, and Robin Lyth landed her on the bluff, panting, breathless, and blushing again. 

"Well done!" he cried, gazing as she turned her face away. "Young ladiesmay teach even sailors to climb. Not every sailor could get up thiscliff. Now back to Master Popplewell's as fast as you can run, and youraunt will know what to do with you. "

"You seem well acquainted with my family affairs, " said Mary, who couldnot help smiling. "Pray how did you even know where I am staying?"

"Little birds tell me everything, especially about the best, and mostgentle, and beautiful of all birds. "

The maiden was inclined to be vexed; but remembering how much he haddone, and how little gratitude she had shown, she forgave him, and askedhim to come to the cottage. 

"I will bring up the little horse. Have no fear, " he replied. "I willnot come up at all unless I bring him. But it may take two or threehours. "

With no more than a wave of his hat, he set off, as if the coast-riderswere after him, by the path along the cliffs toward Filey, for he knewthat Lord Keppel must be hoisted by the crane, and he could not manageit without another man, and the tide would wait for none of them. Uponthe next headland he found one of his men, for the smugglers maintaineda much sharper look-out than did the forces of his Majesty, because theywere paid much better; and returning, they managed to strap Lord Keppel, and hoist him like a big bale of contraband goods. For their crane hadbeen left in a brambled hole, and they very soon rigged it out again. The little horse kicked pretty freely in the air, not perceiving his ownwelfare; but a cross-beam and pulley kept him well out from the cliff, and they swung him in over handsomely, and landed him well up on thesward within the brink. Then they gave him three cheers for his greatadventure, which he scarcely seemed to appreciate. 

CHAPTER XIX

A FARM TO LET

That storm on the festival of St. Michael broke up the short summerweather of the north. A wet and tempestuous month set in, and theharvest, in all but the very best places, lay flat on the ground, without scythe or sickle. The men of the Riding were not disturbed bythis, as farmers would have been in Suffolk; for these were quite usedto walk over their crops, without much occasion to lift their feet. Theyalways expected their corn to be laid, and would have been afraid of itif it stood upright. Even at Anerley Farm this salam of the wheat wasexpected in bad seasons; and it suited the reapers of the neighborhood, who scarcely knew what to make of knees unbent, and upright disciplineof stiff-cravated ranks. 

In the northwest corner of the county, where the rocky land was mantledso frequently with cloud, and the prevalence of western winds bore sway, an upright harvest was a thing to talk of, as the legend of a century, credible because it scarcely could have been imagined. And this year itwould have been hard to imagine any more prostrate and lowly positionthan that of every kind of crop. The bright weather of August andattentions of the sun, and gentle surprise of rich dews in the morning, together with abundance of moisture underneath, had made things look asthey scarcely ever looked--clean, and straight, and elegant. But none ofthem had found time to form the dry and solid substance, without whichneither man nor his staff of life can stand against adversity. 

"My Lady Philippa, " as the tenants called her, came out one day to seehow things looked, and whether the tenants were likely to pay theirMichaelmas rents at Christmas. Her sister, Mrs. Carnaby, felt likeinterest in the question, but hated long walks, being weaker and lessactive, and therefore rode a quiet pony. Very little wheat was grown ontheir estates, both soil and climate declining it; but the barley cropwas of more importance, and flourished pretty well upon the southernslopes. The land, as a rule, was poor and shallow, and nourished moregrouse than partridges; but here and there valleys of soft shelter andfair soil relieved the eye and comforted the pocket of the owner. Theselittle bits of Goshen formed the heart of every farm; though oftentimesthe homestead was, as if by some perversity, set up in bleak and barrenspots, outside of comfort's elbow. 

The ladies marched on, without much heed of any other point thanone--would the barley crop do well? They had many tenants who trustedchiefly to that, and to the rough hill oats, and wool, to make up incoin what part of their rent they were not allowed to pay in kind. For as yet machinery and reeking factories had not besmirched thecountry-side. 

"How much further do you mean to go, Philippa?" asked Mrs. Carnaby, although she was not travelling by virtue of her own legs. "For my part, I think we have gone too far already. "

"Your ambition is always to turn back. You may turn back now if youlike. I shall go on. " Miss Yordas knew that her sister would fail of thecourage to ride home all alone. 

Mrs. Carnaby never would ride without Jordas or some other serving-manbehind her, as was right and usual for a lady of her position; but "LadyPhilippa" was of bolder strain, and cared for nobody's thoughts, words, or deeds. And she had ordered her sister's servant back for certainreasons of her own. 

"Very well, very well. You always will go on, and always on the road youchoose yourself. Although it requires a vast deal of knowledge to knowthat there is any road here at all. "

The widow, who looked very comely for her age, and sat her ponyprettily, gave way (as usual) to the stronger will; though she alwaysliked to enter protest, which the elder scarcely ever deigned to notice. But hearing that Eliza had a little cough at night, and knowing thather appetite had not been as it ought to be, Philippa (who really waswrapped up in her sister, but never or seldom let her dream of such afact) turned round graciously and said:

"I have ordered the carriage here for half past three o'clock. We willgo back by the Scarbend road, and Heartsease can trot behind us. "

"Heartsease, uneasy you have kept my heart by your shufflings andtrippings perpetual. Philippa, I want a better-stepping pony. Pet hasruined Heartsease. "

"Pet ruins everything and everybody; and you are ruining him, Eliza. Iam the only one who has the smallest power over him. And he is beginningto cast off that. If it comes to open war between us, I shall be sorryfor Lancelot. "

"And I shall be sorry for you, Philippa. In a few years Pet will bea man. And a man is always stronger than a woman; at any rate in ourfamily. "

"Stronger than such as you, Eliza. But let him only rebel against me, and he will find himself an outcast. And to prove that, I have broughtyou here. "

Mistress Yordas turned round, and looked in a well-known manner at hersister, whose beautiful eyes filled with tears, and fell. 

"Philippa, " she said, with a breath like a sob, "sometimes you lookharder than poor dear papa, in his very worst moments, used to look. Iam sure that I do not at all deserve it. All that I pray for is peaceand comfort; and little do I get of either. "

"And you will get less, as long as you pray for them, instead of doingsomething better. The only way to get such things is to make them. "

"Then I think that you might make enough for us both, if you had anyregard for them, or for me, Philippa. "

Mistress Yordas smiled, as she often did, at her sister's style ofreasoning. And she cared not a jot for the last word, so long as thewill and the way were left to her. And in this frame of mind she turneda corner from the open moor track into a little lane, or rather theexpiring delivery of a lane, which was leading a better existencefurther on. 

Mrs. Carnaby followed dutifully, and Heartsease began to pick up hisfeet, which he scorned to do upon the negligence of sward. And followingthis good lane, they came to a gate, corded to an ancient tree, andshowing up its foot, as a dog does when he has a thorn in it. This gateseemed to stand for an ornament, or perhaps a landmark; for the lane, instead of submitting to it, passed by upon either side, and plungedinto a dingle, where a gray old house was sheltering. The lonelymoorside farm--if such a wild and desolate spot could be a farm--wasknown as "Wallhead, " from the relics of some ancient wall; and thefolk who lived there, or tried to live, although they possessed asurname--which is not a necessary consequence of life--very seldom usedit, and more rarely still had it used for them. For the ancient fashionstill held ground of attaching the idea of a man to that of things moreextensive and substantial. So the head of the house was "Will o'the Wallhead;" his son was "Tommy o' Will o' the Wallhead;" and hisgrandson, "Willy o' Tommy o' Will o' the Wallhead. " But the one theirgreat lady desired to see was the unmarried daughter of the house, "Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead. "

Mistress Yordas knew that the men of the house would be out upon theland at this time of day, while Sally would be full of household work, and preparing their homely supper. So she walked in bravely at theopen door, while her sister waited with the pony in the yard. Sally wasclumping about in clog-shoes, with a child or two sprawling after her(for Tommy's wife was away with him at work), and if the place was notas clean as could be, it seemed as clean as need be. 

The natives of this part are rough in manner, and apt to regard civilityas the same thing with servility. Their bluntness does not proceed fromthickness, as in the south of England, but from a surety of their ownworth, and inferiority to no one. And to deal with them rightly, thismust be entered into. 

Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead bobbed her solid and black curly head, with a clout like a jelly on the poll of it, to the owner of their land, and a lady of high birth; but she vouchsafed no courtesy, neither didMistress Yordas expect one. But the active and self-contained woman seta chair in the low dark room, which was their best, and stood waiting tobe spoken to. 

"Sally, " said the lady, who also possessed the Yorkshire gift of goingto the point, "you had a man ten years ago; you behaved badly to him, and he went into the Indian Company. "

"A' deed, " replied the maiden, without any blush, because she had beenin the right throughout; "and noo a' hath coom in a better moind. "

"And you have come to know your own mind about him. You have beensteadfast to him for ten years. He has saved up some money, and is comeback to marry you. "

"I heed nane o' the brass. But my Jack is back again. "

"His father held under us for many years. He was a thoroughly honestman, and paid his rent as often as he could. Would Jack like to have hisfather's farm? It has been let to his cousin, as you know; but they havebeen going from bad to worse; and everything must be sold off, unless Istop it. "

Sally was of dark Lancastrian race, with handsome features and finebrown eyes. She had been a beauty ten years ago, and could still lookcomely, when her heart was up. 

"My lady, " she said, with her heart up now, at the hope of soon havinga home of her own, and something to work for that she might keep, "suchwords should not pass the mouth wi'out bin meant. "

What she said was very different in sound, and not to be rendered inecho by any one born far away from that country, where three dialectsmeet and find it hard to guess what each of the others is up to. Enough that this is what Sally meant to say, and that Mistress Yordasunderstood it. 

"It is not my custom to say a thing without meaning it, " she answered;"but unless it is taken up at once, it is likely to come to nothing. Where is your man Jack?"

"Jack is awaa to the minister to tell of us cooming tegither. " Sallymade no blush over this, as she might have done ten years ago. 

"He must be an excellent and faithful man. He shall have the farm if hewishes it, and can give some security at going in. Let him come and seeJordas tomorrow. "

After a few more words, the lady left Sally full of gratitude, verylittle of which was expressed aloud, and therefore the whole was morelikely to work, as Mistress Yordas knew right well. 

The farm was a better one than Wallhead, having some good barley landupon it; and Jack did not fail to present himself at Scargate upon thefollowing morning. But the lady of the house did not think fit herselfto hold discourse with him. Jordas was bidden to entertain him, and findout how he stood in cash, and whether his character was solid; and thento leave him with a jug of ale, and come and report proceedings. Thedogman discharged this duty well, being as faithful as the dogs he kept, and as keen a judge of human nature. 

"The man hath no harm in him, " he said, touching his hair to the ladies, as he entered the audit-room. "A' hath been knocked aboot a bit in themwars i' Injury, and hath only one hand left; but a' can lay it uponfifty poon, and get surety for anither fifty. "

"Then tell him, Jordas, that he may go to Mr. Jellicorse to-morrow, to see about the writings, which he must pay for. I will write fullinstructions for Mr. Jellicorse, and you go and get your dinner; andthen take my letter, that he may have time to consider it. Wait amoment. There are other things to be done in Middleton, and it would belate for you to come back to-night, the days are drawing in so. Sleep atour tea-grocer's; he will put you up. Give your letter at once into thehands of Mr. Jellicorse, and he will get forward with the writings. Tellthis man Jack that he must be there before twelve o'clock to-morrow, andthen you can call about two o'clock, and bring back what there may befor signature; and be careful of it. Eliza, I think I have set forthyour wishes. "

"But, my lady, lawyers do take such a time; and who will look afterMaster Lancelot? I fear to have my feet two moiles off here--"

"Obey your orders, without reasoning; that is for those who give them. Eliza, I am sure that you agree with me. Jordas, make this man clearlyunderstand, as you can do when you take the trouble. But you first mustclearly understand the whole yourself. I will repeat it for you. "

Philippa Yordas went through the whole of her orders again most clearly, and at every one of them the dogman nodded his large head distinctly, and counted the nods on his fingers to make sure; for this part isgifted with high mathematics. And the numbers stick fast like pegsdriven into clay. 

"Poor Jordas! Philippa, you are working him too hard. You have madegreat wrinkles in his forehead. Jordas, you must have no wrinkles untilyou are married. "

While Mrs. Carnaby spoke so kindly, the dogman took his fingers offtheir numeral scale, and looked at her. By nature the two were firstcousins, of half blood; by law and custom, and education, and vitalinstitution, they were sundered more widely than black and white. But, for all that, the dogman loved the lady, at a faithful distance. 

"You seem to me now to have it clearly, Jordas, " said the elder sister, looking at him sternly, because Eliza was so soft; "you will see that nomischief can be done with the dogs or horses while you are away; andMr. Jellicorse will give you a letter for me, to say that everything isright. My desire is to have things settled promptly, because your friendJack has been to set the banns up; and the Church is more speedy in suchmatters than the law. Now the sooner you are off, the better. "

Jordas, in his steady but by no means stupid way, considered at hisleisure what such things could mean. He knew all the property, and themany little holdings, as well as, and perhaps a great deal better than, if they had happened to be his own. But he never had known such a hurrymade before, or such a special interest shown about the letting ofany tenement, of perhaps tenfold the value. However, he said, like asensible man (and therefore to himself only), that the ways of womenare beyond compute, and must be suitably carried out, without anycontradiction. 

CHAPTER XX

AN OLD SOLDIER

Now Mr. Jellicorse had been taking a careful view of everything. Hewished to be certain of placing himself both on the righteous side andthe right one; and in such a case this was not to be done without muchcircumspection. He felt himself bound to his present clients, and couldnot even dream of deserting them; but still there are many things thatmay be done to conciliate the adversary of one's friend, without beingfalse to the friend himself. And some of these already were occurring tothe lawyer. 

It was true that no adversary had as yet appeared, nor even shown tokenof existence; but some little sign of complication had arisen, and oneserious fact was come to light. The solicitors of Sir Ulphus de Roos(the grandson of Sir Fursan, whose daughter had married RichardYordas) had pretty strong evidence, in some old letters, that a deedof appointment had been made by the said Richard, and Eleanor his wife, under the powers of their settlement. Luckily they had not been employedin the matter, and possessed not so much as a draft or a letter ofinstructions; and now it was no concern of theirs to make, or meddle, oreven move. Neither did they know that any question could arise about it;for they were a highly antiquated firm, of most rigid respectability, being legal advisers to the Chapter of York, and clerks of thePrerogative Court, and able to charge twice as much as almost any otherfirm, and nearly three times as much as poor Jellicorse. 

Mr. Jellicorse had been most skillful and wary in sounding these deepand silent people; for he wanted to find out how much they knew, withoutletting them suspect that there was anything to know. And he provedan old woman's will gratis, or at least put it down to those who couldafford it--because nobody meant to have it proved--simply for thesake of getting golden contact with Messrs. Akeborum, Micklegate, andBrigant. Right craftily then did he fetch a young member of the firm, who delighted in angling, to take his holiday at Middleton, and fish thegoodly Tees; and by gentle and casual discourse of gossip, in hours ofhospitality, out of him he hooked and landed all that his firm knew ofthe Yordas race. Young Brigant thought it natural enough that hishost, as the lawyer of that family, and their trusted adviser forfive-and-twenty years, should like to talk over things of an elder date, which now could be little more than trifles of genealogical history. Hegot some fine fishing and good dinners, and found himself pleased withthe river and the town, and his very kind host and hostess; and it cameinto his head that if Miss Emily grew up as pretty and lively as shepromised to be, he might do worse than marry her, and open a connectionwith such a fishing station. At any rate he left her as a "chose inaction, " which might be reduced into possession some fine day. 

Such was the state of affairs when Jordas, after a long and muddy ride, sent word that he would like to see the master, for a minute or two, if convenient. The days were grown short, and the candles lit, and Mr. Jellicorse was fast asleep, having had a good deal to get through thatday, including an excellent supper. The lawyer's wife said: "Lethim call in the morning. Business is over, and the office is closed. Susanna, your master must not be disturbed. " But the master awoke, anddeclared that he would see him. 

Candles were set in the study, while Jordas was having a trifle ofrefreshment; and when he came in, Mr. Jellicorse was there, with hisspectacles on, and full of business. 

"Asking of your pardon. Sir, for disturbing of you now, " said thedogman, with the rain upon his tarred coat shining, in a little courseof drainage from his great brown beard, "my orders wur to lay this inyour own hand, and seek answer to-morrow by dinner-time, if may be. "

"Master Jordas, you shall have it, if it can be. Do you know anybody whocan promise more than that?"

"Plenty, Sir, to promise it, as you must know by this time; but never abody to perform so much as half. But craving of your pardon again, andseparate, I wud foin spake a word or two of myself. "

"Certainly, Jordas, I shall listen with great pleasure. A fine-lookingfellow like you must have affairs. And the lady ought to make somesettlement. It shall all be done for you at half price. "

"No, Sir, it is none o' that kind of thing, " the dogman answered, with asmile, as if he might have had such opportunities, but would troubleno lawyer about them; "and I get too much of half price at home. It isabout my ladies I desire to make speech. They keep their business tootight, master. "

"Jordas, you have been well taught and trained; and you are a man ofsagacity. Tell me faithfully what you mean. It shall go no further. Andit may be of great service to your ladies. "

"It is not much, Master Jellicoose; and you may make less than thatof it. But a lie shud be met and knocked doon, Sir, according to myopinion. "

"Certainly, Jordas, when an action will not lie; and sometimes evenwhere it does, it is wise to commit a defensible assault, and so tobecome the defendant. Jordas, you are big enough to do that. "

"Master Jellicoose, you are a pleasant man; but you twist my maning, asa lawyer must. They all does it, to keep their hand in. I am speakingof the stories, Sir, that is so much about. And I think that my ladiesshould be told of them right out, and come forward, and lay their handson them. The Yordases always did wrong, of old time; but they never wasafraid to jump on it. "

"My friend, you speak in parables. What stories have arisen to be jumpedupon?"

"Well, Sir, for one thing, they do tell that the proper owner of theproperty is Sir Duncan, now away in India. A man hath come home whoknows him well, and sayeth that he is like a prince out there, withcommand of a country twice as big as Great Britain, and they up and made'Sir Duncan' of him, by his duty to the king. And if he cometh home, allmust fall before him. "

"Even the law of the land, I suppose, and the will of his own father. Pretty well, so far, Jordas. And what next?"

"Nought, Sir, nought. But I thought I wur duty-bound to tell you that. What is women before a man Yordas?"

"My good friend, we will not despair. But you are keeping backsomething; I know it by your feet. You are duty-bound to tell me everyword now, Jordas. "

"The lawyers is the devil, " said the dogman to himself; and being quiteused to this reflection, Mr. Jellicorse smiled and nodded; "but if youmust have it all, Sir, it is no more than this. Jack o' the Smithies, as is to marry Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead, is to have the lease ofShipboro' farm, and he is the man as hath told it all. "

"Very well. We will wish him good luck with his farm, " Mr. Jellicorseanswered, cheerfully; "and what is even rarer nowadays, I fear, goodluck of his wife, Master Jordas. "

But as soon as the sturdy retainer was gone, and the sound of his heavyboots had died away, Mr. Jellicorse shook his head very gravely, andsaid, as he opened and looked through his packet, which confirmed thewords of Jordas, "Sad indiscretion--want of legal knowledge--headstrongwomen--the very way to spoil it all! My troubles are beginning, and Ihad better go to bed. "

His good wife seconded this wise resolve; and without further parley itwas put into effect, and proclaimed to be successful by a symphony ofsnores. For this is the excellence of having other people's cares tocarry (with the carriage well paid), that they sit very lightly on thesprings of sleep. That well-balanced vehicle rolls on smoothly, withoutjerk, or jar, or kick, so long as it travels over alien land. 

In the morning Mr. Jellicorse was up to anything, legitimate, legal, andlikely to be paid for. Not that he would stir half the breadth of onewheat corn, even for the sake of his daily bread, from the straight andstrict line of integrity. He had made up his mind about that long ago, not only from natural virtue, strong and dominant as that was, but alsoby dwelling on his high repute, and the solid foundations of character. He scarcely knew anybody, when he came to think of it, capable of takingsuch a lofty course; but that simply confirmed him in his stern resolveto do what was right and expedient. 

It was quite one o'clock before Jack o' the Smithies rang the bell tosee about his lease. He ought to have done it two hours sooner, if hemeant to become a humble tenant; and the lawyer, although he had plentyto do of other people's business, looked upon this as a very bad sign. Then he read his letter of instructions once more, and could not butadmire the nice brevity of these, and the skillful style of hinting muchand declaring very little. 

For after giving full particulars about the farm, and the rent, and thecovenants required, Mistress Yordas proceeded thus:

"The new tenant is the son of a former occupant, who proved to be aremarkably honest man, in a case of strong temptation. As happens toooften with men of probity, he was misled and made bankrupt, and diedabout twelve years ago, I think. Please to verify this by reference. The late tenant was his nephew, and has never perceived the necessity ofpaying rent. We have been obliged to distrain, as you know; and I wishJohn Smithies to buy in what he pleases. He has saved some capital inIndia, where I am told that he fought most gallantly. Singular to say, he has met with, and perhaps served under, our lamented and lost brotherDuncan, of whom and his family he may give us interesting particulars. You know how this neighborhood excels in idle talk, and if John Smithiesbecomes our tenant, his discourse must be confined to his own business. But he must not hesitate to impart to you any facts you may think itright to ask about. Jordas will bring us your answer, under seal. "

"Skillfully put, up to that last word, which savors too much of teachingme my own business. Aberthaw, are you quite ready with that lease? It iswanted rather in a hurry. "

As Mr. Jellicorse thought the former, and uttered the latter part ofthese words, it was plain to see that he was fidgety. He had put onsuperior clothes to get up with; and the clerks had whispered toone another that it must be his wedding day, and ought to end in ahalf-holiday all round, and be chalked thenceforth on the calendar;but instead of being joyful and jocular, like a man who feels a savingProvidence over him, the lawyer was as dismal, and unsettled andsplenetic, as a prophet on the brink of wedlock. But the very last thingthat he ever dreamed of doubting was his power to turn this old soldierinside out. 

Jack o' the Smithies was announced at last; and the lawyer, being vexedwith him for taking such a time, resolved to let him take a littlelonger, and kept him waiting, without any bread and cheese, for nearlyhalf an hour. The wisdom of doing this depended on the character ofthe man, and the state of his finances. And both of these being strongenough to stand, to keep him so long on his legs was unwise. At lasthe came in, a very sturdy sort of fellow, thinking no atom the less ofhimself because some of his anatomy was honorably gone. 

"Servant, Sir, " he said, making a salute; "I had orders to come to youabout a little lease. "

"Right, my man, I remember now. You are thinking of taking to yourfather's farm, after knocking about for some years in foreign parts. Ah, nothing like old England after all. And to tread the ancestral soil, andcherish the old associations, and to nurture a virtuous family in thefear of the Lord, and to be ready with the rent--"

"Rent is too high, Sir; I must have five pounds off. It ought to be ten, by right. Cousin Joe has taken all out, and put nought in. "

"John o' the Smithies, you astonish me. I have strong reason forbelieving that the rent is far too low. I have no instructions to reduceit. "

"Then I must try for another farm, Sir. I can have one of better land, under Sir Walter; only I seemed to hold on to the old place; and mySally likes to be under the old ladies. "

"Old ladies! Jack, what are you come to? Beautiful ladies in the primeof life--but perhaps they would be old in India. I fear that you havenot learned much behavior. But at any rate you ought to know your ownmind. Is it your intention to refuse so kind an offer (which was onlymade for your father's sake, and to please your faithful Sally) simplybecause another of your family has not been honest in his farming?"

"I never have took it in that way before, " the steady old soldieranswered, showing that rare phenomenon, the dawn of a new opinion upona stubborn face. "Give me a bit to turn it over in my mind, Sir. Lawyersbe so quick, and so nimble, and all-cornered. "

"Turn it over fifty times, Master Smithies. We have no wish to force thefarm upon you. Take a pinch of snuff, to help your sense of justice. Orif you would like a pipe, go and have it in my kitchen. And if you arehungry, cook will give you eggs and bacon. "

"No, Sir; I am very much obliged to you. I never make much o' mythinking. I go by what the Lord sends right inside o' me, whenever Ihave decent folk to deal with. And spite of your cloth, Sir, you have ahonest look. "

"You deserve another pinch of snuff for that. Master Smithies, you havea gift of putting hard things softly. But this is not business. Is yourmind made up?"

"Yes, Sir. I will take the farm, at full rent, if the covenants are tomy liking. They must be on both sides--both sides, mind you. "

Mr. Jellicorse smiled as he began to read the draft prepared from a veryancient form which was firmly established on the Scargate Hall estates. The covenants, as usual, were all upon one side, the lessee being boundto a multitude of things, and the lessor to little more than acceptanceof the rent. But such a result is in the nature of the case. Yet Jacko' the Smithies was not well content. In him true Yorkshire stubbornnesswas multiplied by the dogged tenacity of a British soldier, and theaggregate raised to an unknown power by the efforts of shrewd ignorance;and at last the lawyer took occasion to say, "Master John Smithies, you are worthy to serve under the colors of aYordas. "

"That I have, Sir, that I have, " cried the veteran, taken unawares, andshaking the stump of his arm in proof; "I have served under Sir DuncanYordas, who will come home some day and claim his own; and he won't wantno covenants of me. "

"You can not have served under Duncan Yordas, " Mr. Jellicorse answered, with a smile of disbelief, craftily rousing the pugnacity of the man;"because he was not even in the army of the Company, or any other army. I mean, of course, unless there was some other Duncan Yordas. "

"Tell me!" Jack o' Smithies almost shouted--"tell me about DuncanYordas, indeed! Who he was, and what he wasn't! And what do lawyersknow of such things? Why, you might have to command a regiment, and readcovenants to them out there! Sir Duncan was not our colonel, nor ourcaptain; but we was under his orders all the more; and well he knew howto give them. Not one in fifty of us was white; but he made us all asgood as white men; and the enemy never saw the color of our backs. Iwish I was out there again, I do, and would have staid, but for beinghoarse of combat; though the fault was never in my throat, but in myarm. "

"There is no fault in your throat, John Smithies, except that it is agreat deal too loud. I am sorry for Sally, with a temper such as yours. "

"That shows how much you know about it. I never lose my temper, withoutI hearken lies. And for you to go and say that I never saw Sir Duncan--"

"I said nothing of the kind, my friend. But you did not come hereto talk about Duncan, or Captain, or Colonel, or Nabob, or Rajah, orwhatever potentate he may be--of him we desire to know nothing more--aman who ran away, and disgraced his family, and killed his poor father, knows better than ever to set his foot on Scargate land again. You talkabout having a lease from him, a man with fifty wives, I dare say, and ahundred children! We all know what they are out there. "

There are very few tricks of the human face divine more forciblyexpressive of contempt than the lowering of the eyelids so that only anarrow streak of eye is exposed to the fellow-mortal, and that streakfixed upon him steadfastly; and the contumely is intensified when (as inthe present instance) the man who does it is gifted with yellow lasheson the under lid. Jack o' the Smithies treated Mr. Jellicorse to a gazeof this sort; and the lawyer, whose wrath had been feigned, to rouse theother's, and so extract full information, began to feel his own temperrise. And if Jack had known when to hold his tongue, he must have hadthe best of it. But the lawyer knew this, and the soldier did not. 

"Master Jellicorse, " said the latter, with his forehead deeply wrinkled, and his eyes now opened to their widest, "in saying of that you makea liar of yourself. Lease or no lease--that you do. Leasing stands forlying in the Bible, and a' seemeth to do the same thing in Yorkshire. Fifty wives, and a hundred children! Sir Duncan hath had one wife, andlost her, through the Neljan fever and her worry; and a Yorkshire lady, as you might know--and never hath he cared to look at any woman since. There now, what you make of that--you lawyers that make out every mana rake, and every woman a light o' love? Get along! I hate the lot o'you. "

"What a strange character you are! You must have had jungle fever, Ishould think. No, Diana, there is no danger"--for Jack o' the Smithieshad made such a noise that Mrs. Jellicorse got frightened and ran in:"this poor man has only one arm; and if he had two, he could not hurtme, even if he wished it. Be pleased to withdraw, Diana. John Smithies, you have simply made a fool of yourself. I have not said a word againstSir Duncan Yordas, or his wife, or his son--"

"He hath no son, I tell you; and that was partly how he lost his wife. "

"Well, then, his daughters, I have said no harm of them. "

"And very good reason--because he hath none. You lawyers think you areso clever; and you never know anything rightly. Sir Duncan hath himselfalone to see to, and hundreds of thousands of darkies to manage, witha score of British bayonets. But he never heedeth of the bayonets, nothe. "

"I have read of such men, but I never saw them, " Mr. Jellicorse said, as if thinking to himself; "I always feel doubt about the possibility ofthem. "

"He hath ten elephants, " continued Soldier Smithies, resolved to crownthe pillar of his wonders while about it--"ten great elephants that comeand kneel before him, and a thousand men ready to run to his thumb; andhis word is law--better law than is in England--for scores and scores ofmiles on the top of hundreds. "

"Why did you come away, John Smithies? Why did you leave such a greatprince, and come home?"

"Because it was home, Sir. And for sake of Sally. "

"There is some sense in that, my friend. And now if you wish to makea happy life for Sally, you will do as I advise you. Will you take myadvice? My time is of value; and I am not accustomed to waste my words. "

"Well, Sir, I will hearken to you. No man that meaneth it can say morethan that. "

"Jack o' the Smithies, you are acute. You have not been all over theworld for nothing. But if you have made up your mind to settle, and behappy in your native parts, one thing must be attended to. It is a maximof law, time-honored and of the highest authority, that the tenant mustnever call in question the title of his landlord. Before attorning, youmay do so; after that you are estopped. Now is it or is it not your wishto become the tenant of the Smithies farm, which your father held sohonorably? Farm produce is fetching great prices now; and if you refusethis offer, we can have a man, the day after to-morrow, who will give myladies 10 pounds more, and who has not been a soldier, but a farmer allhis life. "

"Lawyer Jellicorse, I will take it; for Sally hath set her heart on it;and I know every crumple of the ground better than the wisest farmerdoth. Sir, I will sign the articles. "

"The lease will be engrossed by next market day; and the sale willbe stopped until you have taken whatever you wish at a valuation. Butremember what I said--you are not to go prating about this wonderfulSir Duncan, who is never likely to come home, if he lives in such grandstate out there, and who is forbidden by his father's will from takingan acre of the property. And as he has no heirs, and is so wealthy, itcan not matter much to him. "

"That is true, " said the soldier; "but he might love to come home, asall our folk in India do; and if he doth, I will not deny him. I tellyou fairly, Master Jellicorse. "

"I like you for being an outspoken man, and true to those who have usedyou well. You could do him no good, and you might do harm to others, andunsettle simple minds, by going on about him among the tenants. "

"His name hath never crossed my lips till now, and shall not againwithout good cause. Here is my hand upon it, Master Lawyer. "

The lawyer shook hands with him heartily, for he could not but respectthe man for his sturdiness and sincerity. And when Jack was gone, Mr. Jellicorse played with his spectacles and his snuff-box for severalminutes before he could make up his mind how to deal with the matter. Then hearing the solid knock of Jordas, who was bound to take horse forScargate House pretty early at this time of year (with the weakening ofthe day among the mountains), he lost a few moments in confusion. Thedogman could not go without any answer; and how was any good answer tobe given in half an hour, at the utmost? A time had been when the lawyerstudied curtness and precision under minds of abridgment in London. Butthe more he had labored to introduce rash brevity into Yorkshire, and tocut away nine words out of ten, when all the ten meant one thing only, the more of contempt for his ignorance he won, and the less money hemade out of it. And no sooner did he marry than he was forced to give upthat, and, like a respectable butcher, put in every pennyweight of fatthat could be charged for. Thus had he thriven and grown like a goodlydeed of fine amplification; and if he had made Squire Philip's will now, it would scarcely have gone into any breast pocket. Unluckily it isan easier thing to make a man's will than to carry it out, even thoughfortune be favorable. 

In the present case obstacles seemed to be arising which might at anymoment require great skill and tact to surmount them; and the lawyer, hearing Jordas striding to and fro impatiently in the waiting-room, wasfain to win time for consideration by writing a short note to saythat he proposed to wait upon the ladies the very next day. For he hadimportant news which seemed expedient to discuss with them. In the meantime he begged them not to be at all uneasy, for his news upon the wholewas propitious. 

CHAPTER XXI

JACK AND JILL GO DOWN THE GILL

Upon a little beck that runs away into the Lune, which is a tributary ofthe Tees, there stood at this time a small square house of gray stone, partly greened with moss, or patched with drip, and opening to the sunwith small dark windows. It looked as if it never could be warm inside, by sunshine or by fire-glow, and cared not, although it was the onlyhouse for miles, whether it were peopled or stood empty. But this cold, hard-looking place just now was the home of some hot and passionatehearts. 

The people were poor; and how they made their living would have been amystery to their neighbors, if there had been any. They rented no land, and they followed no trade, and they took no alms by land or post; forthe begging-letter system was not yet invented. For the house itselfthey paid a small rent, which Jordas received on behalf of his ladies, and always found it ready; and that being so, he had nothing more toask, and never meddled with them. They had been there before he cameinto office, and it was not his place to seek into their history; and ifit had been, he would not have done it. For his sympathies were (aswas natural and native to a man so placed) with all outsiders, andthe people who compress into one or two generations that ignorance oflineage which some few families strive to defer for centuries, showingthereby unwise insistence, if latter-day theories are correct. 

But if Master Jordas knew little of these people, somebody else knewmore about them, and perhaps too much about one of them. LancelotCarnaby, still called "Pet, " in one of those rushes after random changewhich the wildness of his nature drove upon him, had ridden his pony toa stand-still on the moor one sultry day of that August. No pity or carefor the pony had he, but plenty of both for his own dear self. The ponymight be left for the crows to pick his bones, so far as mattered to PetCarnaby; but it mattered very greatly to a boy like him to have to gohome upon his own legs. Long exertion was hateful to him, though heloved quick difficulty; for he was one of the many who combine activitywith laziness. And while he was wondering what he should do, andworrying the fine little animal, a wave of the wind carried into hisear the brawling of a beck, like the humming of a hive. The boy hadforgotten that the moor just here was broken by a narrow glen, engroovedwith sliding water. 

Now with all his strength, which was not much, he tugged the panting andlimping little horse to the flat breach, and then down the steep of thegill, and let him walk into the water and begin to slake off a little ofthe crust of thirst. But no sooner did he see him preparing to rejoicein large crystal draughts (which his sobs had first forbidden) than hejerked him with the bit, and made a bad kick at him, because he couldbear to see nothing happy. The pony had sense enough to reply, weary ashe was, with a stronger kick, which took Master Lancelot in the knee, and discouraged him for any further contest. Bully as he was, the boyhad too much of ancient Yordas pith in him to howl, or cry, or evenwhimper, but sat down on a little ridge to nurse his poor knee, andmeditate revenge against the animal with hoofs. Presently pain and wrathcombined became too much for the weakness of his frame, and he fell backand lay upon the hard ground in a fainting fit. 

At such times, as everybody said (especially those whom he knocked aboutin his lively moments), this boy looked wonderfully lovely. His featureswere almost perfect; and he had long eyelashes like an Andalusian girl, and cheeks more exquisite than almost any doll's, a mouth of fine curve, and a chin of pert roundness, a neck of the mould that once was called"Byronic, " and curly dark hair flying all around, as fine as the verybest peruke. In a word, he was just what a boy ought not to be, whomeans to become an Englishman. 

Such, however, was not the opinion of a creature even more beautifulthan he, in the truer points of beauty. Coming with a pitcher for somewater from the beck, Insie of the Gill (the daughter of Bat and Zilpieof the Gill) was quite amazed as she chanced round a niche of the bankupon this image. An image fallen from the sun, she thought it, or at anyrate from some part of heaven, until she saw the pony, who was testingthe geology of the district by the flavor of its herbage. Then Insieknew that here was a mortal boy, not dead, but sadly wounded; and shedrew her short striped kirtle down, because her shapely legs were bare. 

Lancelot Carnaby, coming to himself (which was a poor return for him), opened his large brown eyes, and saw a beautiful girl looking at him. Astheir eyes met, his insolent languor fell--for he generally awoke fromthese weak lapses into a slow persistent rage--and wonder and unknownadmiration moved something in his nature that had never moved before. His words, however, were scarcely up to the high mark of the moment. "Who are you?" was all he said. 

"I am called 'Insie of the Gill. ' My father is Bat of the Gill, and mymother Zilpie of the Gill. You must be a stranger, not to know us. "

"I never heard of you in all my life; although you seem to be living onmy land. All the land about here belongs to me; though my mother has itfor a little time. "

"I did not know, " she answered, softly, and scarcely thinking what shesaid, "that the land belonged to anybody, besides the birds and animals. And is the water yours as well?"

"Yes; every drop of it, of course. But you are quite welcome to apitcherful. " This was the rarest affability of Pet; and he expectedextraordinary thanks. 

But Insie looked at him with surprise. "I am very much obliged to you, "she said; "but I never asked any one to give it me, unless it is thebeck itself; and the beck never seems to grudge it. "

"You are not like anybody I ever saw. You speak very different from thepeople about here; and you look very different ten times over. "

Insie reddened at his steadfast gaze, and turned her sweet soft faceaway. And yet she wanted to know more. "Different means a great manythings. Do you mean that I look better, or worse?"

"Better, of course; fifty thousand times better! Why, you look like abeautiful lady. I tell you, I have seen hundreds of ladies; perhaps youhaven't, but I have. And you look better than all of them. "

"You say a great deal that you do not think, " Insie answered, quietly, yet turning round to show her face again. "I have heard that gentlemenalways do; and I suppose that you are a young gentleman. "

"I should hope so indeed. Don't you know who I am? I am Lancelot YordasCarnaby. "

"Why, you look quite as if you could stop the river, " she answered, witha laugh, though she felt his grandeur. "I suppose you consider me nobodyat all. But I must get my water. "

"You shall not carry water. You are much too pretty. I will carry it foryou. "

Pet was not "introspective;" otherwise he must have been astonished athimself. His mother and aunt would have doubted their own eyes ifthey had beheld this most dainty of the dainty, and mischievous of themischievous (with pain and passion for the moment vanquished), carefullycarrying an old brown pitcher. Yet this he did, and wonderfully well, as he believed; though Insie only laughed to see him. For he had onthe loveliest gaiters in the world, of thin white buckskin with agatebuttons, and breeches of silk, and a long brocaded waistcoat, and ashort coat of rich purple velvet, also a riding hat with a gray ostrichplume. And though he had very little calf inside his gaiters, and notmuch chest to fill out his waistcoat, and narrower shoulders than avelvet coat deserved, it would have been manifest, even to a tailor, that the boy had lineal, if not lateral, right to his rich habiliments. 

Insie of the Gill (who seemed not to be of peasant birth, though soplainly dressed), came gently down the steep brook-side to see what wasgoing to be done for her. 

She admired Lancelot, both for bravery of apparel and of action; andshe longed to know how he would get a good pitcher of water without anysplash upon his clothes. So she stood behind a little bush, pretendingnot to be at all concerned, but amused at having her work done for her. But Pet was too sharp to play cat's-paw for nothing. 

"Smile, and say 'thank you, '" he cried, "or I won't do it. I am notgoing up to my middle for nothing; I know that you want to laugh at me. "

"You must have a very low middle, " said Insie; "why, it never comes halfway to my knees. "

"You have got no stockings, and no new gaiters, " Lancelot answered, reasonably; and then, like two children, they set to and laughed, tillthe gill almost echoed with them. 

"Why, you're holding the mouth of the pitcher down stream!" Insie couldhardly speak for laughing. "Is that how you go to fill a pitcher?"

"Yes, and the right way too, " he answered; "the best water always comesup the eddies. You ought to be old enough to know that. "

"I don't know anything at all--except that you are ruining your bestclothes. "

"I don't care twopence for such rubbish. You ought to see me on aSunday, Insie, if you want to know what is good. There, you never drewsuch a pitcher as that. And I believe there is a fish in the bottom ofit. "

"Oh, if there is a fish, let me have him in my hands. I can nurse a fishon dry land, until he gets quite used to it. Are you sure that there isa little fish?"

"No, there is no fish; and I am soaking wet. But I never care whatanybody thinks of me. If they say what I don't like, I kick them. "

"Ah, you are accustomed to have your own way. That any one might knowby looking at you. But I have got a quantity of work to do. You can seethat by my fingers. "

The girl made a courtesy, and took the pitcher from him, because he wasknocking it against his legs; but he could not be angry when he lookedinto her eyes, though the habit of his temper made him try to fume. 

"Do you know what I think?" she said, fixing bright hazel eyes upon him;"I think that you are very passionate sometimes. "

"Well, if I am, it is my own business. Who told you anything about it?Whoever it was shall pay out for it. "

"Nobody told me, Sir. You must remember that I never even heard of yourname before. "

"Oh, come, I can't quite take down that. Everybody knows me for fiftymiles or more; and I don't care what they think of me. "

"You may please yourself about believing me, " she answered, withoutconcern about it. "No one who knows me doubts my word, though I am notknown for even five miles away. "

"What an extraordinary girl you are! You say things on purpose toprovoke me. Nobody ever does that; they are only too glad to keep me ina good temper. "

"If you are like that, Sir, I had better run away. My father will behome in about an hour, and he might think that you had no businesshere. "

"I! No business upon my own land! This place must be bewitched, I think. There is a witch upon the moors, I know, who can take almost any shape;but--but they say she is three hundred years of age, or more. "

"Perhaps, then, I am bewitched, " said Insie; "or why should I stop totalk with you, who are only a rude boy, after all, even according toyour own account?"

"Well, you can go if you like. I suppose you live in that queer littleplace down there?"

"The house is quite good enough for me and my father and mother andbrother Maunder. Good-by; and please never to come here again. "

"You don't understand me. I have made you cry. Oh, Insie, let me havehold of your hand. I would rather make anybody cry than you. I neverliked anybody so before. "

"Cry, indeed! Who ever heard me cry? It is the way you splashed thewater up. I am not in the habit of crying for a stranger. Good-by, now;and go to your great people. You say that you are bad; and I fear it istoo true. "

"I am not bad at all. It is only what everybody says, because I neverwant to please them. But I want to please you. I would give anything todo it; if you would only tell me how. "

The girl having cleverly dried her eyes, poured all their bright beautyupon him, and the heart of the youth was enlarged with a new, verysweet, and most timorous feeling. Then his dark eyes dropped, and hetouched her gently, and only said, "Don't go away. "

"But I must go away, " Insie answered, with a blush, and a look as ofmore tears lurking in her eyes. "I have stopped too long; I must go awayat once. "

"But when may I come again? I will hold you, and fight for you witheverybody in the world, unless you tell me when to come again. "

"Hush! I am quite ashamed to hear you talk so. I am a poor girl, and youa great young gentleman. "

"Never mind that. That has nothing to do with it. Would you like to makeme miserable, and a great deal more wicked than I ever was before? Doyou hate me so much as all that, Insie?"

"No. You have been very kind to me. Only my father would be angry, I amsure; and my brother Maunder is dreadful. They all go away every otherFriday, and that is the only free time I have. "

"Every other Friday! What a long time, to be sure! Won't you come againfor water this day fortnight?"

"Yes; I come for water three or four times every day. But if they wereto see you, they would kill you first, and then lock me up forever. Theonly wise plan is for you to come no more. "

"You can not be thinking for a moment what you say. I will tell youwhat; if you don't come, I will march up to the house, and beat the doorin. The landlord can do that, according to law. "

"If you care at all for me, " said Insie, looking as if she had known himfor ten years, "you will do exactly what I tell you. You will think nomore about me for a fortnight; and then if you fancy that I can do yougood by advice about your bad temper, or by teaching you how to plaitreeds for a bat, and how to fill a pitcher--perhaps I might be able tocome down the gill again. "

"I wish it was to-morrow. I shall count the days. But be sure to comeearly, if they go away all day. I shall bring my dinner with me; and youshall have the first help, and I will carve. But I should like one thingbefore I go; and it is the first time I ever asked anybody, though theyask me often enough, I can tell you. "

"What would you like? You seem to me to be always wanting something. "

"I should like very much--very much indeed--just to give you one kiss, Insie. "

"It can not be thought of for a moment, " she replied; "and the firsttime of my ever seeing you, Sir!"

Before he could reason in favor of a privilege which goes proverbiallyby favor, the young maid was gone upon the winding path, with thepitcher truly balanced on her well-tressed head. Then Pet sat down andwatched her; and she turned round in the distance, and waved him a kissat decorous interval. 

Not more than three days after this, Mrs. Carnaby came into thedrawing-room with a hasty step, and a web of wrinkles upon her generallysmooth, white forehead. 

"Eliza, " asked her sister, "what has put you out so? That chair isnot very strong, and you are rather heavy. Do you call that gracefullysinking on a seat, as we used to learn the way to do at school?"

"No, I do not call it anything of the kind. And if I am heavy, I onlykeep my heart in countenance, Philippa. You know not the anxieties of amother. "

"I am thankful to say that I do not. I have plenty of larger cares toattend to, as well as the anxieties of an aunt and sister. But what isthis new maternal care?"

"Poor Pet's illness--his serious illness. I am surprised that you havenot noticed it, Philippa; it seems so unkind of you. "

"There can not be anything much amiss with him. I never saw any one eata better breakfast. What makes you fancy that the boy must be unwell?"

"It is no fancy. He must be very ill. Poor dear! I can not bear to thinkof it. He has done no mischief for quite three days. "

"Then he must indeed be at the point of death. Oh, if we could only keephim always so, Eliza!"

"My dear sister, you will never understand him. He must have his littleplayful ways. Would you like him to be a milksop?"

"Certainly not. But I should like him first to be a manly boy, andthen a boyish man. The Yordases always have been manly boys; instead ofpuling, and puking, and picking this, that, and the other. "

"The poor child can not help his health, Philippa. He never had theYordas constitution. He inherits his delicate system from his poor deargallant father. "

Mrs. Carnaby wiped away a tear; and her sister (who never was hard toher) spoke gently, and said there were many worse boys than he, and sheliked him for many good and brave points of character, and especiallyfor hating medicine. 

"Philippa, you are right; he does hate medicine, " the good motheranswered, with a soft, sad sigh; "and he kicked the last apothecary inthe stomach, when he made certain of its going down. But such things aretrifles, dear, in comparison with now. If he would only kick Jordas, orWelldrum, or almost any one who would take it nicely, I should have somehope that he was coming to himself. But to see him sit quiet is so trulysad. He gets up a tree with his vast activity, and there he sits mopingby the hour, and gazing in one fixed direction. I am almost sure thathe has knocked his leg; but he flew into a fury when I wanted to examineit; and when I made a poultice, there was Saracen devouring it; and thenasty dog swallowed one of my lace handkerchiefs. "

"Then surely you are unjust, Eliza, in lamenting all lack of mischief. But I have noticed things as well as you. And yesterday I saw somethingmore portentous than anything you have told me. I came upon Lancelotsuddenly, in the last place where I should have looked for him. He waspositively in the library, and reading--reading a real book. "

"A book, Phillppa! Oh, that settles everything. He must have gonealtogether out of his sane mind. "

"Not only was it a book, but even a book of what people call poetry. Youhave heard of that bold young man over the mountains, who is trying toturn poetry upside down, by making it out of every single thing he sees;and who despises all the pieces that we used to learn at school. Ican not remember his name; but never mind. I thought that we ought toencourage him, because he might know some people in this neighborhood;and so I ordered a book of his. Perhaps I told you; and that is the verybook your learned boy was reading. "

"Philippa, it seems to me impossible almost. He must have been lookingat the pictures. I do hope he was only looking at the pictures. "

"There is not a picture in the hook of any sort. He was reading it, andsaying it quite softly to himself; and I felt that if you saw him, youwould send for Dr. Spraggs. "

"Ring the bell at once, dear, if you will be kind enough. I hope thereis a fresh horse in the stable. Or the best way would be to send thejumping-car; then he would be certain to come back at once. "

"Do as you like. I begin to think that we ought to take properprecautions. But when that is done, I will tell you what I think he maybe up the tree for. "

A man with the jumping-car was soon dispatched, by urgency of Jordas, for Dr. Spraggs, who lived several miles away, in a hamlet to thewestward, inaccessible to anything that could not jump right nimbly. But the ladies made a slight mistake: they caught the doctor, but nopatient. 

For Pet being well up in his favorite tree--poring with great wonderover Lyrical Ballads, which took his fancy somehow--thence descried thehateful form of Dr. Spraggs, too surely approaching in the seat of honorof the jumping-car. Was ever any poesy of such power as to elevate thesoul above the smell of physic? The lofty poet of the lakes and fellsfell into Pet's pocket anyhow, and down the off side of the tree camehe, with even his bad leg ready to be foremost in giving leg-bail tothe medical man. The driver of the jumping-car espied this action;but knowing that he would have done the like, grinned softly, and saidnothing. And long after Dr. Spraggs was gone, leaving behind him sageadvice, and a vast benevolence of bottles, Pet returned, very dirty andhungry, and cross, and most unpoetical. 

CHAPTER XXII

YOUNG GILLY FLOWERS

"Drum, " said Pet, in his free and easy style, about ten days afterthat escape, to a highly respected individual, Mr. Welldrum, thebutler--"Drum, you have heard perhaps about my being poorly. "

"Ay, that I have, and too much of it, " replied the portly butler, busyin his office with inferior work, which he never should have had to do, if rightly estimated. "What you wants, Master Lancelot, is a little moreof this here sort of thing--sleeves up--elbow grease--scrub away at holdancient plate, and be blowed up if you puts a scratch on it; and themore you sweats, the less thanks you gets. "

"Drum, when you come to be my butler, you shall have all the keysallowed you, and walk about with them on a great gold ring, with a goldchain down to your breeches pocket. You shall dine when you like, andhave it cooked on purpose, and order it directly after breakfast; andyou shall have the very best hot-water plates; because you hate grease, don't you, Drum?"

"That I do; especial from young chaps as wants to get something out ofme. "

"I am always as good as my word; come, now. "

"That you are, Sir; and nothing very grand to say, considering thehepithets you applies to me sometimes. But you han't insulted me forthree days now; and that proves to my mind that you can't be quiteright. "

"But you would like to see me better. I am sure you would. There isnobody so good to you as I am, Drum; and you are very crusty at times, you know. Your daughter shall be the head cook; and then everything mustbe to your liking. "

"Master Lancelot, you speaks fair. What can I have the honor of doingfor you, Sir, to set you up again in your poor dear 'ealth?"

"Well, you hate physic, don't you, Drum? And you make a strict point ofnever taking it. "

"I never knew no good to come out of no bottle, without it were a bottleof old crusted port-wine. Ah! you likes that, Master Lancelot. "

"I'll tell you what it is, Drum; I am obliged to be very careful. Thereason why I don't get on is from taking my meals too much in-doors. There is no fresh air in these old rooms. I have got a man who says--Icould read it to you; but perhaps you don't care to hear poetry, Drum?"The butler made a face, and put the leather to his ears. "Very well, then; I am only just beginning; and it's like claret, you must learn tocome to it. But from what he says, and from my own stomach, I intend togo and dine out-of-doors to-day. "

"Lord! Master Lancelot, you must be gone clean daft. How ever could youhave hot gravy, Sir? And all the Yordases hales cold meat. Your poordear grandfather--ah! he was a man. "

"So am I. And I have got half a guinea. Now, Drum, you do just what Itell you; and mind, not a word to any one. It will be the last coin youever see of mine, either now or in all my life, remember, if you letmy mamma ever hear of it. You slip down to the larder and get me a coldgrouse, and a cold partridge, and two of the hearth-stone cakes, anda pat of butter, and a pinch of salt, and put them in my army knapsackAunt Philippa gave me; also a knife and fork and plate; and--let mesee--what had I better have to drink?"

"Well, Sir, if I might offer an opinion, a pint bottle of dry port, oryour grandfather's Madeira. "

"Young ladies--young gentlemen I mean, of course--never take strongwines in the middle of the day. Bucellas, Drum--Bucellas is the properthing. And when you have got it all together, turn the old cat into thelarder, and get away cleverly by your little door, and put my knapsackin the old oak-tree, the one that was struck by lightning. Now do youunderstand all about it? It must all be ready in half an hour. And ifI make a good dinner out on the moor, why, you might get another halfguinea before long. " And with these words away strode Pet. 

"Well, well, " the butler began muttering to himself; "what wickednessare you up to next? A lassie in his head, and his dear mammy thoughthe was sickening over his wisdom-teeth! He is beginning airly, and nomistake. But the gals are a coarse ugly lot about here"--Master Welldrumwas not a Yorkshireman--"and the lad hath good taste in the matter ofwine; although he is that contrairy, Solomon's self could not be upsideswith him. Fall fair, fall foul, I must humor the boy, or out of thisplace I go, neck and crop. "

Accordingly, Pet found all that he had ordered, and several littlethings which he had not thought of, especially a corkscrew and a glass;and forgetting half his laziness, he set off briskly, keeping throughthe trees where no window could espy him, and down a little side glen, all afoot; for it seemed to him safer to forego his pony. 

The gill (or "ghyll, " as the poet writes it), from which the lonelyfamily that dwelt there took their name, was not upon the bridle-roadfrom Scargate Hall toward Middleton, nor even within eye or reach ofany road at all; but overlooked by kites alone, and tracked withthoroughfare of nothing but the mountain streamlet. The four who livedthere--"Bat and Zilpic, Maunder and Insie, of the Gill"--had nothing todo with, and little to say to, any of the scatterling folk about them, across the blue distance of the moor. They ploughed no land, they keptno cattle, they scarcely put spade in the ground, except for about afortnight in April, when they broke up a strip of alluvial soil newevery season, and abutting on the brook; and there sowed or plantedtheir vegetable crop, and left it to the clemency of heaven. Yet twiceevery year they were ready with their rent when it suited Master Jordasto come for it, since audits at the hall, and tenants' dinners, were notto their liking. The rent was a trifle; but Jordas respected them highlyfor handing it done up in white paper, without even making him leavethe saddle. How many paid less, or paid nothing at all, yet came tothe dinners under rent reservation of perhaps one mark, then strictlyreserved their rent, but failed not to make the most punctual andliberal marks upon roast beef and plum-pudding!

But while the worthy dogman got his little bit of money, sealed up andso correct that (careful as he was) he never stopped now to count it, even his keen eyes could make nothing of these people, except that theystood upon their dignity. To him they appeared to be of gypsy race; orpartly of wild and partly perhaps of Lancastrian origin; for they rather"featured" the Lancashire than the Yorkshire type of countenance, yetwithout any rustic coarseness, whether of aspect, voice, or manners. The story of their settlement in this glen had flagged out of memory ofgossip by reason of their calm obscurity, and all that survived was thebelief that they were queer, and the certainty that they would not bemeddled with. 

Lancelot Yordas Carnaby was brave, both in the outward and the inwardboy, when he struck into the gill from a trackless spread of moor, notfar from the source of the beck that had shaped or been shaped by thisfissure. He had made up his mind to learn all about the water thatfilled sweet Insie's pitcher; and although the great poet of nature asyet was only in early utterance, some of his words had already touchedPet as he had never been touched before; but perhaps that fine effectwas due to the sapping power of first love. 

Yet first love, however it may soften and enlarge a petulant and waywardnature, instead of increasing, cuts short and crisp the patience of thepatient. When Lancelot was as near as manners and prudence allowed tothat lonesome house, he sat down quietly for a little while in a littleniche of scrubby bush whence he could spy the door. For a short timethis was very well; also it was well to be furnishing his mind with aform for the beautiful expressions in it, and prepare it for the orderof their coming out. And when he was sure that these were well arranged, and could not fail at any crisis, he found a further pastime inconsidering his boots, then his gaiters and small-clothes (which were oflofty type), and his waistcoat, elegant for anybody's bosom. But after abit even this began to pall; and when one of his feet went fast asleep, in spite of its beautiful surroundings, he jumped up and stamped, andwas not so very far from hot words as he should have been. For his habitwas not so much to want a thing as to get it before he wanted it, whichis very poor training for the trials of the love-time. 

But just as he was beginning to resolve to be wise, and eat hisvictuals, now or never, and be sorry for any one who came toolate--there came somebody by another track, whose step made the heartrise, and the stomach fall. Lancelot's mind began to fail him all atonce; and the spirit that was ready with a host of words fluttered awayinto a quaking depth of silence. Yet Insie tripped along as if the worldheld no one to cast a pretty shadow from the sun beside her own. 

Even the youngest girls are full of little tricks far beyond the oldestboy's comprehension. But the wonder of all wonders is, they have so purea conscience as never to be thinking of themselves at all, far less ofany one who thinks too much of them. "I declare, she has forgotten thatshe ever saw me!" Lancelot muttered to the bush in which he trembled. "It would serve her right, if I walked straight away. " But he lookedagain, and could not help looking more than many times again, sopiercing (as an ancient poet puts it) is the shaft from the eyes ofthe female women. And Insie was especially a female girl--which has nowceased to be tautology--so feminine were her walk, and way, and suddenvariety of unreasonable charm. 

"Dear me! I never thought to see you any more, Sir;" said she, with abright blush, perhaps at such a story, as Pet jumped out eagerly, withhands stretched forth. "It is the most surprising thing. And we mighthave done very well with rain-water. "

"Oh, Insie! don't be so cold-hearted. Who can drink rain-water? I havegot something very good for you indeed. I have carried it all the waymyself; and only a strong man could have done it. Why, you have gotstockings on, I declare; but I like you much better without them. "

"Then, Master Lancelot Yordas Carnaby, you had better go home with allyour good things. "

"You are totally mistaken about that. I could never get these thingsinto the house again, without being caught out to a certainty. It showshow little girls know of anything. "

"A girl can not be expected, " she answered, looking most innocently athim, "to understand anything sly or cunning. Why should anything of thatsort be?"

"Well, if it comes to that, " cried Pet, who (like all unreasonablepeople) had large rudiments of reasoning, "why should not I come up toyour door, and knock, and say, 'I want to see Miss Insie; I am fond ofMiss Insie, and have got something good for her'? That is what I shalldo next time. "

"If you do, my brother Maunder will beat you dreadfully--so dreadfullythat you will never walk home. But don't let us talk of such terriblethings. You must never come here, if you think of such things. I wouldnot have you hurt for all the world; for sometimes I think that I likeyou very much. "

The lovely girl looked at the handsome boy, as if they were at schooltogether, learning something difficult, which must be repeated to theother's eyes, with a nod, or a shake of the head, as may be. A kind, andpure, and soft gaze she gave him, as if she would love his thoughts, ifhe could explain them. And Pet turned away, because he could not do so. 

"I'll tell you what it is, " he said, bravely, while his heart wasthrilling with desire to speak well; "we will set to at once, and have ajolly good spread. I told my man to put up something very good, becauseI was certain that you would be very hungry. "

"Surely you were not so foolish as to speak of me?"

"No, no, no; I know a trick worth two of that. I was not such a fool asto speak of you, of course. But--"

"But I would never condescend to touch one bit. You were ashamed to saya word about me, then, were you?"

"Insie, now, Insie, too bad of you it is. You can have no idea whatthose butlers and footmen are, if ever you tell them anything. They areworse than the maids; they go down stairs, and they get all the tidbitsout of the cook, and sit by the girl they like best, on the strength ofhaving a secret about their master. "

"Well, you are cunning!" cried the maiden, with a sigh. "I thought thatyour nature was loftier than that. No, I do not know anything of butlersand footmen; and I think that the less I know of you the better. "

"Oh, Insie, darling Insie, if you run away like that--I have got bothyour hands, and you shall not run away. Do you want to kill me, Insie?They have had the doctor for me. "

"Oh, how very dreadful! that does sound dreadful. I am not at allcrying, and you need not look. But what did he say? Please to tell mewhat he said. "

"He said, 'Salts and senna. ' But I got up a high tree. Let us think ofnicer things. It is enough to spoil one's dinner. Oh, Insie, what isanything to eat or drink, compared with looking at you, when you aregood? If I could only tell you the things that I have felt, all day andall night, since this day fortnight, how sorry you would be for havingevil thoughts of me!"

"I have no evil thoughts; I have no thoughts at all. But it puzzles meto think what on earth you have been thinking. There, I will sit down, and listen for a moment. "

"And I may hold one of your hands? I must, or you would never understandme. Why, your hands are much smaller than mine, I declare! And mine arevery small; because of thinking about you. Now you need not laugh--itdoes spoil everything to laugh so. It is more than a fortnight sinceI laughed at all. You make me feel so miserable. But would you like toknow how I felt? Mind, I would rather cut my head off than tell it toany one in the world but you. "

"Now I call that very kind of you. If you please, I should like to knowhow you have been feeling. " With these words Insie came quite close upto his side, and looked at him so that he could hardly speak. "You maysay it in a whisper, if you like, " she said; "there is nobody coming forat least three hours, and so you may say it in a whisper. "

"Then I will tell you; it was just like this. You know that I began tothink how beautiful you were at the very first time I looked at you. Butyou could not expect me so to love you all at once as I love you now, dear Insie. "

"I can not understand any meaning in such things. " But she took a littledistance, quite as if she did. 

"Well, I went away without thinking very much, because I had a bad placein my knee--a blue place bigger than the new half crown, where you sawthat the pony kicked me. I had him up, and thrashed him, when I gothome; but that has got nothing to do with it--only that I made him knowwho was his master. And then I tried to go on with a lot of things asusual; but somehow I did not care at all. There was a great rat huntthat I had been thinking of more than three weeks, when they got thestraddles down, to be ready for the new ricks to come instead. But Icould not go near it; and it made them think that the whole of my insidewas out of order. And it must have been. I can see by looking back; itmust have been so, without my knowing it. I hit several people with myholly on their shins, because they knew more than I did. But that was nogood; nor was anything else. I only got more and more out of sorts, andcould not stay quiet anywhere; and yet it was no good to me to try tomake a noise. All day I went about as if I did not care whether peoplecontradicted me or not, or where I was, or what time I should get back, or whether there would be any dinner. And I tucked up my feet in mynightgown every night; but instead of stopping there, as they alwaysused to do, they were down in cold places immediately; and instead ofany sleep, I bit holes by the hundred in the sheets, with thinking. Ihated to be spoken to, and I hated everybody; and so I do now, wheneverI come to think about them!"

"Including even poor me, I suppose?" Insie had wonderfully prettyeyebrows, and a pretty way of raising them, and letting more light intoher bright hazel eyes. 

"No, I never seemed to hate you; though I often was put out, because Icould never make your face come well. I was thinking of you always, butI could not see you. Now tell me whether you have been like that. "

"Not at all; but I have thought of you once or twice, and wondered whatcould make you want to come and see me. If I were a boy, perhaps I couldunderstand it. "

"I hate boys; I am a man all over now. I am old enough to have a wife;and I mean to have you. How much do you suppose my waistcoat cost? Well, never mind, because you are not rich. But I have got money enough forboth of us to live well, and nobody can keep me out of it. You know whata road is, I suppose--a good road leading to a town? Have you ever seenone? A brown place, with hedges on each side, made hard and smooth forhorses to go upon, and wheels that make a rumble. Well, if you willhave me, and behave well to me, you shall sit up by yourself in a velvetdress, with a man before you and a man behind, and believe that you areflying. "

"But what would become of my father, and my mother, and my brotherMaunder?"

"Oh, they must stop here, of course. We shouldn't want them. But I wouldgive them all their house rent-free, and a fat pig every Christmas. Nowyou sit there and spread your lap, that I may help you properly. Iwant to see you eat; you must learn to eat like a lady of the highestquality; for that you are going to be, I can tell you. "

The beautiful maid of the gill smiled sweetly, sitting on the low bankwith the grace of simple nature and the playfulness of girlhood. Shelooked up at Lancelot, the self-appointed man, with a bright glanceof curious contemplation; and contemplation (of any other subject thanself) is dangerously near contempt. She thought very little of hislarge, free brag, of his patronizing manner, and fine self-content, reference of everything to his own standard, beauty too feminine, andinstead of female gentleness, highly cultivated waywardness. But inspite of all that, she could not help liking, and sometimes admiringhim, when he looked away. And now he was very busy with the high feasthe had brought. 

"To begin with, " he said, when his good things were displayed, "you mustremember that nothing is more vulgar than to be hungry. A gentleman mayhave a tremendous appetite, but a lady never. "

"But why? but why? That does seem foolish. I have read that the ladiesare always helped first. That must be because of their appetites. "

"Insie, I tell you things, not the reasons of them. Things are learnedby seeing other people, and not by arguing about them. "

"Then you had better eat your dinner first, and let me sit and watchyou. And then I can eat mine by imitation; that is to say, if there isany left. "

"You are one of the oddest people I have ever seen. You go round thecorner of all that I say, instead of following properly. When we aremarried, you will always make me laugh. At one time they kept a boy tomake me laugh; but I got tired of him. Now I help you first, althoughI am myself so hungry. I do it from a lofty feeling, which my auntPhilippa calls 'chivalry. ' Ladies talk about it when they want to getthe best of us. I have given you all the best part, you see; and I onlykeep the worst of it for myself. "

If Pet had any hope that his self-denial would promptly be denied tohim, he made a great mistake; for the damsel of the gill had a healthymoorland appetite, and did justice to all that was put before her; andpresently he began, for the first time in his life, to find pleasure inseeing another person pleased. But the wine she would not even taste, in spite of persuasion and example; the water from the brook was all shedrank, and she drank as prettily as a pigeon. Whatever she did was donegracefully and well. 

"I am very particular, " he said at last; "but you are fit to dine withanybody. How have you managed to learn it all? You take the best ofeverything, without a word about it, as gently as great ladies do. Ithought that you would want me to eat the nicest pieces; but instead ofthat, you have left me bones and drumsticks. "

He gave such a melancholy look at these that Insie laughed quitemerrily. "I wanted to see you practice chivalry, " she said. 

"Well, never mind; I shall know another time. Instead of two birds, Ishall order four, and other things in proportion. But now I want to knowabout your father and your mother. They must be respectable people, tojudge by you. What is their proper name, and how much have they got tolive upon?"

"More than you--a great deal more than you, " she answered, with such aroguish smile that he forgot his grievances, or began to lose them inthe mist of beauty. 

"More than me! And they live in such a hole, where only the crows comenear them?"

"Yes, more than you, Sir. They have their wits to live upon, andindustry, and honesty. "

Pet was not old enough yet in the world to say, "What is the use of allthose? All their income is starvation. " He was young enough to thinkthat those who owned them had advantage of him, for he knew that he wasvery lazy. Moreover, he had heard of such people getting on--through thestriking power of exception, so much more brilliant than the rule--whenall the blind virtues found luck to lead them. Industry, honesty, andability always get on in story-books, and nothing is nicer than to heara pretty story. But in some ways Pet was sharp enough. 

"Then they never will want that house rent-free, nor the fat pig, norany other presents. Oh, Insie, how very much better that will be! I findit so much nicer always to get thing's than to give them. And people areso good-natured, when they have done it, and can talk of it. Insie, they shall give me something when I marry you, and as often as they likeafterward. "

"They will give you something you will not like, " she answered, with alaugh, and a look along the moor, "if you stay here too long chatteringwith me. Do you know what o'clock it is? I know always, whether the sunis out or in. You need show no gold watch to me. "

"Oh, that comes of living in a draught all day. The out-door people growtoo wise. What do you see about ten miles off? It must be ten miles tothat hill. "

"That hill is scarcely five miles off, and what I see is not half ofthat. I brought you up here to be quite safe. Maunder's eyes are betterthan mine. But he will not see us, for another mile, if you cover yourgrand waistcoat, because we are in the shadows. Slip down into the gillagain, and keep below the edge of it, and go home as fast as possible. "

Lancelot felt inclined to do as he was told, and keep to safe obscurity. The long uncomfortable loneliness of prospect, and dim airy distanceof the sinking sun, and deeply silent emptiness of hollows, where greatshadows began to crawl--in the waning of the day, and so far away fromhome--all these united to impress upon the boy a spiritual influence, whose bodily expression would be the appearance of a clean pair ofheels. But, to meet this sensible impulse, there arose the stubbornnature of his race, which hated to be told to do anything, and thedignity of his new-born love--such as it was--and the thought of lookingsmall. 

"Why should I go?" he said. "I will meet them, and tell them that I amtheir landlord, and have a right to know all about them. My grandfathernever ran away from anybody. And they have got a donkey with them. "

"They will have two, if you stop, " cried Insie, although she admired hisspirit. "My father is a very quiet man. But Maunder would take you bythe throat and cast you down into the beck. "

"I should like to see him try to do it. I am not so very strong, but Iam active as a cat. I have no idea of being threatened. "

"Then will you be coaxed? I do implore you, for my sake, to go, or itwill be too late. Never, never, will you see me again, unless you dowhat I beseech of you. "

"I will not stir one peg, unless you put your arms round my neck andkiss me, and say that you will never have anybody else. "

Insie blushed deeply, and her bright eyes flashed with passion not ofloving kind. But it went to her heart that he was brave, and that heloved her truly. She flung her comely arms round his neck, and touchedher rosy lips with his; and before he could clasp her she was gone, withno more comfort than these words:

"Now if you are a gentleman, you must go, and never come near this placeagain. "

Not a moment too soon he plunged into the gill, and hurried up itswinding course; but turning back at the corner, saw a sweet smile in thedistance, and a wave of the hand, that warmed his heart. 

CHAPTER XXIII

LOVE MILITANT

So far so good. But that noble and exalted condition of the youthfulmind which is to itself pure wisdom's zenith, but to folk of coarsematurity and tough experience "calf-love, " superior as it is to wordsand reason, must be left to its own course. The settled resolve of amiddle-aged man, with seven large-appetited children, and an eighthapproaching the shores of light, while baby-linen too often transmittedbetrays a transient texture, and hose has ripened into holes, andbreeches verify their name, and a knock at the door knocks at theheart--the fixed resolution of such a man to strike a bold stroke, forthe sake of his home, is worthier of attention than the flitting fancyof boy and girl, who pop upon one another, and skip through zigzagvernal ecstasy, like the weathery dalliance of gnats. 

Lieutenant Carroway had dealt and done with amorous grace and attitude, soaring rapture, and profundity of sigh, suspense (more agonizing thansuspension), despair, prostration, grinding of the teeth, the hollow andspectral laugh of a heart forever broken, and all the other symptoms ofan annual bill of vitality; and every new pledge of his affectionssped him toward the pledge-shop. But never had he crossed that fatalthreshold; the thought of his uniform and dignity prevailed; and he wasnot so mean as to send a child to do what the father was ashamed of. 

So it was scarcely to be expected that even as a man he shouldsympathize deeply with the tender passion, and far less, as acoast-guardsman, with the wooing of a smuggler. Master Robin Lyth, bythis time, was in the contraband condition known to the authoritiesas love; Carroway had found out this fact; but instead of indulgingin generous emotion, he made up his mind to nab him through it. For hereasoned as follows; and granting that reason has any business on suchpremises, the process does not seem amiss. 

A man in love has only got one-eighth part of his wits at home to governthe doings of his arms, legs, and tongue. A large half is occupiedwith his fancy, in all the wanderings of that creature, dreamy, flimsy, anchoring with gossamer, climbing the sky with steps of fog, cast intoabysms (as great writers call it) by imaginary demons, and even at itsbest in a queer condition, pitiful, yet exceeding proud. A quarter ofthe mental power is employed in wanting to know what the other peoplethink; an eighth part ought to be dwelling upon the fair distractingobject; and only a small eighth can remain to attend to the business ofthe solid day. But in spite of all this, such lads get on about as wellas usual. If Bacchus has a protective power, Venus has no less of it, and possibly is more active, as behooves a female. 

And surely it was a cold-blooded scheme, which even the Revenue shouldhave excised from an honest scale of duties, to catch a poor fellow inthe meshes of love, because he was too sharp otherwise. This, however, was the large idea ripening in the breast of Carroway. 

"To-night I shall have him, " he said to his wife, who was inditing ofsofter things, her eighth confinement, and the shilling she had laidthat it would be a boy this time. "The weather is stormy, yet the fellowmakes love between the showers in a barefaced way. That old fool of atanner knows it, and has no more right feeling than if he were a boy. Aha, my Robin, fine robin as you are, I shall catch you piping withyour Jenny Wren tonight!" The lieutenant shared the popular ignorance ofsimplest natural history. 

"Charles, you never should have told me of it. Where is your feeling forthe days gone by? And as for his coming between the showers, what shouldI have thought of you if you had made a point of bringing your umbrella?My dear, it is wrong. And I beg you, for my sake, not to catch him withhis true love, but only with his tubs. "

"Matilda, your mind is weakened by the coming trial of your nerves. Iwould rather have him with his tubs, of course; they would set us upfor several years, and his silks would come in for your churching. Buteverything can not be as we desire. And he carries large pistols when heis not courting. Do you wish me to be shot, Matilda?"

"Captain Carroway, how little thought you have, to speak to me in thatway! And I felt before dinner that I never should get over it. Oh, whowould have the smugglers on her mind, at such a time?"

"My dear, I beg your pardon. Pray exert your strength of mind, and castsuch thoughts away from you--or perhaps it will be a smuggler. And yetif it were, how much better it would pay!"

"Then I hope it will, Charles; I heartily hope it will be. It wouldserve you quite right to be snaring your own son, after snaring a pooryouth through his sweetheart. "

"Well, well, time will show. Put me up the flat bottle, Tilly, and theknuckle of pork that was left last night. Goodness knows when I shall beback; and I never like to rack my mind upon an empty stomach. "

The revenue officer had far to go, and was wise in providing provender. And the weather being on the fall toward the equinox, and the tidesrunning strong and uncertain, he had made up his mind to fare inland, instead of attempting the watery ways. He felt that he could ride, asevery sailor always feels; and he had a fine horse upon hire from hisbutcher, which the king himself would pay for. The inferior men had beensent ahead on foot, with orders to march along and hold their tongues. And one of these men was John Cadman, the self-same man who haddescended the cliff without any footpath. They were all to be ready, with hanger and pistol, in a hole toward Byrsa Cottage. 

Lieutenant Carroway enjoyed his ride. There are men to whom excitementis an elevation of the sad and slow mind, which otherwise seems to havenothing to do. And what finer excitement can a good mind have thanin balancing the chances of its body tumbling out of the saddle, andevicting its poor self?

The mind of Charles Carroway was wide awake to this, and tenderlyanxious about the bad foot in which its owner ended--because of theimportance of the stirrups--and all the sanguine vigor of the heart(which seemed to like some thumping) conveyed to the seat of reasonlittle more than a wish to be well out of it. The brave lieutenantholding place, and sticking to it through a sense of duty, and of thedifficulty of getting off, remembered to have heard, when quite a littleboy, that a man who gazes steadily between his horse's ears can notpossibly tumble off the back. The saying in its wisdom is akin to thatwhich describes the potency of salt upon a sparrow's tail. 

While Carroway gloomily pounded the road, with reflection a dangerousluxury, things of even deeper interest took their course at the goal ofhis endeavors. Mary Anerley, still an exile in the house of the tanner, by reason of her mother's strict coast-guard, had long been thinkingthat more injustice is done in the world than ought to be; andespecially in the matter of free trade she had imbibed lax opinions, which may not be abhorrent to a tanner's nature, but were mostunbecoming to the daughter of a farmer orthodox upon his own land, andan officer of King's Fencibles. But how did Mary make this change, and upon questions of public policy chop sides, as quickly as a cleverjournal does? She did it in the way in which all women think, whosethoughts are of any value, by allowing the heart to go to work, beingthe more active organ, and create large scenery, into which the temptedmind must follow. To anybody whose life has been saved by anybody else, there should arise not only a fine image of the preserver, but a highsense of the service done to the universe, which must have gone intodeepest mourning if deprived of No. One. And then, almost of necessity, succeeds the investment of this benefactor to the world at large withall the great qualities needed for an exploit so stupendous. He hasdone a great deed, he has proved himself to be gallant, generous, magnanimous; shall I, who exist through his grand nobility, listento his very low enemies? Therefore Robin was an angel now, and hispersecutors must be demons. 

Captain Lyth had not been slow to enter into his good luck. He knew thatMaster Popplewell had a cultivated taste for rare old schnapps, whilethe partner of his life, and labor, and repose, possessed a desirefor the finer kinds of lace. Attending to these points, he was alwayswelcome; and the excellent couple encouraged his affection and liberalgoodwill toward them. But Mary would accept no presents from him, andbehaved for a long time very strangely, and as if she would rather keepout of his way. Yet he managed to keep on running after her, as much asshe managed to run away; for he had been down now into the hold of hisheart, searching it with a dark lantern, and there he had discovered"Mary, " "Mary, " not only branded on the hullage of all things, but thepith and pack of everything; and without any fraud upon charter-party, the cargo entire was "Mary. "

Who can tell what a young maid feels, when she herself is doubtful?Somehow she has very large ideas, which only come up when she begins tothink; and too often, after some very little thing, she exclaims thatall is rubbish. The key-note of her heart is high, and a lot of thingsfall below harmony, and notably (if she is not a stupe), some of herown dear love's expressions before she has made up her soul to love him. This is a hard time for almost any man, who feels his random mind dippedinto with a spirit-gauge and a saccharometer. But in spite of all theseindications, Robin Lyth stuck to himself, which is the right way to getcredit for sticking. 

"Johnny, my dear, " said Deborah Popplewell to her valued husband, justabout the time when bold Carroway was getting hot and sore upon theFiley Road, yet steadily enlarging all the penance of return, "thingsought to be coming to a point, I think. We ought not to let them so begoing on forever. Young people like to be married in the spring; thebirds are singing, and the price of coal goes down. And they ought to beengaged six months at least. We were married in the spring, my dear, theTuesday but one that comes next from Easter-day. There was no lilacout, but there ought to have been, because it was not sunny. And we havenever repented it, you know. "

"Never as long as I live shall I forget that day, " said Popplewell;"they sent me home a suit of clothes as were made for kidney-beansticks. I did want to look nice at church, and crack, crack, crack theywent, and out came all the lining. Debby, I had good legs in those days, and could crunch down bark like brewers' grains. "

"And so you could now, my dear, every bit as well. Scarcely any of theyoung men have your legs. How thankful we ought to be for them--andteeth! But everything seems to be different now, and nobody has anydignity of mind. We sowed broad beans, like a pigeon's foot-tread, outand in, all the way to church. "

"The folk can never do such things now; we must not expect it of suchtimes, my dear. Five-and-forty years ago was ninety times better thanthese days, Debby, except that you and I was steadfast, and mean tobe so to the end, God willing. Lord! what are the lasses that He makesnow?"

"Johnny, they try to look their best; and we must not be hard upon them. Our Mary looks well enow, when she hath a color, though my eyes might 'abeen a brighter blue if I never hadn't took to spectacles. Johnny, I amsure a'most that she is in her love-time. She crieth at night, which isnobody's business; the strings of her night-cap run out of their starch;and there looks like a channel on the pillow, though the sharp younghussy turns it upside down. I shall be upsides with her, if you won't. "

"Certainly it shall be left to you; you are the one to do it best. Youpush her on, and I will stir him up. I will smuggle some schnapps intohis tea to-night, to make him look up bolder; as mild as any milk it is. When I was taken with your cheeks, Debby, and your bit of money, I wasnever that long in telling you. "

"That's true enow, Johnny; you was sarcy. But I'm thinking of thetrouble we may get into over at Anerley about it. "

"I'll carry that, lass. My back's as broad as Stephen's. What more canthey want for her than a fine young fellow, a credit to his business andthe country? Lord! how I hate them rough coast-riders! it wouldn't begood for them to come here. "

"Then they are here, I tell you, and much they care. You seem to me tohave shut your eyes since ever you left off tanning. How many times haveI told you, John, that a sneaking fellow hath got in with Sue? I sawhim with my own eyes last night skulking past the wicket-gate; and thegirl's addle-pate is completely turned. You think her such a wonder, that you won't hearken. But I know the women best, I do. "

"Out of this house she goes, neck and crop, if what you say is true, Deb. Don't say it again, that's a kind, good soul; it spoils my pipe tothink of it. "

Toward sundown Robin Lyth appeared, according to invitation. Dandy ashe generally was, he looked unusually smart this time, with snow-whiteducks and a velvet waistcoat, pumps like a dressing-glass, lace to hisshirt, and a blue coat with gold buttons. His keen eyes glanced aboutfor Mary, and sparkled as soon as she came down; and when he took herhand she blushed, and was half afraid to look at him; for she felt inher heart that he meant to say something, if he could find occasion; buther heart did not tell her what answer she would make, because of herfather's grief and wrath; so she tried to hope that nothing would besaid, and she kept very near her good aunt's apron-string. Such tactics, however, were doomed to defeat. The host and hostess of Byrsa Cottagewere very proud of the tea they gave to any distinguished visitor. Tea was a luxury, being very dear, and although large quantities weresmuggled, the quality was not, like that of other goods so imported, equal or superior to the fair legitimate staple. And Robin, who neverwas shy of his profession, confessed that he could not supply a cup sogood. 

"You shall come and have another out-of-doors, my friend, " said hisentertainer, graciously. "Mary, take the captain's cup to the bower;the rain has cleared off, and the evening will be fine. I will smoke mypipe, and we will talk adventures. Things have happened to me that wouldmake you stare, if I could bring myself to tell them. Ah yes, I havelived in stirring times. Fifty years ago men and women knew their minds;and a dog could eat his dinner without a damask napkin. "

Master Popplewell, who was of a good round form, and tucked his heelsover one another as he walked (which indicates a pleasant self-esteem), now lit his long pipe and marched ahead, carefully gazing to the frontand far away; so that the young folk might have free boot and freehand behind him. That they should have flutters of loving-kindness, andcrafty little breaths of whispering, and extraordinary gifts of justlooking at each other in time not to be looked at again, as well as astrange sort of in and out of feeling, as if they were patterned withthe same zigzag--as the famous Herefordshire graft is made--and aboveall the rest, that they should desire to have no one in the world tolook at them, was to be expected by a clever old codger, a tanner whohad realized a competence, and eaten many "tanner's pies. " The which isa good thing; and so much the better because it costs nothing save thecrust and the coal. But instead of any pretty little goings on such asthis worthy man made room for, to tell the stupid truth, this lad andlass came down the long walk as far apart and as independent of oneanother as two stakes of an espalier. There had not been a word goneamiss between them, nor even a thought the wrong way of the grain; butthe pressure of fear and of prickly expectation was upon them both, andkept them mute. The lad was afraid that he would get "nay, " and the lasswas afraid that she could not give it. 

The bower was quite at the end of the garden, through and beyond thepot-herb part, and upon a little bank which overhung a little lane. Here in this corner a good woman had contrived what women nearly alwaysunderstand the best, a little nook of pleasure and of perfume, after therank ranks of the kitchen-stuff. Not that these are to be disdained; farotherwise; they indeed are the real business; and herein lies true testof skill. But still the flowers may declare that they do smell better. And not only were there flowers here, and little shrubs plantedsprucely, but also good grass, which is always softness, and soothesthe impatient eyes of men. And on this grass there stood, or hung, orflowered, or did whatever it was meant to do, a beautiful weeping-ash, the only one anywhere in that neighborhood. 

"I can't look at skies, and that--have seen too many of them. You youngfolk, go and chirp under the tree. What I want is a little rum andwater. "

With these words the tanner went into his bower, where he kept a goodstore of materials in moss; and the plaited ivy of the narrow entranceshook with his voice, and steps, and the decision of his thoughts. Forhe wanted to see things come to a point, and his only way to do it wasto get quite out of sight. Such fools the young people of the age werenow!

While his thoughts were such, or scarcely any better, his partner inlife came down the walk, with a heap of little things which she thoughtneedful for the preservation of the tanner, and she waddled a little andturned her toes out, for she as well was roundish. 

"Ah, you ought to have Sue. Where is Sue?" said Master Popplewell. "Now come you in out of the way of the wind, Debby; you know how yourback-sinew ached with the darning before last wash. "

Mrs. Popplewell grumbled, but obeyed; for she saw that her lord hadhis reasons. So Mary and Robin were left outside, quite as if they werenothing to any but themselves. Mary was aware of all this manoeuvring, and it brought a little frown upon her pretty forehead, as if shewere cast before the feet of Robin Lyth; but her gentleness prevailed, because they meant her well. Under the weeping-ash there was a littleseat, and the beauty of it was that it would not hold two people. Shesat down upon it, and became absorbed in the clouds that were busy withthe sunset. 

These were very beautiful, as they so often are in the broken weatherof the autumn; but sailors would rather see fair sky, and Robin's fairheaven was in Mary's eyes. At these he gazed with a natural desire tolearn what the symptoms of the weather were; but it seemed as if littlecould be made out there, because everything seemed so lofty: perhapsMary had forgotten his existence. 

Could any lad of wax put up with this, least of all a daring mariner?He resolved to run the cargo of his heart right in, at the risk of allbreakers and drawn cutlasses; and to make a good beginning he came upand took her hand. The tanner in the bower gave approval with a cough, like Cupid with a sneeze; then he turned it to a snore. 

"Mary, why do you carry on like this?" the smuggler inquired, in a verygentle voice. "I have done nothing to offend you, have I? That would bethe last thing I would ever do. "

"Captain Lyth, you are always very good; you never should think suchthings of me. I am just looking at a particular cloud. And who ever saidthat you might call me 'Mary'?"

"Perhaps the particular cloud said so; but you must have been the cloudyourself, for you told me only yesterday. "

"Then I will never say another word about it; but people should not takeadvantage. "

"Who are people? How you talk! quite as if I were somebody you never sawbefore. I should like you just to look round now, and let me see why youare so different from yourself. "

Mary Anerley looked round; for she always did what people liked, withoutgood reason otherwise; and if her mind was full of clouds, her eyes hadlittle sign of them. 

"You look as lovely as you always do, " said the smuggler, growing bolderas she looked at something else. "You know long ago what my opinion ofyou is, and yet you seem to take no notice. Now I must be off, as youknow, to-night; not for any reason of my own, as I told you yesterday, but to carry out a contract. I may not see you for many months again;and you may fall in love with a Preventive man. "

"I never fall in love with anybody. Why should I go from one extreme tothe other? Captain Carroway has seven children, as well as a very activewife. "

"I am not afraid of Carroway, in love or in war. He is an honest fellow, with no more brains than this ash-tree over us. I mean the dashingcaptains who come in with their cutters, and would carry you off as soonas look. "

"Captain Lyth, you are not at all considering what you say: thoseofficers do not want me--they want you. "

"Then they shall get neither; they may trust me for that. But, Mary, dotell me how your heart is; you know well how mine has been for ever sucha time. I tell you downright that I have thought of girls before--"

"Oh, I was not at all aware of that; surely you had better go on withthinking of them. "

"You have not heard me out. I have only thought of them; nothing morethan thinking, in a foolish sort of way. But of you I do not think; Iseem to feel you all through me. "

"What sort of a sensation do I seem to be? A foolish one, I suppose, like all those many others. "

"No, not at all. A very wise one; a regular knowledge that I can notlive without you; a certainty that I could only mope about a little--"

"And not run any more cargoes on the coast?"

"Not a single tub, nor a quarter bale of silk; except, of course, whatis under contract now; and, if you should tell me that you can not careabout me--"

"Hush! I am almost sure that I hear footsteps. Listen, just a moment. "

"No, I will not listen to any one in the world but you. I beg you not totry to put me off. Think of the winter, and the long time coming; sayif you will think of me. I must allow that I am not, like you, of arespectable old family. The Lord alone knows where I came from, or whereI may go to. My business is a random and up-and-down one, but no one cancall it disreputable; and if you went against it, I would throw it up. There are plenty of trades that I can turn my hand to; and I will turnit to anything you please, if you will only put yours inside it. Mary, only let me have your hand; and you need not say anything unless youlike. "

"But I always do like to say something, when things are brought beforeme so. I have to consider my father, and my mother, and others belongingto me. It is not as if I were all alone, and could do exactly as Ipleased. My father bears an ill-will toward free trade; and my motherhas made bad bargains, when she felt sure of very good ones. "

"I know that there are rogues about, " Robin answered, with a judicialfrown; "but foul play never should hurt fair play; and we haulthem through the water when we catch them. Your father is terriblyparticular, I know, and that is the worst thing there can be; but I donot care a groat for all objections, Mary, unless the objection beginswith you. I am sure by your eyes, and your pretty lips and forehead, that you are not the one to change. If once any lucky fellow wins yourheart, he will have it--unless he is a fool--forever. I can do mostthings, but not that, or you never would be thinking about the otherpeople. What would anybody be to me in comparison with you, if I onlyhad the chance? I would kick them all to Jericho. Can you see it in thatway? can you get hot every time you think of me?"

"Really, " said Mary, looking very gently at him, because of his seriousexcitement, "you are very good, and very brave, and have done wondersfor me; but why should I get hot?"

"No, I suppose it is not to be expected. When I am in great peril I growhot, and tingle, and am alive all over. Men of a loftier courage growcold; it depends upon the constitution; but I enjoy it more than theydo, and I can see things ten times quicker. Oh, how I wish I was Nelson!how he must enjoy himself!"

"But if you have love of continual danger, and eagerness to be alwaysat it, " said Mary, with wide Yorkshire sense, much as she admired thisheroic type, "the proper thing for you to do is to lead a single life. You might be enjoying all the danger very much; but what would your wifeat home be doing? Only to knit, and sigh, and lie awake. "

Mary made a bad hit here. This picture was not at all deterrent; sodaring are young men, and so selfish. 

"Nothing of that sort should ever come to pass, " cried Robin, with thegaze of the head of a household, "supposing only that my wife was you. I would be home regularly every night before the kitchen clock struckeight. I would always come home with an appetite, and kiss you, and doboth my feet upon the scraper. I would ask how the baby was, and carryhim about, and go 'one, two, three, ' as the nurses do, I would quiteleave the government to put on taxes, and pay them--if I could--withouta word of grumble. I would keep every rope about the house in order, asonly a sailor knows how to do, and fettle my own mending, and carry outmy orders, and never meddle with the kitchen, at least unless my opinionwas sought for concerning any little thing that might happen to be meantfor me. "

"Well, " exclaimed Mary, "you quite take my breath away. I had no ideathat you were so clever. In return for all these wonders, what shouldpoor I have to do?"

"Poor I would only have to say just once, 'Robin, I will have you, andbegin to try to love you. '"

"I am afraid that it has been done long ago; and the thing that I oughtto do is to try and help it. "

What happened upon this it would be needless to report, and not onlyneedless, but a vast deal worse--shabby, interloping, meddlesome andmean, undignified, unmanly, and disreputably low; for even the tannerand his wife (who must have had right to come forward, if anybody had)felt that their right was a shadow, and kept back as if they were ahundred miles away, and took one another by the hand and nodded, as muchas to say: "You remember how we did it; better than that, my dear. Hereis your good health. "

This being so, and the time so sacred to the higher emotions, eventhe boldest intruder should endeavor to check his ardor for intrusion. Without any inkling of Preventive Force, Robin and Mary, having oncedone away with all that stood between them, found it very difficult tobe too near together; because of all the many things that each had forto say. They seemed to get into an unwise condition of longing to knowmatters that surely could not matter. When did each of them first feelsure of being meant only for the other nobler one? At first sight, ofcourse, and with a perfect gift of seeing how much loftier each wasthan the other; and what an extraordinary fact it was that in everythingimaginable they were quite alike, except in the palpable certaintypossessed by each of the betterness of the other. What an age it seemedsince first they met, positively without thinking, and in the verymiddle of a skirmish, yet with a remarkable drawing out of perceptionsone anotherward! Did Mary feel this, when she acted so cleverly, andled away those vile pursuers? and did Robin, when his breath came back, discover why his heart was glowing in the rabbit-hole? Questions of suchdepth can not be fathomed in a moment; and even to attempt to do anyjustice to them, heads must be very long laid together. Not only so, butalso it is of prime necessity to make sure that every whisper goes intothe proper ear, and abides there only, and every subtlety of glance, andevery nicety of touch, gets warm with exclusive reciprocity. It isnot too much to say that in so sad a gladness the faculties ofself-preservation are weak, when they ought to be most active; thereforeit should surprise nobody (except those who are so far above allsurprise) to become aware that every word they said, and everything(even doubly sacred) that they did, was well entered into, andthoroughly enjoyed, by a liberal audience of family-minded men, who hadbeen through pretty scenes like this, and quietly enjoyed dry memory. 

Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody were in comfortable places ofretirement, just under the combing of the hedge; all waiting for awhistle, yet at leisure to enjoy the whisper, the murmur, or even thesigh, of a genuine piece of "sweet-hearting. " Unjust as it may be, andhard, and truly narrow, there does exist in the human mind, or at leastin the masculine half of it, a strong conviction that a man in love is aman in a scrape, in a hole, in a pitfall, in a pitiful condition, untrue for the moment to the brotherhood of man, and cast down among theinferior vessels. And instead of being sorry for him, those who are allright look down, and glory over him, with very ancient gibes. So thesethree men, instead of being touched at heart by soft confessions, laidhard hands to wrinkled noses. 

"Mary, I vow to you, as I stand here, " said Robin, for the fiftiethtime, leading her nearer to the treacherous hedge, as he pressed hertrembling hand, and gazed with deep ecstasy into her truthful eyes, "Iwill live only to deserve you, darling. I will give up everything andeverybody in the world, and start afresh. I will pay king's duty uponevery single tub; and set up in the tea and spirit line, with hisMajesty's arms upon the lintel. I will take a large contract for theroyal navy, who never get anything genuine, and not one of them everknows good from bad--"

"That's a dirty lie, Sir. In the king's name I arrest you. "

Lieutenant Carroway leaped before them, flourishing a long sword, anddancing with excitement, in this the supreme moment of his life. At thesame instant three men came bursting through the hedge, drew hangers, and waited for orders. Robin Lyth, in the midst of his love, was soamazed, that he stood like a boy under orders to be caned. 

"Surrender, Sir! Down with your arms; you are my prisoner. Strike to hisMajesty. Hands to your side! or I run you through like Jack Robinson!Keep back, men. He belongs to me. "

But Carroway counted his chicks too soon; or at any rate he overlookeda little chick. For while he was making fine passes (having learned therudiments of swordsmanship beyond other British officers), and just ashe was executing a splendid flourish, upon his bony breast lay Mary. Sheflung her arms round him, so that move he could not without grievouslytearing her; and she managed, in a very wicked way, to throw the wholeweight of two bodies on his wounded heel. A flash of pain shot up to hisvery sword; and down he went, with Mary to protect him, or at any rateto cover him. His three men, like true Britons, stood in position, andwaited for their officer to get up and give orders. 

These three men showed such perfect discipline that Robin was invited toknock them down, as if they had simply been three skittles in a row;he recovered his presence of mind and did it; and looking back at Mary, received signal to be off. Perceiving that his brave love would takeno harm--for the tanner was come forth blustering loudly, and Mrs. Popplewell with shrieks and screams enough to prevent the wholePreventive Service--the free-trader kissed his hand to Mary, and waslost through the bushes, and away into the dark. 

CHAPTER XXIV

LOVE PENITENT

"I tell you, Captain Anerley, that she knocked me down. Your daughterthere, who looks as if butter would not melt in her mouth, knocked downCommander Carroway of his Majesty's coastguard, like a royal Bengaltiger, Sir. I am not come to complain; such an action I would scorn; andI admire the young lady for her spirit, Sir. My sword was drawn; no mancould have come near me; but before I could think, Sir, I was lying onmy back. Do you call that constitutional?"

"Mary, lof, however could you think it--to knock down Captain Carroway?"

"Father, I never did. He went down of himself, because he wasflourishing about so. I never thought what I was doing of at all. Andwith all my heart I beg his pardon. What right had you, Sir, to comespying after me?"

This interview was not of the common sort. Lieutenant Carroway, in fulluniform, was come to Anerley Farm that afternoon; not for a moment tocomplain of Mary, but to do his duty, and to put things straight; whileMary had insisted upon going home at once from the hospitable house ofUncle Popplewell, who had also insisted upon going with her, and takinghis wife to help the situation. 

A council had been called immediately, with Mistress Anerley presiding;and before it had got beyond the crying stage, in marched the bravelieutenant. 

Stephen Anerley was reserving his opinion--which generally means thatthere is none yet to reserve--but in his case there would be a greatdeal by-and-by. Master Popplewell had made up his mind and his wife's, long ago, and confirmed it in the one-horse shay, while Mary was ridingLord Keppel in the rear; and the mind of the tanner was as tough as goodoak bark. His premises had been intruded upon--the property which he hadbought with his own money saved by years of honest trade, his privategarden, his ornamental bower, his wife's own pleasure-plot, at a sacredmoment invaded, trampled, and outraged by a scurvy preventive-man andhis low crew. The first thing he had done to the prostrate Carroway wasto lay hold of him by the collar, and shake his fist at him and demandhis warrant--a magistrate's warrant, or from the crown itself. The poorlieutenant having none to show, "Then I will have the law of you, Sir, "the tanner shouted; "if it costs me two hundred and fifty pounds. Iam known for a man, Sir, who sticks to his word; and my attorney is agenuine bulldog. "

This had frightened Carroway more than fifty broadsides. Truly he lovedfighting; but the boldest sailor bears away at prospect of an action atlaw. Popplewell saw this, and stuck to his advantage, and vowed, untilbed-time, satisfaction he would have; and never lost the sight of ituntil he fell asleep. 

Even now it was in his mind, as Carroway could see; his eyebrows meantit, and his very surly nod, and the way in which he put his hands fardown into his pockets. The poor lieutenant, being well aware that zealhad exceeded duty (without the golden amnesty of success), and findingout that Popplewell was rich and had no children, did his very best tolook with real pleasure at him, and try to raise a loftier feeling inhis breast than damages. But the tanner only frowned, and squared hiselbows, and stuck his knuckles sharply out of both his breeches pockets. And Mrs. Popplewell, like a fat and most kind-hearted lady, stared atthe officer as if she longed to choke him. 

"I tell you again, Captain Anerley, " cried the lieutenant, with histemper kindling, "that no consideration moved me, Sir, except that ofduty. As for my spying after any pretty girls, my wife, who is now downwith her eighth baby, would get up sooner than hear of it. If I intrudedupon your daughter, so as to justify her in knocking me down, CaptainAnerley, it was because--well I won't say, Mary, I won't say; we haveall been young; and our place is to know better. "

"Sir, you are a gentleman, " cried Popplewell with heat; "here ismy hand, and you may trespass on my premises, without bringing anyattorney. "

"Did you say her eighth baby? Oh, Commander Carroway, " Mrs. Popplewellbegan to whisper; "what a most interesting situation! Oh, I see why youhave such high color, Sir. "

"Madam, it is enough to make me pale. At the same time I do likesympathy; and my dear wife loves the smell of tan. "

"We have retired, Sir, many years ago, and purchased a property near theseaside; and from the front gate you must have seen--But oh, I forgot, captain, you came through the hedge, or at any rate down the row ofkidney-beans. "

"I want to know the truth, " shouted Stephen Anerley, who had beenploughing through his brow into his brain, while he kept his eyesfixed upon his daughter's, and there found abashment, but no abasement;"naught have I to do with any little goings on, or whether an action wasa gentleman's or not. That question belongs to the regulars, I wand, orto the folk who have retired. Nobbut a farmer am I, in little business;but concerning of my children I will have my say. All of you tell mewhat is this about my Mary. "

As if he would drag their thoughts out of them, he went from one toanother with a hard quick glance, which they all tried to shun; for theydid not want to tell until he should get into a better frame of mind. And they looked at Mistress Anerley, to come forth and take his edgeoff; but she knew that when his eyes were so, to interfere was mischief. But Carroway did not understand the man. 

"Come, now, Anerley, " the bold lieutenant said; "what are you gettinginto such a way about? I would sooner have lost the hundred pounds twiceover, and a hundred of my own--if so be I ever had it--than get littleMary into such a row as this. Why, Lord bless my heart, one would thinkthat there was murder in a little bit of sweethearting. All pretty girlsdo it; and the plain ones too. Come and smoke a pipe, my good fellow, and don't terrify her. "

For Mary was sobbing in a corner by herself, without even her mother tocome up and say a word. 

"My daughter never does it, " answered Stephen Anerley; "my daughter isnot like the foolish girls and women. My daughter knows her mind; andwhat she does she means to do. Mary, lof, come to your father, and tellhim that every one is lying of you. Sooner would I trust a single quietword of yours, than a pile, as big as Flambro Head, sworn by all theworld together against my little Mary. "

The rest of them, though much aggrieved by such a bitter calumny, heldtheir peace, and let him go with open arms toward his Mary. The farmersmiled, that his daughter might not have any terror of his public talk;and because he was heartily expecting her to come and tell him sometrifle, and be comforted, and then go for a good happy cry, while heshut off all her enemies. 

But instead of any nice work of that nature, Mary Anerley arose andlooked at the people in the room--which was their very best, and by nomeans badly furnished--and after trying to make out, as a very triflingmatter, what their unsettled minds might be, her eyes came home to herfather's, and did not flinch, although they were so wet. 

Master Anerley, once and forever, knew that his daughter was gone fromhim. That a stronger love than one generation can have for the onebefore it--pure and devoted and ennobling as that love is--now hadarisen, and would force its way. He did not think it out like that, for his mind was not strictly analytic--however his ideas were to thateffect, which is all that need be said about them. 

"Every word of it is true, " the girl said, gently; "father, I havedone every word of what they say, except about knocking down CaptainCarroway. I have promised to marry Robin Lyth, by-and-by, when you agreeto it. "

Stephen Anerley's ruddy cheeks grew pale, and his blue eyes glitteredwith amazement. He stared at his daughter till her gaze gave way; andthen he turned to his wife, to see whether she had heard of it. "I toldyou so, " was all she said; and that tended little to comfort him. But hebroke forth into no passion, as he might have done with justice and somebenefit, but turned back quietly and looked at his Mary, as if he weresaying, once for all, "good-by. "

"Oh, don't, father, don't, " the girl answered with a sob; "revile me, orbeat me, or do anything but that. That is more than I can bear. "

"Have I ever reviled you? Have I ever beaten you?"

"Never--never once in all my life. But I beg you--I implore of you to doit now. Oh, father, perhaps I have deserved it. "

"You know best what you deserve. But no bad word shall you have of me. Only you must be careful for the future never to call me 'father. '"

The farmer forgot all his visitors, and walked, without looking atanybody, toward the porch. Then that hospitable spot re-awakened hisgood manners, and he turned and smiled as if he saw them all sittingdown to something juicy. 

"My good friends, make yourselves at home, " he said; "the mistress willsee to you while I look round. I shall be back directly, and we willhave an early supper. "

But when he got outside, and was alone with earth and sky, big tearsarose into his brave blue eyes, and he looked at his ricks, and hisworkmen in the distance, and even at the favorite old horse thatwhinnied and came to have his white nose rubbed, as if none of thembelonged to him ever any more. "A' would sooner have heard of brokenbank, " he muttered to himself and to the ancient horse, "fifty timessooner, and begin the world anew, only to have Mary for a little childagain. "

As the sound of his footsteps died away, the girl hurried out of theroom, as if she were going to run after him; but suddenly stopped inthe porch, as she saw that he scarcely even cared to feel the cheek ofLightfoot, who made a point of rubbing up his master's whiskers with it, "Better wait, and let him come round, " thought Mary; "I never didsee him so put out. " Then she ran up the stairs to the window on thelanding, and watched her dear father grow dimmer and dimmer up thedistance of the hill, with a bright young tear for every sad old step. 

CHAPTER XXV

DOWN AMONG THE DEAD WEEDS

Can it be supposed that all this time Master Geoffrey Mordacks, of thecity of York, land agent, surveyor, and general factor, and maker anddoer of everything whether general or particular, was spending his daysin doing nothing, and his nights in dreaming? If so, he must have hada sunstroke on that very bright day of the year when he stirred upthe minds of the washer-women, and the tongue of Widow Precious. ButFlamborough is not at all the place for sunstroke, although it reflectsso much in whitewash; neither had Mordacks the head to be sunstruck, buta hard, impenetrable, wiry poll, as weather-proof as felt asphalted. Atfirst sight almost everybody said that he must have been a soldier, at atime when soldiers were made of iron, whalebone, whip-cord, and ramrods. Such opinions he rewarded with a grin, and shook his straight shouldersstraighter. If pride of any sort was not beneath him, as a matter ofstrict business, it was the pride which he allowed his friends to takein his military figure and aspect. 

This gentleman's place of business was scarcely equal to theexpectations which might have been formed from a view of the owner. Theold King's Staith, on the right hand after crossing Ouse Bridge fromthe Micklegate, is a passageway scarcely to be called a street, butcombining the features of an alley, a lane, a jetty, a quay, and abarge-walk, and ending ignominiously. Nevertheless, it is a lively placesometimes, and in moments of excitement. Also it is a good place forbusiness, and for brogue of the broadest; and a man who is unable to behappy there, must have something on his mind unusual. Geoffrey Mordackshad nothing on his mind except other people's business; which (as inthe case of Lawyer Jellicorse) is a very favorable state of the humanconstitution for happiness. 

But though Mr. Mordacks attended so to other people's business, he wouldnot have anybody to attend to his. No partner, no clerk, no pupil, hada hand in the inner breast pockets of his business; there was nothingmysterious about his work, but he liked to follow it out alone. Thingsthat were honest and wise came to him to be carried out with judgment;and he knew that the best way to carry them out is to act with discreetcandor. For the slug shall be known by his slime; and the spider whoshams death shall receive it. 

Now here, upon a very sad November afternoon, when the Northern daywas narrowing in; and the Ouse, which is usually of a ginger-color, was nearly as dark as a nutmeg; and the bridge, and the staith, and thehouses, and the people, resembled one another in tint and tone; whilebetween the Minster and the Clifford Tower there was not much differenceof outline--here and now Master Geoffrey Mordacks was sitting inthe little room where strangers were received. The live part of hishousehold consisted of his daughter, and a very young Geoffrey, who didmore harm than good, and a thoroughly hard-working country maid, whoseslowness was gradually giving way to pressure. 

The weather was enough to make anybody dull, and the sap of every humanthing insipid; and the time of day suggested tea, hot cakes, and thecrossing of comfortable legs. Mordacks could well afford all these goodthings, and he never was hard upon his family; but every day he likedto feel that he had earned the bread of it, and this day he had laboredwithout seeming to earn anything. For after all the ordinary business ofthe morning, he had been devoting several hours to the diligent revisalof his premises and data, in a matter which he was resolved to carrythrough, both for his credit and his interest. And this was the matterwhich had cost him two days' ride, from York to Flamborough, and threedays on the road home, as was natural after such a dinner as he madein little Denmark. But all that trouble he would not have minded, especially after his enjoyment of the place, if it had only borne goodfruit. He had felt quite certain that it must do this, and that he wouldhave to pay another visit to the Head, and eat another duck, and have aflirt with Widow Precious. 

But up to the present time nothing had come of it, and so far as hecould see he might just as well have spared himself that long roughride. Three months had passed, and that surely was enough for evenFlamborough folk to do something, if they ever meant to do it. It wasplain that he had been misled for once, that what he suspected hadnot come to pass, and that he must seek elsewhere the light whichhad gleamed upon him vainly from the Danish town. To this end he wentthrough all his case again, while hope (being very hard to beat, asusual) kept on rambling over everything unsettled, with a very sageconviction that there must be something there, and doubly sure, becausethere was no sign of it. 

Men at the time of life which he had reached, conducting their bodieswith less suppleness of joint, and administering food to them withgreater care, begin to have doubts about their intellect as well, whether it can work as briskly as it used to do. And the mind, fallingunder this discouragement of doubt, asserts itself amiss, in makingfutile strokes, even as a gardener can never work his best whileconscious of suspicious glances through the window-blinds. GeoffreyMordacks told himself that it could not be the self it used to be, inthe days when no mistakes were made, but everything was evident at halfa glance, and carried out successfully with only half a hand. In thisFlamborough matter he had felt no doubt of running triumphantly through, and being crowned with five hundred pounds in one issue of the case, andfive thousand in the other. But lo! here was nothing. And he must reply, by the next mail, that he had made a sad mistake. 

Suddenly, while he was rubbing his wiry head with irritation, and poringover his letters for some clew, like a dunce going back through hispot-hooks, suddenly a great knock sounded through the house--one, two, three--like the thumping of a mallet on a cask, to learn whether anybeer may still be hoped for. 

"This must be a Flamborough man, " cried Master Mordacks, jumping up;"that is how I heard them do it; they knock the doors, instead ofknocking at them. It would be a very strange thing just now if news wereto come from Flamborough; but the stranger a thing is, the more it canbe trusted, as often is the case with human beings. Whoever it is, showthem up at once, " he shouted down the narrow stairs; for no small noisewas arising in the passage. 

"A' canna coom oop. I wand a' canna, " was the answer in Kitty'swell-known brogue; "how can a', when a' hanna got naa legs?"

"Oh ho! I see, " said Mr. Mordacks to himself; "my veteran friend fromthe watch-tower, doubtless. A man with no legs would not have come sofar for nothing. Show the gentleman into the parlor, Kitty; and MissArabella may bring her work up here. "

The general factor, though eager for the news, knew better than toshow any haste about it; so he kept the old mariner just long enough inwaiting to damp a too covetous ardor, and then he complacently lockedArabella in her bedroom, and bolted off Kitty in the basement; becausethey both were sadly inquisitive, and this strange arrival had excitedthem. 

"Ah, mine ancient friend of the tower! Veteran Joseph, if my memory isright, " Mr. Mordacks exclaimed, in his lively way, as he went up andoffered the old tar both hands, to seat him in state upon the sofa; butthe legless sailor condemned "them swabs, " and crutched himself intoa hard-bottomed chair. Then he pulled off his hat, and wiped his whitehead with a shred of old flag, and began hunting for his pipe. 

"First time I ever was in York city; and don't think much of it, if thishere is a sample. "

"Joseph, you must not be supercilious, " his host replied, with anamiable smile; "you will see things better through a glass of grog; andthe state of the weather points to something dark. You have had along journey, and the scenery is new. Rum shall it be, my friend? Yourcountenance says 'yes. ' Rum, like a ruby of the finest water, have I;and no water shall you have with it. Said I well? A man without legsmust keep himself well above water. "

"First time I ever was in York city, " the ancient watchman answered, "and grog must be done as they does it here. A berth on them old wallswould suit me well; and no need to travel such a distance for my beer. "

"And you would be the man of all the world for such a berth, " saidMaster Mordacks, gravely, as he poured the sparkling liquor into a glassthat was really a tumbler; "for such a post we want a man who is himselfa post; a man who will not quit his duty, just because he can not, whichis the only way of making sure. Joseph, your idea is a very good one, and your beer could be brought to you at the middle of each watch. Ihave interest; you shall be appointed. "

"Sir, I am obligated to you, " said the watchman; "but never could I livea month without a wink of sea-stuff. The coming of the clouds, and thedipping of the land, and the waiting of the distance for what may cometo be in it; let alone how they goes changing of their color, and makingof a noise that is always out of sight: it is the very same as my beeris to me. Master, I never could get on without it. "

"Well, I can understand a thing like that, " Mordacks answered, graciously; "my water-butt leaked for three weeks, pat, pat, all nightlong upon a piece of slate, and when a man came and caulked it up, I putall the blame upon the pillow; but the pillow was as good as ever. Not awink could I sleep till it began to leak again; and you may trust aYork workman that it wasn't very long. But, Joseph, I have interest atScarborough also. The castle needs a watchman for fear of tumbling down;and that is not the soldiers' business, because they are inside. Thereyou could have quantities of sea-stuff, my good friend; and the tap atthe Hooked Cod is nothing to it there. Cheer up, Joseph, we will landyou yet. How the devil did you manage, now, to come so far?"

"Well, now, your honor, I had rare luck for it, as I must say, eversince I set eyes on you. There comes a son of mine as I thought werelost at sea; but not he, blow me! nearly all of him come back, with ahandful of guineas, and the memory of his father. Lord! I could havecried; and he up and blubbered fairly, a trick as he learned from tenFrenchmen he had killed. Ah! he have done his work well, and aimed agood conduck--fourpence-halfpenny a day, so long as ever he shall livehereafter. "

"In this world you mean, I suppose, my friend; but be not overcome; suchthings will happen. But what did you do with all that money, Joseph?"

"We never wasted none of it, not half a groat, Sir. We finished out thecellar at the Hooked Cod first; and when Mother Precious made agrumble of it, we gave her the money for to fill it up again, uponthe understanding to come back when it was ready; and then we went toBurlington, and spent the rest in poshays like two gentlemen; and whenwe was down upon our stumps at last, for only one leg there is betweenus both, your honor, my boy he ups and makes a rummage in his traps;which the Lord he put it into his mind to do so, when he were gone afew good sheets in the wind; and there sure enough he finds five goodguineas in the tail of an old hankercher he had clean forgotten; andhe says, 'Now, father, you take care of them. Let us go and see thecapital, and that good gentleman, as you have picked up a bit of newsfor. ' So we shaped a course for York, on board the schooner Mary Anne, and from Goole in a barge as far as this here bridge; and here we are, high and dry, your honor. I was half a mind to bring in my boy Bob; buthe saith, 'Not without the old chap axes;' and being such a noisy one, I took him at his word; though he hath found out what there was tofind--not me. "

"How noble a thing is parental love!" cried the general factor, inhis hard, short way, which made many people trust him, because it wasunpleasant; "and filial duty of unfathomable grog! Worthy Joseph, letyour narrative proceed. "

"They big words is beyond me, Sir. What use is any man to talk over achap's head?"

"Then, dash your eyes, go on, Joe. Can you understand that, now?"

"Yes, Sir, I can, and I likes a thing put sensible. If the gentlemenwould always speak like that, there need be no difference atween us. Well, it was all along of all that money-bag of Bob's that he and Ifound out anything. What good were your guinea? Who could stand treaton that more than a night or two, and the right man never near you? Butwhen you keep a good shop open for a month, as Bob and me did with WidowTapsy, it standeth to reason that you must have everybody, to be calledat all respectable, for miles and miles around. For the first few nightsor so some on 'em holds off--for an old chalk against them, or for doubtof what is forrard, or for cowardliness of their wives, or things theymay have sworn to stop, or other bad manners. But only go on a littlelonger, and let them see that you don't care, and send everybody homea-singing through the lanes as merry as a voting-time for Parliament, and the outer ones begins to shake their heads, and to say that they arebound to go, and stop the racket of it. And so you get them all, yourhonor, saints as well as sinners, if you only keeps the tap turned longenough. "

"Your reasoning is ingenious, Joseph, and shows a deep knowledge ofhuman nature. But who was this tardy saint that came at last for grog?"

"Your honor, he were as big a sinner as ever you clap eyes on. Me and myson was among the sawdust, spite of our three crutches, and he spreadinghands at us, sober as a judge, for lumps of ungenerous iniquity. MotherTapsy told us of it, the very next day, for it was not in our power tobe ackirate when he done it, and we see everybody laffing at us roundthe corner. But we took the wind out of his sails the next night, captain, you may warrant us. Here's to your good health, Sir, afore Ibeats to win'ard. "

"Why, Joseph, you seem to be making up lost way for years of taciturnityin the tower. They say there is a balance in all things. "

"We had the balance of him next night, and no mistake, your honor. He was one of them 'longshore beggars as turns up here, there, andeverywhere, galley-raking, like a stinking ray-fish when the tide goesout; thundering scoundrels that make a living of it, pushing out forroguery with their legs tucked up; no courage for smuggling, nor honestenough, they goes on anyhow with their children paid for. We foundout what he were, and made us more ashamed, for such a sneaking rat topreach upon us, like a regular hordinated chaplain, as might say a wordor two and mean no harm, with the license of the Lord to do it. So myson Bob and me called a court-martial in the old tower, so soon as wecome round; and we had a red herring, because we was thirsty, and wechawed a bit of pigtail to keep it down. At first we was glum; but wegot our peckers up, as a family is bound to do when they comes together. My son Bob was a sharp lad in his time, and could read in Holy Scripterafore he chewed a quid; and I see'd a good deal of it in his mind now, remembering of King Solomon. 'Dad, ' he says, 'fetch out that bottle aswas left of French white brandy, and rouse up a bit of fire in the oldport-hole. We ain't got many toes to warm between us'--only five, yousee, your worship--'but, ' says he, 'we'll warm up the currents wherethey used to be. '

"According to what my son said, I done; for he leadeth me now, beingyounger of the two, and still using half of a shoemaker. However, I saysto him, 'Warm yourself; it don't lay in my power to do that for you. ' Henever said nothing; for he taketh after me, in tongue and other likings;but he up with the kettle on the fire, and put in about a fathom anda half of pigtail. 'So?' says I; and he says, 'So!' and we both of usbegan to laugh, as long and as gentle as a pair of cockles, with theirtongues inside their shells. 

"Well, your honor understands; I never spake so much before since everI pass my coorting-time. We boiled down the pigtail to a pint of tidysoup, and strained it as bright as sturgeon juice; then we got a bottlewith 'Navy Supply' on a bull's-eye in the belly of it; and we filledit with the French white brandy, and the pigtail soup, and a noggin ofmolasses, and shook it all up well together; and a better contract-rum, your honor, never come into high admiral's stores. "

"But, Joseph, good Joseph, " cried Mr. Mordacks, "do forge ahead a littlefaster. Your private feelings, and the manufacture of them, are highlyinteresting to you; but I only want to know what came of it. "

"Your honor is like a child hearing of a story; you wants the end first, and the middle of it after; but I bowls along with a hitch and a squirt, from habit of fo'castle: and the more you crosses hawse, the wider Ishall head about, or down helm and bear off, mayhap. I can hear my Boba-singing: what a voice he hath! They tell me it cometh from the timberof his leg; the same as a old Cremony. He tuned up a many times inyonder old barge, and shook the brown water, like a frigate's wake. Hewould just make our fortin in the Minister, they said, with Black-eyedSusan and Tom Bowline. "

"Truly, he has a magnificent voice: what power, what compass, what arich clear tone! In spite of the fog I will have the window up. "

Geoffrey Mordacks loved good singing, the grandest of all melody, and, impatient as he was, he forgot all hurry; while the river, and thebuildings, and the arches of the bridge, were ringing, and echoing, andsweetly embosoming the mellow delivery of the one-legged tar. And oldJoe was highly pleased, although he would not show it, at such an effectupon a man so hard and dry. 

"Now, your honor, it is overbad of you, " he continued, with a softeninggrin, "to hasten me so, and then to hear me out o' window, because Bobhath a sweeter pipe. Ah, he can whistle like a blackbird, too, and gaina lot of money; but there, what good? He sacrifices it all to the honorof his heart, first maggot that cometh into it; and he done the verysame with Rickon Goold, the Methody galley-raker. We never was so softywhen I were afloat. But your honor shall hear, and give judgment foryourself. 

"Mother Precious was ready in her mind to run out a double-shotted gunat Rickon, who liveth down upon the rabbit-warren, to the other sideof Bempton, because he scarcely ever doth come nigh her; and when hedo come, he putteth up both bands, to bless her for hospitality, butneither of them into his breeches pocket. And being a lone woman, shedoth feel it. Bob and me gave her sailing orders--'twould amaze you, captain; all was carried out as ship-shape as the battle of the Nile. There was Rickon Goold at anchor, with a spring upon his cable, havingbeen converted; and he up and hailed that he would slip, at the veryfirst bad word we used. My son hath such knowledge of good words thathe, answered, 'Amen, so be it. '

"Well, your honor, we goes on decorous, as our old quartermaster used togive the word; and we tried him first with the usual tipple, and severalother hands dropped in. But my son and me never took a blessed drop, except from a gin-bottle full of cold water, till we see all the otherswith their scuppers well awash. Then Bob he findeth fault--Lor' howbeautiful he done it!--with the scantling of the stuff; and he shoutethout, 'Mother, I'm blest if I won't stand that old guinea bottle ofbest Jamaica, the one as you put by, with the cobwebs on it, for LordAdmiral. No Lord Admiral won't come now. Just you send away, and hoistit up. '

"Rickon Goold pricked up his ugly ears at this; and Mother Tapsy did itbootiful. And to cut a long yarn short, we spliced him, captain, withnever a thought of what would come of it; only to have our revenge, yourhonor. He showed himself that greedy of our patent rum, that he neverlet the bottle out of his own elbow, and the more he stowed away, themore his derrick chains was creaking; but if anybody reasoned, there hestood upon his rights, and defied every way of seeing different, untilwe was compelled to take and spread him down, in the little room withsea-weeds over it. 

"With all this, Bob and me was as sober as two judges, though your honorwould hardly believe it, perhaps; but we left him in the dark, to comeround upon the weeds, as a galley-raker ought to do. And now we beganto have a little drop ourselves, after towing the prize into port, andrecovering the honor of the British navy; and we stood all round toevery quarter of the compass, with the bottom of the locker still notcome to shallow soundings. But sudden our harmony was spoiled by ascream, like a whistle from the very bottom of the sea. 

"We all of us jumped up, as if a gun had broke its lashings; and thelast day of judgment was the thoughts of many bodies; but Bob he down atonce with his button-stump gun-metal, and takes the command of the wholeof us. 'Bear a hand, all on you, ' he saith, quite steadfast; 'RickonGoold is preaching to his own text to-night. ' And so a' was, sureenough; so a' was, your honor. 

"We thought he must have died, although he managed to claw off of it, with confessing of his wickedness, and striking to his Maker. All ofus was frightened so, there was no laugh among us, till we come to talkover it afterward. There the thundering rascal lay in the middle of thatthere mangerie of sea-stuff, as Mother Precious is so proud of, that thevillage calleth it the 'Widow's Weeds. ' Blest if he didn't think thathe were a-lying at the bottom of the sea, among the stars and cuttles, waiting for the day of judgment!

"'Oh, Captain McNabbins, and Mate Govery, ' he cries, 'the hand of theLord hath sent me down to keep you company down here. I never would 'adone it, captain, hard as you was on me, if only I had knowed how darkand cold and shivery it would be down here. I cut the plank out; I'llnot lie; no lies is any good down here, with the fingers of the deepthings pointing to me, and the black devil's wings coming over me--buta score of years agone it were, and never no one dreamed of it--oh, pullaway, pull! for God's sake, pull!--the wet woman and the three innocentbabbies crawling over me like congers!'

"This was the shadows of our legs, your honor, from good Mother Tapsy'scandle; for she was in a dreadful way by this time about her reputationand her weeds, and come down with her tongue upon the lot of us. 'Enterall them names upon the log, ' says I to Bob, for he writeth like ascholar. But Bob says, 'Hold hard, dad; now or never. ' And with that, down he goeth on the deck himself, and wriggleth up to Rickon throughthe weeds, with a hiss like a great sea-snake, and grippeth him. 'Nameof ship, you sinner!' cried Bob, in his deep voice, like Old Nicka-hailing from a sepulchre. 'Golconda, of Calcutta, ' says the fellow, with a groan as seemed to come out of the whites of his eyes; and downgoes his head again, enough to split a cat-head. And that was the lastof him we heard that night. 

"Well, now, captain, you scarcely would believe, but although my nob isso much older of the pair, and white where his is as black as any coal, Bob's it was as first throwed the painter up, for a-hitching of thisdrifty to the starn of your consarns. And it never come across him tillthe locker was run out, and the two of us pulling longer faces thanour legs is. Then Bob, by the mercy of the Lord, like Peter, found themguineas in the corner of his swab--some puts it round their necks, andsome into their pockets; I never heard of such a thing till chaps runsoft and watery--and so we come to this here place to change the airand the breeding, and spin this yarn to your honor's honor, as hath aliberal twist in it; and then to take orders, and draw rations, and any'rears of pay fallen due, after all dibs gone in your service; and forBob to tip a stave in the Minister. "

"You have done wisely and well in coming here, " said Mr, Mordacks, cheerfully; "but we must have further particulars, my friend. You seemto have hit upon the clew I wanted, but it must be followed verycautiously. You know where to lay your hand upon this villain? You havehad the sense not to scare him off?"

"Sarten, your honor. I could clap the irons on him any hour you givesthat signal. "

"Capital! Take your son to see the sights, and both of you come to me atten to-morrow morning. Stop: you may as well take this half guinea. Butwhen you get drunk, drink inwards. "

CHAPTER XXVI

MEN OF SOLID TIMBER

Mr. Mordacks was one of those vivacious men who have strong faith intheir good luck, and yet attribute to their merits whatever turns outwell. In the present matter he had done as yet nothing at all ingenious, or even to be called sagacious. The discovery of "Monument Joe, " or"Peg-leg Joe, " as he was called at Flamborough, was not the result ofany skill whatever, either his own or the factor's, but a piece of aspure luck as could be. For all that, however, Mr. Mordacks intended tohave the whole credit as his sole and righteous due. 

"Whenever I am at all down-hearted, samples of my skill turn up, " hesaid to himself as soon as Joe was gone; "and happy results come home, on purpose to rebuke my diffidence. Would any other man have got so faras I have got by simple, straightforward, yet truly skillful action, without a suspicion being started? Old Jellicorse lies on his bed ofroses, snoring folios of long words, without a dream of the gatheringcloud. Those insolent ladies are revelling in the land from which theyhave ousted their only brother; they are granting leases not worth astraw; they are riding the high horse; they are bringing up that cub(who set the big dog at me) in every wanton luxury. But wait a bit--waita bit, my ladies; as sure as I live I shall have you. 

"In the first place, it is clear that my conclusion was correctconcerning that poor Golconda; and why not also in the other issue? TheIndiaman was scuttled--I had never thought of that, but only of a wreck. It comes to the same thing, only she went down more quietly; and thatexplains a lot of things. She was bound for Leith, with the boy to bedelivered into the hands of his Scotch relatives. She was spoken lastoff Yarmouth Roads, all well, and under easy sail. Very good so far. I have solved her fate, which for twenty years has been a mystery. Weshall have all particulars in proper time, by steering on one side ofthe law, which always huddles up everything. A keen eye must be keptupon that scoundrel, but he must never dream that he is watched at all;he has committed a capital offense. But as yet there is nothing buthis own raving to convict him of barratry. The truth must be got at bygentle means. I must not claim the 500 pounds as yet, but I am sure ofgetting it. And I have excellent hopes of the 5000 pounds. "

Geoffrey Mordacks never took three nights to sleep upon his thoughts (asthe lawyer of Middleton loved to do), but rather was apt to overdrivehis purport, with the goad of hasty action. But now he was quiteresolved to be most careful; for the high hand would never do in such aticklish matter, and the fewer the hands introduced at all into it, thebetter the chance of coming out clear and clean. The general factor hadnever done anything which, in his opinion, was not thoroughly upright;and now, with his reputation made, and his conscience stiffened to theshape of it, even a large sum of money must be clean, and cleanly gotat, to make it pay for handling. 

This made him counsel with himself just now. For he was a superior manupon the whole, and particular always in feeling sure that the rightword in anything would be upon his side. Not that he cared a groat foranybody's gossip; only that he kept a lofty tenor of good opinion. Andsailors who made other sailors tipsy, and went rolling about on thefloor all together, whether with natural legs or artificial, would do nocredit to his stairs of office on a fine market-day in the morning. Onthe other hand, while memory held sway, no instance could be cited oftwo jolly sailors coming to see the wonders of this venerable town, and failing to be wholly intoxicated with them, before the Minster bellstruck one. 

This was to be avoided, or rather forestalled, as a thing inevitableshould be. Even in York city, teeming as it is with most delightfulqueerities, the approach of two sailors with three wooden legs mightbe anticipated at a distant offing, so abundant are boys there, andeverywhere. Therefore it was well provided, on the part of MasterMordacks, that Kitty, or Koity, the maid-of-all-work, a damsel ofmuscular power and hard wit, should hold tryst with these mariners inthe time of early bucket, and appoint a little meeting with her masterby-and-by. This she did cleverly, and they were not put out; becausethey were to dine at his expense at a snug little chop-house inParliament Street, and there to remain until he came to pay the score. 

All this happened to the utmost of desires; and before they had timeto get thick-witted, Mordacks stood before them. His sharp eyes took inSailor Bob before the poor fellow looked twice at him, and the generalfactor saw that he might be trusted not to think much for himself. Thiswas quite as Mr. Mordacks hoped; he wanted a man who could hold histongue, and do what he was told to do. 

After a few words about their dinner, and how they got on, and so forth, the principal came to the point by saying: "Now both of you must startto-morrow morning; such clever fellows can not be spared to go to sleep. You shall come and see York again, with free billet, and lashings ofmoney in your pockets, as soon as you have carried out your sailingorders. To-night you may jollify; but after that you are under strictdiscipline, for a month at least. What do you say to that, my men?"

Watchman Joe looked rather glum; he had hoped for a fortnight ofstumping about, with a tail of admiring boys after him, and of hailingevery public-house the cut of whose jib was inviting; however, he puthis knife into his mouth, with a bit of fat, saved for a soft adieu todinner, and nodded for his son to launch true wisdom into the vasty deepof words. 

Now Bob, the son of Joe, had striven to keep himself up to the paternalmark. He cited his father as the miracle of the age, when he was a longway off; and when he was nigh at hand, he showed his sense of duty, nearly always, by letting him get tipsy first. Still, they were verysober fellows in the main, and most respectable, when they had no money. 

"Sir, " began Bob, after jerking up his chin, as a sailor always doeswhen he begins to think (perhaps for hereditary counsel with the sky), "my father and I have been hauling of it over, to do whatever is laiddown by duty, without going any way again' ourselves. And this is thesense we be come to, that we should like to have something handsomedown, to lay by again' chances; also a dokkyment in black and white, tobear us harmless of the law, and enter the prize-money. "

"What a fine councillor a' would have made!" old Joe exclaimed, withecstasy. "He hath been round the world three times--excuseth of him foronly one leg left. "

"My friend, how you condemn yourself! You have not been round the worldat all, and yet you have no leg at all. " So spake Mr. Mordacks, wishingto confuse ideas; for the speech of Bob misliked him. 

"The corners of the body is the Lord's good-will, " old Joe answered, with his feelings hurt; "He calleth home a piece to let the rest bideon, and giveth longer time to it--so saith King David. "

"It may be so; but I forget the passage. Now what has your son Bob tosay?"

Bob was a sailor of the fine old British type, still to be found evennowadays, and fit to survive forever. Broad and resolute of aspect, setwith prejudice as stiff as his own pigtail, truthful when let alone, yet joyful in a lie, if anybody doubted him, peaceable in little thingsthrough plenty of fight in great ones, gentle with women and children, and generous with mankind in general, expecting to be cheated, yet notduly resigned at being so, and subject to unaccountable extremes oflaziness and diligence. His simple mind was now confused by the generalfactor's appeal to him to pronounce his opinion, when he had just nowpronounced it, after great exertion. 

"Sir, " he said, "I leave such things to father's opinion; he hath beenashore some years; and I almost forget how the land lays. "

"Sea-faring Robert, you are well advised. A man may go round the worldtill he has no limbs left, yet never overtake his father. So the matteris left to my decision. Very good; you shall have no reason to repentit. To-night you have liberty to splice the main-brace, or whateveryour expression is for getting jolly drunk; in the morning you will besobriety itself, sad, and wise, and aching. But hear my proposal, beforeyou take a gloomy view of things, such as to-morrow's shades maybring. You have been of service to me, and I have paid you with greatgenerosity; but what I have done, including dinner, is dust in thebalance to what I shall do, provided only that you act with judgment, discipline, and self-denial, never being tipsy more than once a week, which is fair naval average, and doing it then with only one another. Hard it may be; but it must be so. Now before I go any further, let meask whether you, Joseph, as a watchman under government, have lost yourposition by having left it for two months upon a private spree?"

"Lor', no, your honor! Sure you must know more than that. I gived a old'ooman elevenpence a week, and a pot of beer a Sunday, to carry out thedooties of the government. "

"You farmed out your appointment at a low figure. My opinion of yourpowers and discretion is enhanced; you will return to your post withredoubled ardor, and vigor renewed by recreation; you will be twice theman you were, and certainly ought to get double pay. I have interest; Imay be enabled to double your salary--if you go on well. "

This made both of them look exceeding downcast, and chew the bitter quidof disappointment. They had laid their heads together over glass numberone, and resolved upon asking for a guinea a week; over glass numbertwo, they had made up their minds upon getting two guineas weekly; andglass number three had convinced them that they must be poor fools toaccept less than three. Also they felt that the guineas they had spent, in drinking their way up to a great discovery, should without hesitationbe made good ere ever they had another pint of health. In thiscatastrophe of large ideas, the father gazed sadly at the son, and theson reproachfully reflected the paternal gaze. How little availed it tohave come up here, wearily going on upon yellow waters, in a barge wherethe fleas could man the helm, without aid of the stouter insect, andwhere a fresh run sailor was in more demand than salmon; and evenwithout that (which had largely enhanced the inestimable benefit ofhaving wooden legs), this pair of tars had got into a state of mind toreturn the whole way upon horseback. No spurs could they wear, and nostirrups could they want, and to get up would be difficult; but what isthe use of living, except to conquer difficulties? They rejoiced all themore in the four legs of a horse, by reason of the paucity of theirown; which approves a liberal mind. But now, where was the horse to comefrom, or the money to make him go?

"You look sad, " proceeded Mr. Mordacks. "It grieves me when any goodman looks sad; and doubly so when a brace of them do it. Explain yourfeelings, Joe and Bob; if it lies in a human being to relieve them, Iwill do it. "

"Captain, we only wants what is our due, " said Bob, with his chin up, and his strong eyes stern. "We have been on the loose; and it is themanner of us, and encouraged by the high authorities. We have comeacross, by luck of drink, a thing as seems to suit you; and we have toldyou all our knowledge without no conditions. If you takes us for a pairof fools, and want no more of us, you are welcome, and it will be whatwe are used to; but if your meaning is to use us, we must have fairwages; and even so, we would have naught to do with it if it was againstan honest man; but a rogue who has scuttled a ship--Lor', there!"

Bob cast out the juice of his chew into the fire, as if it were thelife-blood of such a villain, and looked at his father, who expressedapproval by the like proceeding. And Geoffrey Mordacks was well contentat finding them made of decent stuff. It was not his manner to do thingsmeanly; and he had only spoken so to moderate their minds and keep themsteady. 

"Mariner Bob, you speak well and wisely, " he answered, with a superiorsmile. "Your anxiety as to ways and means does credit to your intellect. That subject has received my consideration. I have studied the style oflife at Flamborough, and the prices of provisions--would that such theywere in York!--and to keep you in temperate and healthy comfort, withouttemptation, and with minds alert, I am determined to allow for the twoof you, over and above all your present income from a grateful country(which pays a man less when amputation has left less of him), the sum ofone guinea and a half per week. But remember that, to draw this stipend, both of you must be in condition to walk one mile and a half on aSaturday night, which is a test of character. You will both be fittedup with solid steel ends, by the cutler at the end of Ouse Bridge, to-morrow morning, so that the state of the roads will not affect you, and take note of one thing, mutual support (graceful though it alwaysis in paternal and filial communion) will not be allowed on a Saturdaynight. Each man must stand on his own stumps. "

"Sir, " replied Bob, who had much education, which led him to a knowledgeof his failings, "never you fear but what we shall do it. Sunday willbe the day of standing with a shake to it; for such, is the habit of thenavy. Father, return thanks; make a leg--no man can do it better. MasterMordacks, you shall have our utmost duty; but a little brass in handwould be convenient. "

"You shall have a fortnight in advance; after that you must go everySaturday night to a place I will appoint for you. Now keep your owncounsel; watch that fellow; by no means scare him at first, unless yousee signs of his making off; but rather let him think that you knownothing of his crime. Labor hard to make him drink again; then terrifyhim like Davy Jones himself; and get every particular out of him, especially how he himself escaped, where he landed, and who was withhim. I want to learn all about a little boy (at least, he may be abig man now), who was on board the ship Golconda, under the captain'sspecial charge. I can not help thinking that the child escaped; and Igot a little trace of something connected with him at Flamborough. Idurst not make much inquiry there, because I am ordered to keep thingsquiet. Still, I did enough to convince me almost that my suspicion wasan error; for Widow Precious--"

"Pay you no heed, Sir, to any manoeuvring of Widow Precious. We find herno worse than the other women; but not a blamed bit better. "

"I think highly of the female race; at least, in comparison with themale one. I have always found reason to believe that a woman, put uponher mettle by a secret, will find it out, or perish. "

"Your honor, everybody knows as much as that; but it doth not followthat she tells it on again, without she was ordered not to do so. "

"Bob, you have not been round the world for nothing. I see my blot, andyou have hit it; you deserve to know all about the matter now. Match methat button, and you shall have ten guineas. "

The two sailors stared at the bead of Indian gold which Mordacks pulledout of his pocket. Buttons are a subject for nautical contempt andcondemnation; perhaps because there is nobody to sew them on at sea;while ear-rings, being altogether useless, are held in good esteem andhonor. 

"I have seen a brace of ear-rings like it, " said old Joe, wading throughdeep thought. "Bob, you knows who was a-wearing of 'em. "

"A score of them fishermen, like enough, " cautious Bob answered; forhe knew what his father meant, but would not speak of the greatfree-trader; for Master Mordacks might even be connected with therevenue. "What use to go on about such gear? His honor wanteth to hearof buttons, regulation buttons by the look of it, and good enough forLord Nelson. Will you let us take the scantle, and the rig of it, yourhonor?"

"By all means, if you can do so, my friend; but what have you to do itwith?"

"Hold on a bit, Sir, and you shall see. " With these words Bob clappeda piece of soft York bread into the hollow of his broad brown palm, moistened it with sugary dregs of ale, such as that good city loves, andkneading it firmly with some rapid flits of thumb, tempered andenriched it nobly with the mellow juice of quid. Treated thus, it tookconsistence, plastic, docile, and retentive pulp; and the color wassomething like that of gold which had passed, according to its fate, through a large number of unclean hands. 

"Now the pattern, your honor, " said Bob, with a grin; "I could do itfrom memory, but better from the thing. " He took the bauble, and set iton the foot of a rummer which stood on the table; and in half a minutehe had the counterpart in size, shape, and line; but without theinscription. "A sample of them in the hollow will do, and good enoughfor the nigger-body words--heathen writing, to my mind. " With loftyBritish intolerance, he felt that it might be a sinful thing to makesuch marks; nevertheless he impressed one side, whereon the characterswere boldest, into the corresponding groove of his paste model; then hescooped up the model on the broad blade of his knife, and set it in theoven of the little fire-place, in a part where the heat was moderate. 

"Well done, indeed!" cried Mr. Mordacks; "you will have a betterlikeness of it than good Mother Precious. Robert, I admire youringenuity. But all sailors are ingenious. "

"At sea, in the trades, or in a calm, Sir, what have we to do but totwiddle our thumbs, and practice fiddling with them? A lively tune iswhat I like, and a-serving of the guns red-hot; a man must act accordingto what nature puts upon him. And nature hath taken one of my legs fromme with a cannon-shot from the French line-of-battle ship--Rights ofMankind the name of her. "

CHAPTER XXVII

THE PROPER WAY TO ARGUE

Alas, how seldom is anything done in proper time and season! Either toofast, or too slow, is the clock of all human dealings; and what is thelaw of them, when the sun (the regulator of works and ways) has to beallowed for very often on his own meridian? With the best intentionevery man sets forth to do his duty, and to talk of it; and he makesquite sure that he has done it, and to his privy circle boasts, or letsthem do it better for him; but before his lips are dry, his ears apprisehim that he was a stroke too late. 

So happened it with Master Mordacks, who of all born men was foremost, with his wiry fingers spread, to pass them through the scattery forelockof that mettlesome horse, old Time. The old horse galloped by himunawares, and left him standing still, to hearken the swish of the tail, and the clatter of the hoofs, and the spirited nostrils neighing fora race, on the wide breezy down at the end of the lane. But GeoffreyMordacks was not to blame. His instructions were to move slowly, untilhe was sure of something worth moving for. And of this he had no suretyyet, and was only too likely to lose it altogether by any headlongaction. Therefore, instead of making any instant rush, or belting onhis pistols, and hiring the sagacious quadruped that understood hischaracter, content he was to advance deliberately upon one foot andthree artificial legs. 

Meanwhile, at Anerley Farm, the usual fatness of full garners, andbright comfort of the evening hearth, the glow of peace, which laborkindles in the mind that has earned its rest, and the pleasant lazinessof heart which comes where family love lies careless, confident, andunassailed--the pleasure also of pitying the people who never can get intheir wheat, and the hot benevolence of boiling down the bones for theman who has tumbled off one's own rick--all these blisses, large andlittle, were not in their usual prime. 

The master of the house was stern and silent, heavy and careless of hiscustomary victuals, neglectful also of his customary jokes. He dislikedthe worse side of a bargain as much as in his most happy moments; andthe meditation (which is generally supposed to be going on where speechis scarce) was not of such loftiness as to overlook the time a manstopped round the corner. As a horse settles down to strong collar-workbetter when the gloss of the stable takes the ruffle of the air, so thisman worked at his business all the harder, with the brightness of thehome joys fading. But it went very hard with him more than once, whenhe made a good stroke of salesmanship, to have to put the money in thebottom of his pocket, without even rubbing a bright half crown, andsaying to himself, "I have a'most a mind to give this to Mary. "

Now if this settled and steadfast man (with three-quarters of his lifegone over him, and less and less time every year for considering softsubjects), in spite of all that, was put out of his way by not beinglooked at as usual--though for that matter, perhaps, himself failed tolook in search of those looks as usual--what, on the other hand, waslikely to remain of mirth and light-heartedness in a weaker quarter?Mary, who used to be as happy as a bird where worms abound and cats arescarce, was now in a grievous plight of mind, restless, lonely, troubledin her heart, and doubtful of her conscience. Her mother had certainlyshown kind feeling, and even a readiness to take her part, whichsurprised the maiden, after all her words; and once or twice theyhad had a cry together, clearing and strengthening their intellectsdesirably. For the more Mistress Anerley began to think about it, themore she was almost sure that something could be said on both sides. Shenever had altogether approved of the farmer's volunteering, which tookhim away to drill at places where ladies came to look at him; and wherehe slept out of his own bed, and got things to eat that she had neverheard of; and he never was the better afterward. If that was the thingwhich set his mind against free trade so bitterly, it went far to showthat free trade was good, and it made all the difference of a blanket. And more than that, she had always said from the very first, and hadeven told the same thing to Captain Carroway, in spite of his position, that nobody knew what Robin Lyth might not turn out in the end to be. He had spoken most highly of her, as Mary had not feared to mention; andshe felt obliged to him for doing so, though of course he could not dootherwise. Still, there were people who would not have done that, and itproved that he was a very promising young man. 

Mary was pleased with this conclusion, and glad to have some one who didnot condemn her; hopeful, moreover, that her mother's influence mighthave some effect by-and-by. But for the present it seemed to do moreharm than good; because the farmer, having quite as much jealousy asjustice, took it into silent dudgeon that the mother of his daughter, who regularly used to be hard upon her for next to nothing, should nowturn round and take her part, from downright womanism, in the teeth ofall reason, and of her own husband! Brave as he was, he did not put itto his wife in so strong a way as that; but he argued it so to himself, and would let it fly forth, without thinking twice about it, if theywent on in that style much longer, quite as if he were nobody, andthey could do better without him. Little he knew, in this hurt state ofmind--for which he should really have been too old--how the heart ofhis child was slow and chill, stupid with the strangeness he had made, waiting for him to take the lead, or open some door for entrance, and watching for the humors of the elder body, as the young of pastgenerations did. And sometimes, faithful as she was to plighted truthand tenderness, one coaxing word would have brought her home to the armsthat used to carry her. 

But while such things were waiting to be done till they were thought of, the time for doing them went by; and to think of them was memory. MasterPopplewell had told Captain Anerley continually what his opinions were, fairly giving him to know on each occasion that they were to be takenfor what they were worth; that it did not follow, from his own successin life, that he might not be mistaken now; and that he did not care ad--n, except for Christian feeling, whether any fool hearkened to himtwice or not. He said that he never had been far out in any opinion hehad formed in all his life; but none the more for that would he ventureto foretell a thing with cross-purposes about it. A man of sagacity anddealings with the world might happen to be right ninety-nine times ina hundred, and yet he might be wrong the other time. Therefore he wouldnot give any opinion, except that everybody would be sorry by-and-by, when things were too late for mending. 

To this the farmer listened with an air of wisdom, not put forward tooseverely; because Brother Popplewell had got a lot of money, and mustbehave handsomely when in a better world. The simplest way of treatinghim was just to let him talk--for it pleased him, and could do noharm--and then to recover self-content by saying what a fool he was whenout of hearing. The tanner partly suspected this; and it put his natureupon edge; for he always drove his opinions in as if they were so manytenpenny nails, which the other man must either clinch or strike backinto his teeth outright. He would rather have that than flabby silence, as if he were nailing into dry-rot. 

"I tell you what it is, " he said, the third time he came over, which waswell within a week--for nothing breeds impatience faster than retirementfrom work--"you are so thick-headed in your farmhouse ways, sometimesI am worn out with you. I do not expect to be thought of any higherbecause I have left off working for myself; and Deborah is satisfied tobe called 'Debby, ' and walks no prouder than if she had got to cleanher own steps daily. You can not enter into what people think of me, counting Parson Beloe; and therefore it is no good saying anything aboutit. But, Stephen, you may rely upon it that you will be sorry afterward. That poor girl, the prettiest girl in Yorkshire, and the kindest, andthe best, is going off her victuals, and consuming of her substance, because you will not even look at her. If you don't want the child, letme have her. To us she is welcome as the flowers in May. "

"If Mary wishes it, she can go with you, " the farmer answered, sternly;and hating many words, he betook himself to work, resolving to keep atit until the tanner should be gone. But when he came home after dusk, his steadfast heart was beating faster than his stubborn mind approved. Mary might have taken him at his word, and flown for refuge fromdispleasure, cold voice, and dull comfort, to the warmth, and heartycheer, and love of the folk who only cared to please her, spoil her, and utterly ruin her. Folk who had no sense of fatherly duty, or rightconscience; but, having piled up dirty money, thought that it coveredeverything: such people might think it fair to come between a fatherand his child, and truckle to her, by backing her up in whims that wereagainst her good, and making light of right and wrong, as if they turnedon money; but Mary (such a prudent lass, although she was a fool justnow) must see through all such shallow tricks, such rigmarole aboutParson Beloe, who must be an idiot himself to think so much of SimonPopplewell--for Easter offerings, no doubt--but there, if Mary had theheart to go away, what use to stand maundering about it? Stephen Anerleywould be dashed if he cared which way it was. 

Meaning all this, Stephen Anerley, however, carried it out in a style atvariance with such reckless vigor. Instead of marching boldly in at hisown door, and throwing himself upon a bench, and waiting to be waitedupon, he left the narrow gravel-walk (which led from the horse gate tothe front door) and craftily fetched a compass through the pleasure bedsand little shrubs, upon the sward, and in the dusk, so that none mightsee or hear him. Then, priding himself upon his stealth, as a man withwhom it is rare may do, yet knowing all the time that he was more thanhalf ashamed of it, he began to peep in at his own windows, as if hewere planning how to rob his own house. This thought struck him, butinstead of smiling, he sighed very sadly; for his object was to learnwhether house and home had been robbed of that which he loved so fondly. There was no Mary in the kitchen, seeing to his supper; the fire wasbright, and the pot was there, but only shadows round it. No Mary in thelittle parlor; only Willie half asleep, with a stupid book upon his lap, and a wretched candle guttering. Then, as a last hope, he peered intothe dairy, where she often went at fall of night, to see things safe, and sang to keep the ghosts away. She would not be singing now ofcourse, because he was so cross with her; but if she were there, itwould be better than the merriest song for him. But no, the place wasdark and cold; tub and pan, and wooden skimmer, and the pails hung upto drain, all were left to themselves, and the depth of want of life wasover them. "She hathn't been there for an hour, " thought he; "a reek o'milk, and not my lassie. "

Very few human beings have such fragrance of good-will as milk. Thefarmer knew that he had gone too far in speaking coarsely of the cow, whose children first forego their food for the benefit of ours, and thenbecome veal to please us. "My little maid is gone, " said the lord ofmany cows, and who had robbed some thousand of their dear calves. "Itrow I must make up my mind to see my little maid no more. "

Without compunction for any mortal cow (though one was bellowing sadlyin the distance, that had lost her calf that day), and without evendreaming of a grievance there, Master Anerley sat down to think upon alittle bench hard by. His thoughts were not very deep or subtle; yet tohim they were difficult, because they were so new and sad. He had alwayshoped to go through life in the happiest way there is of it, with simplydoing common work, and heeding daily business, and letting other peoplethink the higher class of thought for him. To live as Nature, cultivatedquite enough for her own content, enjoys the round of months and years, the changes of the earth and sky, and gentle slope of time subsiding tosofter shadows and milder tones. And, most of all, to see his children, dutiful, good, and loving, able and ready to take his place--when heshould be carried from farm to church--to work the land he loved sowell, and to walk in his ways, and praise him. 

But now he thought, like Job in his sorrow, "All these things areagainst me. " The air was laden with the scents of autumn, rich and ripeand soothing--the sweet fulfillment of the year. The mellow odor ofstacked wheat, the stronger perfume of clover, the brisk smell of applesnewly gathered, the distant hint of onions roped, and the luscious waftof honey, spread and hung upon the evening breeze. "What is the good ofall this, " he muttered, "when my little lassie is gone away, as if shehad no father?"

"Father, I am not gone away. Oh, father, I never will go away, if youwill love me as you did. "

Here Mary stopped; for the short breath of a sob was threatening tocatch her words; and her nature was too like her father's to let himtriumph over her. The sense of wrong was in her heart, as firm anddeep as in his own, and her love of justice quite as strong; only theydiffered as to what it was. Therefore Mary would not sob until she wasinvited. She stood in the arch of trimmed yew-tree, almost within reachof his arms; and though it was dark, he knew her face as if the sun wason it. 

"Dearie, sit down here, " he said; "there used to be room for you and me, without two chairs, when you was my child. "

"Father, I am still your child, " she answered, softly, sitting by him. "Were you looking for me just now? Say it was me you were looking for. "

"There is such a lot of rogues to look for; they skulk about so, andthey fire the stacks--"

"Now, father, you never could tell a fib, " she answered, sidling closerup, and preparing for his repentance. 

"I say that I was looking for a rogue. If the cap fits--" here hesmiled a little, as much as to say, "I had you there;" and then, withoutmeaning it, from simple force of habit, he did a thing equal to uttersurrender. He stroked his chin, as he always used to do when going tokiss Mary, that the bristles might lie down for her. 

"The cap doesn't fit; nothing fits but you; you--you--you, my own dearfather, " she cried, as she kissed him again and again, and put her armsround to protect him. "And nobody fits you, but your own Mary. I knewyou were sorry. You needn't say it. You are too stubborn, and I will letyou off. Now don't say a word, father, I can do without it. I don't wantto humble you, but only to make you good; and you are the very best ofall people, when you please. And you never must be cross again with yourdarling Mary. Promise me immediately; or you shall have no supper. "

"Well, " said the farmer, "I used to think that I was gifted with thegift of argument. Not like a woman, perhaps; but still pretty well fora man, as can't spare time for speechifying, and hath to earn bread forself and young 'uns. "

"Father, it is that arguing spirit that has done you so much harm. Youmust take things as Heaven sends them; and not go arguing about them. For instance, Heaven has sent you me. "

"So a' might, " Master Anerley replied; "but without a voice from thebelly of a fish, I wunna' believe that He sent Bob Lyth. "

CHAPTER XXVIII

FAREWELL, WIFE AND CHILDREN DEAR

Now Robin Lyth held himself in good esteem; as every honest man is boundto do, or surely the rogues will devour him. Modesty kept him silent asto his merits very often; but the exercise of self-examination madethem manifest to himself. As the Yorkshireman said to his minister, whenpressed to make daily introspection, "I dare na do it, sir; it setsme up so, and leaveth no chance for my neighbors;" so the greatfree-trader, in charity for others, forbore to examine himself too much. But without doing that, he was conscious of being as good as MasterAnerley; and intended, with equal mind and manner, to state his claim tothe daughter's hand. 

It was not, therefore, as the farmer thought, any deep sense ofillegality which kept him from coming forward now, as a gallant sailoralways does; but rather the pressure of sterner business, and the hardnecessity of running goods, according to honorable contract. Afterhis narrow escape from outrage upon personal privilege--for the habeascorpus of the Constitution should at least protect a man while makinglove--it was clear that the field of his duties as a citizen waspadlocked against him, until next time. Accordingly he sought thewider bosom of the ever-liberal sea; and leaving the noble Carrowayto mourn--or in stricter truth, alas! to swear--away he sailed, at thequartering of the moon, for the land of the genial Dutchman. 

Now this was the time when the forces of the realm were mightilygathered together against him. Hitherto there had been much fine feelingon the part of his Majesty's revenue, and a delicate sense of etiquette. All the commanders of the cutters on the coast, of whom and of whichthere now were three, had met at Carroway's festive board; and, lookingat his family, had one and all agreed to let him have the first chanceof the good prize-money. It was All-saints' Day of the year gone by whenthey met and thus enjoyed themselves; and they bade their host appointhis time; and he said he should not want three months. At this theylaughed, and gave him twelve; and now the twelve had slipped away. 

"I would much rather never have him caught at all, " said Carroway, tohis wife, when his year of precaption had expired, "than for any ofthose fellows to nab him; especially that prig last sent down. "

"So would I, dear; so would I, of course, " replied Mrs. Carroway, whohad been all gratitude for their noble self-denial when they made thepromise; "what airs they would give themselves! And what could they dowith the money? Drink it out! I am sure that the condition of our besttumblers, after they come, is something. People who don't know anythingabout it always fancy that glass will clean. Glass won't clean, aftersuch men as those; and as for the table--don't talk of it. "

"Two out of the three are gone"--the lieutenant's conscience was notvoid of offense concerning tables--"gone upon promotion. Everybody getspromotion, if he only does his very best never to deserve it. They oughtto have caught Lyth long and long ago. What are such dummies fit for?"

"But, Charles, you know that they would have acted meanly anddishonestly if they had done so. They promised not to catch him; andthey carried out their promise. "

"Matilda, such questions are beyond you altogether. You can not beexpected to understand the service. One of those trumpery, half-deckedcraft--or they used to be half-deckers in my time--has had three ofthose fresh-meat Jemmies over her in a single twelvemonth. But of coursethey were all bound by the bargain they had made. As for that, smallthanks to them. How could they catch him, when I couldn't? They chop andthey change so, I forget their names; my head is not so good as it was, with getting so much moonlight. "

"Nonsense, Charles; you know them like your fingers. But I know what youwant; you want Geraldine, you are so proud to hear her tell it. "

"Tilly, you are worse. You love to hear her say it. Well, call her in, and let her do it. She is making an oyster-shell cradle over there, withtwo of the blessed babies. "

"Charles, how very profane you are! All babes are blest by the Lord, inan independent parable, whether they can walk, or crawl, or put up theirfeet and take nourishment. Jerry, you come in this very moment. Whatare you doing with your two brothers there, and a dead skate--bless thechildren! Now say the cutters and their captains. "

Geraldine, who was a pretty little girl, as well as a good and cleverone, swept her wind-tossed hair aside, and began to repeat her lesson;for which she sometimes got a penny when her father had made a gooddinner. 

"His Majesty's cutter Swordfish, Commander Nettlebones, senior officerof the eastern division after my papa, although a very young man still, carries a swivel-gun and two bow-chasers. His Majesty's cutter Kestrel, commanded by Lieutenant Bowler, is armed with three long-John's, orstrap-guns, capable of carrying a pound of shrapnel. His Majesty'scutter Albatross, Lieutenant Corkoran Donovan, carries no artilleryyet--"

"Not artillery--guns, child; your mother calls them 'artillery. '"

"Carries no guns yet, because she was captured from the foreign enemy;and as yet she has not been reported stanch, since the British firemade a hole in her. It is, however, expected that those asses at thedock-yard---"

"Geraldine, how often must I tell you that you are not to use that word?It is your father's expression. "

"It is, however, expected that those donkeys at the dock-yard willrecommend her to be fitted with two brass howisyers. "

"Howitzers, my darling. Spell that word, and you shall have your penny. Now you may run out and play again. Give your old father a pretty kissfor it. I often wish, " continued the lieutenant, as his daughter flewback to the dead skate and the babies, "that I had only got thatchild's clear head. Sometimes the worry is too much for me. And now ifNettlebones catches Robin Lyth, to a certainty I shall be superseded, and all of us go to the workhouse. Oh, Tilly, why won't your old auntdie? We might be so happy afterward. "

"Charles, it is not only sinful, but wicked, to show any wish to hurryher. The Lord knows best what is good for us; and our prayers upon suchmatters should be silent. "

"Well, mine would be silent and loud too, according to the best chanceof being heard. Not that I would harm the poor old soul; I wish herevery heavenly blessing; and her time is come for all of them. But Inever like to think of that, because one's own time might come first. Ihave felt very much out of spirits to-day, as my poor father did the daybefore he got his billet. You know, Matilda, he was under old Boscawen, and was killed by the very first shot fired; it must be five-and-fortyyears ago. How my mother did cry, to be sure! But I was too young tounderstand it. Ah, she had a bad time with us all! Matilda, what wouldyou do without me?"

"Why, Charles, you are not a bit like yourself. Don't go to-night; stayat home for once. And the weather is very uncertain, too. They neverwill attempt their job to-night. Countermand the boats, dear; Iwill send word to stop them. You shall not even go out of the houseyourself. "

"As if it were possible! I am not an old woman, nor even an old man yet, I hope. In half an hour I must be off. There will be good time fora pipe. One more pipe in the old home, Tilly. After all I am wellcontented with it, although now and then I grumble; and I don't like somuch cleaning. "

"The cleaning must be done; I could never leave off that. Your room isgoing to be turned out to-morrow, and before you go you must put awayyour papers, unless you wish me to do it. You really never seem tounderstand when things are really important. Do you wish me to havea great fever in the house? It is a fortnight since your boards werescrubbed; and how can you think of smoking?"

"Very well, Tilly, I can have it by-and-by, 'upon the dancing waves, ' aslittle Tommy has picked up the song. Only I can not let the men on duty;and to see them longing destroys my pleasure. Lord, how many times Ishould like to pass my pipe to Dick, or Ellis, if discipline allowed ofit! A thing of that sort is not like feeding, which must be kept apartby nature; but this by custom only. "

"And a very good custom, and most needful, " answered Mrs. Carroway. "Inever can see why men should want to do all sorts of foolish things withtobacco--dirty stuff, and full of dust. No sooner do they begin, like atinder-box, than one would think that it made them all alike. They wantto see another body puffing two great streams of reeking smoke frompipe and from mouth, as if their own was not enough; and their goodresolutions to speak truth of one another float away like so much smoke;and they fill themselves with bad charity. Sir Walter Raleigh deservedhis head off, and Henry the Eighth knew what was right. "

"My dear, I fancy that your history is wrong. The king only chopped offhis own wives' heads. But the moral of the lesson is the same. I willgo and put away my papers. It will very soon be dark enough for us tostart. "

"Charles, I can not bear your going. The weather is so dark, and the seaso lonely, and the waves are making such a melancholy sound. It is notlike the summer nights, when I can see you six miles off, with the moonupon the sails, and the land out of the way. Let anybody catch him thathas the luck. Don't go this time, Charley. "

Carroway kissed his wife, and sent her to the baby, who was squallingwell up stairs. And when she came down he was ready to start, and shebrought the baby for him to kiss. 

"Good-by, little chap--good-by, dear wife. " With his usual vigor andflourish, he said, "I never knew how to kiss a baby, though I have hadsuch a lot of them. "

"Good-by, Charley dear. All your things are right; and here is the keyof the locker. You are fitted out for three days; but you must on noaccount make that time of it. To-morrow I shall be very busy, but youmust be home by the evening. Perhaps there will be a favorite thing ofyours for supper. You are going a long way; but don't be long. "

"Good-by, Tilly darling--good-by, Jerry dear--good-by, Tommy boy, andall my countless family. I am coming home to-morrow with a mint ofmoney. "

CHAPTER XXIX

TACTICS OF DEFENSE

The sea at this time was not pleasant, and nobody looking at it longedto employ upon it any members of a shorter reach than eyes. 

It was not rushing upon the land, nor running largely in the offing, normaking white streaks on the shoals; neither in any other places doingthings remarkable. No sign whatever of coming storm or gathering furymoved it; only it was sullen, heavy, petulant, and out of sorts. It wentabout its business in a state of lumps irregular, without long billowsor big furrows, as if it took the impulse more of distant waters than ofwind; and its color was a dirty green. Ancient fishermen hate this, andancient mariners do the same; for then the fish lie sulking on theirbellies, and then the ship wallows without gift of sail. 

"Bear off, Tomkins, and lay by till the ebb. I can only say, dash thewhole of it!"

Commander Nettlebones, of the Swordfish, gave this order in disgust atlast; for the tide was against her, with a heavy pitch of sea, and themainsail scarcely drew the sheet. What little wind there was came offthe land, and would have been fair if it had been firm; but often itdropped altogether where the cliffs, or the clouds that lay upon them, held it. The cutter had slipped away from Scarborough, as soon as it wasdark last night, under orders for Robin Hood's Bay, where the Albatrossand Kestrel were to meet her, bring tidings, and take orders. Partlyby coast-riding, and partly by coast signals, it had been arranged thatthese three revenue cruisers should come together in a lonely placeduring the haze of November morning, and hold privy council ofimportance. From Scarborough, with any wind at all, or even withordinary tide-run, a coal barge might almost make sure of getting toRobin Hood's Bay in six hours, if the sea was fit to swim in. Yethere was a cutter that valued herself upon her sailing powers alreadyeighteen hours out, and headed back perpetually, like a donkey-plough. Commander Nettlebones could not understand it, and the more impatient hebecame, the less could he enter into it. The sea was nasty, and thewind uncertain, also the tide against him; but how often had such thingscombined to hinder, and yet he had made much fairer way! Fore and aft hebestrode the planks, and cast keen eyes at everything, above, around, or underneath, but nothing showed him anything. Nettlebones wasa Cornishman, and Cornishmen at that time had a reverent faith inwitchcraft. "Robin Lyth has bought the powers, or ancient Carrowayhas done it, " he said to himself, in stronger language than is nowreportable. "Old Carroway is against us, I know, from his confoundedjealousy; and this cursed delay will floor all my plans. "

He deserved to have his best plans floored for such vile suspicion ofCarroway. Whatever the brave lieutenant did was loyal, faithful, andwell above-board. Against the enemy he had his plans, as every greatcommander must, and he certainly did not desire to have his glory stolenby Nettlebones. But that he would have suffered, with only a grin at thebad luck so habitual; to do any crooked thing against it was not in hisnature. The cause of the grief of Commander Nettlebones lay far awayfrom Carroway; and free trade was at the bottom of it. 

For now this trim and lively craft was doing herself but scanty credit, either on or off a wind. She was like a poor cat with her tail in a gin, which sadly obstructs her progress; even more was she like to the littlehorse of wood, which sits on the edge of a table and gallops, with abalance weight limiting his energies. None of the crew could understandit, if they were to be believed; and the more sagacious talked ofcurrents and mysterious "under-tow. " And sure enough it was under-tow, the mystery of which was simple. One of the very best hands on board wasa hardy seaman from Flamborough, akin to old Robin Cockscroft, and nostranger to his adopted son. This gallant seaman fully entered into thevalue of long leverage, and he made fine use of a plug-hole whichhad come to his knowledge behind his berth. It was just above thewater-line, and out of sight from deck, because the hollow of the runwas there. And long ere the lights of Scarborough died into the hazeof night, as the cutter began to cleave watery way, the sailor passeda stout new rope from a belaying-pin through this hole, and then hebetrayed his watch on deck by hauling the end up with a clew, and gentlyreturning it to the deep with a long grappling-iron made fast to it. This had not fluke enough to lay fast hold and bring the vessel up; forin that case it would have been immediately discovered; but it draggedalong the bottom like a trawl, and by its weight, and a hitch every nowand then in some hole, it hampered quite sufficiently the objectionablevoyage. Instead of meeting her consorts in the cloud of early morning, the Swordfish was scarcely abreast of the Southern Cheek by the middleof the afternoon. No wonder if Commander Nettlebones was in a furylong ere that, and fitted neither to give nor take the counsel of calmwisdom; and this condition of his mind, as well as the loss of precioustime, should have been taken into more consideration by those whocondemned him for the things that followed. 

"Better late than never, as they say, " he cried, when the Kestrel andthe Albatross hove in sight. "Tomkins, signal to make sail and close. We seem to be moving more lively at last. I suppose we are out of thatinfernal under-tow. "

"Well, sir, she seems like herself a little more. She've had a witch onboard of her, that's where it is. When I were a younker, just joined hisMajesty's forty-two-gun frigate--"

"Stow that, Tomkins. No time now. I remember all about it, and very goodit is. Let us have it all again when this job is done with. Bowler andDonovan will pick holes if they can, after waiting for us half a day. Not a word about our slow sailing, mind; leave that to me. They areframptious enough. Have everything trim, and all hands ready. When theyrange within hail, sing out for both to come to me. "

It was pretty to see the three cutters meet, all handled as smartlyas possible; for the Flamborough man had cast off his clog, and theSwordfish again was as nimble as need be. Lieutenants Bowler and Donovanwere soon in the cabin of their senior officer, and durst not questionhim very strictly as to his breach of rendezvous, for his manner wasshort and sharp with them. 

"There is plenty of time, if we waste it not in talking, " he said, whenthey had finished comparing notes. "All these reports we are bound toreceive and consider; but I believe none of them. The reason why poorCarroway has made nothing but a mess of it is that he will listen to thecountry people's tales. They are all bound together, all tarred with onebrush--all stuffed with a heap of lies, to send us wrong; and as for thefishing-boats, and what they see, I have been here long enough alreadyto be sure that their fishing is a sham nine times in ten, and theirreal business is to help those rogues. Our plan is to listen, andpretend to be misled. "

"True for you, captain, " cried the ardent Donovan. "You 'bout ship assoon as you can see them out of sight. "

"My own opinion is this, " said Bowler, "that we never shall catch anyfellow until we have a large sum of money placed at our disposal. Thegeneral feeling is in their favor, and against us entirely. Why is it intheir favor? Because they are generally supposed to run great risks, andsuffer great hardships. And so they do; but not half so much as we do, who keep the sea in all sorts of weather, while they can choose theirown. Also because they outrun the law, which nature makes everybody longto do, and admire the lucky ones who can. But most of all because theyare free-handed, and we can be only niggards. They rob the king withimpunity, because they pay well for doing it; and he pays badly, ornot at all, to defend himself from robbery. If we had a thousand poundsapiece, with orders to spend it on public service, take no receipt, and give no account, I am sure that in three months we could stop allcontraband work upon this coast. "

"Upon me sowl and so we could; and it's meself that would go into thetrade, so soon as it was stopped with the thousand pounds. "

"We have no time for talking nonsense;" answered Nettlebones, severely, according to the universal law that the man who has wasted the time ofothers gets into a flurry about his own. "Your suggestion, Bowler, isa very wise one, and as full as possible of common-sense. Youalso, Donovan, have shown with great sagacity what might come of itthereafter. But unluckily we have to get on as we can, without sixpenceto spare for anybody. We know that the fishermen and people on thecoast, and especially the womankind, are all to a man--as our goodfriend here would say--banded in league against us. Nevertheless, thislanding shall not be, at least upon our district. What happens north ofTeesmouth is none of our business; and we should have the laugh of theold Scotchman there, if they pay him a visit, as I hope they may; for hecuts many jokes at our expense. But, by the Lord Harry, there shall beno run between the Tees and Yare, this side of Christmas. If there is, we may call ourselves three old women. Shake hands, gentlemen, upon thatpoint; and we will have a glass of grog to it. "

This was friendly, and rejoiced them all; for Nettlebones had been stiffat first. Readily enough they took his orders, which seemed to make itimpossible almost for anything large to slip between them, except incase of a heavy fog; and in that case they were to land, and post theiroutlooks near the likely places. 

"We have shed no blood yet, and I hope we never shall, " said the seniorofficer, pleasantly. "The smugglers of this coast are too wise, and Ihope too kind-hearted, for that sort of work. They are not like thosedesperate scoundrels of Sussex. When these men are nabbed, they give uptheir venture as soon as it goes beyond cudgel-play, and they neverlie in wait for a murderous revenge. In the south I have known a verydifferent race, who would jump on an officer till he died, or lash himto death with their long cart-whips; such fellows as broke open PooleCustom-house, and murdered poor Galley and Cator, and the rest, in amanner that makes human blood run cold. It was some time back; but theirsons are just as bad. Smuggling turns them all to devils. "

"My belief is, " said Bowler, who had a gift of looking at things from anouter point of view, "that these fellows never propose to themselvesto transgress the law, but to carry it out according to their owninterpretation. One of them reasoned with me some time ago, and hetalked so well about the Constitution that I was at a loss to answerhim. "

"Me jewel, forbear, " shouted Donovan; "a clout on the head is the onlyanswer for them Constitutionals. Niver will it go out of my mind aboutthe time I was last in Cark; shure, thin, and it was holiday-time; andme sister's wife's cousin, young Tim O'Brady--Tim says to me, 'Now, Corkoran, me lad--'"

"Donovan, " Nettlebones suddenly broke in, "we will have that story, which I can see by the cut of your jib is too good to be hurried, whenfirst we come together after business done. The sun will be down in lessthan half an hour, and by that time we all must be well under way. Weare watched from the land, as I need not tell you, and we must not letthem spy for nothing. They shall see us all stand out to sea to catchthem in the open, as I said in the town-hall of Scarborough yesterday, on purpose. Everybody laughed; but I stuck to it, knowing how far thetale would go. They take it for a crotchet of mine, and will expect it, especially after they have seen us standing out; and their plans will belaid accordingly. "

"The head-piece ye have is beyont me inthirely. And if ye stand out, howwill ye lay close inshore?"

"By returning, my good friend, before the morning breaks; each manto his station, lying as close as can be by day, with proper outlookshidden at the points, but standing along the coast every night, and communicating with sentries. Have nothing to say to anyfishing-boats--they are nearly all spies--and that puzzles them. ThisRobin Hood's Bay is our centre for the present, unless there comeschange of weather. Donovan's beat is from Whitby to Teesmouth, mine fromWhitby to Scarborough, and Bowler's thence to Flamborough. Carroway goeswhere he likes, of course, as the manner of the man is. He is alittle in the doldrums now, and likely enough to come meddling. FromFlamborough to Hornsea is left to him, and quite as much as he canmanage. Further south there is no fear; our Yarmouth men will see tothat. Now I think that you quite understand. Good-by; we shall nab someof them to a certainty this time; they are trying it on too large ascale. "

"If they runs any goods through me, then just ye may reckon the legs ofme four times over. "

"And if they slip in past me, " said Bowler, "without a thick fog, or astorm that drives me off, I will believe more than all the wonders toldof Robin Lyth. "

"Oh! concerning that fellow, by-the-bye, " Commander Nettlebones stoppedhis brother officers as they were making off; "you know what a pointpoor Carroway has made, even before I was sent down here, of catchingthe celebrated Robin for himself. He has even let his fellows fire athim once or twice when he was quietly departing, although we are notallowed to shoot except upon strenuous resistance. Cannon we may fire, but no muskets, according to wise ordinance. Luckily, he has not hit himyet; and, upon the whole, we should be glad of it, for the young fellowis a prime sailor, as you know, and would make fine stuff for Nelson. Therefore we must do one thing of two--let Carroway catch him, and getthe money to pay for all the breeches and the petticoats we saw; orif we catch him ourselves, say nothing, but draft him right off to theHarpy. You understand me. It is below us to get blood-money upon theman. We are gentlemen, not thief-catchers. "

The Irishman agreed to this at once, but Bowler was not well pleasedwith it. "Our duty is to give him up, " he said. 

"Your duty is to take my orders, " answered Nettlebones, severely. "Ifthere is a fuss about it, lay the blame on me. I know what I am about inwhat I say. Gentlemen, good-by, and good luck to you. "

After long shivers in teeth of the wind and pendulous labor of rolling, the three cutters joyfully took the word to go. With a creak, and acant, and a swish of canvas, upon their light heels they flew round, and trembled with the eagerness of leaping on their way. The taper boomdipped toward the running hills of sea, and the jib-foreleech drew awhite arc against the darkness of the sky to the bowsprit's plunge. Then, as each keen cut-water clove with the pressure of the wind uponthe beam, and the glistening bends lay over, green hurry of surgesstreaked with gray began the quick dance along them. Away they wentmerrily, scattering the brine, and leaving broad tracks upon the closingsea. 

Away also went, at a rapid scamper, three men who had watched them fromthe breast-work of the cliffs--one went northward, another to the south, and the third rode a pony up an inland lane. Swiftly as the cutters flewover the sea, the tidings of their flight took wing ashore, and beforethe night swallowed up their distant sails, everybody on the land whomit concerned to know, knew as well as their steersmen what course theyhad laid. 

CHAPTER XXX

INLAND OPINION

Whatever may be said, it does seem hard, from a wholly disinterestedpoint of view, that so many mighty men, with swift ships, armed withvillainous saltpetre and sharp steel, should have set their keen facesall together and at once to nip, defeat, and destroy as with a blow, liberal and well-conceived proceedings, which they had long regardedwith a larger mind. Every one who had been led to embark soundly andkindly in this branch of trade felt it as an outrage and a specialinstance of his own peculiar bad luck that suddenly the officers shouldbecome so active. For long success had encouraged enterprise; men whohad made a noble profit nobly yearned to treble it; and commerce, havingshaken off her shackles, flapped her wings and began to crow; so atleast she had been declared to do at a public banquet given by the Mayorof Malton, and attended by a large grain factor, who was known as awholesale purveyor of illicit goods. 

This man, Thomas Rideout, long had been the head-master of the smugglingschool. The poor sea-faring men could not find money to buy, or evenhire, the craft (with heavy deposit against forfeiture) which thebreadth and turbulence of the North Sea made needful for such ventures. Across the narrow English Channel an open lobster boat might run, incommon summer weather, without much risk of life or goods. Smooth water, sandy coves, and shelfy landings tempted comfortable jobs; and any manowning a boat that would carry a sail as big as a shawl might smuggle, with heed of the weather, and audacity. It is said that once upon theSussex coast a band of haymakers, when the rick was done, and theirwages in hand on a Saturday night, laid hold of a stout boat on thebeach, pushed off to sea in tipsy faith of luck, and hit upon Dieppewith a set-fair breeze, having only a fisherman's boy for guide. Thereon the Sunday they heartily enjoyed the hospitality of the natives; andthe dawn of Tuesday beheld them rapt in domestic bliss and breakfast, with their money invested in old Cognac; and glad would they have beento make such hay every season. But in Yorkshire a good solid capitalwas needed to carry on free importation. Without broad bottoms and deepsides, the long and turbulent and often foggy voyage, and the rockylanding, could scarcely be attempted by sane folk; well-to-do peoplefound the money, and jeopardized neither their own bodies, consciences, nor good repute. And perhaps this fact had more to do with thecomparative mildness of the men than difference of race, superiorculture, or a loftier mould of mind; for what man will fight for hisemployer's goods with the ferocity inspired by his own? A thoroughgood ducking, or a tow behind a boat, was the utmost penalty generallyexacted by the victors from the vanquished. 

Now, however, it seemed too likely that harder measures must be meted. The long success of that daring Lyth, and the large scale of hisoperations, had compelled the authorities to stir at last. They began bysetting a high price upon him, and severely reprimanding Carroway, whohad long been doing his best in vain, and becoming flurried, did itmore vainly still; and now they had sent the sharp Nettlebones down, whoboasted largely, but as yet without result. The smugglers, however, wereaware of added peril, and raised their wages accordingly. 

When the pending great venture was resolved upon, as a noble finish tothe season, Thomas Rideout would intrust it to no one but Robin Lythhimself; and the bold young mariner stipulated that after succeedinghe should be free, and started in some more lawful business. For Dr. Upround, possessing as he did great influence with Robin, and shockedas he was by what Carroway had said, refused to have anything more todo with his most distinguished parishioner until he should forsake hisways. And for this he must not be thought narrow-minded, strait-laced, or unduly dignified. His wife quite agreed with him, and indeed hadurged it as the only proper course; for her motherly mind was uneasyabout the impulsive nature of Janetta; and chess-men to her were dolls, without even the merit of encouraging the needle. Therefore, with a deepsigh, the worthy magistrate put away his board--which came out againnext day--and did his best to endure for a night the arithmeticaltorture of cribbage; while he found himself supported by a sense ofduty, and capable of preaching hard at Carroway if he would only comefor it on Sunday. 

From that perhaps an officer of revenue may abstain, through thepressure of his duty and his purity of conscience; but a man of lesscorrectness must behave more strictly. Therefore, when a gentleman ofvigorous aspect, resolute step, and successful-looking forehead marchedinto church the next Sunday morning, showed himself into a prominentposition, and hung his hat against a leading pillar, after putting hismouth into it, as if for prayer, but scarcely long enough to say "Amen, "behind other hats low whispers passed that here was the great financierof free trade, the Chancellor of the Exchequer of smuggling, thecelebrated Master Rideout. 

That conclusion was shared by the rector, whose heart immediately burnedwithin him to have at this man, whom he had met before and suspiciouslyglanced at in Weighing Lane, as an interloper in his parish. Probablythis was the very man whom Robin Lyth served too faithfully; and thechances were that the great operations now known to be pending hadbrought him hither, spying out all Flamborough. The corruption offish-folk, the beguiling of women with foreign silks and laces, and ofmen with brandy, the seduction of Robin from lawful commerce, and eventhe loss of his own pet pastime, were to be laid at this man's door. While donning his surplice, Dr. Upround revolved these things withgentle indignation, quickened, as soon as he found himself in white, byclerical and theological zeal. These feelings impelled him to produce acreaking of the heavy vestry door, a well-known signal for his daughterto slip out of the chancel pew and come to him. 

"Now, papa, what is it?" cried that quick young lady; "that miserableMethodist that ruined your boots, has he got the impudence to comeagain? Oh, please do say so, and show me where he is; after churchnobody shall stop me--"

"Janetta, you quite forget where you are, as well as my presentcondition. Be off like a good girl, as quick as you can, and bring No. 27 of my own handwriting--'Render unto Caesar'--and put my hat upon it. My desire is that Billyjack should not know that a change has been madein my subject of discourse. "

"Papa, I see; it shall be done to perfection, while Billyjack is at hisvery loudest roar in the chorus of the anthem. But do tell me who it is;or how can I enjoy it? And lemon drops--lemon drops--"

"Janetta, I must have some very serious talk with you. Now don't bevexed, darling; you are a thoroughly good girl, only thoughtless andcareless; and remember, dear, church is not a place for high spirits. "

The rector, as behooved him, kissed his child behind the vestry door, tosoothe all sting, and then he strode forth toward the reading-desk; andthe tuning of fiddles sank to deferential scrape. 

It was not at all a common thing, as one might know, for Widow Preciousto be able to escape from casks and taps, and the frying pan of eggsdemanded by some half-drowned fisherman, also the reckoning of notcheson the bench for the pints of the week unpaid for, and then to putherself into her two best gowns (which she wore in the winter, one overthe other--a plan to be highly commended to ladies who never can havedress enough), and so to enjoy, without losing a penny, the warmth ofthe neighborhood of a congregation. In the afternoon she could hardlyever do it, even if she had so wished, with knowledge that this wascommon people's time; so if she went at all, it must--in spite of thedifference of length--be managed in the morning. And this very morninghere she was, earnest, humble, and devout, with both the tap keys in herpocket, and turning the leaves with a smack of her thumb, not only toshow her learning, but to get the sweet approval of the rector's pew. 

Now if the good rector had sent for this lady, instead of his daughterJanetta, the sermon which he brought would have been the one to preach, and that about Caesar might have stopped at home; for no sooner did thewidow begin to look about, taking in the congregation with a dignifiedeye, and nodding to her solvent customers, than the wrath of perplexitybegan to gather on her goodly countenance. To see that distinguishedstranger was to know him ever afterward; his power of eating, and ofpaying, had endeared his memory; and for him to put up at any otherhouse were foul shame to the "Cod Fish. "

"Hath a' put up his beastie?" she whispered to her eldest daughter, whocame in late. 

"Naa, naa, no beastie, " the child replied, and the widow's relish ofher thumb was gone; for, sooth to say, no Master Rideout, nor any otherpatron of free trade was here, but Geoffrey Mordacks, of York city, general factor, and universal agent. 

It was beautiful to see how Dr. Upround, firmly delivering his text, andstoutly determined to spare nobody, even insisted in the presentcase upon looking at the man he meant to hit, because he was not hisparishioner. The sermon was eloquent, and even trenchant. The necessityof duties was urged most sternly; if not of directly Divine institution(though learned parallels were adduced which almost proved them to beso), yet to every decent Christian citizen they were synonymous withduty. To defy or elude them, for the sake of paltry gain, was a darkcrime recoiling on the criminal; and the preacher drew a contrastbetween such guilty ways and the innocent path of the fisherman. Neitherdid he even relent and comfort, according to his custom, toward the end;that part was there, but he left it out; and the only consolation forany poor smuggler in all the discourse was the final Amen. 

But to the rector's great amazement, and inward indignation, the objectof his sermon seemed to take it as a personal compliment. Mr. Mordacksnot only failed to wince, but finding himself particularly fixed by thegaze of the eloquent divine, concluded that it was from his superiorintelligence, and visible gifts of appreciation. Delighted withthis--for he was not free from vanity--what did he do but return thecompliment, not indecorously, but nodding very gently, as much asto say, "That was very good indeed, you were quite right, sir, inaddressing that to me; you perceive that it is far above these commonpeople. I never heard a better sermon. "

"What a hardened rogue you are!" thought Dr. Upround; "how feebly andincapably I must have put it! If you ever come again, you shall have myAhab sermon. "

But the clergyman was still more astonished a very few minutesafterward. For, as he passed out of the church-yard gate, receiving, with his wife and daughter, the kindly salute of the parish, the sametall stranger stood before him, with a face as hard as a statue's, and, making a short, quick flourish with his hat, begged for the honor ofshaking his hand. 

"Sir, it is to thank you for the very finest sermon I ever had theprivilege of hearing. My name is Mordacks, and I flatter nobody--exceptmyself--that I know a good thing when I get it. "

"Sir, I am obliged to you, " said Dr. Upround, stiffly, and not withoutsuspicion of being bantered, so dry was the stranger's countenance, andhis manner so peculiar; "and if I have been enabled to say a good wordin season, and its season lasts, it will be a source of satisfaction tome. "

"Yes, I fear there are many smugglers here. But I am no revenueofficer, as your congregation seemed to think. May I call upon businessto-morrow, sir? Thank you; then may I say ten o'clock--your time ofbeginning, as I hear? Mordacks is my name, sir, of York city, notunfavorably known there. Ladies, my duty to you!"

"What an extraordinary man, my dear!" Mrs. Upround exclaimed, with someingratitude, after the beautiful bow she had received. "He may talk ashe likes, but he must be a smuggler. He said that he was not an officer;that shows it, for they always run into the opposite extreme. Youhave converted him, my dear; and I am sure that we ought to be so muchobliged to him. If he comes to-morrow morning to give up all his lace, do try to remember how my little all has been ruined in the wash, and Iam sick of working at it. "

"My dear, he is no smuggler. I begin to recollect. He was down here inthe summer, and I made a great mistake. I took him for Rideout; and Idid the same to-day. When I see him to-morrow, I shall beg his pardon. One gets so hurried in the vestry always; they are so impatient withtheir fiddles! A great deal of it was Janetta's fault. "

"It always is my fault, papa, somehow or other, " the young ladyanswered, with a faultless smile: and so they went home to the earlySunday dinner. 

"Papa, I am in such a state of excitement; I am quite unfit to go tochurch this afternoon, " Miss Upround exclaimed, as they set forth again. "You may put me in stocks made out of hassocks--you may rope me to theFlodden Field man's monument, of the ominous name of 'Constable;' butwhatever you do, I shall never attend; and I feel that it is so sinful. "

"Janetta, your mamma has that feeling sometimes; for instance, she hasit this afternoon; and there is a good deal to be said for it. But Ifear that it would grow with indulgence. "

"I can firmly fancy that it never would; though one can not be surewithout trying. Suppose that I were to try it just once, and let youknow how it feels at tea-time?"

"My dear, we are quite round the corner of the lane. The example wouldbe too shocking. "

"Now don't you make any excuses, papa. Only one woman can have seenus yet; and she is so blind she will think it was her fault. May I go?Quick, before any one else comes. "

"If you are quite sure, Janetta, of being in a frame of mind whichunfits you for the worship of your Maker--"

"As sure as a pike-staff, dear papa. "

"Then, by all means, go before anybody sees you, for whom it mightbe undesirable; and correct your thoughts, and endeavor to get into abefitting state of mind by tea-time. "

"Certainly, papa. I will go down on the stones, and look at thesea. That always makes me better; because it is so large and souncomfortable. "

The rector went on to do his duty, by himself. A narrow-minded man mighthave shaken solemn head, even if he had allowed such dereliction. ButDr. Upround knew that the girl was good, and he never put strain uponher honesty. So away she sped by a lonely little foot-path, where nobodycould take from her contagion of bad morals; and avoiding the inclineof boats, she made off nicely for the quiet outer bay, and there, upon ashelfy rock, she sat and breathed the sea. 

Flamborough, excellent place as it is, and delightful, and full ofinterest for people who do not live there, is apt to grow dull perhapsfor spirited youth, in the scanty and foggy winter light. There is notso very much of that choice product generally called "society" by a manwho has a house to let in an eligible neighborhood, and by ladies who donot heed their own. Moreover, it is vexatious not to have more rogues totalk about. 

That scarcity may be less lamentable now, being one that takes careto redress itself, and perhaps any amateur purchaser of fish may findrogues enough now for his interest. But the rector's daughter pined forneither society nor scandal: she had plenty of interest in her life, and in pleasing other people, whenever she could do it with pleasureto herself, and that was nearly always. Her present ailment was notlanguor, weariness, or dullness, but rather the want of such things;which we long for when they happen to be scarce, and declare them to beour first need, under the sweet name of repose. 

Her mind was a little disturbed by rumors, wonders, and uncertainty. Shewas not at all in love with Robin Lyth, and laughed at his vanity quiteas much as she admired his gallantry. She looked upon him also as oflower rank, kindly patronized by her father, but not to be treated asupon an equal footing. He might be of any rank, for all that was known;but he must be taken to belong to those who had brought him up and fedhim. Janetta was a lively girl, of quick perception and some discretion, though she often talked much nonsense. She was rather proud of herposition, and somewhat disdainful of uneducated folk; though (thanks toher father) Lyth was not one of these. Possibly love (if she had feltit) would have swept away such barriers; but Robin was grateful to hispatron, and, knowing his own place in life, would rightly have thoughtit a mean return to attempt to inveigle the daughter. So they liked oneanother--but nothing more. It was not, therefore, for his sake only, but for her father's, and that of the place, that Miss Upround nowwas anxious. For days and days she had watched the sea with unusualforebodings, knowing that a great importation was toward, and prettysure to lead to blows, after so much preparation. With feminine zeal, she detested poor Carroway, whom she regarded as a tyrant and a spy;and she would have clapped her hands at beholding the three cruisersrun upon a shoal, and there stick fast. And as for King George, she hadnever believed that he was the proper King of England. There were manystanch Jacobites still in Yorkshire, and especially the bright youngladies. 

To-night, at least, the coast was likely to be uninvaded. Smugglers, even if their own forces would make breach upon the day of rest, durstnot outrage the piety of the land, which would only deal with kegsin-doors. The coast-guard, being for the most part southerns, splashedabout as usual--a far more heinous sin against the Word of God thansmuggling. It is the manner of Yorkshiremen to think for themselves, with boldness, in the way they are brought up to: and they made it apoint of serious doubt whether the orders of the king himself could setaside the Fourth Commandment, though his arms were over it. 

Dr. Upround's daughter, as she watched the sea, felt sure that, even ifthe goods were ready, no attempt at landing would be made that night, though something might be done in the morning. But even that was notvery likely, because (as seemed to be widely known) the venture was avery large one, and the landers would require a whole night's work toget entirely through with it. 

"I wish it was over, one way or the other, " she kept on saying toherself, as she gazed at the dark, weary lifting of the sea; "it keepsone unsettled as the waves themselves. Sunday always makes me feelrestless, because there is so little to do. It is wicked, I suppose; buthow can I help it? Why, there is a boat, I do declare! Well, even a boatis welcome, just to break this gray monotony. What boat can it be? Noneof ours, of course. And what can they want with our Church Cave? I hopethey understand its dangers. "

Although the wind was not upon the shore, and no long rollers weresetting in, short, uncomfortable, clumsy waves were lolloping under thesteep gray cliffs, and casting up splashes of white here and there. Toenter that cave is a risky thing, except at very favorable times, andeven then some experience is needed, for the rocks around it are likeknives, and the boat must generally be backed in, with more use offender and hook than of oars. But the people in the boat seemed tounderstand all that. There were two men rowing, and one steering with anoar, and a fourth standing up, as if to give directions; though in truthhe knew nothing about it, but hated even to seem to play second fiddle. 

"What a strange thing!" Janetta thought, as she drew behind a rock, thatthey might not see her, "I could almost declare that the man standingup is that most extraordinary gentleman papa preached quite the wrongsermon at. Truly he deserves the Ahab one, for spying our caves out on aSunday. He must be a smuggler, after all, or a very crafty agent of theRevenue. Well, I never! That old man steering, as sure as I live, isRobin Cockscroft, by the scarlet handkerchief round his head. Oh, Robin!Robin! could I ever have believed that you would break the Sabbath so?But the boat is not Robin's. What boat can it be? I have not staid awayfrom church for nothing. One of the men rowing has got no legs, when theboat goes up and down. It must be that villain of a tipsy Joe, who usedto keep the 'Monument. ' I heard that he was come back again, to stumpfor his beer as usual: and his son, that sings like the big church bell, and has such a very fine face and one leg--why, he is the man that pullsthe other oar. Was there ever such a boat-load? But they know what theyare doing. "

Truly it was, as the young lady said, an extraordinary boat's crew. OldRobin Cockscroft, with a fringe of silver hair escaping from the crimsonsilk, which he valued so much more than it, and his face still grand (inspite of wrinkles and some weakness of the eyes), keenly understandingevery wave, its character, temper, and complexity of influence, as onlya man can understand who has for his life stood over them. Then tuggingat the oars, or rather dipping them with a short well-practiced plunge, and very little toil of body, two ancient sailors, one considerablyolder than the other, inasmuch as he was his father, yet chips alikefrom a sturdy block, and fitted up with jury-stumps. Old Joe pulledrather the better oar, and called his son "a one-legged fiddler" when hemissed the dip of wave; while Mordacks stood with his leg's apart, andplaying the easy part of critic, had his sneers at both of them. Butthey let him gibe to his liking; because they knew their work, and hedid not. And, upon the whole, they went merrily. 

The only one with any doubt concerning the issue of the job was the onewho knew most about it, and that was Robin Cockscroft. He doubted notabout want of strength, or skill, or discipline of his oars, but becausethe boat was not Flamburian, but borrowed from a collier round the Head. No Flamborough boat would ever think of putting to sea on a Sunday, unless it were to save human life; and it seemed to him that no strangeboat could find her way into the native caves. He doubted also whether, even with the pressure of strong motive put upon him, which was not ofmoney, it was a godly thing on his part to be steering in his Sundayclothes; and he feared to hear of it thereafter. But being in for it, hemust do his utmost. 

With genuine skill and solid patience, the entrance of the cave wasmade, and the boat was lost to Janetta's view. She as well was lost inthe deeper cavern of great wonder, and waited long, and much desiredto wait even longer, to see them issue forth again, and learn what theycould have been after. But the mist out of which they had come, andinside of which they would rather have remained perhaps, now thickenedover land and sea, and groping dreamily for something to lay hold of, found a solid stay and rest-hold in the jagged headlands here. Here, accordingly, the coilings of the wandering forms began to slide intostrait layers, and soft settlement of vapor. Loops of hanging moisturemarked the hollows of the land-front, or the alleys of the waning light;and then the mass abandoned outline, fused its shades to pulp, andmelted into one great blur of rain. Janetta thought of her Sunday frock, forgot the boat, and sped away for home. 

CHAPTER XXXI

TACTICS OF ATTACK

"I am sorry to be troublesome, Mynheer Van Dunck, but I can not saygood-by without having your receipt in full for the old bilander. "

"Goot, it is vere good, Meester Lyth; you are te goot man for tepisness. "

With these words the wealthy merchant of the Zuyder-Zee drew forthhis ancient inkhorn, smeared with the dirt of countless contracts, andsigned an acquittance which the smuggler had prepared. But he signed itwith a sigh, as a man declares that a favorite horse must go at last;sighing, not for the money, but the memories that go with it. Then, asthe wind began to pipe, and the roll of the sea grew heavier, the solidDutchman was lowered carefully into his shore boat, and drew the apronover his great and gouty legs. 

"I vos married in dat zhips, " he shouted back, with his ponderous fistwagging up at Robin Lyth, "Dis taime you will have de bad luck, sir. "

"Well, mynheer, you have only to pay the difference, and the ketch willdo; the bilander sails almost as fast. "

But Master Van Dunck only heaved another sigh, and felt that his leatherbag was safe and full in his breeches pocket. Then he turned his eyesaway, and relieved his mind by swearing at his men. 

Now this was off the Isle of Texel, and the time was Sunday morning, thevery same morning which saw the general factor sitting to be preachedat. The flotilla of free trade was putting forth upon its great emprise, and Van Dunck (who had been ship's husband) came to speed them fromtheir moorings. 

He took no risk, and to him it mattered little, except as a question ofcommission; but still he enjoyed the relish of breaking English law mostheartily. He hated England, as a loyal Dutchman, for generations, wascompelled to do; and he held that a Dutchman was a better sailor, abetter ship-builder, and a better fighter than the very best Englishmanever born. However, his opinions mattered little, being (as we mustfeel) absurd. Therefore let him go his way, and grumble, and reckon hisguilders. It was generally known that he could sink a ship with money;and when such a man is insolent, who dares to contradict him?

The flotilla in the offing soon ploughed hissing furrows through themisty waves. There were three craft, all of different rig--a schooner, a ketch, and the said bilander. All were laden as heavily as speed andsafety would allow, and all were thoroughly well manned. They laid theircourse for the Dogger Bank, where they would receive the latest newsof the disposition of the enemy. Robin Lyth, high admiral of smugglers, kept to his favorite schooner, the Glimpse, which had often shown afading wake to fastest cutters. His squadron was made up by the ketch, Good Hope, and the old Dutch coaster, Crown of Gold. This vessel, thoughbuilt for peaceful navigation and inland waters, had proved herself sothoroughly at home in the roughest situations, and so swift of foot, though round of cheek, that the smugglers gloried in her and the goodluck which sat upon her prow. They called her "the lugger, " though herrig was widely different from that, and her due title was "bilander. "She was very deeply laden now, and, having great capacity, appeared anunusually tempting prize. 

This grand armada of invasion made its way quite leisurely. Off theDogger Bank they waited for the last news, and received it, and thewhole of it was to their liking, though the fisherman who brought itstrongly advised them to put back again. But Captain Lyth had no suchthought, for the weather was most suitable for the bold scheme he hadhit upon. "This is my last run, " he said, "and I mean to make it a goodone. " Then he dressed himself as smartly as if he were going to meetMary Anerley, and sent a boat for the skippers of the Good Hope, and theCrown of Gold, who came very promptly and held counsel in his cabin. 

"I'm thinking that your notion is a very good one, captain, " said themaster of the bilander, Brown, a dry old hand from Grimsby. 

"Capital, capital; there never was a better, " the master of the ketchchimed in, "Nettlebones and Carroway--they will knock their headstogether!"

"The plan is clever enough, " replied Robin, who was free from allmock-modesty, "But you heard what that old Van Dunck said. I wish he hadnot said it. "

"Ten tousan' tuyfels--as the stingy old thief himself says--he mighthave held his infernal croak. I hate to make sail with a croak astern;'tis as bad as a crow on forestay-sail. "

"All very fine for you to talk, " grumbled the man of the bilander to themaster of the ketch; "but the bad luck is saddled upon me this voyage. You two get the gilgoes, and I the bilboes!"

"Brown, none of that!" Captain Lyth said, quietly, but with a look whichthe other understood; "you are not such a fool as you pretend to be. Youmay get a shot or two fired at you; but what is that to a Grimsby man?And who will look at you when your hold is broached? Your game is theeasiest that any man can play--to hold your tongue and run away. "

"Brown, you share the profits, don't you see?" the ketch man went on, while the other looked glum; "and what risk do you take for it? Even ifthey collar you, through your own clumsiness, what is there for them todo? A Grimsby man is a grumbling man, I have heard ever since I was thathigh. I'll change berths with you, if you choose, this minute. "

"You could never do it, " said the Grimsby man, with that high contemptwhich abounds where he was born--"a boy like you! I should like to seeyou try it. "

"Remember, both of you, " said Robin Lyth, "that you are not here to doas you please, but to obey my orders. If the coast-guard quarrel, we donot; and that is why we beat them. You will both do exactly as I havelaid it down; and the risk of failure falls on me. The plan is verysimple, and can not fail, if you will just try not to think foryourselves, which always makes everything go wrong. The only thing youhave to think about at all is any sudden change of weather. If a galefrom the east sets in, you both run north, and I come after you. Butthere will not be any easterly gale for the present week, to my belief;although I am not quite sure of it. "

"Not a sign of it. Wind will hold with sunset, up to next quarter of themoon. "

"The time I ha' been on the coast, " said Brown, "and to hear the youngchaps talking over my head! Never you mind how I know, but I'll lay aguinea with both of you--easterly gale afore Friday. "

"Brown, you may be right, " said Robin; "I have had some fear of it, andI know that you carry a weather eye. No man under forty can pretend tothat. But if it will only hold off till Friday, we shall have the laughof it. And even if it come on, Tom and I shall manage. But you will bebadly off in that case, Brown. After all, you are right; the main dangeris for you. "

Lyth, knowing well how important it was that each man should play hispart with true good-will, shifted his ground thus to satisfy the other, who was not the man to shrink from peril, but liked to have his shareacknowledged. 

"Ay, ay, captain, you see clear enough, though Tom here has not got thegumption, " the man of Grimsby answered, with a lofty smile. "Everybodyknows pretty well what William Brown is. When there is anything thatneeds a bit of pluck, it is sure to be put upon old Bill Brown. Andnever you come across the man, Captain Lyth, as could say that BillBrown was not all there. Now orders is orders, lad. Tip us your latest. "

"Then latest orders are to this effect. Toward dusk of night you standin first, a league or more ahead of us, according to the daylight, Tom to the north of you, and me to the south, just within signalingdistance. The Kestrel and Albatross will come to speak the Swordfish offRobin Hood's Bay, at that very hour, as we happen to be aware. You sightthem, even before they sight you, because you know where to look forthem, and you keep a sharper look-out, of course. Not one of them willsight us, so far off in the offing. Signal immediately, one, two, orthree; and I heartily hope it will be all three. Then you still standin, as if you could not see them; and they begin to laugh, and drawinshore; knowing the Inlander as they do, they will hug the cliffs foryou to run into their jaws. Tom and I bear off, all sail, never allowingthem to sight us. We crack on to the north and south, and by that timeit will be nearly dark. You still carry on, till they know that you mustsee them; then 'bout ship, and crowd sail to escape. They give chase, and you lead them out to sea, and the longer you carry on, the better. Then, as they begin to fore-reach, and threaten to close, you 'bout shipagain, as in despair, run under their counters, and stand in for thebay. They may fire at you; but it is not very likely, for they would notlike to sink such a valuable prize; though nobody else would have muchfear of that. "

"Captain, I laugh at their brass kettle-pots. They may blaze away asblue as verdigris. Though an Englishman haven't no right to be shot at, only by a Frenchman. "

"Very well, then, you hold on, like a Norfolk man, through the thickestof the enemy. Nelson is a Norfolk man; and you charge through as hedoes. You bear right on, and rig a gangway for the landing, whichputs them all quite upon the scream. All three cutters race after youpell-mell, and it is much if they do not run into one another. You takethe beach, stem on, with the tide upon the ebb, and by that time itought to be getting on for midnight. What to do then, I need not tellyou; but make all the stand you can to spare us any hurry. But don'tgive the knock-down blow if you can help it; the lawyers make such apoint of that, from their intimacy with the prize-fighters. "

Clearly perceiving their duty now, these three men braced up loin, andsailed to execute the same accordingly. For invaders and defenders wereby this time in real earnest with their work, and sure alike of havingdone the very best that could be done. With equal confidence on eitherside, a noble triumph was expected, while the people on the dry landshook their heads and were thankful to be out of it. Carroway, in aperpetual ferment, gave no peace to any of his men, and never enteredhis own door; but riding, rowing, or sailing up and down, here and thereand everywhere, set an example of unflagging zeal, which was largelyadmired and avoided. And yet he was not the only remarkably active manin the neighborhood; for that great fact, and universal factor, GeoffreyMordacks, was entirely here. He had not broken the heart of WidowPrecious by taking up his quarters at the Thornwick Inn, as she at firstimagined, but loyally brought himself and his horse to her sign-postfor their Sunday dinner. Nor was this all, but he ordered the very bestbedroom, and the "coral parlor"--as he elegantly called the sea-weedyroom--gave every child, whether male or female, sixpence of new mintage, and created such impression on her widowed heart that he even won theprivilege of basting his own duck. Whatever this gentleman did neverfailed to reflect equal credit on him and itself. But thoroughly wellas he basted his duck, and efficiently as he consumed it, deeper thingswere in his mind, and moving with every mouthful. If Captain Carrowaylabored hard on public and royal service, no less severely did Mordackswork, though his stronger sense of self-duty led him to feed the laborbetter. On the Monday morning he had a long and highly interesting talkwith the magisterial rector, to whom he set forth certain portions ofhis purpose, loftily spurning entire concealment, according to the mottoof his life. "You see, sir, " he said, as he rose to depart, "what I havetold you is very important, and in the strictest confidence, of course, because I never do anything on the sly. "

"Mr. Mordacks, you have surprised me, " answered Dr. Upround; "thoughI am not so very much wiser at present. I really must congratulate youupon your activity, and the impression you create. "

"Not at all, sir, not at all. It is my manner of doing business, now forthirty years or more. Moles and fools, sir, work under-ground, and onlyget traps set for them; I travel entirely above-ground, and go ten milesfor their ten inches. My strategy, sir, is simplicity. Nothing puzzlesrogues so much, because they can not believe it. "

"The theory is good; may the practice prove the same! I should be sorryto be against you in any case you undertake. In the present matter I amwholly with you, so far as I understand what it is. Still, Flamboroughis a place of great difficulties--"

"The greatest difficulty of all would be to fail, as I look at it. Especially with your most valuable aid. "

"What little I can do shall be most readily forth-coming. But rememberthere is many a slip--If you had interfered but one month ago, how mucheasier it might have been!"

"Truly. But I have to grope my way; and it is a hard people, as you say, to deal with. But I have no fear, sir; I shall overcome all Flamborough, unless--unless, what I fear to think of, there should happen to bebloodshed. "

"There will be none of that, Mr. Mordacks; we are too skillful, and toogentle, for anything more than a few cracked crowns. "

"Then everything is as it ought to be. But I must be off; I have manypoints to see to. How I find time for this affair is the wonder. "

"But you will not leave us, I suppose, until--until what appears to beexpected has happened!"

"When I undertake a thing, Dr. Upround, my rule is to go through withit. You have promised me the honor of an interview at any time. Good-by, sir; and pray give the compliments of Mr. Mordacks to the ladies. "

With even more than his usual confidence and high spirits the generalfactor mounted horse and rode at once to Bridlington, or rather to thequay thereof, in search of Lieutenant Carroway. But Carroway was notat home, and his poor wife said, with a sigh, that now she had given upexpecting him. "Have no fear, madam; I will bring him back, " Mordacksanswered, as if he already held him by the collar. "I have very goodnews, madam, very grand news for him, and you, and all those lovely andhighly intelligent children. Place me, madam, under the very deepestobligation by allowing these two little dears to take the basket I seeyonder, and accompany me to that apple stand. I saw there some fruit ofa sort which used to fit my teeth most wonderfully when they werejust the size of theirs. And here is another little darling, with apin-before infinitely too spotless. If you will spare her also, we willdo our best to take away that reproach, ma'am. "

"Oh, sir, you are much too kind. But to speak of good news does onegood. It is so long since there has been any, that I scarcely know howto pronounce the words. "

"Mistress Carroway, take my word for it, that such a state of thingsshall be shortly of the past. I will bring back Captain Carroway, madam, to his sweet and most beautifully situated home, and with tidings whichshall please you. "

"It is kind of you not to tell me the good news now, sir. I shall enjoyit so much more, to see my husband hear it. Good-by, and I hope that youwill soon be back again. "

While Mr. Mordacks was loading the children with all that they made softmouths at, he observed for the second time three men who appeared to betaking much interest in his doings. They had sauntered aloof while hecalled at the cottage, as if they had something to say to him, but wouldkeep it until he had finished there. But they did not come up to him ashe expected; and when he had seen the small Carroways home, he rodeup to ask what they wanted with him. "Nothing, only this, sir, " theshortest of them answered, while the others pretended not to hear; "wewas told that yon was Smuggler's house, and we thought that your Honorwas the famous Captain Lyth. "

"If I ever want a man, " said the general factor, "to tell a lie with aperfect face, I shall come here and look for you, my friend. " The manlooked at him, and smiled, and nodded, as much as to say, "You mightget it done worse, " and then carelessly followed his comrades toward thesea. And Mr. Mordacks, riding off with equal jauntiness, cocked hishat, and stared at the Priory Church as if he had never seen any suchbuilding before. 

"I begin to have a very strong suspicion, " he said to himself as he puthis horse along, "that this is the place where the main attack will be. Signs of a well-suppressed activity are manifest to an experienced eyelike mine. All the grocers, the bakers, the candlestick-makers, and thewomen, who always precede the men, are mightily gathered together. Andthe men are holding counsel in a milder way. They have got three jugsat the old boat-house for the benefit of holloaing in the open air. Moreover, the lane inland is scored with a regular market-day of wheels, and there is no market this side of the old town. Carroway, vigilantcaptain of men, why have you forsaken your domestic hearth? Is itthrough jealousy of Nettlebones, and a stern resolve to be ahead of him?Robin, my Robin, is a genius in tactics, a very bright Napoleon of freetrade. He penetrates the counsels, or, what is more, the feelings, of those who camp against him. He means to land this great emprise atCaptain Carroway's threshold. True justice on the man for sleeping outof his own bed so long! But instead of bowing to the blow, he wouldturn a downright maniac, according to all I hear of him. Well, it is noconcern of mine, so long as nobody is killed, which everybody makes sucha fuss about. "

CHAPTER XXXII

CORDIAL ENJOYMENT

The poise of this great enterprise was hanging largely in the sky, fromwhich come all things, and to which resolved they are referred again. The sky, to hold an equal balance, or to decline all troublesomeresponsibility about it, went away, or (to put it more politely) retiredfrom the scene. Even as nine men out of ten, when a handsome fight istoward, would rather have no opinion on the merits, but abide in theirbreeches, and there keep their hands till the fist of the victoris opened, so at this period the upper firmament nodded a strictneutrality. And yet, on the whole, it must have indulged a sneakingproclivity toward free trade; otherwise, why should it have been asfollows?

November now was far advanced; and none but sanguine Britons hoped, at least in this part of the world, to know (except from memory andpredictions of the almanac) whether the sun were round or square, untilnext Easter-day should come. It was not quite impossible that hemight appear at Candlemas, when he is supposed to give a dance, thoughhitherto a strictly private one; but even so, this premature frisk ofhis were undesirable, if faith in ancient rhyme be any. But putting himout of the question, as he had already put himself, the things thatwere below him, and, from length of practice, manage well to shapetheir course without him, were moving now and managing themselves withmoderation. 

The tone of the clouds was very mild, and so was the color of the sea. Acomely fog involved the day, and a decent mist restrained the night fromostentatious waste of stars. It was not such very bad weather; but acaptious man might find fault with it, and only a thoroughly cheerfulone could enlarge upon its merits. Plainly enough these might be foundby anybody having any core of rest inside him, or any gift of turningover upon a rigidly neutral side, and considerably outgazing the colorof his eyes. 

Commander Nettlebones was not of poetic, philosophic, or vague mind. "What a ----- fog!" he exclaimed in the morning; and he used the samewords in the afternoon, through a speaking-trumpet, as the two othercutters ranged up within hail. This they did very carefully, at theappointed rendezvous, toward the fall of the afternoon, and hauled theirwind under easy sail, shivering in the southwestern breeze. 

"Not half so bad as it was, " returned Bowler, being of a cheerful mind. "It is lifting every minute, sir. Have you had sight of anything?"

"Not a blessed stick, except a fishing-boat. What makes you ask, lieutenant?"

"Why, sir, as we rounded in, it lifted for a moment, and I saw a craftsome two leagues out, standing straight in for us. "

"The devil you did! What was she like? and where away, lieutenant?"

"A heavy lugger, under all sail, about E. N. E, as near as may be. She isstanding for Robin Hood's Bay, I believe. In an hour's time she will beupon us, if the weather keeps so thick. "

"She may have seen you, and sheered off. Stand straight for her, asnigh as you can guess. The fog is lifting, as you say. If you sight her, signal instantly. Lieutenant Donovan, have you heard Bowler's news?"

"Sure an' if it wasn't for the fog, I would. Every word of it come tome, as clear as seeing. "

"Very well. Carry on a little to the south, half a league or so, and then stand out, but keep within sound of signal. I shall bear uppresently. It is clearing every minute, and we must nab them. "

The fog began to rise in loops and alleys, with the upward pressure ofthe evening breeze, which freshened from the land in lines and patches, according to the run of cliff. Here the water darkened with the ruffleof the wind, and there it lay quiet, with a glassy shine, or gentleshadows of variety. Soon the three cruisers saw one another clearly; andthen they all sighted an approaching sail. 

This was a full-bowed vessel, of quaint rig, heavy sheer, andextraordinary build--a foreigner clearly, and an ancient one. Shediffered from a lugger as widely as a lugger differs from a schooner, and her broad spread of canvas combined the features of square and offore-and-aft tackle. But whatever her build or rig might be, she wasgoing through the water at a strapping pace, heavily laden as she was, with her long yards creaking, and her broad frame croaking, and her deepbows driving up the fountains of the sea. Her enormous mainsail upon themizzenmast--or mainmast, for she only carried two--was hung obliquely, yet not as a lugger's, slung at one-third of its length, but bent toa long yard hanging fore and aft, with a long fore-end sloping down tomidship. This great sail gave her vast power, when close hauled; andshe carried a square sail on the foremast, and a square sail on eithertopmast. 

"Lord, have mercy! She could run us all down if she tried!" exclaimedCommander Nettlebones; "and what are my pop-guns against such beam?"

For a while the bilander seemed to mean to try it, for she carried ontoward the central cruiser as if she had not seen one of them. Then, beautifully handled, she brought to, and was scudding before the wind inanother minute, leading them all a brave stern-chase out to sea. 

"It must be that dare-devil Lyth himself, " Nettlebones said, as theSwordfish strained, with all canvas set, but no gain made; "no otherfellow in all the world would dare to beard us in this style. I'd layten guineas that Donovan's guns won't go off, if he tries them. Ah, Ithought so--a fizz, and a stink--trust an Irishman. "

For this gallant lieutenant, slanting toward the bows of the flyingbilander, which he had no hope of fore-reaching, trained his longswivel-gun upon her, and let go--or rather tried to let go--at her. Buthis powder was wet, or else there was some stoppage; for the only resultwas a spurt of smoke inward, and a powdery eruption on his own redcheeks. 

"I wish I could have heard him swear, " grumbled Nettlebones; "that wouldhave been worth something. But Bowler is further out. Bowler will crossher bows, and he is not a fool. Don't be in a hurry, my fine Bob Lyth. You are not clear yet, though you crack on like a trooper. Well done, Bowler, you have headed him! By Jove, I don't understand these tactics. Stand by there! She is running back again. "

To the great amazement of all on board the cruisers, except perhapsone or two, the great Dutch vessel, which might haply have escaped bystanding on her present course, spun round like a top, and bore in againamong her three pursuers. She had the heels of all of them before thewind, and might have run down any intercepter, but seemed not to knowit, or to lose all nerve. "Thank the Lord in heaven, all rogues arefools! She may double as she will, but she is ours now. Signal Albatrossand Kestrel to stand in. "

In a few minutes all four were standing for the bay; the Dutch vesselleading with all sail set, the cruisers following warily, and spreading, to head her from the north or south. It was plain that they had her wellin the toils; she must either surrender or run ashore; close hauled asshe was, she could not run them down, even if she would dream of such anoutrage. 

So far from showing any sign of rudeness was the smuggling vessel, thatshe would not even plead want of light as excuse for want of courtesy. For running past the royal cutters, who took much longer to come about, she saluted each of them with deep respect for the swallowtail of hisMajesty. And then she bore on, like the admiral's ship, with signal forall to follow her. 

"Such cursed impudence never did I see, " cried every one of the revenueskippers, as they all were compelled to obey her. "Surrender she must, or else run upon the rocks. Does the fool know what he is driving at?"

The fool, who was Master James Brown of Grimsby, knew very well whathe was about. Every shoal, and sounding, and rocky gut, was thoroughlyfamiliar to him, and the spread of faint light on the waves andalongshore told him all his bearings. The loud cackle of laughter, whichGrimsby men (at the cost of the rest of the world) enjoy, was carried bythe wind to the ears of Nettlebones. 

The latter set fast his teeth, and ground them; for now in the risingof the large full moon he perceived that the beach of the cove was blackwith figures gathering rapidly. "I see the villain's game; it is allclear now, " he shouted, as he slammed his spy-glass. "He means to run inwhere we dare not follow: and he knows that Carroway is out of hail. Thehull may go smash for the sake of the cargo; and his flat-bottomed tubcan run where we can not. I dare not carry after him--court-martial if Ido: that is where those fellows beat us always. But, by the Lord Harry, he shall not prevail! Guns are no good--the rogue knows that. We willland round the point, and nab him. "

By this time the moon was beginning to open the clouds, and strew thewaves with light; and the vapors, which had lain across the day, defyingall power of sun ray, were gracefully yielding, and departing softly, atthe insinuating whisper of the gliding night. Between the busy rollingof the distant waves, and the shining prominence of forward cliffs, aquiet space was left for ships to sail in, and for men to show activityin shooting one another. And some of these were hurrying to do so, ifthey could. 

"There is little chance of hitting them in this bad light; but let themhave it, Jakins; and a guinea for you, if you can only bring that bigmainsail down. "

The gunner was yearning for this, and the bellow of his piece respondedto the captain's words. But the shot only threw up a long path offountains, and the bilander ploughed on as merrily as before. 

"Hard aport! By the Lord, I felt her touch! Go about! So, so--easy!Now lie to, for Kestrel and Albatross to join. My certy! but that was anarrow shave. How the beggar would have laughed if we had grounded!Give them another shot. It will do the gun good; she wants a littleexercise. "

Nothing loath was master gunner, as the other bow-gun came into bearing, to make a little more noise in the world, and possibly produce a greatereffect. And therein he must have had a grand success, and established anoble reputation, by carrying off a great Grimsby head, if he only hadattended to a little matter. Gunner Jakins was a celebrated shot, andthe miss he had made stirred him up to shoot again. If the other gun wascrooked, this one should be straight; and dark as it was inshore, hegot a patch of white ground to sight by. The bilander was a good sizableobject, and not to hit her anywhere would be too bad. He consideredthese things carefully, and cocked both eyes, with a twinkling ambiguitybetween them; then trusting mainly to the left one, as an ancient gunnerfor the most part does, he watched the due moment, and fired. The smokecurled over the sea, and so did the Dutchman's maintop-sail, for themast beneath it was cut clean through. Some of the crew were frightened, as may be the bravest man when for the first time shot at; but JamesBrown rubbed his horny hands. 

"Now this is a good judgment for that younker Robin Lyth, " he shoutedaloud, with the glory of a man who has verified his own opinions. "Heputs all the danger upon his elders, and tells them there is none ofit. A' might just as well have been my head, if a wave hadn't lifted themuzzle when that straight-eyed chap let fire. Bear a hand, boys, and cutaway the wreck. He hathn't got never another shot to send. He hath savedus trouble o' shortening that there canvas. We don't need too much wayon her. "

This was true enough, as all hands knew; for the craft was bound to takethe beach, without going to pieces yet awhile. Jem Brown stood at thewheel himself, and carried her in with consummate skill. 

"It goeth to my heart to throw away good stuff, " he grumbled at almostevery creak. "Two hunder pound I would 'a paid myself for this herepiece of timber. Steady as a light-house, and as handy as a mop; butwhat do they young fellows care? There, now, my lads, hold your legs amoment; and now make your best of that. "

"With a crash, and a grating, and a long sad grind, the nuptial ark ofthe wealthy Dutchman cast herself into her last bed and berth. 

"I done it right well, " said the Grimsby man. 

The poor old bilander had made herself such a hole in the shingle thatshe rolled no more, but only lifted at the stern and groaned, as thequiet waves swept under her. The beach was swarming with men, who gaveher a cheer, and flung their hats up; and in two or three minutes asmany gangways of timber and rope were rigged to her hawse-holes, orfore-chains, or almost anywhere. And then the rolling of puncheonsbegan, and the hoisting of bales, and the thump and the creak, and thelaughter, and the swearing. 

"Now be you partiklar, uncommon partiklar; never start a stave nor fraya bale. Powerful precious stuff this time. Gold every bit of it, if itare a penny. They blessed coast-riders will be on us round the point. But never you hurry, lads, the more for that. Better a'most to let 'emhave it, than damage a drop or a thread of such goods. "

"All right, Cappen Brown. Don't you be so wonnerful unaisy. Not thefirst time we have handled such stuff. "

"I'm not so sure of that, " replied Brown, as he lit a short pipe andbegan to puff. "I've a-run some afore, but never none so precious. "

Then the men of the coast and the sailors worked with a will, by thebroad light of the moon, which showed their brawny arms and pantingchests, with the hoisting, and the heaving, and the rolling. In lessthan an hour three-fourths of the cargo was landed, and some alreadystowed inland, where no Preventive eye could penetrate. Then CaptainBrown put away his pipe, and was busy, in a dark empty part of the hold, with some barrels of his own, which he covered with a sailcloth. 

Presently the tramp of marching men was heard in a lane on the northside of the cove, and then the like sound echoed from the south. "Nownever you hurry, " said the Grimsby man. The others, however, could notattain such standard of equanimity. They fell into sudden confusion, and babble of tongues, and hesitation--everybody longing to be off, but nobody liking to run without something good. And to get away withanything at all substantial, even in the dark, was difficult, becausethere were cliffs in front, and the flanks would be stopped by men withcutlasses. 

"Ston' you still, " cried Captain Brown; "never you budge, ne'er a oneof ye. I stands upon my legitimacy; and I answer for the consekence. Itakes all responsibility. "

Like all honest Britons, they loved long words, and they knew that ifthe worst came to the worst, a mere broken head or two would make allstraight; so they huddled together in the moonlight waiting, and noone desired to be the outside man. And while they were striving forprecedence toward the middle, the coast-guards from either side marchedupon them, according to their very best drill and in high discipline, toknock down almost any man with the pommel of the sword. 

But the smugglers also showed high discipline under the commanding voiceof Captain Brown. 

"Every man ston' with his hands to his sides, and ask of they sojjersfor a pinch of bacca. "

This made them laugh, till Captain Nettlebones strode up. 

"In the name of his Majesty, surrender, all you fellows. You are fairlycaught in the very act of landing a large run of goods contraband. It ishigh time to make an example of you. Where is your skipper, lads? RobinLyth, come forth. "

"May it please your good honor and his Majesty's commission, " saidBrown, in his full, round voice, as he walked down the broadest ofthe gangways leisurely, "my name is not Robin Lyth, but James Brown, afamily man of Grimsby, and an honest trader upon the high seas. My cargois medical water and rags, mainly for the use of the revenue men, byreason they han't had their new uniforms this twelve months. "

Several of the enemy began to giggle, for their winter supply of clotheshad failed, through some lapse of the department. But Nettlebonesmarched up, and collared Captain Brown, and said, "You are my prisoner, sir. Surrender, Robin Lyth, this moment. " Brown made no resistance, butrespectfully touched his hat, and thought. 

"I were trying to call upon my memory, " he said, as the revenue officerled him aside, and promised him that he should get off easily if hewould only give up his chief. "I am not going to deny, your honor, thatI have heard tell of that name 'Robin Lyth. ' But my memory never do comein a moment. Now were he a man in the contraband line?"

"Brown, you want to provoke me. It will only be ten times worse for you. Now give him up like an honest fellow, and I will do my best for you. Imight even let a few tubs slip by. "

"Sir, I am a stranger round these parts; and the lingo is beyond me. Tubs is a bucket as the women use for washing. Never I heared of anyother sort of tubs. But my mate he knoweth more of Yorkshire talk. Jack, here his honor is a-speaking about tubs; ever you hear of tubs, Jack?"

"Make the villain fast to yonder mooring-post, " shouted Nettlebones, losing his temper; "and one of you stand by him, with a hanger ready. Now, Master Brown, we'll see what tubs are, if you please; and what sortof rags you land at night. One chance more for you--will you give upRobin Lyth?"

"Yes, sir, that I will, without two thoughts about 'un. Only too happy, as the young women say, to give 'un up, quick stick--so soon as ever Iha' got 'un. "

"If ever there was a contumacious rogue! Roll up a couple of thosepuncheons, Mr. Avery; and now light half a dozen links. Have you gotyour spigot-heels--and rummers? Very good; Lieutenant Donovan, Mr. Avery, and Senior Volunteer Brett, oblige me by standing by to verify. Gentlemen, we will endeavor to hold what is judicially called anassay--a proof of the purity of substances. The brand on these casksis of the very highest order--the renowned Mynheer Van Dunck himself. Donovan, you shall be our foreman; I have heard you say that youunderstood ardent spirits from your birth. "

"Faix, and I quite forget, commander, whether I was weaned on or off ofthem. But the foine judge me father was come down till me--honey, don'tbe narvous; slope it well, then--a little thick, is it? All thericher for that same, me boy. Commander, here's the good health of hisMajesty--Oh Lord!"

Mr. Corkoran Donovan fell down upon the shingle, and rolled andbellowed: "Sure me inside's out! 'Tis poisoned I am, every mortialbit o' me. A docthor, a docthor, and a praste, to kill me! That everI should live to die like this! Ochone, ochone, every bit of me; to bebrought forth upon good whiskey, and go out of the world upon docthor'sstuff!"

"Most folk does that, when they ought to turn ends t'otherwise. " JamesBrown of Grimsby could see how things were going, though his power toaid was restricted by a double turn of rope around him; but a kindhand had given him a pipe, and his manner was to take things easily. "Commander, or captain, or whatever you be, with your king's clothes, constructing a hole in they flints, never you fear, sir. 'Tis medicalwater, and your own wife wouldn't know you to-morrow. Your complexionwill be like a hangel's. "

"You d----d rogue, " cried Nettlebones, striding up, with his swordflashing in the link-lights, "if ever I had a mind to cut any mandown--"

"Well, sir, do it, then, upon a roped man, if the honor of the Britishnavy calleth for it. My will is made, and my widow will have action; andthe executioner of my will is a Grimsby man, with a pile of money madein the line of salt fish, and such like. "

"Brown, you are a brave man. I would scorn to harm you. Now, upon yourhonor, are all your puncheons filled with that stuff, and nothing else?"

"Upon my word of honor, sir, they are. Some a little weaker, some withmore bilge-water in it, or a trifle of a dash from the midden. The mainof it, however, in the very same condition as a' bubbleth out of whatthey call the spawses. Why, captain, you must 'a lived long enough toknow, partiklar if gifted with a family, that no sort of spirit as wereever stilled will fetch so much money by the gallon, duty paid, as thedoctor's stuff doth by the phial-bottle. "

"That is true enough; but no lies, Brown, particularly when upon yourhonor! If you were importing doctor's stuff, why did you lead us such adance, and stand fire?"

"Well, your honor, you must promise not to be offended, if I tell youof a little mistake we made. We heared a sight of talk about some piratecraft as hoisteth his Majesty's flag upon their villainy. And when firstyou come up, in the dusk of the night--"

"You are the most impudent rogue I ever saw. Show your bills of lading, sir. You know his Majesty's revenue cruisers as well as I know yoursmuggling tub. "

"Ship's papers are aboard of her, all correct, sir. Keys at yourservice, if you please to feel my pocket, objecting to let my handsloose. "

"Very well, I must go on board of her, and test a few of your puncheonsand bales, Master Brown. Locker in the master's own cabin, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir, plain as can be, on the starboard side, just behind the cabindoor. Only your honor must be smart about it; the time-fuse can't 'a gotthree inches left. "

"Time-fuse? What do you mean, you Grimsby villain?"

"Nothing, commander, but to keep you out of mischief. When we werecompelled to beach the old craft, for fear of them scoundrelly pirates, it came into my head what a pity it would be to have her used illegal;for she do outsail a'most everything, as your honor can bear witness. So I just laid a half-hour fuse to three big-powder barrels as is downthere in the hold; and I expect to see a blow-up almost every moment. But your honor might be in time yet, with a run, and good luck to yourfoot, you might--"

"Back, lads! back every one of you this moment!" The first concern ofNettlebones was rightly for his men. "Under the cliff here. Keep wellback. Push out those smuggler fellows into the middle. Let them have thebenefit of their own inventions, and this impudent Brown the foremost. They have laid a train to their powder barrels, and the lugger will blowup any moment. "

"No fear for me, commander, " James Brown shouted through the hurry andjostle of a hundred runaways. "More fear for that poor man as lieththere a-lurching. She won't hit me when she bloweth up, no more thanyour honor could. But surely your duty demandeth of you to board the oldbilander, and take samples. "

"Sample enough of you, my friend. But I haven't quite done with you yet. Simpson, here, bear a hand with poor Lieutenant Donovan. "

Nettlebones set a good example by lifting the prostrate Irishman;and they bore him into safety, and drew up there; while the beachmen, forbidden the shelter at point of cutlass, made off right and left; andthen, with a crash that shook the strand and drove back the water ina white turmoil, the Crown of Gold flew into a fount of timbers, splinters, shreds, smoke, fire, and dust. 

"Gentlemen, you may come out of your holes, " the Grimsby man shoutedfrom his mooring-post, as the echoes ran along the cliffs, and rolled toand fro in the distance. "My old woman will miss a piece of my pigtail, but she hathn't hurt her old skipper else. She blowed up handsome, andno mistake! No more danger, gentlemen, and plenty of stuff to pick upafore next pay-day. "

"What shall we do with that insolent hound?" Nettlebones asked poorDonovan, who was groaning in slow convalescence. "We have caught him innothing. We can not commit him; we can not even duck him legally. "

"Be jabers, let him drink his health in his own potheen. "

"Capital! Bravo for old Ireland, my friend! You shall see it done, andhandsomely. Brown, you recommend these waters, so you shall have a doseof them. "

A piece of old truncate kelp was found, as good a drinking horn as needbe; and with this Captain Brown was forced to swallow half a bucketfulof his own "medical water"; and they left him fast at his moorings, toreflect upon this form of importation. 

CHAPTER XXXIII

BEARDED IN HIS DEN

"What do you think of it by this time, Bowler?" Commander Nettlebonesasked his second, who had been left in command afloat, and to whom theyrowed back in a wrathful mood, with a good deal of impression that thefault was his, "You have been taking it easily out here. What do youthink of the whole of it?"

"I have simply obeyed your orders, sir; and if I am to be blamed forthat, I had better offer no opinion. "

"No, no, I am finding no fault with you. Don't be so tetchy, Bowler. Iseek your opinion, and you are bound to give it. "

"Well, then, sir, my opinion is that they have made fools of the lot ofus, excepting, of course, my superior officer. "

"You think so, Bowler? Well, and so do I--and myself the biggest fool ofany. They have charged our centre with a dummy cargo, while they run thereal stuff far on either flank. Is that your opinion?"

"To a nicety, that is my opinion, now that you put it so clearly, sir. "

"The trick is a clumsy one, and never should succeed. Carroway oughtto catch one lot, if he has a haporth of sense in him. What is the timenow; and how is the wind?"

"I hear a church clock striking twelve; and by the moon it must be that. The wind is still from the shore, but veering, and I felt a flaw fromthe east just now. "

"If the wind works round, our turn will come. Is Donovan fit for dutyyet?"

"Ten times fit, sir--to use his own expression. He is burning to have atsomebody. His eyes work about like the binnacle's card. "

"Then board him, and order him to make all sail for Burlington, andsee what old Carroway is up to. You be off for Whitby, and as far asTeesmouth, looking into every cove you pass. I shall stand off and onfrom this to Scarborough, and as far as Filey. Short measures, mind, if you come across them. If I nab that fellow Lyth, I shall go near tohanging him as a felon outlaw. His trick is a little too outrageous. "

"No fear, commander. If it is as we suppose, it is high time to make astrong example. "

Hours had been lost, as the captains of the cruisers knew too wellby this time. Robin Lyth's stratagem had duped them all, while thecontraband cargoes might be landed safely, at either extremity of theirheat. By the aid of the fishing-boats, he had learned their manoeuvresclearly, and outmanoeuvred them. 

Now it would have been better for him, perhaps, to have been contentwith a lesser triumph, and to run his own schooner, the Glimpse, furthersouth, toward Hornsea, or even Aldbrough. Nothing, however, wouldsatisfy him but to land his fine cargo at Carroway's own door--a pieceof downright insolence, for which he paid out most bitterly. A manof his courage and lofty fame should have been above such vindictivefeelings. But, as it was, he cherished and, alas! indulged a certainsmall grudge against the bold lieutenant, scarcely so much forendeavoring to shoot him, as for entrapping him at Byrsa Cottage, duringthe very sweetest moment of his life. "You broke in disgracefully, " saidthe smuggler to himself, "upon my privacy when it should have been mostsacred. The least thing I can do is to return your visit, and pay myrespects to Mrs. Carroway and your interesting family. "

Little expecting such a courtesy as this, the vigilant officer washurrying about, here, there, and almost everywhere (except in the rightdirection), at one time by pinnace, at another upon horseback, or on hisunwearied though unequal feet. He carried his sword in one hand, and hisspy-glass in the other, and at every fog he swore so hard that heseemed to turn it yellow. With his heart worn almost into holes, asan overmangled quilt is, by burdensome roll of perpetual lies, hecondemned, with a round mouth, smugglers, cutters, the coast-guard andthe coast itself, the weather, and, with a deeper depth of condemnation, the farmers, landladies, and fishermen. For all of these verily seemedto be in league to play him the game which school-boys play with agentle-faced new-comer--the game of "send the fool further. "

John Gristhorp, of the "Ship Inn, " at Filey, had turned out hisvisitors, barred his door, and was counting his money by the fireside, with his wife grumbling at him for such late hours as half past ten ofthe clock in the bar, that night when the poor bilander ended her longcareer as aforesaid. Then a thundering knock at the door just fastenedmade him upset a little pyramid of pence, and catch up the ironcandlestick. 

"None of your roistering here!" cried the lady. "John, you know betterthan to let them in, I hope. "

"Copper coomth by daa, goold coomth t'naight-time, " the sturdy publicananswered, though resolved to learn who it was before unbarring. 

"In the name of the King, undo this door, " a deep stern voice resounded, "or by royal command we make splinters of it. "

"It is that horrible Carroway again, " whispered Mrs. Gristhorp. "Muchgold comes of him, I doubt. Let him in if you dare, John. "

"'Keep ma oot, if ye de-arr, ' saith he. Ah'll awand here's the tail o'it. "

While Gristhorp, in wholesome fealty to his wife, was doubting, the doorflew open, and in marched Carroway and all his men, or at least all saveone of his present following. He had ordered his pinnace to meet himhere, himself having ridden from Scarborough, and the pinnace hadbrought the jolly-boat in tow, according to his directions. The men hadlanded with the jolly-boat, which was handier for beach work, leavingone of their number to mind the larger craft while they should refreshthemselves. They were nine in all, and Carroway himself the tenth, allsturdy fellows, and for the main of it tolerably honest; Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody, and one more man from Bridlington, the rest are-enforcement from Spurn Head, called up for occasion. 

"Landlord, produce your best, and quickly, " the officer said, as hethrew himself into the arm-chair of state, being thoroughly tired. "Inone hour's time we must be off. Therefore, John, bring nothing tough, for our stomachs are better than our teeth. A shilling per head is hisMajesty's price, and half a crown for officers. Now a gallon of ale, tobegin with. "

Gristhorp, being a prudent man, brought the very toughest parts ofhis larder forth, with his wife giving nudge to his elbow. All, andespecially Carroway, too hungry for nice criticism, fell to, by thelight of three tallow candles, and were just getting into the heart ofit, when the rattle of horseshoes on the pitch-stones shook the longlow window, and a little boy came staggering in, with scanty breath, anddazzled eyes, and a long face pale with hurrying so. 

"Why, Tom, my boy!" the lieutenant cried, jumping up so suddenly thathe overturned the little table at which he was feeding by himself, topreserve the proper discipline. "Tom, my darling, what has brought youhere? Anything wrong with your mother?"

"Nobody wouldn't come, but me, " Carroway's eldest son began to gasp, with his mouth full of crying; "and I borrowed Butcher Hewson's pony, and he's going to charge five shillings for it. "

"Never mind that. We shall not have to pay it. But what is it all about, my son?"

"About the men that are landing the things, just opposite our frontdoor, father. They have got seven carts, and a wagon with three horses, and one of the horses is three colors; and ever so many ponies, morethan you could count. "

"Well, then, may I be forever"--here the lieutenant used an expressionwhich not only was in breach of the third commandment, but might leadhis son to think less of the fifth--"if it isn't more than I can bear!To be running a cargo at my own hall door!" He had a passage largeenough to hang three hats in, which the lady of the house always called"the hall. " "Very well, very good, very fine indeed! You sons of"--ananimal that is not yet accounted the mother of the human race--"have youdone guzzling and swizzling?"

The men who were new to his orders jumped up, for they liked hisexpressions, by way of a change; but the Bridlington squad stuck totheir trenchers. "Ready in five minutes, sir, " said Cadman, with aglance neither loving nor respectful. 

"If ever there was an old hog for the trough, the name of him is JohnCadman. In ten minutes, lads, we must all be afloat. "

"One more against you, " muttered Cadman; and a shrewd quiet man fromSpurn Head, Adam Andrews, heard him, and took heed of him. 

While the men of the coast-guard were hurrying down to make ready thejolly-boat and hail the pinnace, Carroway stopped to pay the score, andto give his son some beer and meat. The thirsty little fellow drainedhis cup, and filled his mouth and both hands with food, while thelandlady picked out the best bits for him. 

"Don't talk, my son--don't try to talk, " said Carroway, looking proudlyat him, while the boy was struggling to tell his adventures, withoutloss of feeding-time; "you are a chip of the old block, Tom, forvictualling, and for riding too. Kind madam, you never saw such a boybefore. Mark my words, he will do more in the world than ever his fatherdid, and his father was pretty well known in his time, in the RoyalNavy, ma'am. To have stuck to his horse all that way in the dark waswonderful, perfectly wonderful. And the horse blows more than the rider, ma'am, which is quite beyond my experience. Now, Tom, ride home verycarefully and slowly, if you feel quite equal to it. The Lord haswatched over you, and He will continue, as He does with brave folk thatdo their duty. Half a crown you shall have, all for yourself, and thesixpenny boat that you longed for in the shops. Keep out of the way ofthe smugglers, Tom; don't let them even clap eyes on you. Kiss me, myson; I am proud of you. "

Little Tom long remembered this; and his mother cried over it hundredsof times. 

Although it was getting on for midnight now, Master Gristhorp and hiswife came out into the road before their house, to see the departure oftheir guests. And this they could do well, because the moon had clearedall the fog away, and was standing in a good part of the sky forthrowing clear light upon Filey. Along the uncovered ridge of shore, which served for a road, and was better than a road, the boy and thepony grew smaller; while upon the silvery sea the same thing happened tothe pinnace, with her white sails bending, and her six oars glistening. 

"The world goeth up, and the world goeth down, " said the lady, with herarms akimbo; "and the moon goeth over the whole of us, John; but to myheart I do pity poor folk as canna count the time to have the sniff oftheir own blankets. "

"Margery, I loikes the moon, as young as ever ye da. But I sooner seethe snuff of our own taller, a-going out, fra the bed-curtings. "

Shaking their heads with concrete wisdom, they managed to bar the dooragain, and blessing their stars that they did not often want them, tookshelter beneath the quiet canopy of bed. And when they heard by-and-bywhat had happened, it cost them a week apiece to believe it; becausewith their own eyes they had seen everything so peaceable, and had sucha good night afterward. 

When a thing is least expected, then it loves to come to pass, and thenit is enjoyed the most, whatever good there is of it. After the fog andthe slur of the day, to see the sky at all was joyful, although therewas but a white moon upon it, and faint stars gliding hazily. And it wasa great point for every man to be satisfied as to where he was; becausethat helps him vastly toward being satisfied to be there. The men in thepinnace could see exactly where they were in this world; and as to theother world, their place was fixed--if discipline be an abiding gift--bythe stern precision of their commander in ordering the lot of them tothe devil. They carried all sail, and they pulled six oars, and the windand sea ran after them. 

"Ha! I see something!" Carroway cried, after a league or more ofswearing. "Dick, the night glass; my eyes are sore. What do you make herout for?"

"Sir, she is the Spurn Head yawl, " answered Dick Hackerbody, who wasfamed for long sight, but could see nothing with a telescope. "I can seethe patch of her foresail. "

"She is looking for us. We are the wrong way of the moon. Ship oars, lads; bear up for her. "

In ten minutes' time the two boats came to speaking distance off BemptonCliffs, and the windmill, that vexed Willie Anerley so, looked bareand black on the highland. There were only two men in the Spurn Headboat--not half enough to manage her. "Well, what is it?" shoutedCarroway. 

"Robin Lyth has made his land-fall on Burlington Sands, opposite yourhonor's door, sir. There was only two of us to stop him, and the man asis deaf and dumb. "

"I know it, " said Carroway, too wroth to swear. "My boy of eight yearsold is worth the entire boiling of you. You got into a rabbit-hole, andran to tell your mammy. "

"Captain, I never had no mammy, " the other man answered, with hisfeelings hurt. "I come to tell you, sir; and something, if you please, for your own ear, if agreeable. "

"Nothing is agreeable. But let me have it. Hold on; I will come aboardof you. "

The lieutenant stepped into the Spurn Head boat with confident activity, and ordered his own to haul off a little, while the stranger bent downto him in the stern, and whispered. 

"Now are you quite certain of this?" asked Carroway, with his grim faceglowing in the moonlight, "I have had such a heap of cock and bullsabout it. Morcom, are you certain?"

"As certain, sir, as that I stand here, and you sit there, commander. Put me under guard, with a pistol to my ear, and shoot me if it turnsout to be a lie. "

"The Dovecote, you say? You are quite sure of that, and not the KirkCave, or Lyth's Hole?"

"Sir, the Dovecote, and no other. I had it from my own young brother, who has been cheated of his share. And I know it from my own eyes too. "

"Then, by the Lord in heaven, Morcom, I shall have my revenge at last;and I shall not stand upon niceties. If I call for the jolly-boat, youstep in. I doubt if either of these will enter. "

It was more than a fortnight since the lieutenant had received theattentions of a barber, and when he returned to his own boat, andchanged her course inshore, he looked most bristly even in themoonlight. The sea and the moon between them gave quite light enough toshow how gaunt he was--the aspect of a man who can not thrive withouthis children to make play, and his wife to do cookery for him. 

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE DOVECOTE

With the tiller in his hand, the brave lieutenant meditated sadly. Therewas plenty of time for thought before quick action would be needed, although the Dovecote was so near that no boat could come out of itunseen. For the pinnace was fetching a circuit, so as to escape the eyesof any sentinel, if such there should be at the mouth of the cavern, andto come upon the inlet suddenly. And the two other revenue boats were inher wake. 

The wind was slowly veering toward the east, as the Grimsby man hadpredicted, with no sign of any storm as yet, but rather a prospect ofwinterly weather, and a breeze to bring the woodcocks in. The gentlerise and fall of waves, or rather, perhaps, of the tidal flow, wascheckered and veined with a ripple of the slanting breeze, and twinkledin the moonbeams. For the moon was brightly mounting toward her zenith, and casting bastions of rugged cliff in gloomy largeness on the mirrorof the sea. Hugging these as closely as their peril would allow, Carroway ordered silence, and with the sense of coming danger thought:

"Probably I shall kill this man. He will scarcely be taken alive, Ifear. He is as brave as myself, or braver; and in his place I wouldnever yield. If he were a Frenchman, it would be all right. But I hateto kill a gallant Englishman. And such a pretty girl, and a good girltoo, loves him with all her heart, I know. And that good old couple whodepend upon him, and who have had such shocking luck themselves! He hasbeen a bitter plague to me, and often I have longed to strike him down. But to-night--I can not tell why it is--I wish there were some wayout of it. God knows that I would give up the money, and give up mythief-catching business too, if the honor of the service let me. Butduty drives me; do it I must. And after all, what is life to a man whois young, and has no children? Better over, better done with, beforethe troubles and the disappointment come, the weariness, and the loss ofpower, and the sense of growing old, and seeing the little ones hungry. Life is such a fleeting vapor--I smell some man sucking peppermint! Thesmell of it goes on the wind for a mile. Oh! Cadman again, as usual. Peppermint in the Royal Coast-Guard! Away with it, you ancient beldame!"

Muttering something about his bad tooth, the man flung his lozenge away;and his eyes flashed fire in the moonlight, while the rest grinned a lowgrin at him. And Adam Andrews, sitting next him, saw him lay hands uponhis musketoon. 

"Are your firelocks all primed, my lads?" the commander asked, quite asif he had seen him, although he had not been noticing; and the foremostto answer "Ay, ay, sir, " was Cadman. 

"Then be sure that you fire not, except at my command. We will take themwithout shedding blood, if it may be. But happen what will, we must haveLyth. "

With these words, Carroway drew his sword, and laid it on the benchbeside him; and the rest (who would rather use steel than powder) feltthat their hangers were ready. Few of them wished to strike at all;for vexed as they were with the smugglers for having outwitted themso often, as yet there was no bad blood between them, such as must bequenched with death. And some of them had friends, and even relatives, among the large body of free-traders, and counted it too likely thatthey might be here. 

Meanwhile in the cave there was rare work going on, speedily, cleverly, and with a merry noise. There was only one boat, with a crew of six men, besides Robin Lyth the captain; but the six men made noise enough fortwelve, and the echoes made it into twice enough for any twenty-four. The crew were trusty, hardy fellows, who liked their joke, and couldwork with it; and Robin Lyth knew them too well to attempt any highauthority of gagging. The main of their cargo was landed and goneinland, as snugly as need be; and having kept beautifully sober overthat, they were taking the liberty of beginning to say, or rather sip, the grace of the fine indulgence due to them. 

Pleasant times make pleasant scenes, and everything now was fairand large in this happy cave of freedom. Lights of bright resin wereburning, with strong flare and fume, upon shelves of rock; dark watersoftly went lapping round the sides, having dropped all rude habits atthe entrance; and a pulse of quiet rise and fall opened, and spread tothe discovery of light, tremulous fronds and fans of kelp. The cavern, expanding and mounting from the long narrow gut of its inlet, shone withstaves of snowy crag wherever the scour of the tide ran round;bulged and scooped, or peaked and fissured, and sometimes beautifullysculptured by the pliant tools of water. Above the tide-reach darkerhues prevailed, and more jagged outline, tufted here and there withyellow, where the lichen freckles spread. And the vault was framed ofmountain fabric, massed with ponderous gray slabs. 

All below was limpid water, or at any rate not very muddy, but as brightas need be for the time of year, and a sea which is not tropical. No onemay hope to see the bottom through ten feet of water on the Yorkshirecoast, toward the end of the month of November; but still it tries tolook clear upon occasion; and here in the caves it settles down, aftereven a week free from churning. And perhaps the fog outside had helpedit to look clearer inside; for the larger world has a share of thespirit of contrariety intensified in man. 

Be that as it may, the water was too clear for any hope of sinking tubsdeeper than Preventive eyes could go; and the very honest fellows whowere laboring here had not brought any tubs to sink. All such coarsegear was shipped off inland, as they vigorously expressed it; andwhat they were concerned with now was the cream and the jewel of theirenterprise. 

The sea reserved exclusive right of way around the rocky sides, withouteven a niche for human foot, so far as a stranger could perceive. Atthe furthermost end of the cave, however, the craggy basin had a lipof flinty pebbles and shelly sand. This was no more than a very narrowshelf, just enough for a bather to plunge from; but it ran across thebroad end of the cavern, and from its southern corner went a deep dryfissure mounting out of sight into the body of the cliff. And here thesmugglers were merrily at work. 

The nose of their boat was run high upon the shingle; two men on boardof her were passing out the bales, while the other four received them, and staggered with them up the cranny. Captain Lyth himself was in thestern-sheets, sitting calmly, but ordering everything, and jotting downthe numbers. Now and then the gentle wash was lifting the brown timbers, and swelling with a sleepy gush of hushing murmurs out of sight. And nowand then the heavy vault was echoing with some sailor's song. 

There was only one more bale to land, and that the most precious ofthe whole, being all pure lace most closely packed in a water-proofinclosure. Robin Lyth himself was ready to indulge in a careless song. For this, as he had promised Mary, was to be his last illegal act. Henceforth, instead of defrauding the revenue, he would most loyallycheat the public, as every reputable tradesman must. How could any manserve his time more notably, toward shop-keeping, and pave fairer wayinto the corporation of a grandly corrupt old English town, than by longgraduation of free trade? And Robin was yet too young and careless toknow that he could not endure dull work. "How pleasant, how comfortable, how secure, " he was saying to himself, "it will be! I shall hardly beable to believe that I ever lived in hardship. "

But the great laws of human nature were not to be balked so. Robin Lyth, the prince of smugglers, and the type of hardihood, was never to wear agrocer's apron, was never to be "licensed to sell tea, coffee, tobacco, pepper, and snuff. " For while he indulged in this vain dream, and waslifting his last most precious bale, a surge of neither wind nor tide, but of hostile invasion, washed the rocks, and broke beneath his feet. 

In a moment all his wits returned, all his plenitude of resource, and unequalled vigor and coolness. With his left hand--for he wasas ambidexter as a brave writer of this age requires--he caught up ahandspike, and hurled it so truly along the line of torches that onlytwo were left to blink; with his right he flung the last bale upon theshelf; then leaped out after it, and hurried it away. Then he spranginto the boat again, and held an oar in either hand. 

"In the name of the king, surrender, " shouted Carroway, standing, talland grim, in the bow of the pinnace, which he had skillfully driventhrough the entrance, leaving the other boats outside. "We are three toone, we have muskets, and a cannon. In the name of the king, surrender. "

"In the name of the devil, splash!" cried Robin, suiting the actionto the word, striking the water with both broad blades, while his mensnatched oars and did the same. A whirl of flashing water filled thecave, as if with a tempest, soaked poor Carroway, and drenched hissword, and deluged the priming of the hostile guns. All was uproar, turmoil, and confusion thrice confounded; no man could tell where hewas, and the grappling boats reeled to and fro. 

"Club your muskets, and at 'em!" cried the lieutenant, mad with rage, as the gunwale of his boat swung over. "Their blood be upon their ownheads; draw your hangers, and at 'em!"

He never spoke another word, but furiously leaping at the smugglerchief, fell back into his own boat, and died, without a syllable, without a groan. The roar of a gun and the smoke of powder mingled withthe watery hubbub, and hushed in a moment all the oaths of conflict. 

The revenue men drew back and sheathed their cutlasses, and laid downtheir guns; some looked with terror at one another, and some at theirdead commander. His body lay across the heel of the mast, which had beenunstepped at his order; and a heavy drip of blood was weltering into aring upon the floor. 

For several moments no one spoke, nor moved, nor listened carefully;but the fall of the poor lieutenant's death-drops, like the ticking ofa clock, went on. Until an old tar, who had seen a sight of battles, crooked his legs across a thwart, and propped up the limp head upon hisdoubled knee. 

"Dead as a door-nail, " he muttered, after laying his ear to the lips, and one hand on the too impetuous heart, "Who takes command? This is ahanging job, I'm thinking. "

There was nobody to take command, not even a petty officer. The commandfell to the readiest mind, as it must in such catastrophes. "Jem, you doit, " whispered two or three; and being so elected, he was clear. 

"Lay her broadside on to the mouth of the cave. Not a man stirs outwithout killing me, " old Jem shouted; and to hear a plain voice wassudden relief to most of them. In the wavering dimness they laid thepinnace across the narrow entrance, while the smugglers huddled alltogether in their boat. "Burn two blue-lights, " cried old Jem; and itwas done. 

"I'm not going to speechify to any cursed murderers, " the old sailorsaid, with a sense of authority which made him use mild language; "buttake heed of one thing, I'll blow you all to pieces with this herefour-pounder, without you strikes peremptory. "

The brilliance of the blue-lights filled the cavern, throwing outeverybody's attitude and features, especially those of the deadlieutenant. "A fine job you have made of it this time!" said Jem. 

They were beaten, they surrendered, they could scarcely even speak toassert their own innocence of such a wicked job. They submitted to bebound, and cast down into their boat, imploring only that it might bethere--that they might not be taken to the other boat and laid near thecorpse of Carroway. 

"Let the white-livered cowards have their way, " the old sailor said, contemptuously. "Put their captain on the top of them. Now which isRobin Lyth?"

The lights were burned out, and the cave was dark again, except when aslant of moonlight came through a fissure upon the southern side. Thesmugglers muttered something, but they were not heeded. 

"Never mind, make her fast, fetch her out, you lubbers. We shall see himwell enough when we get outside. "

But in spite of all their certainty, they failed of this. They had onlysix prisoners, and not one of them was Lyth. 

CHAPTER XXXV

LITTLE CARROWAYS

Mrs. Carroway was always glad to be up quite early in the morning. Butsome few mornings seemed to slip in between whiles when, in accordancewith human nature, and its operations in the baby stage, even LautaCarroway failed to be about the world before the sun himself. Wheneverthis happened she was slightly cross, from the combat of conscience andself-assertion, which fly at one another worse than any dog and cat. Geraldine knew that her mother was put out if any one of the householddurst go down the stairs before her. And yet if Geraldine herself heldback, and followed the example of late minutes, she was sure "to catchit worse, " as the poor child expressed it. 

If any active youth with a very small income (such as an active youth ispretty sure to have) wants a good wife, and has the courage to setout with one, his proper course is to choose the eldest daughter ofa numerous family. When the others come thickly, this daughter of thehouse gets worked down into a wonderful perfection of looking afterothers, while she overlooks herself. Such a course is even betterfor her than to have a step-mother--which also is a goodly thing, butsometimes leads to sourness. Whereas no girl of any decent staple canrevolt against her duty to her own good mother, and the proud sense offostering and working for the little ones. Now Geraldine was wise in allthese ways, and pleased to be called the little woman of the house. 

The baby had been troublous in the night, and scant of reason, as therising race can be, even while so immature; and after being up withit, and herself producing a long series of noises--which lead to peacethrough the born desire of contradiction--the mother fell asleep atlast, perhaps from simple sympathy, and slept beyond her usual hour. Butinstead of being grateful for this, she was angry and bitter to any oneawake before her. 

"I can not tell why it is, " she said to Geraldine, who was toasting aherring for her brothers and sisters, and enjoying the smell (which wasall that she would get), "but perpetually now you stand exactly likeyour father. There is every excuse for your father, because he is anofficer, and has been knocked about, as he always is; but there is noexcuse for you, miss. Put your heel decently under your dress. If we canafford nothing else, we can surely afford to behave well. "

The child made no answer, but tucked her heel in, and went on toastingnobly, while she counted the waves on the side of the herring, where hisribs should have been if he were not too fat; and she mentally dividedhim into seven pieces, not one of which, alas! would be for hungryGeraldine. "Tom must have two, after being out all night, " she wassaying to herself; "and to grudge him would be greedy. But the bit ofskin upon the toasting-fork will be for me, I am almost sure. "

"Geraldine, the least thing you can do, when I speak to you, is toanswer. This morning you are in a most provoking temper, and givingyourself the most intolerable airs. And who gave you leave to do yourhair like that? One would fancy that you were some rising court beauty, or a child of the nobility at the very least, instead of a plain littlething that has to work--or at any rate that ought to work--to help itspoor mother! Oh, now you are going to cry, I suppose. Let me see a tear, and you shall go to bed again. "

"Oh, mother, mother, now what do you think has happened?" little Tomshouted, as he rushed in from the beach. "Father has caught all thesmugglers, every one, and the Royal George is coming home before aspanking breeze, with three boats behind her, and they can't be allours; and one of them must belong to Robin Lyth himself; and I wouldalmost bet a penny they have been and shot him; though everybody saidthat he never could be shot. Jerry, come and look--never mind the oldfish. I never did see such a sight in all my life. They have got thejib-sail on him, so he must be dead at last; and instead of half acrown, I am sure to get a guinea. Come along, Jerry, and perhaps I'llgive you some of it!"

"Tommy, " said his mother, "you are always so impetuous! I neverwill believe in such good luck until I see it. But you have been awonderfully good brave boy, and your father may thank you for whateverhe has done. I shall not allow Geraldine to go; for she is not a goodchild this morning. And of course I can not go myself, for your fatherwill come home absolutely starving. And it would not be right for thelittle ones to go, if things are at all as you suppose. Now, if I letyou go yourself, you are not to go beyond the flag-staff. Keep far awayfrom the boats, remember; unless your father calls for you to run on anyerrand. All the rest of you go in here, with your bread and milk, andwait until I call you. "

Mrs. Carroway locked all the little ones in a room from which they couldsee nothing of the beach, with orders to Cissy, the next girl, to feedthem, and keep them all quiet till she came again. But while she wasbusy, with a very lively stir, to fetch out whatever could be found offatness or grease that could be hoped to turn to gravy in the pan--forCarroway, being so lean, loved fat, and to put a fish before him was aninsult to his bones--just at the moment when she had struck oil, in theshape of a very fat chop, from forth a stew, which had beaten allthe children by stearine inertia--then at this moment, when she wasrejoicing, the latch of the door clicked, and a man came in. 

"Whoever you are, you seem to me to make yourself very much at home, "the lady said, sharply, without turning round, because she supposed itto be a well-accustomed enemy, armed with that odious "little bill. " Theintruder made no answer, and she turned to rate him thoroughly; but thepetulance of her eyes drew back before the sad stern gaze of his. "Whoare you, and what do you want?" she asked, with a yellow dish in onehand, and a frying-pan in the other. "Geraldine, come here: that manlooks wild. "

Her visitor did look wild enough, but without any menace in hissorrowful dark eyes. "Can't the man speak?" she cried. "Are you mad, orstarving? We are not very rich; but we can give you bread, poor fellow. Captain Carroway will be at home directly, and he will see what can bedone for you. "

"Have you not heard of the thing that has been done?" the young manasked her, word by word, and staying himself with one hand upon thedresser, because he was trembling dreadfully. 

"Yes, I have heard of it all. They have shot the smuggler Robin Lythat last. I am very sorry for him. But it was needful; and he had nofamily. "

"Lady, I am Robin Lyth. I have not been shot; nor even shot at. The manthat has been shot, I know not how, instead of me, was--was somebodyquite different. With all my heart I wish it had been me; and no moretrouble. "

He looked at the mother and the little girl, and sobbed, and fell upona salting stool, which was to have been used that morning. Then, whileMrs. Carroway stood bewildered, Geraldine ran up to him, and took hishand, and said: "Don't cry. My papa says that men never cry. And I am soglad that you were not shot. "

"See me kiss her, " said Robin Lyth, as he laid his lips upon the child'sfair forehead. "If I had done it, could I do that? Darling, you willremember this. Madam, I am hunted like a mad dog, and shall be hanged toyour flag-staff if I am caught. I am here to tell you that, as God looksdown from heaven upon you and me, I did not do it--I did not even knowit. "

The smuggler stood up, with his right hand on his heart, and tearsrolling manifestly down his cheeks, but his eyes like crystal, clearwith truth; and the woman, who knew not that she was a widow, but feltit already with a helpless wonder, answered, quietly: "You speak thetruth, sir. But what difference can it make to me?" Lyth tried to answerwith the same true look; but neither his eyes nor his tongue wouldserve. 

"I shall just go and judge for myself, " she said, as if it were aquestion of marketing (such bitter defiance came over her), and she tookno more heed of him than if he were a chair; nor even half so much, forshe was a great judge of a chair. "Geraldine, go and put your bonnet on. We are going to meet your father. Tell Cissy and all the rest to comebut the baby. The baby can not do it, I suppose. In a minute and a halfI shall expect you all--how many? Seven?--yes, seven of you. "

"Seven, mother, yes. And the baby makes it eight; and yesterday you saidthat he was worth all us together. "

Robin Lyth saw that he was no more wanted, or even heeded; and withoutdelay he quitted such premises of danger. Why should he linger in aspot where he might have violent hands laid on him, and be sped to apremature end, without benefit even of trial by jury? Upon this train ofreasoning he made off. 

Without any manner of reasoning at all, but with fierceness of dread andstupidity of grief, the mother collected her children in silence, fromthe damsel of ten to the toddler of two. Then, leaving the baby tieddown in the cradle, she pulled at the rest of them, on this side and onthat, to get them into proper trim of dresses and of hats, as if theywere going to be marched off to church. For that all the younger onesmade up their minds, and put up their ears for the tinkle of the bell;but the elder children knew that it was worse than that, because theirmother never looked at them. 

"You will go by the way of the station, " she said, for the boats werestill out at sea, and no certainty could be made of them: "whatever itis, we may thank the station for it. "

The poor little things looked up at her in wonder; and then, acting upto their discipline, set off, in lopsided pairs of a small and a bigone, to save any tumbling and cutting of knees. The elder ones walkedwith discretion, and a strong sense of responsibility, hushed, moreover, by some inkling of a great black thing to meet. But the baby onesprattled, and skipped with their feet, and straggled away toward theflowers by the path. The mother of them all followed slowly and heavily, holding the youngest by the hand, because of its trouble in gettingthrough the stones. Her heart was nearly choking, but her eyes free andreckless, wandering wildly over earth, and sea, and sky, in vain searchof guidance from any or from all of them. 

The pinnace came nearer, with its sad, cold freight. The men took offtheir hats, and rubbed their eyes, and some of them wanted to backoff again; but Mrs. Carroway calmly said, "Please to let me have myhusband. "

CHAPTER XXXVI

MAIDS AND MERMAIDS

Day comes with climbing, night by falling; hence the night is so muchswifter. Happiness takes years to build; but misery swoops like anavalanche. Such, and even more depressing, are the thoughts young folkgive way to when their first great trouble rushes and sweeps them into adesert, trackless to the inexperienced hope. 

When Mary Anerley heard, by the zealous offices of watchful friends, that Robin Lyth had murdered Captain Carroway ferociously, and had fledfor his life across the seas, first wrath at such a lie was followed bypersistent misery. She had too much faith in his manly valor and tenderheart to accept the tale exactly as it was told to her; but still shecould not resist the fear that in the whirl of conflict, with lifeagainst life, he had dealt the death. And she knew that even such a deedwould brand him as a murderer, stamp out all love, and shatter everyhope of quiet happiness. The blow to her pride was grievous also; formany a time had she told herself that a noble task lay before her--torescue from unlawful ways and redeem to reputable life the man whosebravery and other gallant gifts had endeared him to the public and toher. But now, through force of wretched facts, he must be worse thanever. 

Her father and mother said never a word upon the subject to her. Mrs. Anerley at first longed to open out, and shed upon the child a mother'ssympathy, as well as a mother's scolding; but firmly believing, asshe did, the darkest version of the late event, it was better that sheshould hold her peace, according to her husband's orders. 

"Let the lass alone, " he said; "a word against that fellow now wouldmake a sight of mischief. Suppose I had shot George Tanfield, insteadof hiding him soundly, when he stuck up to you, why you must have beensorry for me, Sophy. And Mary is sorry for that rogue, no doubt, andbelieves that he did it for her sake, I dare say. The womenkind alwaysdo think that. If a big thief gets swung for breaking open a cash-box, his lassie will swear he was looking for her thimble. If you was to gonow for discoursing of this matter, you would never put up with poorPoppet's account of him, and she would run him higher up, every time youran him down; ay, and believe it too: such is the ways of women. "

"Why, Stephen, you make me open up my eyes. I never dreamed you werehalf so cunning, and of such low opinions. "

"Well, I don't know, only from my own observance. I would scarcely trustmyself not to abuse that fellow. And, Sophy, you know you can not stopyour tongue, like me. "

"Thank God for that same! He never meant us so to do. But, Stephen, Iwill follow your advice; because it is my own opinion. "

Mary was puzzled by this behavior; for everything used to be so plainamong them. She would even have tried for some comfort from Willie, whose mind was very large upon all social questions. But Willie hadsolved at last the problem of perpetual motion, according to his ownconviction, and locked himself up with his model all day; and the worldmight stand still, so long as that went on. "Oh, what would I give fordear Jack!" cried Mary. 

Worn out at length with lonely grief, she asked if she might go to ByrsaCottage, for a change. Even that was refused, though her father'skind heart ached at the necessary denial. Sharp words again had passedbetween the farmer and the tanner concerning her, and the formerbelieved that his brother-in-law would even encourage the outlaw still. And for Mary herself now the worst of it was that she had nothing to layhold of in the way of complaint or grievance. It was not like that firstestrangement, when her father showed how much he felt it in a hundredways, and went about everything upside down, and comforted her by hiswant of comfort. Now it was ten times worse than that, for her fathertook everything quite easily!

Shocking as it may be, this was true. Stephen Anerley had been througha great many things since the violence of his love-time, and his viewsupon such tender subjects were not so tender as they used to be. Withthe eyes of wisdom he looked back, having had his own way in the matter, upon such young sensations as very laudable, but curable. In his owncase he had cured them well, and, upon the whole, very happily, by agood long course of married life; but having tried that remedy alone, how could he say that there was no better? He remembered how his ownmiseries had soon subsided, or gone into other grooves, after matrimony. This showed that they were transient, but did not prove such a courseto be the only cure for them. Recovering from illness, has any man beenknown to say that the doctor recovered him?

Mrs. Anerley's views upon the subject were much the same, thoughmodified, of course, by the force of her own experience. She might havehad a much richer man than Stephen; and when he was stingy, she remindedhim of that, which, after a little disturbance, generally terminatedin five guineas. And now she was clear that if Mary were not worried, condoled with, or cried over, she would take her own time, and comegradually round, and be satisfied with Harry Tanfield. Harry was a fineyoung fellow, and worshipped the ground that Mary walked upon; and itseemed a sort of equity that he should have her, as his father hadbeen disappointed of her mother. Every Sunday morning he trimmed hiswhiskers, and put on a wonderful waistcoat; and now he did more, for hebought a new hat, and came to church to look at her. 

Oftentimes now, by all these doings, the spirit of the girl was roused, and her courage made ready to fly out in words; but the calm look of theelders stopped her, and then true pride came to her aid. If they choseto say nothing of the matter which was in her heart continually, wouldshe go whining to them about it, and scrape a grain of pity froma cartload of contempt? One day, as she stood before the swingingglass--that present from Aunt Popplewell which had moved her mother'swrath so--she threw back her shoulders, and smoothed the plaits of hernice little waist, and considered herself. The humor of the moment grewupon her, and crept into indulgence, as she saw what a very fair lassshe was, and could not help being proud of it. She saw how the soft richdamask of her cheeks returned at being thought of, and the sparkleof her sweet blue eyes, and the merry delight of her lips, that maderespectable people want to steal a kiss, from the pure enticement ofgood-will. 

"I will cry no more in the nights, " she said. "Why should I make such afigure of myself, with nobody to care for it? And here is my hair fullof kinkles and neglect! I declare, if he ever came back, he would say, 'What a fright you are become, my Mary!' Where is that stuff of AuntDeborah's, I wonder, that makes her hair like satin? It is high time toleave off being such a dreadful dowdy. I will look as nice as ever, justto let them know that their cruelty has not killed me. "

Virtuous resolves commend themselves, and improve with being carriedout. She put herself into her very best trim, as simple as a lily, andas perfect as a rose, though the flutter of a sigh or two enlarged hergentle breast. She donned a very graceful hat, adorned with sweet ribbonright skillfully smuggled; and she made up her mind to have the benefitof the air. 

The prettiest part of all Anerley Farm, for those who are not farmers, is a soft little valley, where a brook comes down, and passes fromvoluntary ruffles into the quiet resignation of a sheltered lake. Apleasant and a friendly little water-spread is here, cheerful to thesunshine, and inviting to the moon, with a variety of gleamy streaks, according to the sky and breeze. Pasture-land and arable come sloping tothe margin, which, instead of being rough and rocky, lips the pool withgentleness. Ins and outs of little bays afford a nice variety, whileround the brink are certain trees of a modest and unpretentious bent. These having risen to a very fair distance toward the sky, come downagain, scarcely so much from a doubt of their merits, as throughaffection to their native land. In summer they hang like a permanentshower of green to refresh the bright water; and in winter, like looseosier-work, or wattles curved for binding. 

Under one of the largest of these willows the runaway Jack had made aseat, whereon to sit and watch his toy boat cruising on the inland wave. Often when Mary was tired of hoping for the return of her playmate, shecame to this place to think about him, and wonder whether he thought ofher. And now in the soft December evening (lonely and sad, but fair tolook at, like herself) she was sitting here. 

The keen east wind, which had set in as Captain Brown predicted, wasover now, and succeeded by the gentler influence of the west. Nothingcould be heard in this calm nook but the lingering touch of the dyingbreeze, and the long soft murmur of the distant sea, and the silveryplash of a pair of coots at play. Neither was much to be seen, exceptthe wavering glisten and long shadows of the mere, the tracery of treesagainst the fading light, and the outline of the maiden as she leanedagainst the trunk. Generations of goat-moths in their early days ofvoracity had made a nice hollow for her hat to rest in, and some of thepowdering willow dusted her bright luxuriant locks with gold. Her facewas by no means wan or gloomy, and she added to the breezes not a singlesigh. This happened without any hardness of heart, or shallow contemptof the nobler affections; simply from the hopefulness of healthfulyouth, and the trust a good will has in powers of good. 

She was looking at those coots, who were full of an idea that the winterhad spent itself in that east wind, that the gloss of spring plumagemust be now upon their necks, and that they felt their toes growingwarmer toward the downy tepefaction of a perfect nest. Improving a longand kind acquaintance with these birds, some of whom have confidence inhuman nature, Mary was beginning to be absent from her woes, and joyfulin the pleasure of a thoughtless pair, when suddenly, with one accord, they dived, and left a bright splash and a wrinkle. "Somebody is coming;they must have seen an enemy, " said the damsel to herself. "I am sureI never moved. I will never have them shot by any wicked poacher. " Towatch the bank nicely, without being seen, she drew in her skirt andshrank behind the tree, not from any fear, but just to catch the fellow;for one of the laborers on the farm, who had run at his master witha pitchfork once, was shrewdly suspected of poaching with a gun. Butkeener eyes than those of any poacher were upon her, and the lightest oflight steps approached. 

"Oh, Robin, are you come, then, at last?" cried Mary. 

"Three days I have been lurking, in the hope of this. Heart of my heart, are you glad to see me?"

"I should think that I was. It is worth a world of crying. Oh, wherehave you been this long, long time?"

"Let me have you in my arms, if it is but for a moment. You are notafraid of me?--you are not ashamed to love me?"

"I love you all the better for your many dreadful troubles. Not a worddo I believe of all the wicked people say of you. Don't be afraid of me. You may kiss me, Robin. "

"You are such a beautiful spick and span! And I am only fit to go intothe pond. Oh, Mary, what a shame of me to take advantage of you!"

"Well, I think that it is time for you to leave off now. Though you mustnot suppose that I think twice about my things. When I look at you, itmakes me long to give you my best cloak and a tidy hat. Oh, where is allyour finery gone, poor Robin?"

"Endeavor not to be insolent, on the strength of your fine clothes. Remember that I have abandoned free trade; and the price of everyarticle will rise at once. "

Mary Anerley not only smiled, but laughed, with the pleasure of a greatrelief. She had always scorned the idea that her lover had even made ashot at Carroway, often though the brave lieutenant had done the like tohim; and now she felt sure that he could clear himself; or how couldhe be so light-hearted? "You see that I am scarcely fit to lead off acountry-dance with you, " said Robin, still holding both her hands, andwatching the beauty of her clear bright eyes, which might gather bigtears at any moment, as the deep blue sky is a sign of sudden rain; "andit will be a very long time, my darling, before you see me in gay togsagain. "

"I like you a great deal better so. You always look brave--but you lookso honest now!"

"That is a most substantial saying, and worthy of the race of Anerley. How I wish that your father would like me, Mary! I suppose it ishopeless to wish for that?"

"No, not at all--if you could keep on looking shabby. My dear fatherhas a most generous mind. If he only could be brought to see how you areill-treated--"

"Alas! I shall have no chance of letting him see that. Before to-morrowmorning I must say good-by to England. My last chance of seeing youwas now this evening. I bless every star that is in the heaven now. Itrusted to my luck, and it has not deceived me. "

"Robin dear, I never wish to try to be too pious. But I think that youshould rather trust in Providence than starlight. "

"So I do. And it is Providence that has kept me out of sight--out ofsight of enemies, and in sight of you, my Mary. The Lord looks down onevery place where His lovely angels wander. You are one of His angels, Mary; and you have made a man of me. For years I shall not see you, darling; never more again, perhaps. But as long as I live you will behere; and the place shall be kept pure for you. If we only could havea shop together--oh, how honest I would be! I would give full weight, besides the paper; I would never sell an egg more than three weeks old;and I would not even adulterate! But that is a dream of the past, Ifear. Oh, I never shall hoist the Royal Arms. But I mean to serve underthem, and fight my way. My captain shall be Lord Nelson. "

"That is the very thing that you were meant for. I will never forgiveDr. Upandown for not putting you into the navy. You could have done nosmuggling then. "

"I am not altogether sure of that. However, I will shun scandal, asbehooves a man who gets so much. You have not asked me to clear myselfof that horrible thing about poor Carroway. I love you the more for notasking me; it shows your faith so purely. But you have the right to knowall I know. There is no fear of any interruption here; so, Mary, I willtell you, if you are sure that you can bear it. "

"Yes, oh yes! Do tell me all you know. It is so frightful that I musthear it. "

"What I have to say will not frighten you, darling, because I didnot even see the deed. But my escape was rather strange, and deservestelling better than I can tell it, even with you to encourage meby listening. When we were so suddenly caught in the cave, throughtreachery of some of our people, I saw in a moment that we must betaken, but resolved to have some fun for it, with a kind of whim whichcomes over me sometimes. So I knocked away the lights, and began myselfto splash with might and main, and ordered the rest to do likewise. Wedid it so well that the place was like a fountain or a geyser; and Isent a great dollop of water into the face of the poor lieutenant--theonly assault I have ever made upon him. There was just light enough forme to know him, because he was so tall and strange; but I doubt whetherhe knew me at all. He became excited, as he well might be; he dashedaway the water from his eyes with one hand, and with the other madea wild sword-cut, rushing forward as if to have at me. Like a bird, Idived into the water from our gunwale, and under the keel of the otherboat, and rose to the surface at the far side of the cave. In the veryact of plunging, a quick flash came before me--or at least I believedso afterward--and a loud roar, as I struck the wave. It might have beenonly from my own eyes and ears receiving so suddenly the cleavage of thewater. If I thought anything at all about it, it was that somebody hadshot at me; but expecting to be followed, I swam rapidly away. I did noteven look back, as I kept in the dark of the rocks, for it would havelost a stroke, and a stroke was more than I could spare. To my greatsurprise, I heard no sound of any boat coming after me, nor any shoutsof Carroway, such as I am accustomed to. But swimming as I was, for myown poor life, like an otter with a pack of hounds after him, Iassure you I did not look much after anything except my own run of thegauntlet. "

"Of course not. How could you? It makes me draw my breath to think ofyou swimming in the dark like that, with deep water, and caverns, andguns, and all!"

"Mary, I thought that my time was come; and only one beautiful imagesustained me, when I came to think of it afterward. I swam with myhands well under water, and not a breath that could be heard, and my captucked into my belt, and my sea-going pumps slipped away into a pocket. The water was cold, but it only seemed to freshen me, and I found myselfable to breathe very pleasantly in the gentle rise and fall of waves. Yet I never expected to escape, with so many boats to come after me. Fornow I could see two boats outside, as well as old Carroway's pinnace inthe cave; and if once they caught sight of me, I could never get away. 

"When I saw those two boats upon the watch outside, I scarcely knew whatto do for the best, whether to put my breast to it and swim out, orto hide in some niche with my body under water, and cover my face withoar-weed. Luckily I took the bolder course, remembering their portfires, which would make the cave like day. Not everybody could have swum outthrough that entrance, against a spring-tide and the lollop of the sea;and one dash against the rocks would have settled me. But I trusted inthe Lord, and tried a long, slow stroke. 

"My enemies must have been lost in dismay, and panic, and utterconfusion, or else they must have espied me, for twice or thrice, as Imet the waves, my head and shoulders were thrown above the surface, dowhat I would; and I durst not dive, for I wanted my eyes every moment. I kept on the darkest side, of course, but the shadows were not halfso deep as I could wish; and worst of all, outside there was a piece ofmoonlight, which I must cross within fifty yards of the bigger of thesentry boats. 

"The mouth of that cave is two fathoms wide for a longish bit ofchannel; and, Mary dear, if I had not been supported by continualthoughts of you, I must have gone against the sides, or downright to thebottom, from the waves keeping knocking me about so. I may tell you thatI felt that I should never care again, as my clothes began to bag aboutme, except to go down to the bottom and be quiet, but for the blessedthought of standing up some day, at the 'hymeneal altar, ' as greatpeople call it, with a certain lovely Mary. "

"Oh, Robin, now you make me laugh, when I ought to be quite crying. Ifsuch a thing should ever be, I shall expect to see you swimming. "

"Such a thing will be, as sure as I stand here--though not at all inhymeneal garb just now. Whatever my whole heart is set upon, I do, andovercome all obstacles. Remember that, and hold fast, darling. However, I had now to overcome the sea, which is worse than any tide in theaffairs of men. A long and hard tussle it was, I assure you, to fightagainst the indraught, and to drag my frame through the long hillockygorge. At last, however, I managed it; and to see the open waves againput strength into my limbs, and vigor into my knocked-about brain. Isuppose that you can not understand it, Mary, but I never enjoyed athing more than the danger of crossing that strip of moonlight. I couldsee the very eyes and front teeth of the men who were sitting there tolook out for me if I should slip their mates inside; and knowing thetwist of every wave, and the vein of every tide-run, I rested in asmooth dark spot, and considered their manners quietly. They had not yetheard a word of any doings in the cavern, but their natures were up forsome business to do, as generally happens with beholders. Having nothingto do, they were swearing at the rest. 

"In the place where I was halting now the line of a jagged cliff seemedto cut the air, and fend off the light from its edges. You can only seesuch a thing from the level of the sea, and it looks very odd when yousee it, as if the moon and you were a pair of playing children, feelinground a corner for a glimpse of one another. But plain enough it was, and far too plain, that the doubling of that little cape would treble mydanger, by reason of the bold moonlight, I knew that my only refuge wasanother great hollow in the crags between the cave I had escaped fromand the point--a place which is called the 'Church Cave, ' from anold legend that it leads up to Flamborough church. To the best of myknowledge, it does nothing of the kind, at any rate now; but it has anarrow fissure, known to few except myself, up which a nimble manmay climb; and this was what I hoped to do. Also it has a very narrowentrance, through which the sea flows into it, so that a large boat cannot enter, and a small one would scarcely attempt it in the dark, unlessit were one of my own, hard pressed. Now it seemed almost impossible forme to cross that moonlight without being seen by those fellows in theboat, who could pull, of course, four times as fast as I could swim, notto mention the chances of a musket-ball. However, I was just about torisk it, for my limbs were growing very cold, when I heard a loudshout from the cave which I had left, and knew that the men there weresummoning their comrades. These at once lay out upon their oars, andturned their backs to me, and now was my good time. The boat camehissing through the water toward the Dovecote, while I stretched awayfor the other snug cave. Being all in a flurry, they kept no look-out;if the moon was against me, my good stars were in my favor. Nobodysaw me, and I laughed in my wet sleeves as I thought of the rage ofCarroway, little knowing that the fine old fellow was beyond all rage orpain. "

"How wonderful your luck was, and your courage too!" cried Mary, who hadlistened with bright tears upon her cheeks. "Not one man in a thousandcould have done so bold a thing. And how did you get away at last, poorRobin?"

"Exactly as I meant to do, from the time I formed my plan. The Churchhas ever been a real friend in need to me; I took the name for a luckyomen, and swam in with a brisker stroke. It is the prettiest of all thecaves, to my mind, though the smallest, with a sweet round basin, and aplayful little beach, and nothing very terrible about it. I landed, andrested with a thankful heart upon the shelly couch of the mermaids. "

"Oh, Robin, I hope none of them came to you. They are so wonderfullybeautiful. And no one that ever has seen them cares any more for--fordry people that wear dresses. "

"Mary, you delight me much, by showing signs of jealousy. Fifty may havecome, but I saw not one, for I fell into a deep calm sleep. If they hadcome, I would have spurned them all, not only from my constancy to you, my dear, but from having had too much drip already. Mary, I see a man onthe other side of the mere, not opposite to us, but a good bit furtherdown. You see those two swimming birds: look far away between them, youwill see something moving. "

"I see nothing, either standing still or moving. It is growing too darkfor any eyes not thoroughly trained in smuggling. But that reminds me totell you, Robin, that a strange man--a gentleman they seemed to say--hasbeen seen upon our land, and he wanted to see me, without my fatherknowing it. But only think! I have never even asked you whether you arehungry--perhaps even starving! How stupid, how selfish, how churlish ofme! But the fault is yours, because I had so much to hear of. "

"Darling, you may trust me not to starve, I can feed by-and-by. For thepresent I must talk, that you may know all about everything, and bear meharmless in your mind, when evil things are said of me. Have you heardthat I went to see Widow Carroway, even before she had heard of herloss, but not before I was hunted? I knew that I must do so, now ornever, before the whole world was up in arms against me; and I thank Godthat I saw her. A man might think nothing of such an act, or even mighttake it for hypocrisy; but a woman's heart is not so black. Though shedid not even know what I meant, for she had not felt her awful blow, andI could not tell her of it, she did me justice afterward. In the thickof her terrible desolation, she stood beside her husband's grave, inBridlington Priory Church yard, and she said to a hundred people there:'Here lies my husband, foully murdered. The coroner's jury have broughttheir verdict against Robin Lyth the smuggler. Robin Lyth is as innocentas I am. I know who did it, and time will show. My curse is upon him;and my eyes are on him now. ' Then she fell down in a fit, and thePreventive men, who were drawn up in a row, came and carried her away. Did anybody tell you, darling? Perhaps they keep such things from you. "

"Part of it I heard; but not so clearly. I was told that she acquittedyou and I blessed her in my heart for it. "

"Even more than that she did. As soon as she got home again, she wroteto Robin Cockscroft--a very few words, but as strong as could be, telling him that I should have no chance of justice if I were caughtjust now; that she must have time to carry out her plans; that the Lordwould soon raise up good friends to help her; and as sure as there wasa God in heaven, she would bring the man who did it to the gallows. Onlythat I must leave the land at once. And that is what I shall dothis very night. Now I have told you almost all. Mary, we must say'good-by. '"

"But surely I shall hear from you sometimes?" said Mary, striving to bebrave, and to keep her voice from trembling. "Years and years, without aword--and the whole world bitter against you and me! Oh, Robin, I thinkthat it will break my heart. And I must not even talk of you. "

"Think of me, darling, while I think of you. Thinking is better thantalking, I shall never talk of you, but be thinking all the more. Talking ruins thinking. Take this token of the time you saved me, andgive me that bit of blue ribbon, my Mary; I shall think of your eyesevery time I kiss it. Kiss it yourself before you give it to me. "

Like a good girl, she did what she was told to do. She gave him thelove-knot from her breast, and stored his little trinket in that pureshrine. 

"But sometimes--sometimes, I shall hear of you?" she whispered, lingering, and trembling in the last embrace. 

"To be sure, you shall hear of me from time to time, through Robin andJoan Cockscroft. I will not grieve you by saying, 'Be true to me, ' mynoble one, and my everlasting love. "

Mary was comforted, and ceased to cry. She was proud of him thus in thedepth of his trouble; and she prayed to God to bless him through thelong sad time. 

CHAPTER XXXVII

FACT, OR FACTOR

"Papa, I have brought you a wonderful letter, " cried Miss JanettaUpround, toward supper-time of that same night; "and the most miraculousthing about it is that there is no post to pay. Oh, how stupid I am! Iought to have got at least a shilling out of you for postage. "

"My dear, be sorry for your sins, and not for having failed to add tothem. Our little world is brimful of news just now, but nearly all ofit bad news. Why, bless me, this is in regular print, and it never haspassed through the post at all, which explains the most astounding factof positively naught to pay. Janetta, every day I congratulate myselfupon such a wondrous daughter. But I never could have hoped that evenyou would bring me a letter gratis. "

"But the worst of it is that I deserve no credit. If I had cheated thepostman, there would have been something to be proud of. But this lettercame in the most ignominious way--poked under the gate, papa! It issealed with a foreign coin! Oh, dear, dear, I am all in a tingle to knowall about it. I saw it by the moonlight, and it must belong to me. "

"My dear, it says, 'Private, and to his own hands. ' Therefore you hadbetter go, and think no more about it. I confide to you many of mybusiness matters: or at any rate you get them out of me: but this beingprivate, you must think no more about it. "

"Darling papa, what a flagrant shame! The man must have done it withno other object than to rob me of every wink of sleep. If I swallow theoutrage and retire, will you promise to tell me every word to-morrow?You preached a most exquisite sermon last Sunday about the meanness andfutility of small concealments. "

"Be off!" cried the rector; "you are worse than Mr. Mordacks, who laysdown the law about frankness perpetually, but never lets me guess whathis own purpose is. "

"Oh, now I see where the infection comes from! Papa, I am off, for fearof catching it myself. Don't tell me, whatever you do. I never can sleepupon dark mysteries. "

"Poor dear, you shall not have your rest disturbed, " Dr. Upround said, sweetly, as he closed the door behind her; "you are much too good agirl for other people's plagues to visit you. " Then, as he saddled hispleasant old nose with the tranquil span of spectacles, the smile on hislips and the sigh of his breast arrived at a quiet little compromise. Hewas proud of his daughter, her quickness and power to get the upperturn of words with him; but he grieved at her not having any deepimpressions, even after his very best sermons. But her mother alwaystold him not to be in any hurry, for even she herself had felt no veryprofound impressions until she married a clergyman; and that argumentalways made him smile (as invisibly as possible), because he had notdetected yet their existence in his better half. Such questions aremost delicate, and a husband can only set mute example. A father, onthe other hand, is bound to use his pastoral crook upon his childrenforemost. 

"Now for this letter, " said Dr. Upround, holding council with himself;"evidently a good clerk, and perhaps a first-rate scholar. One of thevery best Greek scholars of the age does all his manuscript in printinghand, when he wishes it to be legible. And a capital plan it is--withoutmeaning any pun. I can read this like a gazette itself. "

"REVEREND AND WORSHIPFUL SIR, --Your long and highly valued kindnessrequires at least a word from me, before I leave this country. I havenot ventured into your presence, because it might place you in a verygrave predicament. Your duty to King and State might compel you withyour own hand to arrest me; and against your hand I could not strive. The evidence brought before you left no choice but to issue a warrantagainst me, though it grieved your kind heart to do that same. Sir, Iam purely innocent of the vile crime laid against me. I used no fire-armthat night, neither did any of my men. And it is for their sake, as wellas my own, that I now take the liberty of writing this. Failing of me, the authorities may bring my comrades to trial, and convict them. Ifthat were so, it would become my duty as a man to surrender myself, and meet my death in the hope of saving them. But if the case is siftedproperly, they must be acquitted; for no fire-arm of any kind was in myboat, except one pair of pistols, in a locker under the after thwart, and they happened to be unloaded. I pray you to verify this, kind sir. My firm belief is that the revenue officer was shot by one of his ownmen; and his widow has the same opinion. I hear that the wound was inthe back of the head. If we had carried fire-arms, not one of us couldhave shot him so. 

"It may have been an accident; I can not say. Even so, the man whosemishap it was is not likely to acknowledge it. And I know that in acourt of law truth must be paid for dearly. I venture to commit to yourgood hands a draft upon a well-known Holland firm, which amounts to 78pounds British, for the defense of the men who are in custody. I knowthat you as a magistrate can not come forward as their defender; butI beg you as a friend of justice to place the money for their benefit. Also especially to direct attention to the crew of the revenue boat andtheir guns. 

"And now I fear greatly to encroach upon your kindness, and verylong-suffering good-will toward me. But I have brought into sad troubleand distress with her family--who are most obstinate people--and withthe opinion of the public, I suppose, a young lady worth more than allthe goods I ever ran, or ever could run, if I went on for fifty years. By name she is Mistress Mary Anerley, and by birth the daughter ofCaptain Anerley, of Anerley Farm, outside our parish. If your reverencecould only manage to ride round that way upon coming home from Sessions, once or twice in the fine weather, and to say a kind word or two to myMary, and a good word, if any can be said of me, to her parents, who arestiff but worthy people, it would be a truly Christian act, and such asyou delight in, on this side of the Dane-dike. 

"Reverend sir, I must now say farewell. From you I have learned almosteverything I know, within the pale of statutes, which repeal one anothercontinually. I have wandered sadly outside that pale, and now I pay thepenalty. If I had only paid heed to your advice, and started in businesswith the capital acquired by free trade, and got it properly protected, I might have been able to support my parents, and even be churchwardenof Flamborough. You always told me that my unlawful enterprise mustclose in sadness; and your words have proved too true. But I neverexpected anything like this; and I do not understand it yet. Apenetrating mind like yours, with all the advantages of authority, eventhat is likely to be baffled in such a difficult case as this. 

"Reverend sir, my case is hard; for I always have labored to establishpeaceful trade; and I must have succeeded again, if honor had guided allmy followers. We always relied upon the coast-guard to be too late forany mischief; and so they would have been this time, if their acts hadbeen straightforward. In sorrow and lowness of fortune, I remain, withhumble respect and gratitude, your Worship's poor pupil and banishedparishioner, "ROBIN LYTH, of Flamborough. "

"Come, now, Robin, " Dr. Upround said, as soon as he had well consideredthis epistle, "I have put up with many a checkmate at your hands, butnot without the fair delight of a counter-stroke at the enemy. Here youafford me none of that. You are my master in every way; and quietly youmake me make your moves, quite as if I were the black in a problem. You leave me to conduct your fellow-smugglers' case, to look after yoursweetheart, and to make myself generally useful. By-the-way, that touchabout my pleading his cause in my riding-boots, and with a sessionalair about me, is worthy of the great Verdoni. Neither is that a bad hitabout my Christianity stopping at the Dane-dike. Certes, I shall haveto call on that young lady, though from what I have heard of the sturdyfarmer, I may both ride and reason long, even after my greatest exploitsat the Sessions, without converting him to free trade; and trebly soafter that deplorable affair. I wonder whether we shall ever get to thebottom of that mystery. How often have I warned the boy that mischiefwas quite sure to come! though I never even dreamed that it would be sobad as this. "

Since Dr. Upround first came to Flamborough, nothing (not even theinfliction of his nickname) had grieved him so deeply as the sad deathof Carroway. From the first he felt certain that his own people wereguiltless of any share in it. But his heart misgave him as to distantsmugglers, men who came from afar freebooting, bringing over oceanwoes to men of settlement, good tithe-payers. For such men (plainly offoreign breed, and very plain specimens of it) had not at all succeededin eluding observation, in a neighborhood where they could have nohonest calling. Flamborough had called to witness Filey, and Filey hadattested Bridlington, that a stranger on horseback had appeared amongthem with a purpose obscurely evil. They were right enough as to thefact, although the purpose was not evil, as little Denmark even nowbegan to own. 

"Here I am again!" cried Mr. Mordacks, laying vehement hold of therector's hand, upon the following morning; "just arrived from York, dearsir, after riding half the night, and going anywhere you please; exceptperhaps where you would like to send me, if charity and Christiancourtesy allowed. My dear sir, have you heard the news? I perceive byyour countenance that you have not. Ah, you are generally benighted inthese parts. Your caves have got something to do with it. The mind getsaccustomed to them. "

"I venture to think, Mr. Mordacks, on the whole, " said the rector, who studied this man gently, "that sometimes you are rapid in yourconclusions. Possibly of the two extremes it is the more desirable;especially in these parts, because of its great rarity. Still the merefact of some caves existing, in or out of my parish, whichever it maybe, scarcely seems to prove that all the people of Flamborough live inthem. And even if we did, it was the manner of the ancient seers, bothin the Classics, and in Holy Writ--"

"Sir, I know all about Elijah and Obadiah, and the rest of them. Profaneliterature we leave now for clerks in holy orders--we positively have notime for it. Everything begins to move with accelerated pace. This is anew century, and it means to make its mark. It begins very badly; butit will go on all the better. And I hope to have the pleasure, at avery early day, of showing you one of its leading men, a man of largeintellect, commanding character, the most magnificent principles--and, in short, lots of money. You must be quite familiar with the name of SirDuncan Yordas. "

"I fancy that I have heard or seen it somewhere. Oh, something to dowith the Hindoos, or the Africans. I never pay much attention to suchthings. "

"Neither do I, Dr. Upround. Still somebody must, and a lot of moneycomes of it. Their idols have diamond eyes, which purity of worshipcompels us to confiscate. And there are many other ways of getting onamong them, while wafting and expanding them into a higher sphere ofthought. The mere fact of Sir Duncan having feathered his nest--pardonso vulgar an expression, doctor--proves that while giving, we may alsoreceive: for which we have the highest warranty. "

"The laborer is worthy of his hire, Mr. Mordacks. At the same time weshould remember also--"

"What St. Paul says per contra. Quite so. That is always my firstconsideration, when I work for my employers. Ah, Dr. Upround, few mengive such pure service as your humble servant. I have twice had thehonor of handing you my card. If ever you fall into any difficulty, where zeal, fidelity, and high principle, combined with very lowcharges--"

"Mr. Mordacks, my opinion of you is too high for even yourself to add toit. But what has this Sir Duncan Yorick--"

"Yordas, my dear sir--Sir Duncan Yordas--the oldest family in Yorkshire. Men of great power, both for good and evil, mainly, perhaps, the latter. It has struck me sometimes that the county takes its name--But etymologyis not my forte. What has he to do with us, you ask? Sir, I will answeryou most frankly. 'Coram populo' is my business motto. Excuse me, I think I hear that door creak. No, a mere fancy--we are quite 'incamera. ' Very well; reverend sir, prepare your mind for a highlyastounding disclosure. "

"I have lived too long to be astounded, my good sir. But allow me to puton my spectacles. Now I am prepared for almost anything. "

"Dr. Upround, my duty compels me to enter largely into minds. Your mindis of a lofty order--calm, philosophic, benevolent. You have proved thisby your kind reception of me, a stranger, almost an intruder. You havejudged from my manners and appearance, which are shaped considerably bythe inner man, that my object was good, large, noble. And yet you havenot been quite able to refrain, at weak moments perhaps, but still adozen times a day, from exclaiming in the commune of your heart, 'Whatthe devil does this man want in my parish?'"

"My good sir, I never use bad language; and if I did my duty, I shouldnow inflict--"

"Five shillings for your poor-box. There it is. And it serves me quiteright for being too explicit, and forgetting my reverence to thecloth. However, I have coarsely expressed your thoughts. Also you havefrequently said to yourself, 'This man prates of openness, but I findhim closer than any oyster. ' Am I right? Yes, I see that I am, byyour bow. Very well, you may suppose what pain it gave me to havethe privilege of intercourse with a perfect gentleman and an eloquentdivine, and yet feel myself in an ambiguous position. In a few words Iwill clear myself, being now at liberty to indulge that pleasure. I havebeen here, as agent for Sir Duncan Yordas, to follow up the long-lostclew to his son, and only child, who for very many years was believedto be out of all human pursuit. My sanguine and penetrating mind scornedrumors, and went in for certainty. I have found Sir Duncan's son, andam able to identify him, beyond all doubt, as a certain young man wellknown to you, and perhaps too widely known, by the name of Robin Lyth. "

In spite of the length of his experience of the world, in a place of somany adventures, the rector of Flamborough was astonished, and perhapsa little vexed as well. If anything was to be found out, in such aheadlong way, about one of his parishioners, and notably such a petpupil and favorite, the proper thing would have been that he himselfshould do it. Failing that, he should at least have been consulted, enlisted, or at any rate apprised of what was toward. But instead ofthat, here he had been hoodwinked (by this marvel of incarnate candoremployed in the dark about several little things), and then suddenlyenlightened, when the job was done. Gentle and void of self-importanceas he was, it misliked him to be treated so. 

"This is a wonderful piece of news, " he said, as he fixed a calm gazeupon the keen, hard eyes of Mordacks. "You understand your business, sir, and would not make such a statement unless you could verify it. ButI hope that you may not find cause to regret that you have treated mewith so little confidence. "

"I am not open to that reproach. Dr. Upround, consider my instructions. I was strictly forbidden to disclose my object until certainty shouldbe obtained. That being done, I have hastened to apprise you first ofa result which is partly due to your own good offices. Shake hands, my dear sir, and acquit me of rudeness--the last thing of which I amcapable. "

The rector was mollified, and gave his hand to the gallant generalfactor. "Allow me to add my congratulations upon your wonderfulsuccess, " he said; "but would that I had known it some few hours sooner!It might have saved you a vast amount of trouble. I might have keptRobin well within your reach. I fear that he is now beyond it. "

"I am grieved to hear you say so. But according to my last instructions, although he is in strict concealment, I can lay hands upon him when thetime is ripe. "

"I fear not. He sailed last night for the Continent, which is a vaguedestination, especially in such times as these. But perhaps that waspart of your skillful contrivance?"

"Not so. And for the time it throws me out. I have kept most carefulwatch on him. But the difficulty was that he might confound my vigilancewith that of his enemies; take me for a constable, I mean. And perhapshe has done so, after all. Things have gone luckily for me in the main;but that murder came in most unseasonably. It was the very thing thatshould have been avoided. Sir Duncan will need all his influence there. Suppose for a moment that young Robin did not do it--"

"Mr. Mordacks, you frighten me. What else could you suppose?"

"Certainly--yes. A parishioner of yours, when not engaged unlawfullyupon the high seas. We heartily hope that he did not do it, and we givehim the benefit of the doubt; in which I shared largely, until it becameso manifest that he was a Yordas. A Yordas has made a point of slayinghis man--and sometimes from three to a dozen men--until within the lasttwo generations. In the third generation the law revives, as is hinted, I think, in the Decalogue. In my professional course a large stock ofhereditary trail--so to speak--comes before me. Some families alwaysdrink, some always steal, some never tell lies because they never know afalsehood, some would sell their souls for a sixpence, and these are themost respectable of any--"

"My dear sir, my dear sir, I beg your pardon for interrupting you; butin my house the rule is to speak well of people, or else to say nothingabout them. "

"Then you must resign your commission, doctor; for how can you takedepositions? But, as I was saying, I should have some hope of theinnocence of young Robin if it should turn out that his father, SirDuncan, has destroyed a good many of the native race in India. It mayreasonably be hoped that he has done so, which would tend very stronglyto exonerate his son. But the evidence laid before your Worship andbefore the coroner was black--black--black. "

"My position forbids me to express opinions. The evidence compelled meto issue the warrant. But knowing your position, I may show you this, inevery word of which I have perfect faith. "

With these words Dr. Upround produced the letter which he had receivedlast night, and the general factor took in all the gist of it in lessthan half a minute. 

"Very good! very good!" he said, with a smile of experiencedbenevolence. "We believe some of it. Our duty is to do so. There are twopoints of importance in it. One as to the girl he is in love with, andthe other his kind liberality to the fellows who will have to bear thebrunt of it. "

"You speak sarcastically, and I hope unfairly. To my mind, the mostimportant facts are these--that poor Carroway was shot from behind, andthat the smugglers had no fire-arms, except two pistols, both unloaded. "

"Who is to prove that, Dr. Upround? Their mouths are closed; and ifthey were open, would anybody believe them? We knew long ago that thevigilant and deservedly lamented officer took the deathblow from behind;but of that how simple is the explanation! The most intelligent of hiscrew, and apparently his best subordinate, whose name is John Cadman, deposes that his lamented chief turned round for one moment to give anorder, and during that moment received the shot. His evidence is themore weighty because he does not go too far with it. He does not pretendto say who fired. He knows only that one of the smugglers did. Hisevidence will hang those six poor fellows, from the laudable desire ofthe law to include the right one. But I trust that the right one will befar away. "

"I trust not. If even one of them is condemned, even to transportation, Robin Lyth will surrender immediately. You doubt it. You smile at theidea. Your opinion of human nature is low. Mine is not enthusiastic. ButI judge others by myself. "

"So do I, " Mr. Mordacks answered, with a smile of curious humor. And therector could not help smiling too, at this instance of genuine candor. "However, not to go too deeply into that, " his visitor continued, "therereally is one point in Robin's letter which demands inquiry. I meanabout the guns of the Preventive men. Cadman may be a rogue. Mostprobably he is. None of the others confirm, although they do notcontradict him. Do you know anything about him?"

"Only villainy--in another way. Ho led away a nice girl of this parish, an industrious mussel-gatherer. And he then had a wife and large familyof his own, of which the poor thing knew nothing. Her father nearlykilled him; and I was compelled (very much against my will) to inflicta penalty. Cadman is very shy of Flamborough now. By-the-way, have youcalled upon poor Widow Carroway?"

"I thank you for the hint. She is the very person. It will be a sadintrusion; and I have put it off as long as possible. After what Robinsays, it is most important. I hope that Sir Duncan will be here veryshortly. He is coming from Yarmouth in his own yacht. Matters arecrowding upon me very fast. I will see Mrs. Carroway as soon as it isdecent. Good-morning, and best thanks to your Worship. "

CHAPTER XXXVIII

THE DEMON OF THE AXE

The air was sad and heavy thus, with discord, doubt, and deathitself gathering and descending, like the clouds of long night, uponFlamborough. But far away, among the mountains and the dreary moorland, the "intake" of the coming winter was a great deal worse to see. Forhere no blink of the sea came up, no sunlight under the sill of clouds(as happens where wide waters are), but rather a dark rim of brooding onthe rough horizon seemed to thicken itself against the light under thesullen march of vapors--the muffled funeral of the year. Dry trees andnaked crags stood forth, and the dirge of the wind went to and fro, andthere was no comfort out-of-doors. 

Soon the first snow of the winter came, the first abiding earnest snow, for several skits had come before, and ribbed with white the mountainbreasts. But nobody took much heed of that, except to lean over theplough, while it might be sped, or to want more breakfast. Well resignedwas everybody to the stoppage of work by winter. It was only what mustbe every year, and a gracious provision of Providence. If a man earnedvery little money, that was against him in one way, but encouraged himin another. It brought home to his mind the surety that others wouldbe kind to him; not with any sense of gift, but a large good-will ofsharing. 

But the first snow that visits the day, and does not melt in its owncold tears, is a sterner sign for every one. The hardened wrinkle, andthe herring-bone of white that runs among the brown fern fronds, thecrisp defiant dazzle on the walks, and the crust that glitters on thepatient branch, and the crest curling under the heel of a gate, and theridge piled up against the tool-house door--these, and the shiveringwind that spreads them, tell of a bitter time in store. 

The ladies of Scargate Hall looked out upon such a December afternoon. The massive walls of their house defied all sudden change oftemperature, and nothing less than a week of rigor pierced the comfortof their rooms. The polished oak beams overhead glanced back the merryfire-glow, the painted walls shone with rosy tints, and warm lightsflitting along them, and the thick-piled carpet yielded back a velvetysense of luxury. It was nice to see how bleak the crags were, and thesad trees laboring beneath the wind and snow. 

"If it were not for thinking of the poor cold people, for whom one feelsso deeply, " said the gentle Mrs. Carnaby, with a sweet soft sigh, "onewould rather enjoy this dreary prospect. I hope there will be a deepsnow to-night. There is every sign of it upon the scaurs. And then, Philippa, only think--no post, no plague of news, no prospect of eventhat odious Jellicorse! Once more we shall have our meals in quiet. "

Mrs. Carnaby loved a good dinner right well, a dinner unplagued byhospitable cares; when a woodcock was her own to dwell on, and prettylittle teeth might pick a pretty little bone at ease. 

"Eliza, you are always such a creature of the moment, " Mistress Yordasanswered, indulgently; "you do love the good things of the world toomuch. How would you like to be out there, in a naked little cottagewhere the wind howls through, and the ewer is frozen every morning? Andwhere, if you ever get anything to eat--"

"Philippa, I implore you not to be so dreadful. One never can utter themost commonplace reflection--and you know that I said I was sorry forthe people. "

"My object is good, as you ought to know. My object is to habituate yourmind--"

"Philippa, I beg you once more to confine your exertions, in that way, to your own more lofty mind. Again I refuse to have my mind, orwhatever it is that does duty for it, habituated to anything. A graciousProvidence knows that I should die outright, after all my blamelesslife, if reduced to those horrible straits you always picture. And Ihave too much faith in a gracious Providence to conceive for one momentthat it would treat me so. I decline the subject. Why should wemake such troubles? There is clear soup for dinner, and some lovelysweet-breads. Cook has got a new receipt for bread sauce, and Jordassays that he never did shoot such a woodcock. "

"Eliza, I trust that you may enjoy them all; your appetite is delicate, and you require nourishment. Why, what do I see over yonder in the snow?A slim figure moving at a very great pace, and avoiding the open places!Are my eyes growing old, or is it Lancelot?"

"Pet out in such weather, Philippa! Such a thing is simply impossible. Or at any rate I should hope so. You know that Jordas was obliged to puta set of curtains from end to end even of the bowling-alley, which isso beautifully sheltered; and even then poor Pet was sneezing. And youshould have heard what he said to me, when I was afraid of the sheetstaking fire from his warming-pan one night. Pet is unaccountablesometimes, I know. But the very last thing imaginable of him is that heshould put his pretty feet into the snow. "

"You know him best, Eliza; and it is very puzzling to distinguish thingsin snow. But if it was not Pet, why, it must have been a squirrel. "

"The squirrels are gone to sleep for the winter, Philippa. I dare say itwas only Jordas. Don't you think that it must have been Jordas?"

"I am quite certain that it was not Jordas. But I will not pretend tosay that it was not a squirrel. He may forego his habitudes more easilythan Lancelot. "

"How horribly dry you are sometimes, Philippa. There seems to be nosoftness in your nature. You are fit to do battle with fifty lawyers;and I pity Mr. Jellicorse, with his best clothes on. "

"You could commit no greater error. We pay the price of his black silkstockings three times over, every time we see him. The true objects ofpity are--you, I, and the estates. "

"Well, let us drop it for a while. If you begin upon that nauseoussubject, not a particle of food will pass my lips; and I did lookforward to a little nourishment. "

"Dinner, my ladies!" cried the well-appointed Welldrum, throwing openthe door as only such a man can do, while cleverly accomplishing thenecessary bow, which he clinched on such occasions with a fine smack ofhis lips. 

"Go and tell Mr. Lancelot, if you please, that we are waiting for him. "A great point was made, but not always effected, of having Master Pet, in very gorgeous attire, to lead his aunt into the dining-room. Itwas fondly believed that this impressed him with the elegance and nicehumanities required by his lofty position and high walk in life. Pethated this performance, and generally spoiled it by making a face overhis shoulder at old Welldrum, while he strode along in real or mock aweof Aunt Philippa. 

"If you please, my ladies, " said the butler now, choosing Mrs. Carnabyfor his eyes to rest on, "Mr. Lancelot beg to be excoosed of dinner. Hishead is that bad that he have gone for open air. "

"Snow-headache is much in our family; Eliza, you remember how our dearfather used to feel it. " With these words Mistress Yordas led her sisterto the dining-room; and they took good care to say nothing more about itbefore the officious Welldrum. 

Pet meanwhile was beginning to repent of his cold and lonely venture. For a mile or two the warmth of his mind and the glow of exercisesustained him; and he kept on admiring his own courage till his feetbegan to tingle. "Insie will be bound to kiss me now; and she never willbe able to laugh at me again, " he said to himself some fifty times. "I am like the great poet who describes the snow; and I have got somecherry-brandy. " He trudged on very bravely; but his poor dear toes atevery step grew colder. Out upon the moor, where he was now, no shelterof any kind encouraged him; no mantlet of bank, or ridge, or brush-wood, set up a furry shiver betwixt him and the tatterdemalion wind. Not evena naked rock stood up to comfort a man by looking colder than himself. 

But in truth there was no severe cold yet; no depth of snow, nointensity of frost, no splintery needles of sparkling drift; but onlythe beginning of the wintry time, such as makes a strong man pick hisfeet up, and a healthy boy start an imaginary slide. The wind, however, was shrewd and searching, and Lancelot was accustomed to a warming-pan. Inside his waistcoat he wore a hare-skin, and his heart began to giverapid thumps against it. He knew that he was going into bodily perilworse than any frost or snow. 

For a long month he had not even seen his Insie, and his hot young hearthad never before been treated so contemptuously. He had been allowed toshow himself in the gill at his regular interval, a fortnight ago. Butno one had ventured forth to meet him, or even wave signal of welcomeor farewell. But that he could endure, because he had been warned not tohope for much that Friday; now, however, it was not his meaning toput up with any more such nonsense. That he, who had been told by theservants continually that all the land for miles and miles around washis, should be shut out like a beggar, and compelled to play bo-peep, bypeople who lived in a hole in the ground, was a little more than in thewhole entire course of his life he could ever have imagined. His mindwas now made up to let them know who he was and what he was; and unlessthey were very quick in coming to their senses, Jordas should haveorders to turn them out, and take Insie altogether away from them. 

But in spite of all brave thoughts and words, Master Pet began to spyabout very warily, ere ever he descended from the moor into the gill. He seemed to have it borne in upon his mind that territorialrights--however large and goodly--may lead only to a taste of earth, when earth alone is witness to the treatment of her claimant. Thereforeit behooved him to look sharp; and possessing the family gift of keensight, he began to spy about, almost as shrewdly as if he had beeneducated in free trade. But first he had wit enough to step below thebreak, and get behind a gorse bush, lest haply he should illustrate onlythe passive voice of seeing. 

In the deep cut of the glen there was very little snow, only a few veinsand patches here and there, threading and seaming the steep, as if awhite-footed hare had been coursing about. Little stubby brier shoots, and clumps of russet bracken, and dead heather, ruffling like a browndog's back, broke the dull surface of withered herbage, thistle stumps, teasels, rugged banks, and naked brush. Down in the bottom the noisybrook was scurrying over its pebbles brightly, or plunging into gloom ofits own production; and away at the bend of the valley was seen the cotof poor Lancelot's longing. 

The situation was worth a sigh, and came half way to share one; Petsighed heavily, and deeply felt how wrong it was of any one to treat himso. What could be easier for him than to go, as Insie had said to himat least a score of times, and mind his own business, and shake off thedust--or the mud--of his feet at such strangers? But, alas! he hadtried it, and could shake nothing, except his sad and sapient head. Howdeplorably was he altered from the Pet that used to be! Where werenow his lofty joys, the pleasure he found in wholesome mischief andwholesale destruction, the high delight of frightening all the worldabout his safety?

"There are people here, I do believe, " he said to himself, mosttouchingly, "who would be quite happy to chop off my head!"

As if to give edge to so murderous a thought, and wings to the feet ofthe thinker, a man both tall and broad came striding down the cottagegarden. He was swinging a heavy axe as if it were a mere dress cane, andnow and then dealing clean slash of a branch, with an air which made Petshiver worse than any wind. The poor lad saw that in the grasp of sucha man he could offer less resistance than a nut within the crackers, andeven his champion, the sturdy Jordas, might struggle without much avail. He gathered in his legs, and tucked his head well under the gorse towatch him. 

"Surely he is too big to run very fast, " thought the boy, with his valorevaporated; "it must be that horrible Maunder. What a blessing that Istopped up here just in time! He is going up the gill to cleave somewood. Shall I cut away at once, or lie flat upon my stomach? He wouldbe sure to see me if I tried to run away; and much he would care for hislandlord!"

In such a choice of evils, poor Lancelot resolved to lie still, unlessthe monster should turn his steps that way. And presently he had theheart-felt pleasure of seeing the formidable stranger take the trackthat followed the windings of the brook. But instead of going well away, and rounding the next corner, the big man stopped at the very spot whereInsie used to fill her pitcher, pulled off his coat and hung it on abush, and began with mighty strokes to fell a dead alder-tree that stoodthere. As his great arms swung, and his back rose and fell, and the swayof his legs seemed to shake the bank, and the ring of his axe filledthe glen with echoes, wrath and terror were fighting a hot battle in theheart of Lancelot. 

His sense of a land-owner's rights and titles had always been mostimperious, and though the Scargate estates were his as yet only inremainder, he was even more jealous about them than if he held themalready in possession. What right had this man to cut down trees, tofell and appropriate timber? Even in the garden which he rented he couldnot rightfully touch a stick or stock. But to come out here, a goodfurlong from his renting, and begin hacking and hewing, quite as if theland were his--it seemed almost too brazen-faced for belief! It must bestopped at once--such outrageous trespass stopped, and punished sternly. He would stride down the hill with a summary veto--but, alas, if he did, he might get cut down too!

Not only this disagreeable reflection, but also his tender regard forInsie, prevented him from challenging this process of the axe; but hisfeelings began to goad him toward something worthy of a Yordas--for aYordas he always accounted himself, and not by any means a Carnaby. Andto this end all the powers of his home conspired. 

"That fellow is terribly big and strong, " he said to himself, with muchwarmth of spirit; "but his axe is getting dull; and to chop down thattree of mine will take him at least half an hour. Dead wood is harder tocut than live. And when he has done that, he must work till dark tolop the branches, and so on. I need not be afraid of anybody but thisfellow. Now is my time, then, while he is away. Even if the old folk areat home, they will listen to my reasons. The next time he comes to hackmy tree on this side, I shall slip out, and go down to the cottage. Ihave no fear of any one that pays any heed to reason. "

This sudden admirer and lover of reason cleverly carried out his bolddiscretion. For now the savage woodman, intent upon that levelling whichis the highest glory of pugnacious minds, came round the tree, glaringat it (as if it were the murderer, and he the victim), redoubling histremendous thwacks at every sign of tremor, flinging his head back witha spiteful joy, poising his shoulders on the swing, and then with allhis weight descending into the trenchant blow. When his back was fairlyturned on Lancelot, and his whole mind and body thus absorbed upon hisprey, the lad rose quickly from his lair, and slipped over the crest ofthe gill to the moorland. In a moment he was out of sight to that demonof the axe, and gliding, with his head bent low, along a little hollowof the heathery ground, which cut off a bend of the ravine, and againstruck its brink a good furlong down the gill. Here Pet stopped running, and lay down, and peered over the brink, for this part was quite new tohim, and resolved as he was to make a bold stroke of it, he naturallywished to see how the land lay, and what the fortress of the enemy waslike, ere ever he ventured into it. 

CHAPTER XXXIX

BATTERY AND ASSUMPSIT

That little moorland glen, whose only murmur was of wavelets, andprincipal traffic of birds and rabbits, even at this time of yearlooked pretty, with the winter light winding down its shelter and softquietude. Ferny pitches and grassy bends set off the harsh outline ofrock and shale, while a white mist (quivering like a clew above therivulet) was melting into the faint blue haze diffused among thefoldings and recesses of the land. On the hither side, nearly at thebottom of the slope, a bright green spot among the brown and yellowroughness, looking by comparison most smooth and rich, showed where thelittle cottage grew its vegetables, and even indulged in a small attemptat fruit. Behind this, the humble retirement of the cot was shieldedfrom the wind by a breastwork of bold rock, fringed with ground-ivy, hanging broom, and silver stars of the carline. So simple and low wasthe building, and so matched with the colors around it, that but forthe smoke curling up from a pipe of red pottery-ware, a stranger mightalmost have overlooked it. The walls were made from the rocks close by, the roof of fir slabs thatched with ling; there was no upper story, and(except the door and windows) all the materials seemed native and athome. Lancelot had heard, by putting a crafty question in safe places, that the people of the gill here had built their own dwelling, a goodmany years ago; and it looked as if they could have done it easily. 

Now, if he intended to spy out the land, and the house as well, beforethe giant of the axe returned, there was no time to lose in beginning. He had a good deal of sagacity in tricks, and some practice in littlearts of robbery. For before he attained to this exalted state of mindone of his favorite pastimes had been a course of stealthy raids uponthe pears in Scargate garden. He might have had as many as he liked forasking; but what flavor would they have thus possessed? Moreover, hebore a noble spite against the gardener, whose special pride was in thatpear wall; and Pet more than once had the joy of beholding him thrashhis own innocent son for the dark disappearance of Beurre and Bergamot. Making good use of this experience, he stole his way down the steepglen-side, behind the low fence of the garden, until he reached thebottom, and the brush-wood by the stream. Here he stopped to observeagain, and breathe, and get his spirit up. The glassy water looked ascold as death; and if he got cramp in his feet, how could he run? Andyet he could see no other way but wading, of approaching the cottageunperceived. 

Now fortune (whose privilege it is to cast mortals into the holes thatmost misfit them) sometimes, when she has got them there, takes pity, and contemptuously lifts them. Pet was in a hole of hardship, such ashis dear mamma never could have dreamed of, and such as his nurture andconstitution made trebly disastrous for him. He had taken a chill fromhis ambush, and fright, and the cold wind over the snow of the moor; andnow the long wading of that icy water might have ended upon the shoresof Acheron. However, he was just about to start upon that passage--forthe spirit of his race was up--when a dull grating sound, as offootsteps crunching grit, came to his prettily concave ears. 

At this sound Lancelot Carnaby stopped from his rash venture into thewater, and drew himself back into an ivied bush, which served as thefinial of the little garden hedge. Peeping through this, he could seethat the walk from the cottage to the hedge was newly sprinkled withgray wood ash, perhaps to prevent the rain from lodging and the snowfrom lying there. Heavy steps of two old men (as Pet in the insolenceof young days called them) fell upon the dull soft crust, and groundit, heel and toe--heel first, as stiff joints have it--with the bruisingsnip a hungry cow makes, grazing wiry grasses. "One of them must beInsie's dad, " said Pet to himself, as he crouched more closely behindthe hedge; "which of them, I wonder? Well, the tall one, I suppose, togo by the height of that Maunder. And the other has only one arm; and aman with one arm could never have built their house. They are coming tosit on that bench; I shall hear every word they say, and learn someof their secrets that I never could get out of Insie one bit of. But Iwonder who that other fellow is?"

That other fellow, in spite of his lease, would promptly have laid hissurviving hand to the ear of Master Lancelot, or any other eavesdropper;for a sturdy and resolute man was he, being no less than our ancientfriend and old soldier, Jack of the Smithies. And now was verified thathomely proverb that listeners never hear good of themselves. 

"Sit down, my friend, " said the elder of the twain, a man of rough dressand hard hands, but good, straightforward aspect, and that carelesshumor which generally comes from a life of adventures, and a longacquaintance with the world's caprice. "I have brought you here that wemay be undisturbed. Little pitchers have long ears. My daughter is astrue as steel; but this matter is not for her at present. You are sure, then, that Sir Duncan is come home at last? And he wished that I shouldknow it?"

"Yes, sir, he wished that you should know it. So soon as I told him thatyou was here, and leading what one may call this queer life, he slappedhis thigh like this here--for he hath a downright way of everything--andhe said, 'Now, Smithies, so soon as you get home, go and tell him that Iam coming. I can trust him as I trust myself; and glad I am for oneold friend in the parts I am such a stranger to. Years and years I havelonged to know what was become of my old friend Bert. ' Tears was in hiseyes, your honor: Sir Duncan hath seen such a mighty lot of men, thathis heart cometh up to the few he hath found deserving of the name, sir. "

"You said that you saw him at York, I think?"

"Yes, sir, at the business house of his agent, one Master GeoffreyMordacks. He come there quite unexpected, I believe, to see aboutsomething else he hath in hand, and I got a message to go there at once. I save his life once in India, sir, from one of they cursed Sours, whichmade him take heed of me, and me of him. And then it come out whereI come from, and why; and the both of us spoke the broad Yorkshiretogether, like as I dea naa care to do to home. After that he got onwonderful, as you know; and I stuck to him through the whole of it, fromluck as well as liking, till, if I had gone out to see to his breeches, I could not very well have knowed more of him. And I tell you, sir, notto regard him for a Yordas. He hath a mind far above them lot; though Iwas born under them, to say so!"

"And you think that he will come and recover his rights, in spite of hisfather's will against him. I know nothing of the ladies of the Hall; butit seems a hard thing to turn them out, after being there so long. "

"Who was turned out first, they or him? Five-and-twenty years of tent, open sky, jungle, and who knows what, for him--but eider-down, andfireside, and fat of land for them! No, no, sir; whatever shall happenthere, will be God's own justice. "

"Of His justice who shall judge?" said Insie's father, quietly. "But isthere not a young man grown, who passes for the heir with every one?"

"Ay, that there is; and the best game of all will be neck and cropfor that young scamp. A bully, a coward, a puling milksop, is all thecharacter he beareth. He giveth himself born airs, as if every inchof the Riding belonged to him. He hath all the viciousness of Yordas, without the pluck to face it out. A little beast that hath the venom, without the courage, of a toad. Ah, how I should like to see--"

Jack of the Smithies not only saw, but felt. The Yordas blood was up inPet. He leaped through the hedge and struck this man with a sharp quickfist in either eye. Smithies fell backward behind the bench, his heelsdanced in the air, and the stump of his arm got wedged in the stubs of abush, while Lancelot glared at him with mad eyes. 

"What next?" said his companion, rising calmly, and steadfastly gazingat Lancelot. 

"The next thing is to kill him; and it shall be done, " the furious youthreplied, while he swung the gentleman's big stick, which he had seized, and danced round his foe with the speed of a wild-cat. "Don't meddle, orit will be worse for you. You heard what he said of me. Get out of theway. "

"Indeed, my young friend, I shall do nothing of the sort. " But the oldman was not at all sure that he could do much; such was the fury andagility of the youth, who jumped three yards for every step of his, while the poor old soldier could not move. The boy skipped round theprotecting figure, whose grasp he eluded easily, and swinging the staffwith both arms, aimed a great blow at the head of his enemy. Suddenlythe other interposed the bench, upon which the stick fell, and brokeshort; and before the assailant could recover from the jerk, he was aprisoner in two powerful old arms. 

"You are so wild that we must make you fast, " his captor said, witha benignant smile; and struggle as he might, the boy was very soonsecured. His antagonist drew forth a red bandana handkerchief, andfastened his bleeding hands behind his back. "There, now, lad, " he said, "you can do no mischief. Recover your temper, sir, and tell us who youare, as soon as you are sane enough to know. "

Pet, having spent his just indignation, began to perceive that hehad made a bad investment. His desire had been to maintain in thisparticular spot strict privacy from all except Insie, to whom in thelargeness of love he had declared himself. Yet here he stood, promulgedand published, strikingly and flagrantly pronounced! At first he waslike to sulk in the style of a hawk who has failed of his swoop; butseeing his enemy arising slowly with grunts, and action nodose andangular--rather than flexibly graceful--contempt became the uppermostfeature of his mind. 

"My name, " he said, "if you are not afraid of it, that you tie me inthis cowardly low manner, is--Lancelot Yordas Carnaby. "

"My boy, it is a long name for any one to carry. No wonder that you lookweak beneath it. And where do you live, young gentleman?"

Amazement sat upon the face of Pet--a genuine astonishment, entirelypure from wrath. It was wholly beyond his imagination that any one, after hearing his name, should have to ask him where he lived. Hethought that the question must be put in low mockery, and to answer wasfar beneath his dignity. 

By this time the veteran Jack of the Smithies had got out of his trap, and was standing stiffly, passing his hand across his sadly smitteneyes, and talking to himself about them. 

"Two black eyes, at my time of life, as sure as I'm a Christian!Howsomever, young chap, I likes you better. Never dreamed there was suchgood stuff in you. Master Bert, cast him loose, if so please you. Let meshake hands with 'un, and bear no malice. Bad words deserve hard blows, and I ask his pardon for driving him into it. I called 'un a milksop, and he hath proved me a liar. He may be a bad 'un, but with good stuffin 'un. Lord bless me, I never would have believed the lad could hit sosmartly!"

Pet was well pleased with this tribute to his prowess; but as forshaking hands with a tenant, and a "common man"--as every one not ofgentle birth was then called--such an act was quite below him, or abovehim, according as we take his own opinion, or the truth. And possibly herose in Smithies' mind by drawing back from bodily overture. 

Mr. Bert looked on with all the bliss of an ancient interpreter. Hecould follow out the level of the vein of each, as no one may do excepta gentleman, perhaps, who has turned himself deliberately into a "commonman. " Bert had done his utmost toward this end; but the process isdifficult when voluntary. 

"I think it is time, " he now said, firmly, to the unshackled andtriumphant Pet, "for Lancelot Yordas Carnaby to explain what has broughthim into such humble quarters, and induced him to turn eavesdropper;which was not considered (at least in my young days) altogether the partof a gentleman. "

The youth had not seen quite enough of the world to be pat with afertile lie as yet; especially under such searching eyes. However, hedid as much as could be well expected. 

"I was just looking over my property, " he said, "and I thought I heardsomebody cutting down my timber. I came to see who it was, and I heardpeople talking, and before I could ask them about it, I heard myselfabused disgracefully; and that was more than I could stand. "

"We must take it for granted that a brave young gentleman of yourposition would tell no falsehood. You assure us, on your honor, that youheard no more?"

"Well, I heard voices, sir. But nothing to understand, or make head ortail of. " There was some truth in this; for young Lancelot had not theleast idea who "Sir Duncan" was. His mother and aunt had kept him whollyin the dark as to any lost uncle in India. "I should like to know whatit was, " he added, "if it has anything to do with me. "

This was a very clever hit of his; and it made the old gentleman believehim altogether. 

"All in good time, my young friend, " he answered, even with a smile ofsome pity for the youth. "But you are scarcely old enough for businessquestions, although so keen about your timber. Now after abusing you sodisgracefully, as I admit that my friend here has done, and after ropingyour pugnacious hands, as I myself was obliged to do, we never canlaunch you upon the moor, in such weather as this, without some food. You are not very strong, and you have overdone yourself. Let us go tothe house, and have something. "

Jack of the Smithies showed alacrity at this, as nearly all old soldiersmust; but Pet was much oppressed with care, and the intellect in hisbreast diverged into sore distraction of anxious thought. Whether shouldhe draw the keen sword of assurance, put aside the others, and seeInsie, or whether should he start with best foot foremost, scurry up thehill, and avoid the axe of Maunder? Pallas counselled this course, andAphrodite that; and the latter prevailed, as she always used to do, until she produced the present dry-cut generation. 

Lancelot bowed to the gentleman of the gill, and followed him along thetrack of grit, which set his little pearly teeth on edge; while Jackof the Smithies led, and formed, the rear-guard. "This is coming nowto something very queer, " thought Pet; "after all, it might have beenbetter for me to take my chance with the hatchet man. "

Brown dusk was ripely settling down among the mossy apple-trees, and theleafless alders of the brook, and the russet and yellow memories of lateautumn lingering in the glen, while the peaky little freaks of snow, and the cold sighs of the wind, suggested fireside and comfort. Mr. Bertthrew open his cottage door, and bowing as to a welcome guest, invitedPet to enter. No passage, no cold entrance hall, demanded scrapes ofceremony; but here was the parlor, and the feeding-place, and the warmdance of the fire-glow. Logs that meant to have a merry time, and spreada cheerful noise abroad, ere ever they turned to embers, were snortingforth the pointed flames, and spitting soft protests of sap. And beforethem stood, with eyes more bright than any flash of fire-light, intentupon rich simmering scents, a lovely form, a grace of dainties--oh, agoddess certainly!

"Master Carnaby, " said the host, "allow me, sir, the honor to presentmy daughter to you, Insie darling, this is Mr. Lancelot Yordas Carnaby. Make him a pretty courtesy. "

Insie turned round with a rosy blush, brighter than the brightestfire-wood, and tried to look at Pet as if she had never even dreamedof such a being. Pet drew hard upon his heart, and stood bewildered, tranced, and dazzled. He had never seen Insie in-doors before, whichmakes a great difference in a girl; and the vision was too bright forhim. 

For here, at her own hearth, she looked so gentle, sweet, and lovely. Nolonger wild and shy, or gayly mischievous and watchful, but calm-eyed, firm-lipped, gravely courteous; intent upon her father's face, andbanishing not into shadow so much as absolute nullity any one whodreamed that he ever filled a pitcher for her, or fed her with grouseand partridge, and committed the incredible atrocity of kissing her. 

Lancelot ceased to believe it possible that he ever could have done sucha thing as that, while he saw how she never would see him at all, ortalk in the voice that he had been accustomed to, or even toss her headin the style he had admired, when she tried to pretend to make lightof him. If she would only make light of him now, he would be wellcontented, and say to himself that she did it on purpose, for fearof the opposite extreme. But the worst of it was that she had quiteforgotten, beyond blink of inquiry or gleam of hope, that ever in herlife she had set eyes on a youth of such perfect insignificance before. 

"My friend, you ought to be hungry, " said Bert of the Gill, as he wasproud to call himself; "after your exploit you should be fed. Yourvanquished foe will sit next to you. Insie, you are harassed in mind bythe countenance of our old friend Master John Smithies. He has met witha little mishap--never mind--the rising generation is quick of temper. A soldier respects his victor; it is a beautiful arrangement ofProvidence; otherwise wars would never cease. Now give our two guests agood dish of the best, piping hot, and of good meaty fibre. We will haveour own supper by-and-by, when Maunder comes home, and your mother isready. Gentlemen, fall to; you have far to go, and the moors are badafter night-fall. "

Lancelot, proudly as he stood upon his rank, saw fit to make noobjection. Not only did his inner man cry, "Feed, even though a commonman feed with thee, " but his mind was under the influence of a strongerone, which scorned such stuff. Moreover, Insie, for the first time, gavehim a glance, demure but imperative, which meant, "Obey my father, sir. "

He obeyed, and was rewarded; for the beautiful girl came round him so, to hand whatever he wanted, and seemed to feel so sweetly for him in hisstrange position, that he scarcely knew what he was eating, only that itsavored of rich rare love, and came from the loveliest creature in theworld. In stern fact, it came from the head of a sheep; but neither jawsnor teeth were seen. Upon one occasion he was almost sure that a curlof Insie's lovely hair fell upon the back of his stooping neck; he couldscarcely keep himself from jumping up; and he whispered, very softly, when the old man was away, "Oh, if you would only do that again!" Buthis darling made manifest that this was a mistake, and applied herselfsedulously to the one-armed Jack. 

Jack of the Smithies was a trencherman of the very first order, andbeing well wedded (with a promise already of young soldiers to come), it behooved him to fill all his holes away from home, and spare his owncupboard for the sake of Mistress Smithies. He perceived the duty, andperformed it, according to the discipline of the British army. 

But Insie was fretting in the conscience of her heart to get the youngLancelot fed and dismissed before the return of her great wild brother. Not that he would hurt their guest, though unwelcome; or even show anysort of rudeness to him; but more than ever now, since she heard ofPet's furious onslaught upon the old soldier--which made her begin torespect him a little--she longed to prevent any meeting between thisgallant and the rough Maunder. And that anxiety led her to look at Petwith a melancholy kindness. Then Jack of the Smithies cut things short. 

"Off's the word, " he said, "if ever I expects to see home aforedaylight. All of these moors is known to me, and many's the time I havetracked them all in sleep, when the round world was betwixt us. Butwithout any moon it is hard to do 'em waking; and the loss of my armsends me crooked in the dark. And as for young folk, they be all abroadto once. With your leave, Master Bert, I'll be off immediate, aftergetting all I wants, as the manner of the world is. My good missus willbe wondering what is come of me. "

"You have spoken well, " his host replied; "and I think we shall have aheavy fall to-night. But this young gentleman must not go home alone. Heis not robust, and the way is long and rough. I have seen him shiveringseveral times. I will fetch my staff, and march with him. "

"No, sir, I will not have such a thing done, " the veteran answered, sturdily. "If the young gentleman is a gentleman, he will not be afraidfor me to take him home, in spite of what he hath done to me. Speak up, young man, are you frightened of me?"

"Not if you are not afraid of me, " said Pet, who had now forgotten allabout that Maunder, and only longed to stay where he was, and set up adelicious little series of glances. For the room, and the light, and thetenor of the place, began more and more to suit such uses. And most andbest of all, his Insie was very thankful to him for his good behavior;and he scarcely could believe that she wanted him to go. To go, however, was his destiny; and when he had made a highly laudable and far-awaysalute, it happened--in the shift of people, and of light, and clothing, which goes on so much in the winter-time--that a little hand came intohis, and rose to his lips, with ground of action, not for assault andbattery, but simply for assumpsit. 

CHAPTER XL

STORMY GAP

Snowy weather now set in, and people were content to stay at home. Amongthe scaurs and fells and moors the most perturbed spirit was compelledto rest, or try to do so, or at any rate not agitate its bodyout-of-doors. Lazy folk were suited well with reason good for laziness;and gentle minds, that dreaded evil, gladly found its communicationstopped. 

Combined excitement and exertion, strong amazement, ardent love, and acold of equal severity, laid poor Pet Carnaby by the heels, and reducedhim to perpetual gruel. He was shut off from external commune, andstrictly blockaded in his bedroom, where his only attendants were hissweet mother, and an excellent nurse who stroked his forehead, andcalled him "dear pet, " till he hated her, and, worst of all, that Dr. Spraggs, who lived in the house, because the weather was so bad. 

"We have taken a chill, and our mind is a little unhinged, " saidthe skillful practitioner: "careful diet, complete repose, a warmsurrounding atmosphere, absence of undue excitement, and, above all, acourse of my gentle alteratives regularly administered--these are thevery simple means to restore our beloved patient. He is certainly makingprogress; but I assure you, my dear madam, or rather I need not tell alady of such wonderfully clear perception, that remedial measures mustbe slow to be truly efficacious. With lower organizations we may deal ina more empiric style; but no experiments must be tried here--"

"Dr. Spraggs, I should hope not, indeed. You alarm me by the meresuggestion. "

"Gradation, delicately pursued, adapted subtly, discriminated nicely bythe unerring diagnosis of extensive medical experience, combined withdeep study of the human system, and a highly distinguished universitycareer--such, madam, are, in my humble opinion, the true elementsof permanent amelioration. At the same time we must not concealfrom ourselves that our constitution is by no means one of ordinaryorganization. None of your hedger and ditcher class, but delicate, fragile, impulsive, sensitive, liable to inopine derangements fromexcessive activity of mind--"

"Oh, Dr. Spraggs, he has been reading poetry, which none of our familyever even dreamed of doing--it is a young man, over your way somewhere. Possibly you may have heard of him. "

"That young man has a great deal to answer for. I have traced a very badcase of whooping-cough to him. That explains many symptoms which I couldnot quite make out. We will take away this book, madam, and give himDr. Watts--the only wholesome poet that our country has produced; thougheven his opinions would be better expressed in prose. "

But the lad, in spite of all this treatment, slowly did recover, andthen obtained relief, which set him on his nimble legs again. Forhis aunt Philippa, one snowy morning, went into the room beneath thatdesperately sick chamber, to see whether wreaths of snow had entered, as they often did, between the loose joints of the casement. She walkedvery carefully, for fear of making a noise that might be heard above, and disturb the repose of the poor invalid. But, to her surprise, therecame loud thumps from above, and a quivering of the ceiling, and a soundas of rushing steps, and laughter, and uproarious jollity. 

"What can it be? I am perfectly amazed, " said Mistress Yordas toherself. "I must inquire into this. "

She knew that her sister was out of the way, and the nurse in thekitchen, having one of her frequent feeds and agreeable discourses. So she went to a mighty ring in her own room, as large as an untaxedcarriage wheel, and from it (after due difficulty) took the spare key ofthe passage door that led the way to Lancelot. 

No sooner had she passed this door than she heard a noise a great dealworse than the worst imagination--whiz, and hiss, and crack, and smash, and rolling of hollow things over hollow places, varied with shouts, andthe flapping of skirts, and jingling of money upon heart of oak; theseand many other travails of the air (including strong language) amazedthe lady. Hastening into the sick-room, she found the window wide open, with the snow pouring in, a dozen of phial bottles ranged like skittles, some full and some empty, and Lancelot dancing about in his night-gown, with Divine Songs poised for another hurl. 

"Two for a full, and one for an empty. Seven to me, and four to you. Nocheating, now, or I'll knock you over, " he was shouting to Welldrum'sboy, who had clearly been smuggled in at the window for this game. "There's plenty more in old Spraggs's chest. Holloa, here's AuntPhilippa!"

Mistress Yordas was not displeased with this spirited application ofpharmacy; she at once flung wide the passage door, and Pet was free ofthe house again, but upon parole not to venture out of doors. Thefirst use he made of his liberty was to seek the faithful Jordas, whopossessed a little private sitting-room, and there hold secret councilwith him. 

The dogman threw his curly head back, when he had listened to his younglord's tale (which contained the truth, and nothing but the truth, yetnot by any means the whole truth, for the leading figure was left out), and a snort from his broad nostrils showed contempt and strong vexation. 

"Just what I said would come o' such a job, " he muttered, withoutthought of Lancelot; "to let in a traitor, and spake him fair, and makemuch of him. I wish you had knocked his two eyes out, Master Lance, instead of only blacking of 'un. And a fortnight lost through thatpisonin' Spraggs! And the weather going on, snow and thaw, snow andthaw. There's scarcely a dog can stand, let alone a horse, and thewreaths getting deeper. Most onlucky! It hath come to pass mostontoimely. "

"But who is Sir Duncan? And who is Mr. Bert? I have told you everything, Jordas; and all you do is to tell me nothing. "

"What more can I tell you, sir? You seem to know most about 'em. Andwhat was it as took you down that way, sir, if I may make so bold toask?"

"Jordas, that is no concern of yours; every gentleman has his ownprivate affairs, which can not in any way concern a common man. ButI wish you particularly to find out all that can be known about Mr. Bert--what made him come here, and why does he live so, and how much hashe got a year? He seems to be quite a gentleman--"

"Then his private affairs, sir, can not concern a common man. You hadbetter ways go yourself and ask him; or ask his friend with the twoblack eyes. Now just you do as I bid you, Master Lance. Not a word ofall this here to my ladies; but think of something as you must haveimmediate from Middleton. Something as your health requires"--hereJordas indulged in a sarcastic grin--"something as must come, if the skycome down, or the day of Judgment was to-morrow. "

"I know, yes, I am quite up to you, Jordas. Let me see: last time it wasa sweet-bread. That would never do again. It shall be a hundred oysters;and Spraggs shall command it, or be turned out. "

"Jordas, I really can not bear, " said the kind Mrs. Carnaby, an hourafterward, "that you should seem almost to risk your life by riding toMiddleton in such dreadful weather. Are you sure that it will not snowagain, and quite sure that you can get through all the wreaths? If not, I would on no account have you go. Perhaps, after all, it is but thefancy of a poor fantastic invalid, though Dr. Spraggs feels that it isso important, and may be the turning-point in his sad illness. It seemssuch a long way in such weather; and selfish people, who can neverunderstand, might say that it was quite unkind of us. But if you havemade up your mind to go, in spite of all remonstrance, you must be sureto come back to-night; and do please to see that the oysters are round, and have not got any of their lids up. "

The dogman knew well that he jeopardized his life in either half of thejourney; no little in going, and tenfold as much in returning throughthe snows of night. Though the journey in the first place had been ofhis own seeking, and his faithful mind was set upon it, some littlesense of bitterness was in his heart, that his life was not thought moreof. He made a low bow, and turned away, that he might not meet thoseeyes so full of anxiety for another, and of none for him. And when hecame to think of it, he was sorry afterward for indulging in a littlebit of two-edged satire. 

"Will you please to ask my lady if I may take Marmaduke? Or whether shewould be afeared to risk him in such weather?"

"I think it is unkind of you to speak like that. I need not ask mysister, as you ought to know. Of course you may take Marmaduke. I neednot tell you to be careful of him. "

After that, if he had chosen for himself, he would not have takenMarmaduke. But he thought of the importance of his real purpose, andcould trust no other horse to get him through it. 

In fine summer weather, when the sloughs were in, and the water-courseslow or dry, and the roads firm, wherever there were any, a good horseand rider, well acquainted with the track, might go from Scargate Hallto Middleton in about three hours, nearly all of the journey being welldown hill. But the travel to come back was a very different thing; fourhours and a half was quick time for it, even in the best state of earthand sky, and the Royal Mail pony was allowed a good seven, because hisspeed (when first established) had now impaired his breathing. And eversince the snow set in, he had received his money for the journey, but preferred to stay in stable; for which everybody had praised him, finding letters give them indigestion. 

Now Jordas roughed Marmaduke's shoes himself; for the snow would befrozen in the colder places, and ball wherever any softness was--twothings which demand very different measures. Also he fed him well, andnourished himself, and took nurture for the road; so that with all hastehe could not manage to start before twelve of the day. Travelling wasworse than he expected, and the snow very deep in places, especiallyat Stormy Gap, about a league from Scargate. Moreover, he knew that thestrength of his horse must be carefully husbanded for the return; and soit was dusk of the winter evening, and the shops of the little town werebeing lit with hoops of candles, when Jordas, followed by Saracen, cametrotting through the unpretending street. 

That ancient dog Saracen, the largest of the blood-hounds, had joinedthe expedition as a volunteer, craftily following and crouching out ofsight, until he was certain of being too far from home to be sentback again. Then he boldly appeared, and cantered gayly on in front ofMarmaduke, with his heavy dewlaps laced with snow. 

Jordas put up at a quiet old inn, and had Saracen chained strongly to aringbolt in the stable; then he set off afoot to see Mr. Jellicorse, andjust as he rang the office bell a little fleecy twinkle fell upon oneof his eyelashes, and looking sharply up, he saw that a snowy night wascoming. 

The worthy lawyer received him kindly, but not at all as if he wished tosee him; for Christmas-tide was very nigh at hand, and the weather madethe ink go thick, and only a clerk who was working for promotion wouldlet his hat stay on its peg after the drum and fife went by, as theyalways did at dusk of night, to frighten Bonyparty. 

"There are only two important facts in all you have told me, Jordas, "Mr. Jellicorse said, when he had heard him out: "one that Sir Duncan iscome home, of which I was aware some time ago; and the other that he hasbeen consulting an agent of the name of Mordacks, living in this county. That certainly looks as if he meant to take some steps against us. Butwhat can he do more than might have been done five-and-twenty yearsago?" The lawyer took good care to speak to none but his principalsconcerning that plaguesome deed of appointment. 

"Well, sir, you know best, no doubt. Only that he hath the money now, byall accounts; and like enough he hath labored for it a' purpose tofight my ladies. If your honor knew as well as I do what a Yordas is forfighting, and for downright stubbornness--"

"Perhaps I do, " replied the lawyer, with a smile; "but if he hasno children of his own, as I believe is the case with him, it seemsunlikely that he would risk his substance in a rash attempt to turn outthose who are his heirs. "

"He is not so old but what he might have children yet, if he hath nonenow to hand. Anyways it was my duty to tell you my news immediate. "

"Jordas, I always say that you are a model of a true retainer--acharacter becoming almost extinct in this faithless and revolutionaryage. Very few men would have ridden into town through all thosedangerous unmade roads, in weather when even the Royal Mail is kept, bythe will of the Lord, in stable. "

"Well, sir, " said Jordas, with his brave soft smile, "the smooth andthe rough of it comes in and out, accordin'. Some days I does next tonought; and some days I earns my keepin'. Any more commands for me, Lawyer Jellicoose? Time cometh on rather late for starting. "

"Jordas, you amaze me! You never mean to say that you dream of settingforth again on such a night as this is? I will find you a bed; you shallhave a hot supper. What would your ladies think of me, if I let you goforth among the snow again? Just look at the window-panes, while you andI were talking! And the feathers of the ice shooting up inside, as longas the last sheaf of quills I opened for them. Quills, quills, quills, all day! And when I buy a goose unplucked, if his quills are any good, his legs won't carve, and his gizzard is full of gravel-stones! Ah, theworld grows every day in roguery. "

"All the world agrees to that, sir; ever since I were as high as yourtable, never I hear two opinions about it; and it maketh a man seem tocondemn himself. Good-night, sir, and I hope we shall have good newsso soon as his Royal Majesty the king affordeth a pony as can lift hislegs. "

Mr. Jellicorse vainly strove to keep the man in town that night. He evencalled for his sensible wife and his excellent cook to argue, having noclerk left to make scandal of the scene. The cook had a turn of mind forJordas, and did think that he would stop for her sake; and she took abroom to show him what the depth of snow was upon the red tiles betweenthe brew-house and the kitchen. An icicle hung from the lip of the pump, and new snow sparkled on the cook's white cap, and the dark curly hairwhich she managed to let fall; the brew-house smelled nice, and thekitchen still nicer; but it made no difference to Jordas. If he had toldthem the reason of this hurry, they would have said hard thingsabout it, perhaps; Mrs. Jellicorse especially (being well read in theScriptures, and fond of quoting them against all people who had grouseand sent her none) would have called to mind what David said, when thethree mighty men broke through the host, and brought water from the wellof Bethlehem. So Jordas only answered that he had promised to return, and a trifle of snow improved the travelling. 

"A willful man must have his way, " said Mr. Jellicorse at last. "We cannot put him in the pound, Diana; but the least we can do is to providehim for a coarse, cold journey. If I know anything of our country, he will never see Scargate Hall to-night, but his blanket will be asnowdrift. Give him one of our new whitneys to go behind his saddle, andI will make him take two things. I am your legal adviser, Jordas, andyou are like all other clients. Upon the main issue, you cast me off;but in small matters you must obey me. "

The hardy dogman was touched with this unusual care for his welfare. Athome his services were accepted as a due, requiring little praise andless of gratitude. It was his place to do this and that, and be thankfulfor the privilege. But his comfort was left for himself to study; and ifhe had studied it much, reproach would soon have been the chief reward. It never would do, as his ladies said, to make too much of Jordas. Hewould give himself airs, and think that people could not get on withouthim. 

Marmaduke looked fresh and bold when he came out of stable; he had eatenwith pleasure a good hot dinner, or supper perhaps he considered it, liking to have his meals early, as horses generally do. And he neighedand capered for the homeward road, though he knew how full it was ofhardships; for never yet looked horse through bridle, without at leastone eye resilient toward the charm of headstall. And now he had botheyes fixed with legitimate aim in that direction; and what were a fewtiny atoms of snow to keep a big horse from his household?

Merrily, therefore, he set forth, with a sturdy rider on his back; hisclear neigh rang through the thick dull streets, and kind people cameto their white blurred windows, and exclaimed, as they glanced at theparty-colored horseman rushing away into the dreary depths, "Well, rather him than me, thank God!"

"You keep the dog, " Master Jordas had said to the hostler, before heleft the yard; "he is like a lamb, when you come to know him. I can't beplagued with him to-night. Here's a half crown for his victuals; he eatsprecious little for the size of him. A bullock's liver every other day, and a pound and a half the between times. Don't be afeared of him. Helooks like that, to love you, man. "

Instead of keeping on the Durham side of Tees, as he would have done infair weather for the first six miles or so, Jordas crossed by the oldtown bridge into his native county. The journey would be longer thus, but easier in some places, and the track more plain to follow, whichon a snowy night was everything. For all things now were in oneindiscriminate pelt and whirl of white; the Tees was striped withrustling floes among the black moor-water; and the trees, as long asthere were any, bent their shrouded forms and moaned. 

But with laborious plunges, and broad scatterings of obstruction, thewilling horse ploughed out his way, himself the while wrapped up inwhite, and caked in all his tufty places with a crust that flopped upand down. The rider, himself piled up with snow, and bearded with aberg of it, from time to time, with his numb right hand, fumbled at thefrozen clouts that clogged the poor horse's mane and crest. 

"How much longer will a' go, I wonder?" said Jordas to himself for thetwentieth time. "The Lord in heaven knows where we be; but horse knowsbetter than the Lord a'most. Two hour it must be since ever I 'temptedto make head or tail of it. But Marmaduke knoweth when a' hath his head;these creatures is wiser than Christians. Save me from the witches, ifI ever see such weather! And I wish that Master Lance's oysters wasn'tquite so much like him. "

For, broad as his back was, perpetual thump of rugged and flintifiedknobs and edges, through the flag basket strapped over his neck, wasbeginning to tell upon his stanch but jolted spine; while his foot inthe northern stirrup was numbed, and threatening to get frost-bitten. 

"The Lord knoweth where we be, " he said once more, growing in piety asthe peril grew. "What can old horse know, without the Lord hath told'un? And likely he hath never asked, no more than I did. We mought 'acome twelve moiles, or we mought 'a come no more than six. What ever isthere left in the world to judge by? The hills, or the hollows, orthe boskies, all is one, so far as the power of a man's eyes goes. Howsomever, drive on, old Dukie. "

Old Dukie drove on with all his might and main, and the stout spiritwhich engenders strength, till he came to a white wall reared beforehim, twice as high as his snow-capped head, and swirling like a billowof the sea with drift. Here he stopped short, for he had his own rein, and turned his clouted neck, and asked his master what to make of it. 

"We must 'a come at last to Stormy Gap: it might be worse, and it mightbe better. Rocks o' both sides, and no way round. No choice but to getthrough it, or to spend the night inside of it. You and I are a prettygood weight, old Dukie. We'll even try a charge for it, afore we knockunder. We can't have much more smother than we've gotten already. Myfather was taken like this, I've heard tell, in the service of oldSquire Philip; and he put his nag at it, and scumbled through. But firstyou get up your wind, old chap. "

Marmaduke seemed to know what was expected of him; for he turned round, retreated a few steps, and then stood panting. Then Jordas dismounted, as well as he could with his windward leg nearly frozen. He smotehimself lustily, with both arms swinging, upon his broad breast, and hestamped in the snow till he felt his tingling feet again. Then he tookup the skirt of his thick heavy coat, and wiped down the head, mane, and shoulders of the horse, and the great pile of snow upon the crupper. "Start clear is a good word, " he said. 

For a moment he stopped to consider the forlorn hope of his lastresolution. "About me, there is no such great matter, " he thought; "butif I was to kill Dukie, who would ever hear the last of it? And what agood horse he have been, to be sure! But if I was to leave him so, thecrows would only have him. We be both in one boat; we must try of it. "He said a little prayer, which was all he knew, for himself and a lasshe had a liking to, who lived in a mill upon the river Lune; and thenhe got into the saddle again, and set his teeth hard, and spoke toMarmaduke, a horse who would never be touched with a spur. "Come on, oldchap, " was all he said. 

The horse looked about in the thick of the night, as the head of thehorse peers out of the cloak, in Welsh mummery, at Christmas-tide. The thick of the night was light and dark, with the dense intensityof down-pour; light in itself, and dark with shutting out all sight ofeverything--a close-at-hand confusion, and a distance out of measure. The horse, with his wise snow-crusted eyes, took in all the winnowing oflight among the draff, and saw no possibility of breaking through, butresolved to spend his life as he was ordered. No power of rush or ofdash could he gather, because of the sinking of his feet; the mainchance was of bulk and weight; and his rider left him free to choose. For a few steps he walked, nimbly picking up his feet, and then, witha canter of the best spring he could compass, hurled himself into thedepth of the drift, while Jordas lay flat along his neck, and let himplunge. For a few yards the light snow flew before him, like froth ofthe sea before a broad-bowed ship, and smothered as he was, he foughtonward for his life. But very soon the power of his charge was gone, hislimbs could not rise, and his breath was taken from him; the hole thathe had made was filled up behind him; fresh volumes from the shakenheight came pouring down upon him; his flanks and his back were wedgedfast in the cumber, and he stood still and trembled, being buried alive. 

Jordas, with a great effort, threw himself off, and put his hat beforehis mouth, to make himself a breathing space. He scarcely knew whetherhe stood or lay; but he kicked about for want of air, and the morehe kicked the worse it was, as in the depth of nightmare. Blindness, choking, smothering, and freezing fell in a lump upon his poor body now, and the shrieking of the horse and the panting of his struggles came, bysome vibration, to him. 

But just as he began to lose his wits, sink away backward, and gasp forbreath, a gleam of light broke upon his closing eyes; he gathered theremnant of his strength, struck for it, and was in a space of free air. After several long pants he looked around, and found that a thicket ofstub oak jutting from the crag of the gap had made a small alcove withbillows of snow piled over it. Then the brave spirit of the man cameforth. "There is room for Dukie as well as me, " he gasped; "with God'shelp, I will fetch him in. "

Weary as he was, he cast himself back into the wall of snow, andlistened. At first he heard nothing, and made sure that all was over;but presently a faint soft gurgle, like a dying sob, came through themurk. With all his might he dashed toward the sound, and laid hold of ahairy chin just foundering. "Rise up, old chap, " he tried to shout, andhe gave the horse a breath or two with the broad-brimmed hat above hisnose. Then Marmaduke rallied for one last fight, with the surety of aman to help him. He staggered forward to the leading of the hand he knewso well, and fell down upon his knees; but his head was clear, and hedrew long breaths, and his heart was glad, and his eyes looked up, andhe gave a feeble whinny. 

CHAPTER XLI

BAT OF THE GILL

Upon that same evening the cottage in the gill was well snowed up, asbefell it every winter, more or less handsomely, according to the wind. The wind was in the right way to do it truly now, with just enoughdraught to pile bountiful wreaths, and not enough of wild blast toscatter them again. "Bat of the Gill, " as Mr. Bert was called, sat bythe fire, with his wife and daughter, and listened very calmly to thewhistle of the wind, and the sliding of the soft fall that blocked hiswindow-panes. 

Insie was reading, Mrs. Bert was knitting stockings, and Mr. Bert wasthinking of his own strange life. It never once occurred to him thatgreat part of its strangeness sprang from the oddities of his ownnature, any more than a man who has been in a quarrel believes that hecould have kept out of it. "Matters beyond my own control have forced meto do this and that, " is the sure belief of every man whose life has runcounter to his fellows, through his own inborn diversity. In this man'snature were two strange points, sure (if they are strong enough tosurvive experience) to drive anybody into strange ways: he did not carefor money, and he contemned rank. 

How these two horrible twists got into his early composition is morethan can be told, and in truth it does not matter. But being quiteincurable, and meeting with no sympathy, except among people who aspiredto them only, and failed--if they ever got the chance of failing--thesedepravations from the standard of mankind drove Christopher Bert fromthe beaten tracks of life. Providence offered him several occasions ofreturn into the ordinary course; for after he had cast abroad a verynice inheritance, other two fortunes fell to him, but found him asdifficult as ever to stay with. Not that he was lavish upon luxuryof his own, for no man could have simpler tastes, but that he weaklybelieved in the duty of benevolence, and the charms of gratitude. Of thelatter it is needless to say that he got none, while with the former heproduced some harm. When all his bread was cast upon the waters, he setout to earn his own crust as best he might. 

Hence came a chapter of accidents, and a volume of motley incidents invarious climes, and upon far seas. Being a very strong, active man, with gift of versatile hand and brain, and early acquaintance withhandicrafts, Christopher Bert could earn his keep, and make in a yearalmost as much as he used to give away, or lend without redemption, in ageneral day of his wealthy time. Hard labor tried to make him sour, butdid not succeed therein. 

Yet one thing in all this experience vexed him more than any hardship, to wit, that he never could win true fellowship among his new fellows inthe guild of labor. Some were rather surly, others very pleasant (froma warm belief that he must yet come into money); but whatsomeveror whosoever they were, or of whatever land, they all agreed thatChristopher Bert was not of their communion. Manners, appearance, education, freedom from prejudice, and other wide diversities marked himas an interloper, and perhaps a spy, among the enlightened working-menof the period. Over and over again he strove to break down this barrier;but thrice as hard he might have striven, and found it still too strongfor him. This and another circumstance at last impressed him with thesuperior value of his own society. Much as he loved the working-man--inspite of all experience of him--that worthy fellow would not have it, but felt a truly and piously hereditary scorn for "a gentleman as tooka order, when, but for being a blessed fool, he might have stood theregiving it. "

The other thing that helped to drive him from this very dense array washis own romantic marriage, and the copious birth of children. After thesensitive age was past, and when the sensibles ought to reign--for thenhe was past five-and-thirty--he fell (for the first time of his life)into a violent passion of love for a beautiful Jewish maid barely turnedseventeen; Zilpah admired him, for he was of noble aspect, rich withvariety of thoughts and deeds. With women he had that peculiar powerwhich men of strong character possess; his voice was like music, andhis words as good as poetry, and he scarcely ever seemed to contradicthimself. Very soon Zilpah adored him; and then he gave notice to herparents that she was to be his wife. These stared considerably, beingvery wealthy people, of high Jewish blood (and thus the oldest of theold), and steadfast most--where all are steadfast--to their own race ofreligion. Finding their astonishment received serenely, they locked uptheir daughter, with some strong expressions; which they redoubled whenthey found the door wide open in the morning. Zilpah was gone, and theyscratched out her name from the surface of their memories. 

Christopher Bert, being lawfully married--for the local restrictionsscorned the case of a foreigner and a Jewess--crossed the Polishfrontier with his mules and tools, and drove his little covered cartthrough Austria. And here he lit upon, and helped in some predicamentof the road, a spirited young Englishman undergoing the miseries ofthe grand tour, the son and heir of Philip Yordas. Duncan was large andcrooked of thought--as every true Yordas must be--and finding a mind inadvance of his own by several years of such sallyings, and not yet evenswerving toward the turning goal of corpulence, the young man perceivedthat he had hit upon a prophet. 

For Bert scarcely ever talked at all of his generous ideas. Aprophet's proper mantle is the long cloak of Harpocrates, and his bestvaticinations are inspired more than uttered. So it came about thatDuncan Yordas, difficult as he was to lead, largely shared the deviouscourses of Christopher Bert the workman, and these few months offriendship made a lasting mark upon the younger man. 

Soon after this a heavy blow befell the ingenious wanderer. Among hismany arts and trades, he had some knowledge of engineering, or atany rate much boldness of it; which led him to conceive a brave ideaconcerning some tributary of the Po. The idea was sound and fine, andmight have led to many blessings; but Nature, enjoying her bad workbest, recoiled upon her improver. He left an oozy channel drying (like aglanderous sponge) in August; and virulent fever came into his tent. All of his eight children died except his youngest son Maunder; his ownstrong frame was shaken sadly; and his loving wife lost all her strengthand buxom beauty. He gathered the remnants of his race, and stricken butstill unconquered, took his way to a long-forgotten land. "The residueof us must go home, " he said, after all his wanderings. 

In London, of course, he was utterly forgotten, although he had spentmuch substance there, in the days of sanguine charity. Durham was hisnative county, where he might have been a leading man, if more likeother men. "Cosmopolitan" as he was, and strong in his own opinionsstill, the force of years, and sorrow, and long striving, told upon him. He had felt a longing to mend the kettles of the house that once washis; but when he came to the brink of Tees his stout heart failed, andhe could not cross. 

Instead of that he turned away, to look for his old friend Yordas; notto be patronized by him--for patronage he would have none--but fromhankering after a congenial mind, and to touch upon kind memories. Yordas was gone, as pure an outcast as himself, and his name almostforbidden there. He thought it a part of the general wrong, and wanderedabout to see the land, with his eyes wide open as usual. 

There was nothing very beautiful in the land, and nothing at allattractive, except that it commanded length of view, and was noblein its rugged strength. This, however, pleased him well, and here heresolved to set up his staff, if means could be found to make it grow. From the higher fells he could behold (whenever the weather encouragedhim) the dromedary humps of certain hills, at the tail whereof he hadbeen at school--a charming mist of retrospect. And he felt, though itmight have been hard to make him own it, a deeply seated joy that herehe should be long lengths out of reach of the most highly illuminatedworking-man. This was an inconsistent thing, but consistent forever incoming to pass. 

Where the will is, there the way is, if the will be only wise. Bertfound out a way of living in this howling wilderness, as his poor wifewould have called it, if she had been a bad wife. Unskillful as he hadshown himself in the matter of silver and gold, he had won great skillin the useful metals, especially in steel--the type of truth. And herein a break of rock he discovered a slender vein of a slate-gray mineral, distinct from cobalt, but not unlike it, such as he had found in theCarpathian Mountains, and which in metallurgy had no name yet, for itsvalue was known to very few. But a legend of the spot declared that theancient cutlers of Bilbao owed much of their fame to the use of thismineral in the careful process of conversion. 

"I can make a living out of it, and that is all I want, " said Bert, whowas moderately sanguine still. "I know a manufacturer who has faith inme, and is doing all he can against the supremacy of Sheffield. If Ican make arrangements with him, we will settle here, and keep to our ownaffairs for the future. "

He built him a cottage in lonely snugness, far in the waste, and outsideeven of the range of title-deeds, though he paid a small rent to themanor, to save trouble, and to satisfy his conscience of the mineraldeposit. By right of discovery, lease, and user, this became entirelyhis, as nobody else had ever heard of it. So by the fine irony of factsit came to pass, first, that the squanderer of three fortunes unitedhis lot with a Jewess; next, that a great "cosmopolitan" hugged a strictcorner of jealous monopoly; and again, that a champion of communisminsisted upon his exclusive right to other people's property. However, for all that, it might not be easy to find a more consistent man. 

Here Maunder, the surviving son, grew up, and Insie, their last child, was born; and the land enjoyed peace for twenty years, because it wasof little value. A man who had been about the world so loosely must havefound it hard to be boxed up here, except for the lowering of strengthand pride by sorrow of affection, and sore bodily affliction. But theair of the moorland is good for such troubles. Bert possessed a happynature; and perhaps it was well that his children could say, "We arenine; but only two to feed. "

It must have been the whistling wind, a long memorial sound, which senthim, upon this snowy December night, back among the echoes of the past;for he always had plenty of work to do, even in the winter evenings, and was not at all given to folded arms. And before he was tired of hisshort warm rest, his wife asked, "Where is Maunder?"

"I left him doing his work, " he replied; "he had a great heap still toclear. He understands his work right well. He will not go to bed till hehas done it. We must not be quite snowed up, my dear. "

Mrs. Bert shook her head: having lost so many children, she was anxiousabout the rest of them. But before she could speak again, a heavy leapagainst the door was heard; the strong latch rattled, and the timberscreaked. Insie jumped up to see what it meant, but her father stoppedher, and went himself. When he opened the door, a whirl of snow flew in, and through the glitter and the flutter a great dog came reeling, androlled upon the floor, a mighty lump of bristled whiteness. Mrs. Bertwas terrified, for she thought it was a wolf, not having found it in herpower to believe that there could be such a desert place without wolvesin the winter-time. 

"Why, Saracen!" said Insie; "I declare it is! You poor old dog, what canhave brought you out this weather?"

Both her parents were surprised to see her sit down on the floor andthrow her arms around the neck of this self-invited and very uncouthvisitor. For the girl forgot all of her trumpery concealments in thewarmth of her feeling for a poor lost dog. 

Saracen looked at her, with a view to dignity. He had only seen her oncebefore, when Pet brought him down (both for company and safeguard), andhe was not a dog who would dream of recognizing a person to whom he hadbeen rashly introduced. And he knew that he was in a mighty difficultynow, which made self-respect all the more imperative. However, on thewhole, he had been pleased with Insie at their first interview, and hadpatronized her--for she had an honest fragrance, and a little taste ofsalt--and now with a side look he let her know that he did not wish tohurt her feelings, although his business was not with her. But if shewanted to give him some refreshment, she might do so, while he wasconsidering. 

The fact was, though he could not tell it, and would scorn to do soif he could, that he had not had one bit to eat for more hours than hecould reckon. That wicked hostler at Middleton had taken his money anddisbursed it upon beer, adding insult to injury by remarking, in thehearing of Saracen (while strictly chained), that he was a deal too fatalready. So vile a sentiment had deepened into passion the dog's everdominant love of home; and when the darkness closed upon him in anunknown hungry hole, without even a horse for company, any other dogwould have howled; but this dog stiffened his tail with self-respect. Hescraped away all the straw to make a clear area for his experiment, andthen he stood up like a pillar, or a fine kangaroo, and made trial ofhis weight against the chain. Feeling something give, or show propensitytoward giving, he said to himself that here was one more triumph for himover the presumptuous intellect of man. The chain might be strong enoughto hold a ship, and the great leathern collar to secure a bull; but thefastening of chain to collar was unsound, by reason of the rusting of arivet. 

Retiring to the manger for a better length of rush, he backed againstthe wall for a fulcrum to his spring, while the roll of his chest andthe breadth of his loins quivered with tight muscle. Then off like thecharge of a cannon he dashed, the loop of the collar flew out of therivet, and the chain fell clanking on the paving-bricks. With grimsatisfaction the dog set off in the track of the horse for ScargateHall. And now he sat panting in the cottage of the gill, to tell hisdiscovery and to crave for help. 

"Where do you come from, and what do you want?" asked Bert, as the dog, soon beginning to recover, looked round at the door, and then back againat him, and jerked up his chin impatiently, "Insie, you seem to knowthis fine fellow. Where have you met him? And whose dog is he? Saracen!Why, that is the name of the dog who is everybody's terror at Scargate. "

"I gave him some water one day, " said Insie, "when he was terriblythirsty. But he seems to know you, father, better than me. He wants youto do something, and he scorns me. "

For Saracen, failing of articulate speech, was uttering volumes ofentreaty with his eyes, which were large, and brown, and full of clearexpression under eyebrows of rich tan; and then he ran to the door, putup one heavy paw and shook it, and ran back, and pushed the master withhis nozzle, and then threw back his great head and long velvet ears, andopening his enormous jaws, gave vent to a mighty howl which shook theroof. 

"Oh, put him out, put him out! open the door!" exclaimed Mrs. Bert, infresh terror. "If he is not a wolf, he is a great deal worse. "

"His master is out in the snow, " cried Bert; "perhaps buried in thesnow, and he is come to tell us. Give me my hat, child, and my thickcoat. See how delighted he is, poor fellow! Oh, here comes Maunder! Nowlead the way, my friend. Maunder, go and fetch the other shovel. There is somebody lost in the snow, I believe. We must follow this dogimmediately. "

"Not till you both have had much plenty food, " the mother said: "outupon the moors, this bad, bad night, and for leagues possibly to travel. My son and my husband are much too good. You bad dog, why did you come, pestilent? But you shall have food also. Insie, provide him. While Imake to eat your father and your brother. "

Saracen would hardly wait, starving as he was; but seeing the menprepare to start, he made the best of it, and cleared out a colander ofvictuals in a minute. 

"Put up what is needful for a starving traveller, " Mr. Bert said to theladies. "We shall want no lantern; the snow gives light enough, andthe moon will soon be up. Keep a kettle boiling, and some warm clothesready. Perhaps we shall be hours away; but have no fear. Maunder is theboy for snow-drifts. "

The young man being of a dark and silent nature, quite unlike hisfather's, made no reply, nor even deigned to give a smile, but seemed tobe wonderfully taken with the dog, who in many ways resembled him. Thenhe cast both shovels on his shoulder at the door, and strode forth, and stamped upon the path that he had cleared. His father took a stoutstick, the dog leaped past them, and led them out at once upon the openmoor. 

"We are in for a night of it, " said Mr. Bert, and his son did notcontradict him. 

"The dog goes first, then I, then you, " he said to his father, with hisdeep slow tone. And the elderly man, whose chief puzzle in life--sincehe had given up the problem of the world--was the nature of his onlyson, now wondered again, as he seldom ceased from wondering, whetherthis boy despised or loved him. The young fellow always took the verygreatest care of his father, as if he were a child to be protected, andhe never showed the smallest sign of disrespect. Yet Maunder was not thetrue son of his father, but of some ancestor, whose pride sprang outof dust at the outrageous idea of a kettle-mending Bert, and embodieditself in this Maunder. 

The large-minded father never dreamed of such a trifle, but felt in suchweather, with the snow above his leggings, that sometimes it is good tohave a large-bodied son. 

CHAPTER XLII

A CLEW OF BUTTONS

When Jack o' the Smithies met his old commander, as related by himself, at the house of Mr. Mordacks, everything seemed to be going on well forSir Duncan, and badly for his sisters. The general factor, as he hintedlong ago, possessed certain knowledge which the Middleton lawyer fondlysupposed to be confined to himself and his fair clients. Sir Duncanrefused to believe that the ladies could ever have heard of such adocument as that which, if valid, would simply expel them; for, said he, "If they know of it, they are nothing less than thieves to conceal itand continue in possession. Of a lawyer I could fancy it, but never of alady. "

"My good sir, " answered the sarcastic Mordacks, "a lady's conscience isnot the same as a gentleman's, but bears more resemblance to a lawyer's. A lady's honor is of the very highest standard; but the standard dependsupon her state of mind; and that, again, depends upon the condition ofher feelings. You must not suppose me to admit the faintest shadow ofdisrespect toward your good sisters; but ladies are ladies, and factsare facts; and the former can always surmount the latter; while a man iscomparatively helpless. I know that Mr. Jellicorse, their man of law, isthoroughly acquainted with this interesting deed; his first duty was toapprise them of it; and that, you may be quite sure, he has done. "

"I hope not. I am sure not. A lawyer does not always employ hot haste inan unwelcome duty. "

"True enough, Sir Duncan. But the duty here was welcome. Their knowledgeof that deed, and of his possession of it, would make him their master, if he chose to be so. Not that old Jellicorse would think of such athing. He is a man of high principle like myself, of a lofty conscience, and even sentimental. But lawyers are just like the rest of mankind. Their first consideration is their bread and cheese; though some of themcertainly seem ready to accept it even in the toasted form. "

"You may say what you like, Mordacks, my sister Philippa is far tooupright, and Eliza too good, for any such thing to be possible. However, that question may abide. I shall not move until I have some one to do itfor. I have no great affection for a home which cast me forth, whetherit had a right to do so or not. But if we succeed in the more importantmatter, it will be my duty to recover the estates, for the benefit ofanother. You are sure of your proofs that it is the boy?"

"As certain as need be. And we will make it surer when you meet me therethe week after next. For the reasons I have mentioned, we must waittill then. Your yacht is at Yarmouth. You have followed my advice inapproaching by sea, and not by land, and in hiring at Yarmouth for thepurpose. But you never should have come to York, Sir Duncan; this isa very great mistake of yours. They are almost sure to hear of it. And even your name given in our best inn! But luckily they never see anewspaper at Scargate. "

"I follow the tactics with which you succeed--all above-board, and nostratagems. Your own letter brought me; but perhaps I am too old to beso impatient. Where shall I meet you, and on what day?"

"This day fortnight, at the Thornwick Inn, I shall hope to be with youat three o'clock, and perhaps bring somebody with me. If I fixed anearlier day, I should only disappoint you. For many things have to bedelicately managed; and among them, the running of a certain cargo, without serious consequence. For that we may trust a certain veryskillful youth. For the rest you must trust to a clumsier person, yourhumble land-agent and surveyor--titles inquired into and verified, at atenth of solicitors' charges. "

"Well, " said Sir Duncan, "you shall verify mine, as soon as you haveverified my son, and my title to him. Good-by, Mordacks. I am sure youmean me well, but you seem to be very long about it. "

"Hot climates breed impatience, sir. A true son of Yorkshire is never ina hurry. The general complaint of me is concerning my wild rapidity. "

"You are like the grocer, whose goods, if they have any fault at all, have the opposite one to what the customer finds in them. Well, good-by, Mordacks. You are a trusty friend, and I thank you. "

These words from Sir Duncan Yordas were not merely of commonplace. For he was a man of great self-reliance, quick conclusion, and strongresolve. These had served him well in India, and insured his fortune;while early adversity and bitter losses had tempered the arrogance ofhis race. After the loss of his wife and child, and the breach with allhis relatives, he had led a life of peril and hard labor, varied withfew pleasures. When first he learned from Edinburgh that the shipconveying his only child to the care of the mother's relatives was lost, with all on board, he did all in his power to make inquiries. Butthe illness and death of his wife, to whom he was deeply attached, overwhelmed him. For while with some people "one blow drives outanother, " with some the second serves only to drive home, deepen, andaggravate the first. For years he was satisfied to believe both lossesirretrievable. And so he might still have gone on believing, except fora queer little accident. 

Being called to Calcutta upon government business, he happened to see apair of English sailors, lazily playing, in a shady place by the side ofthe road, at hole-penny. One of them seemed to have his pocket clearedout, for just as Sir Duncan was passing, he cried, "Here, Jack, you giveme change of one of them, and I'll have at you again, my boy. As good asa guinea with these blessed niggers. Come back to their home, I b'lievethey are, same as I wish I was; rale gold--ask this gen'leman. "

The other swore that they were "naught but brass, and not worth a copperfarden"; until the tars, being too tipsy for much fighting, referred thequestion to Sir Duncan. 

Three hollow beads of gold were what they showed him, and he knew themat once for his little boy's buttons, the workmanship being peculiar toone village of his district, and one family thereof. The sailor wouldthankfully have taken one rupee apiece for them; but Sir Duncan gave himthirty for the three--their full metallic value--upon his pledging honorto tell all he knew about them, and make affidavit, if required. Thenhe told all he knew, to the best of his knowledge, and swore to it whensober, accepted a refresher, and made oath to it again, with some livelyparticulars added. And the facts that he deposed to, and deposited, werethese:

Being down upon his luck, about a twelvemonth back, he thought ofkeeping company with a nice young woman, and settling down until abetter time turned up; and happening to get a month's wages from aschooner of ninety-five tons at Scarborough, he strolled about thestreet a bit, and kept looking down the railings for a servant-girl whomight have got her wages in her work-box. Clean he was, and taut, andclever, beating up street in Sunday rig, keeping sharp look-out fora consort, and in three or four tacks he hailed one. As nice a youngpartner as a lad could want, and his meaning was to buckle to for thewinter. But the night before the splicing-day, what happened to him henever could tell after. He was bousing up his jib, as a lad is boundto do, before he takes the breakers. And when he came to, he was twentyleagues from Scarborough, on board of his Majesty's recruiting brig theHarpy. He felt in his pocket for the wedding-ring, and instead of that, there were these three beads. 

Sir Duncan was sorry for his sad disaster, and gave him ten more rupeesto get over it. And then he discovered that the poor forsaken maiden'sname was Sally Watkins. Sally was the daughter of a rich pawnbroker, whose frame of mind was sometimes out of keeping with its truecontents. He had very fine feelings, and real warmth of sympathy; butcircumstances seemed sometimes to lead them into the wrong channel, and induced him to kick his children out of doors. In the middle of thefamily he kicked out Sally, almost before her turn was come; andshe took a place at 4 pounds a year, to disgrace his memory--as shesaid--carrying off these buttons, and the jacket, which he had bestowedupon her, in a larger interval. 

There was no more to be learned than this from the interceptedbridegroom. He said that he might have no objection to go on with hislove again, as soon as the war was over, leastways, if it was made worthhis while; but he had come across another girl, at the Cape of GoodHope, and he believed that this time the Lord was in it, for she hadbeen born in a caul, and he had got it. With such a dispensation SirDuncan Yordas saw no right to interfere, but left the course of truelove to itself, after taking down the sailor's name--"Ned Faithful. "

However, he resolved to follow out the clew of beads, though withoutmuch hope of any good result. Of the three in his possession he keptone, and one he sent to Edinburgh, and the third to York, having heardof the great sagacity, vigor, and strict integrity of Mr. Mordacks, allof which he sharpened by the promise of a large reward upon discovery. Then he went back to his work, until his time of leave was due, aftertwenty years of arduous and distinguished service. In troublous times, no private affairs, however urgent, should drive him from his post. 

Now, eager as he was when in England once again, he was true to hischaracter and the discipline of life. He had proof that the matter wasin very good hands, and long command had taught him the necessity ofobedience. Any previous Yordas would have kicked against the pricks, rushed forward, and scattered everything. But Sir Duncan was now of adifferent fibre. He left York at once, as Mordacks advised, and postedto Yarmouth, before the roads were blocked with snow, and while Jack o'the Smithies was returning to his farm. And from Yarmouth he set sailfor Scarborough, in a sturdy little coaster, which he hired by the week. From Scarborough he would run down to Bridlington--not too soon, for fear of setting gossip going, but in time to meet Mordacks atFlamborough, as agreed upon. 

That gentleman had other business in hand, which must not be neglected;but he gave to this matter a very large share of his time, and paidfive-and-twenty pounds for the trusty roadster, who liked the taste ofFlamborough pond, and the salt air on the oats of Widow Tapsy's stable, and now regularly neighed and whisked his tail as soon as he foundhimself outside Monk Bar. By favor of this horse and of his own swordand pistols, Mordacks spent nearly as much time now at Flamborough ashe did in York; but unluckily he had been obliged to leave on thevery afternoon before the run was accomplished, and Carroway slain sowickedly; for he hurried home to meet Sir Duncan, and had not heard thebad news when he met him. 

That horrible murder was a sad blow to him, not only as a man ofconsiderable kindness and desire to think well of every one--so far asexperience allows it--but also because of the sudden apparition of thelaw rising sternly in front of him. Justice in those days was not asnow: her truer name was Nemesis. After such an outrage to the dignity ofthe realm, an example must be made, without much consideration whetherit were the right one. If Robin Lyth were caught, there would be theform of trial, but the principal point would be to hang him. Like therest of the world, Mr. Mordacks at first believed entirely in his guilt;but unlike the world, he did not desire to have him caught, and broughtstraightway to the gallows. Instead of seeking him, therefore, he wasnow compelled to avoid him, when he wanted him most; for it never mustbe said that a citizen of note had discoursed with such a criminal, and allowed him to escape. On the other hand, here he had to meet SirDuncan, and tell him that all those grand promises were shattered, thatin finding his only son all he had found was a cowardly murderer flyingfor his life, and far better left at the bottom of the sea. For oncein a way, as he dwelt upon all this, the general factor becamedown-hearted, his vigorous face lost the strong lines of decision, andhe even allowed his mouth to open without anything to put into it. 

But it was impossible for this to last. Nature had provided Mordackswith an admirably high opinion of himself, enlivened by a sprightlygood-will toward the world, whenever it wagged well with him. He hadplenty of business of his own, and yet could take an amateur delight inthe concerns of everybody; he was always at liberty to give good advice, and never under duty to take it; he had vigor of mind, of memory, of character, and of digestion; and whenever he stole a holiday fromself-denial, and launched out after some favorite thing, there was thecash to do it with, and the health to do it pleasantly. 

Such a man is not long depressed by a sudden misadventure. Dr. Upround'sopinion in favor of Robin did not go very far with him; for he lookedupon the rector as a man who knew more of divine than of human nature. But that fault could scarcely be found with a woman; or at any rate witha widow encumbered with a large family hanging upon the dry breast ofthe government. And though Mr. Mordacks did not invade the cottage quiteso soon as he should have done, if guided by strict business, he thoughthimself bound to get over that reluctance, and press her upon a mostdistressing subject, before he kept appointment with his principal. 

The snow, which by this time had blockaded Scargate, impoundedJordas, and compelled Mr. Jellicorse to rest and be thankful for a hotmince-pie, although it had visited this eastern coast as well, wasnot deep enough there to stop the roads. Keeping head-quarters at the"Hooked Cod" now, and encouraging a butcher to set up again (who haddropped all his money, in his hurry to get on), Geoffrey Mordacks beganto make way into the outer crust of Flamborough society. In a council ofthe boats, upon a Sunday afternoon, every boat being garnished forits rest upon the flat, and every master fisherman buttoned with aflower--the last flowers of the year, and bearing ice-marks in theireyes--a resolution had been passed that the inland man meant well, hadnaught to do with Revenue, or Frenchmen either, or what was even worse, any outside fishers, such as often-time came sneaking after fishinggrounds of Flamborough. Mother Tapsy stood credit for this strange man, and he might be allowed to go where he was minded, and to take all thehelp he liked to pay for. 

Few men could have achieved such a triumph, without having married aFlamborough lass, which must have been the crown of all human ambition, if difficulty crowns it. Even to so great a man it was an added laurel, and strengthened him much in his opinion of himself. In spite of alldisasters, he recovered faith in fortune, so many leading Flamboroughmen began to touch their hats to him! And thus he set forth before abitter eastern gale, with the head of his seasoned charger bent towardthe melancholy cot at Bridlington. 

Having granted a new life of slaughter to that continually insolventbutcher, who exhibited the body of a sheep once more, with an eye to theapproach of Christmas, this universal factor made it a point of dutyto encourage him. In either saddle-bag he bore a seven-pound leg ofmutton--a credit to a sheep of that district then--and to show himselfno traitor to the staple of the place, he strapped upon his crupper, insome oar-weed and old netting, a twenty-pound cod, who found it hard tobreathe his last when beginning to enjoy horse-exercise. 

"There is a lot of mouths to fill, " said Mr. Mordacks, with a sigh, while his landlady squeezed a brown loaf of her baking into the nickof his big sword-strap; "and you and I are capable of entering into thecondition of the widow and the fatherless. "

"Hoonger is the waa of them, and victuals is the cure for it. Now mindyou coom home afore dark, " cried the widow, to whom he had happened tosay, very sadly, that he was now a widower. "To my moind, a sight o'more snaw is a-coomin'; and what mah sard or goon foight again it?Captain Moordocks, coom ye home arly. T' hare sha' be doon to a toorn befi' o'clock. Coom ye home be that o'clock, if ye care for deener. "

"I must have made a tender impression on her heart, " Mr. Mordacks saidto himself, as he kissed his hand to the capacious hostess. "Such ismy fortune, to be loved by everybody, while aiming at the sternestrectitude. It is sweet, it is dangerously sweet; but what a comfort! Howthat large-hearted female will baste my hare!"

CHAPTER XLIII

A PLEASANT INTERVIEW

Cumbered as he was of body, and burdened with some cares of mind, thegeneral factor ploughed his way with his usual resolution. A scowl ofdark vapor came over the headlands, and under-ran the solid snow-cloudswith a scud, like bonfire smoke. The keen wind following the curves ofland, and shaking the fringe of every white-clad bush, piped (like aboy through a comb) wherever stock or stub divided it. It turned allthe coat of the horse the wrong way, and frizzed up the hair of Mr. Mordacks, which was as short as a soldier's, and tossed up his heavyriding cape, and got into him all up the small of his back. Being fondof strong language, he indulged in much; but none of it warmed him, andthe wind whistled over his shoulders, and whirled the words out of hismouth. 

When he came to the dip of the road, where it crosses the Dane'sDike, he pulled up his horse for a minute, in the shelter of shiveringfir-trees. "What a cursed bleak country! My fish is frozen stiff, and mylegs are as dead as the mutton in the saddle-bags. Geoffrey, you are afool, " he said. "Charity is very fine, and business even better; but agood coal fire is the best of all. But in for a penny of it, in for apound. Hark! I hear some fellow-fool equally determined to be frozen. I'll go at once and hail him; perhaps the sight of him will warm me. "

He turned his horse down a little lane upon the left, where snow laydeep, with laden bushes overhanging it, and a rill of water bridgedwith bearded ice ran dark in the hedge-trough. And here he found astout lusty man, with shining red cheeks and keen blue eyes, hacking andhewing in a mighty maze of brambles. 

"My friend, you seem busy. I admire your vast industry, " Mr. Mordacksexclaimed, as the man looked at him, but ceased not from swinging hislong hedge-hook. "Happy is the land that owns such men. "

"The land dothn't own me; I own the land. I shall be pleased to learnwhat your business is upon it. "

Farmer Anerley hated chaff, as a good agriculturist should do. Moreover, he was vexed by many little griefs to-day, and had not been out longenough to work them off. He guessed pretty shrewdly that this swordedman was "Moreducks"--as the leading wags of Flamborough were graduallycalling him--and the sight of a sword upon his farm (unless of anofficer bound to it) was already some disquietude to an English farmer'sheart. That was a trifle; for fools would be fools, and might think it agrand thing to go about with tools they were never born to the handlingof; but a fellow who was come to take up Robin Lyth's case, and striveto get him out of his abominable crime, had better go back to therogue's highway, instead of coming down the private road to Anerley. 

"Upon my word I do believe, " cried Mordacks, with a sprightly joy, "thatI have the pleasure of meeting at last the well-known Captain Anerley!My dear sir, I can not help commending your prudence in guarding theentrance to your manor; but not in this employment of a bill-hook. Fromall that I hear, it is a Paradise indeed. What a haven in such weatheras the present! Now, Captain Anerley, I entreat you to consider whetherit is wise to take the thorn so from the rose. If I had so sweet aplace, I would plant brambles, briers, blackthorn, furze, crataegus, every kind of spinous growth, inside my gates, and never let anybody lopthem. Captain, you are too hospitable. "

Farmer Anerley gazed with wonder at this man, who could talk so fast forthe first time of seeing a body. Then feeling as if his hospitality werechallenged, and desiring more leisure for reflection, "You better comedown the lane, sir, " he said. 

"Am I to understand that you invite me to your house, or only to thegate where the dogs come out? Excuse me: I always am a most plain-spokenman. "

"Our dogs never bite nobody but rogues. "

"In that case, Captain Anerley, I may trust their moral estimate. I knewa farmer once who was a thorough thief in hay; a man who farmed his ownland, and trimmed his own hedges; a thoroughly respectable and solidagriculturist. But his trusses of hay were always six pounds short, andif ever anybody brought a sample truss to steelyard, he had got a littledog, just seven pounds weight, who slipped into the core of it, beingjust a good hay-color. He always delivered his hay in the twilight, andwhen it swung the beam, he used to say, 'Come, now, I must charge youfor overweight. ' Now, captain, have you got such an honest dog as that?"

"I would have claimed him, that I would, if such a clever dog wereweighed to me. But, sir, you have got the better of me. What a man forstories you be, for sure! Come in to our fire-place. " Farmer Anerley wasconquered by this tale, which he told fifty times every year he livedthereafter, never failing to finish with, "What rogues they be, up Yorkway!"

Master Mordacks was delighted with this piece of luck on his side. Many times he had been longing to get in at Anerley, not only from thereputation of good cheer there, but also from kind curiosity to see thecharming Mary, who was now becoming an important element of business. Since Robin had given him the slip so sadly--a thing it was impossibleto guard against--the best chance of hearing what became of him would beto get into the good graces of his sweetheart. 

"We have been very sadly for a long time now, " said the farmer, as heknocked at his own porch door with the handle of his bill-hook. "Thereused to be one as was always welcome here; and a pleasure it was to seehim make himself so pleasant, sir. But ever since the Lord took him homefrom his family, without a good-by, as a man might say, my wife hathtaken to bar the doors whiles I am away and out of sight. " StephenAnerley knocked harder, as he thus explained the need of it; for itgrieved him to have his house shut up. 

"Very wise of them all to bar out such weather, " said Mordacks, who readthe farmer's thoughts like print, "Don't relax your rules, sir, untilthe weather changes. Ah, that was a very sad thing about the captain. Asgallant an officer, and as single-minded, as ever killed a Frenchman inthe best days of our navy. "

"Single-minded is the very word to give him, sir. I sought about for itever since I heard of him coming to an end like that, and doing of hisduty in the thick of it. If I could only get a gentleman to tell me, oran officer's wife would be better still, what the manners is when a poorlady gets her husband shot, I'll be blest if I wouldn't go straightand see her, though they make such a distance betwixt us and theregulars. --Oh, then, ye've come at last! No thief, no thief. "

"Father, " cried Mary, bravely opening all the door, of which theruffian wind made wrong by casting her figure in high relief--and yet apardonable wrong--"father, you are quite wise to come home, before yourdear nose is quite cut off. --Oh, I beg your pardon, sir; I never sawyou. "

"My fate in life is to be overlooked, " Mr. Mordacks answered, witha martial stride; "but not always, young lady, with such exquisiterevenge. What I look at pays fiftyfold for being overlooked. "

"You are an impudent, conceited man, " thought Mary to herself, withgross injustice; but she only blushed and said, "I beg your pardon, sir. "

"You see, sir, " quoth the farmer, with some severity, tempered, however, with a smile of pride, "my daughter, Mary Anerley. "

"And I take off my hat, " replied audacious Mordacks, among whose faultswas no false shame, "not only to salute a lady, sir, but also to have abetter look. "

"Well, well, " said the farmer, as Mary ran away; "your city ways arehigh polite, no doubt, but my little lass is strange to them. And I likeher better so, than to answer pert with pertness. Now come you in, andwarm your feet a bit. None of us are younger than we used to be. "

This was not Master Anerley's general style of welcoming a guest, but hehated new-fangled Frenchified manners, as he told his good wife, whenhe boasted by-and-by how finely he had put that old coxcomb down. "Younever should have done it, " was all the praise he got. "Mr. Mordacks isa business man, and business men always must relieve their minds. " Forno sooner now was the general factor introduced to Mistress Anerleythan she perceived clearly that the object of his visit was not to makespeeches to young chits of girls, but to seek the advice of a sensibleperson, who ought to have been consulted a hundred times for once thatshe even had been allowed to open her mouth fairly. Sitting by the fire, he convinced her that the whole of the mischief had been caused by sheerneglect of her opinion. Everything she said was so exactly to the pointthat he could not conceive how it should have been so slighted, and shefor her part begged him to stay and partake of their simple dinner. 

"Dear madam, it can not be, " he replied; "alas! I must not think of it. My conscience reproaches me for indulging, as I have done, in whatis far sweeter than even one of your dinners--a most sensible lady'ssociety. I have a long bitter ride before me, to comfort the fatherlessand the widow. My two legs of mutton will be thawed by this time in thegenial warmth of your stable. I also am thawed, warmed, feasted I maysay, by happy approximation to a mind so bright and congenial. CaptainAnerley, madam, has shown true kindness in allowing me the privilege ofexclusive speech with you. Little did I hope for such a piece of luckthis morning. You have put so many things in a new and brilliant light, that my road becomes clear before me. Justice must be done; and you feelquite sure that Robin Lyth committed this atrocious murder because poorCarroway surprised him so when making clandestine love, at your brotherSquire Popplewell's, to a beautiful young lady who shall be nameless. And deeply as you grieve for the loss of such a neighbor, the bravestofficer of the British navy, who leaped from a strictly immeasurableheight into a French ship, and scattered all her crew, and has since hada baby about three months old, as well as innumerable children, youfeel that you have reason to be thankful sometimes that the young man'scharacter has been so clearly shown, before he contrived to make his wayinto the bosom of respectable families in the neighborhood. "

"I never thought it out quite so clear as that, sir; for I feel so sorryfor everybody, and especially those who have brought him up, and thosehe has made away with. "

"Quite so, my dear madam; such are your fine feelings, springing fromthe goodness of your nature. Pardon my saying that you could have noother, according to my experience of a most benevolent countenance. Partof my duty, and in such a case as yours, one of the pleasantest parts ofit, is to study the expression of a truly benevolent--"

"I am not that old, sir, asking of your pardon, to pretend to bebenevolent. All that I lay claim to is to look at things sensible. "

"Certainly, yet with a tincture of high feeling. Now if it should happenthat this poor young man were of very high birth, perhaps the highest inthe county, and the heir to very large landed property, and a title, and all that sort of nonsense, you would look at him from the very samepoint of view?"

"That I would, sir, that I would. So long as he was proclaimed forhanging. But naturally bound, of course, to be more sorry for him. "

"Yes, from sense of all the good things he must lose. There seems, however, to be strong ground for believing--as I may tell you, inconfidence, Dr. Upround does--that he had no more to do with it than youor I, ma'am. At first I concluded as you have done. I am going to seeMrs. Carroway now. Till then I suspend my judgment. "

"Now that is what nobody should do, Mr. Mordacks. I have tried, butnever found good come of it. To change your mind is two words againstyourself; and you go wrong both ways, before and after. "

"Undoubtedly you do, ma'am. I never thought of that before. But youmust remember that we have not the gift of hitting--I might say ofmaking--the truth with a flash or a dash, as you ladies have. May I beallowed to come again?"

"To tell you the truth, sir, I am heartily sorry that you are going awayat all. I could have talked to you all the afternoon; and how seldom Iget the chance now, Lord knows. There is that in your conversation whichmakes one feel quite sure of being understood; not so much in what yousay, sir--if you understand my meaning--as in the way you look, quite asif my meaning was not at all too quick for you. My good husband is of agreater mind than I am, being nine-and-forty inches round the chest;but his mind seems somehow to come after mine, the same as the ducks do, going down to our pond. "

"Mistress Anerley, how thankful you should be! What a picture ofconjugal felicity! But I thought that the drake always led the way?"

"Never upon our farm, sir. When he doth, it is a proof of his beingcrossed with wild-ducks. The same as they be round Flamborough. "

"Oh, now I see the truth. How slow I am! It improves their flavor, atthe expense of their behavior. But seriously, madam, you are fit to takethe lead. What a pleasant visit I have had! I must brace myself up for avery sad one now--a poor lady, with none to walk behind her. "

"Yes, to be sure! It is very fine of me to talk. But if I was leftwithout my husband, I should only care to walk after him. Please to giveher my kind love, sir; though I have only seen her once. And if there isanything that we can do--"

"If there is anything that we can do, " said the farmer, coming outof his corn-chamber, "we won't talk about it, but we'll do it, Mr. Moreducks. "

The factor quietly dispersed this rebuke, by waving his hand at his twolegs of mutton and the cod, which had thawed in the stable. "I knew thatI should be too late, " he said; "her house will be full of such littlethings as these, so warm is the feeling of the neighborhood. I guessedas much, and arranged with my butcher to take them back in that case;and he said they would eat all the better for the ride. But as forthe cod, perhaps you will accept him. I could never take him back toFlamborough. "

"Ride away, sir, ride away, " said the farmer, who had better not havemeasured swords with Mordacks. "I were thinking of sending a cart overthere, so soon as the weather should be opening of the roads up. Butthe children might be hankerin' after meat, the worse for all thesnow-time. "

"It is almost impossible to imagine such a thing. Universally respected, suddenly cut off, enormous family with hereditary hunger, all theneighbors well aware of straitened circumstances, the kindest-heartedcounty in Great Britain--sorrow and abundance must have cloyed theirappetites, as at a wealthy man's funeral. What a fool I must have beennot to foresee all that!"

"Better see than foresee, " replied the farmer, who was crusty fromremembering that he had done nothing. "Neighbors likes to wait forneighbors to go in; same as two cows staring at a new-mown meadow. "

CHAPTER XLIV

THE WAY OF THE WORLD

Cliffs snow-mantled, and storm-ploughed sands, and dark gray billowsfrilled with white, rolling and roaring to the shrill east wind, madethe bay of Bridlington a very different sight from the smooth fairscene of August. Scarcely could the staggering colliers, anchored underFlamborough Head (which they gladly would have rounded if they could), hold their own against wind and sea, although the outer spit of sandtempered as yet the full violence of waves. 

But if everything looked cold and dreary, rough, and hard, and bareof beauty, the cottage of the late lieutenant, standing on the shallowbluff, beaten by the wind, and blinded of its windows from within, ofall things looked the most forlorn, most desolate, and freezing. Thewindward side was piled with snow, on the crest of which foam pelletslay, looking yellow by comparison, and melting small holes with theirbrine. At the door no foot-mark broke the drift; and against thevaporous sky no warmer vapor tufted the chimney-pots. 

"I am pretty nearly frozen again, " said Mordacks; "but that place sendsanother shiver down my back. All the poor little devils must be iciclesat least. "

After peeping through a blind, he turned pale betwixt his blueness, andgalloped to the public-house abutting on the quay. Here he marched intothe parlor, and stamped about, till a merry-looking landlord came tohim. "Have a glass of hot, sir; how blue your nose is!" the genialmaster said to him. The reply of the factor can not be written down inthese days of noble language. Enough that it was a terse malediction ofthe landlord, the glass of hot, and even his own nose. Boniface was noYorkshireman, else would he have given as much as he got, at least inlingual currency. As it was, he considered it no affair of his if aguest expressed his nationality. "You must have better orders than thatto give, I hope, sir. "

"Yes, sir, I have. And you have got the better of me; which has happenedto me three times this day already, because of the freezing of my wits, young man. Now you go in to your best locker, and bring me your verybest bottle of Cognac--none of your government stuff, you know, but asample of your finest bit of smuggling. Why did I swear at a glass ofhot? Why, because you are all such a set of scoundrels. I want a glassof hot as much as man ever did. But how can I drink it, when women andchildren are dying--perhaps dead, for all I know--for want of warmth andvictuals? Your next-door neighbors almost, and a woman, whose husbandhas just been murdered! And here you are swizzling, and rattling yourcoppers. Good God, sir! The Almighty from heaven would send orders tohave His own commandment broken. "

Mr. Mordacks was excited, and the landlord saw no cause for it. "Whatmakes you carry on like this?" he said; "it was only last night we wastalking in the tap-room of getting a subscription up, downright liberal. I said I was good for a crown, and take it out of the tick they owes me. And when you come to think of these hard times--"

"Take that, and then tell me if you find them softer. " Suiting theaction to the word, the universal factor did something omitted on hiscard in the list of his comprehensive functions. As the fat hostturned away, to rub his hands, with a phosphoric feeling of his futuregenerosity, a set of highly energetic toes, prefixed with the toughestYork leather, and tingling for exercise, made him their example. Thelandlord flew up among his own pots and glasses, his head struck theceiling, which declined too long a taste of him, and anon a silvery ringannounced his return to his own timbers. 

"Accept that neighborly subscription, my dear friend, and acknowledgeits promptitude, " said Mr. Mordacks; "and now be quick about yourorders, peradventure a second flight might be less agreeable. Now don'tshow any airs; you have been well treated, and should be thankful forthe facilities you have to offer. I know a poor man without any legs atall, who would be only too glad if he could do what you have done. "

"Then his taste must be a queer one, " the landlord replied, as heillustrated sadly the discovery reserved for a riper age--that humanfingers have attained their present flexibility, form, and skill byhabit of assuaging, for some millions of ages, the woes of the humanbody. 

"Now don't waste my time like that, " cried Mordacks; and seeing himdraw near again, his host became right active. "Benevolence must beinculcated, " continued the factor, following strictly in pursuit. "Ihave done you a world of good, my dear friend; and reflection willcompel you to heap every blessing on me. "

"I don't know about that, " replied the landlord. It is certain, however, that this exhibition of philanthropic vigor had a fine effect. In fiveminutes all the resources of the house were at the disposal of thisrapid agent, who gave his orders right and left, clapped down a bag ofcash, and took it up again, and said, "Now just you mind my horse, twiceas well as you mind your fellow-creatures. Take a leg of mutton out, andset it roasting. Have your biggest bed hot for a lot of frozen children. By the Lord, if you don't look alive, I'll have you up for murder. " Ashe spoke, a stout fish-woman came in from the quay; and he beckoned toher, and took her with him. 

"You can't come in, " said a little weak voice, when Mr. Mordacks, havingknocked in vain, began to prise open the cottage door. "Mother is sopoorly; and you mustn't think of coming in. Oh, whatever shall I do, ifyou won't stop when I tell you?"

"Where are all the rest of you? Oh, in the kitchen, are they? You poorlittle atomy, how many of you are dead?"

"None of us dead, sir; without it is the baby;" here Geraldineburst into a wailing storm of tears. "I gave them every bit, " shesobbed--"every bit, sir, but the rush-lights; and them they wouldn'teat, sir, or I never would have touched them. But mother is gone off herhead, and baby wouldn't eat it. "

"You are a little heroine, " said Mordacks, looking at her--the pinchedface, and the hollow eyes, and the tottering blue legs of her. "You aregreater than a queen. No queen forgets herself in that way. "

"Please, sir, no; I ate almost a box of rush-lights, and they were onlydone last night. Oh, if baby would have took to them!"

"Hot bread and milk in this bottle; pour it out; feed her first, Molly, "Mr. Mordacks ordered. "The world can't spare such girls as this. Oh, youwon't eat first! Very well; then the others shall not have a morsel tillyour mouth is full. And they seem to want it bad enough. Where is thedead baby?"

In the kitchen, where now they stood, not a spark of fire was lingering, but some wood-ash still retained a feeble memory of warmth; and threelittle children (blest with small advance from babyhood) were huddlingaround, with hands, and faces, and sharp grimy knees poking in forlukewarm corners; while two rather senior young Carroways were lyingfast asleep, with a jack-towel over them. But Tommy was not there;that gallant Tommy, who had ridden all the way to Filey after dark, andbrought his poor father to the fatal place. 

Mordacks, with his short, bitter-sweet smile, considered all theselittle ones. They were not beautiful, nor even pretty; one of them wastoo literally a chip of the old block, for he had reproduced his dearfather's scar; and every one of them wanted a "wash and brush up, " aswell as a warming and sound victualling. Corruptio optimi pessima. Thesechildren had always been so highly scrubbed, that the great molecularauthor of existence, dirt, resumed parental sway, with tenfold powerof attachment and protection, the moment soap and flannel ceased theirwicked usurpation. 

"Please, sir, I couldn't keep them clean, I couldn't, " cried Geraldine, choking, both with bread and milk, and tears. "I had Tommy to feedthrough the coal-cellar door; and all the bits of victuals in the houseto hunt up; and it did get so dark, and it was so cold. I am frightenedto think of what mother will say for my burning up all of her brushes, and the baskets. But please, sir, little Cissy was a-freezing at thenose. "

The three little children at the grate were peeping back over the pitsin their shoulders, half frightened at the tall, strange man, and halfready to toddle to him for protection; while the two on the floor sat upand stared, and opened their mouths for their sister's bread and milk. Then Jerry flew to them, and squatted on the stones, and very nearlychoked them with her spoon and basin. 

"Molly, take two in your apron, and be off, " said the factor to thestout fish-woman--who was simply full of staring, and of crying out "Ohlor!"--"pop them into the hot bed at once; they want warmth first, andvictuals by-and-by. Our wonderful little maid wants food most. I willcome after you with the other three. But I must see my little queen fillher own stomach first. "

"But, please, sir, won't you let our Tommy out first?" cried Jerry, asthe strong woman lapped up the two youngest in her woolsey apron and ranoff with them. "He has been so good, and he was too proud to cry so soonas ever he found out that mother couldn't hear him. And I gave him themost to eat of anybody else, because of him being the biggest, sir. Itwas all as black as ink, going under the door; but Tommy never minded. "

"Wonderful merit! While you were eating tallow! Show me the coal-cellar, and out he comes. But why don't you speak of your poor mother, child?"

The child, who had been so brave, and clever, self-denying, laborious, and noble, avoided his eyes, and began to lick her spoon, as if she hadhad enough, starving though she was. She glanced up at the ceiling, andthen suddenly withdrew her eyes, and the blue lids trembled over them. Mordacks saw that it was childhood's dread of death. "Show me wherelittle Tommy is, " he said; "we must not be too hard upon you, my dear. But what made your mother lock you up, and carry on so?"

"I don't know at all, sir, " said Geraldine. 

"Now don't tell a story, " answered Mr. Mordacks. "You were not meantfor lies; and you know all about it. I shall just go away if you tellstories. "

"Then all I know is this, " cried Jerry, running up to him, anddesperately clutching at his riding coat; "the very night dear fatherwas put into the pit-hole--oh, hoo, oh, hoo, oh, hoo!"

"Now we can't stop for that, " said the general factor, as he took her upand kissed her, and the tears, which had vainly tried to stop, ran outof young eyes upon well-seasoned cheeks; "you have been a wonder; I amlike a father to you. You must tell me quickly, or else how can I cureit? We will let Tommy out then, and try to save your mother. "

"Mother was sitting in the window, sir, " said the child, trying stronglyto command herself, "and I was to one side of her, and Tommy to theother, and none of us was saying anything. And then there came a bad, wicked face against the window, and the man said, 'What was it you saidto-day, ma'am?' And mother stood up--she was quite right then--and sheopened the window, and she looked right at him, and she said, 'I spokethe truth, John Cadman. Between you and your God it rests. ' And the mansaid, 'You shut your black mouth up, or you and your brats shall all gothe same way. Mind one thing--you've had your warning. ' Then mother fellaway, for she was just worn out; and she lay upon the floor, and shekept on moaning, 'There is no God! there is no God!' after all she havetaught us to say our prayers to. And there was nothing for baby to drawever since. "

For once in his life Mr. Mordacks held his tongue; and his face, whichwas generally fiercer than his mind, was now far behind it in ferocity. He thought within himself, "Well, I am come to something, to havelet such things be going on in a matter which pertains tomy office--pigeon-hole 100! This comes of false delicacy, mystumbling-block perpetually! No more of that. Now for action. "

Geraldine looked up at him, and said, "Oh, please, sir. " And then sheran off, to show the way toward little Tommy. 

The coal-cellar flew open before the foot of Mordacks; but no Tommyappeared, till his sister ran in. The poor little fellow was quitedazzled with the light; and the grime on his cheeks made the inrushof fresh air come like wasps to him. "Now, Tommy, you be good, " saidGeraldine; "trouble enough has been made about you. "

The boy put out his under lip, and blinked with great amazement. Aftersuch a quantity of darkness and starvation, to be told to be good wasa little too bad. His sense of right and wrong became fluid withconfusion; he saw no sign of anything to eat; and the loud howl of aninjured heart began to issue from the coaly rampart of neglected teeth. 

"Quite right, my boy, " Mr. Mordacks said. "You have had a bad time, andare entitled to lament. Wipe your nose on your sleeve, and have at itagain. "

"Dirty, dirty things I hear. Who is come into my house like this? Myhouse and my baby belong to me. Go away all of you. How can I bear thisnoise?"

Mrs. Carroway stood in the passage behind them, looking only fit to die. One of her husband's watch-coats hung around her, falling nearly to herfeet; and the long clothes of her dead baby, which she carried, hungover it, shaking like a white dog's tail. She was standing with her barefeet well apart, and that swing of hip and heel alternate which mothersfor a thousand generations have supposed to lull their babies into sweetsleep. 

For once in his life the general factor had not the least idea of theproper thing to do. Not only did he not find it, but he did not evenseek for it, standing aside rather out of the way, and trying to looklike a calm spectator. But this availed him to no account whatever. Hewas the only man there, and the woman naturally fixed upon him. 

"You are the man, " she said, in a quiet and reasonable voice, and comingup to Mordacks with the manner of a lady; "you are the gentleman, Imean, who promised to bring back my husband. Where is he? Have youfulfilled your promise?"

"My dear madam, my dear madam, consider your children, and how cold youare. Allow me to conduct you to a warmer place. You scarcely seem toenter into the situation. "

"Oh yes, I do, sir; thoroughly, thoroughly. My husband is in his grave;my children are going after him; and the best place for them. But theyshall not be murdered. I will lock them up, so that they never shall bemurdered. "

"My dear lady, I agree with you entirely. You do the very wisest thingin these bad times. But you know me well. I have had the honor of makingyour acquaintance in a pleasant manner. I feel for your children, quiteas if I was--I mean, ma'am, a very fine old gentleman's affection. Geraldine, come and kiss me, my darling. Tommy, you may have the otherside; never mind the coal, my boy; there is a coal-wharf quite close tomy windows at home. "

These children, who had been hiding behind Mr. Mordacks and Molly (whowas now come back), immediately did as he ordered them; or rather Jerryled the way, and made Tommy come as well, by a signal which he neverdurst gainsay. But while they saluted the general factor (who sat downupon a box to accommodate them), from the corners of their eyes theykept a timid, trembling, melancholy watch upon their own mother. 

Poor Mrs. Carroway was capable of wondering. Her power of judgment wasnot so far lost as it is in a dream--where we wonder at nothing, butcast off skeptic misery--and for the moment she seemed to be broughthome from the distance of roving delusion, by looking at two of herchildren kissing a man who was hunting in his pocket for his card. 

"Circumstances, madam, " said Mr. Mordacks, "have deprived me of thepleasure of producing my address. It should be in two of my pockets; butit seems to have strangely escaped from both of them. However, I willwrite it down, if required. Geraldine dear, where is your school slate?Go and look for it, and take Tommy with you. "

This surprised Mrs. Carroway, and began to make her think. These wereher children--she was nearly sure of that--her own poor children, whowere threatened from all sides with the likelihood of being done awaywith. Yet here was a man who made much of them, and kissed them; andthey kissed him without asking her permission!

"I scarcely know what it is about, " she said; "and my husband is nothere to help me. "

"You have hit the very point, ma'am. You must take it on yourself. Howwonderfully clever the ladies always are! Your family is waiting fora government supply; everybody knows that everybody in the world maystarve before government thinks of supplying supply. I do not belong tothe government--although if I had my deserts I should have done so--butfully understanding them, I step in to anticipate their action. I seethat the children of a very noble officer, and his admirable wife, havebeen neglected, through the rigor of the weather and condition of theroads. I am a very large factor in the neighborhood, who make a goodthing out of all such cases. I step in; circumstances favor me; Idiscover a good stroke of business; my very high character, though muchobscured by diffidence, secures me universal confidence. The littledears take to me, and I to them. They feel themselves safe under myprotection from their most villainous enemies. They are pleased to kissa man of strength and spirit, who represents the government. "

Mrs. Carroway scarcely understood a jot of this. Such a rush of wordsmade her weak brain go round, and she looked about vainly for herchildren, who had gladly escaped upon the chance afforded. But she cameto the conclusion she was meant to come to--that this gentleman beforeher was the government. 

"I will do whatever I am told, " she said, looking miserably round, as iffor anything to care about; "only I must count my children first, or thegovernment might say there was not the proper number. "

"Of all points that is the very one that I would urge, " Mordacksanswered, without dismay. "Molly, conduct this good lady to her room. Light a good fire, as the Commissioners have ordered; warm the soup sentfrom the arsenal last night, but be sure that you put no pepper init. The lady will go with you, and follow our directions. She sees theimportance of having all her faculties perfectly clear when we makeour schedule, as we shall do in a few hours' time, of all the children;every one, with the date of their birth, and their Christian names, which nobody knows so well as their own dear mother. Ah, how very sweetit is to have so many of them; and to know the pride, the pleasure, thedelight, which the nation feels in providing for the welfare of everylittle darling!"

CHAPTER XLV

THE THING IS JUST

"Was there ever such a man?" said Mr. Mordacks to himself, as he rodeback to Flamborough against the bitter wind, after "fettling" theaffairs of the poor Carroways, as well as might be for the present. "As if I had not got my hands too full already, now I am in for anotherplaguesome business, which will cost a lot of money, instead of bringingmoney in. How many people have I now to look after? In the first place, two vile wretches--Rickon Goold, the ship-scuttler, and John Cadman, themurderer--supposing that Dr. Upandown and Mrs. Carroway are right. Thentwo drunken tars, with one leg between them, who may get scared of thelaw, and cut and run. Then an outlawed smuggler, who has cut andrun already; and a gentleman from India, who will be wild withdisappointment through the things that have happened since I saw himlast. After that a lawyer, who will fight tooth and nail of course, because it brings grist to his mill. That makes seven; and now to allthese I have added number eight, and that the worst of all--not onlya woman, but a downright mad one, as well as seven starving children. Charity is a thing that pays so slowly! That this poor creature shouldlose her head just now is most unfortunate. I have nothing whatever tolay before Sir Duncan, when I tell him of this vile catastrophe, exceptthe boy's own assertion, and the opinion of Dr. Upandown. Well, well, 'faint heart, ' etc. I must nurse the people round; without me they wouldall have been dead. Virtue is its own reward. I hope the old lady hasnot burned my hare to death. "

The factor might well say that without his aid that large family musthave perished. Their neighbors were not to be blamed for this, beinglocked out of the house, and having no knowledge of the frost and faminethat prevailed within. Perhaps, when the little ones began to die, Geraldine might heave escaped from a window, and got help in time tosave some of them, if she herself had any strength remaining; but as itwas, she preferred to sacrifice herself, and obey her mother. "Fatheralways told me, " she had said to Mr. Mordacks, when he asked her how sosharp a child could let things come to such a pitch, "that when he wasout of the way, the first thing I was to mind always was to do whatmother told me; and now he can't come back no more, to let me off fromdoing it. "

By this time the "Cod with the Hook in his Gills" was as much at themercy of Mr. Mordacks as if he had landed and were crimping him. WidowPrecious was a very tough lady to get over, and she liked to thinkthe worst she could of everybody--which proves in the end the mostcharitable course, because of the good-will produced by explanation--andfor some time she had stood in the Flamburian attitude of doubt towardthe factor. But even a Flamburian may at last be pierced; and then(as with other pachydermatous animals) the hole, once made, is almostcertain to grow larger. So by dint of good offices here and there, kindinterest, and great industry among a very simple and grateful race, he became the St. Oswald of that ancient shrine (as already has beenhinted), and might do as he liked, even on the Sabbath-day. And as oneof the first things he always liked to do was to enter into everybody'sbusiness, he got into an intricacy of little knowledge too manifold evenfor his many-fibred brain. But some of this ran into and strengthenedhis main clew, leading into the story he was laboring to explore, and laying before him, as bright as a diamond, even the mystery ofear-rings. 

"My highly valued hostess and admirable cook, " he said to WidowPrecious, after making noble dinner, which his long snowy ride and workat Bridlington had earned, "in your knowledge of the annals of thisinteresting town, happen you to be able to recall the name of a certainman, John Cadman?"

"Ah, that ah deah, " Widow Tapsy answered, with a heavy sigh, whichrattled all the dishes on the waiter; "and sma' gude o' un, sma' gude, whativer. Geroot wi' un!"

The landlady shut her firm lips with a smack, which Mordacks well knewby this time though seldom foreclosed by it now, as he had been beforehe became a Danish citizen. He was sure that she had some good reasonfor her silence; and the next day he found that the girl who had lefther home, through Cadman's villainy, was akin by her mother's side toMistress Precious. But he had another matter to discuss with her now, which caused him some misgivings, yet had better be faced manfully. Inthe safe philosophical distance of York from this strong landlady he had(for good reasons of his own) appointed the place of meeting withSir Duncan Yordas at the rival hostelry, the inn of Thornwick. WidowPrecious had a mind of uncommonly large type, so lofty and pure of allpetty emotions, that if any one spoke of the Thornwick Inn, even uponher back premises, her dignity stepped in and said, "I can't abide thestinkin' naam o' un. "

Of this persistently noble regard of a lower institution Mr. Mordackswas well aware; and it gave him pause, in his deep anxiety to spare atender heart, and maintain the high standard of his breakfast kidneys. "Madam, " he began, and then he rubbed his mouth with the cross-cut outof the jack-towel by the sink, newly set on table, to satisfy him for adinner napkin--"madam, will you listen, while I make an explanation?"

The landlady looked at him with dark suspicions gathering. 

"Joost spak' oot, " she said, "whativer's woorkin' i' thah mahnd. "

"I am bound to meet a gentleman near Flamborough to-morrow, " Mr. Mordacks continued, with the effrontery of guilt, "who will comefrom the sea. And as it would not suit him to walk far inland, he hasarranged for the interview at a poor little place called the ThornyWick, or the Stubby Wick, or something of that sort. I thought it wasdue to you, madam, to explain the reason of my entering, even for amoment--"

"Ah dawn't care. Sitha--they mah fettle thee there, if thow's fondheadenew. "

Without another word she left the room, clattering her heavy shoes atthe door; and Mordacks foresaw a sad encounter on the morrow, without agood breakfast to "fettle" him for it. It was not in his nature to dreadanything much, and he could not see where he had been at all to blame;but gladly would he have taken ten per cent off his old contract, thanmeet Sir Duncan Yordas with the news he had to tell him. 

One cause of the righteous indignation felt by the good mother Tapsy, was her knowledge that nobody could land just now in any cove under theThornwick Hotel. With the turbulent snow-wind bringing in the sea, asnow it had been doing for several days, even the fishermen's coblescould not take the beach, much less any stranger craft. Mr. Mordacks wassharp; but an inland factor is apt to overlook such little facts marine. 

Upon the following day he stood in the best room of the ThornwickInn--which even then was a very decent place to any eyes uncast withenvy--and he saw the long billows of the ocean rolling before the steadyblowing of the salt-tongued wind, and the broad white valleys thatbetween them lay, and the vaporous generation of great waves. Theyseemed to have little gift of power for themselves, and no sign of anyheed of purport; only to keep at proper distance from each other, andthreaten to break over long before they meant to do it. But to see whatthey did at the first opposition of reef, or crag, or headland bluff, was a cure for any delusion about them, or faith in their liquidbenevolence. For spouts of wild fury dashed up into the clouds; and theshore, wherever any sight of it was left, weltered in a sadly frothsomestate, like the chin of a Titan with a lather-brush at work. 

"Why, bless my heart!" cried the keen-eyed Mordacks; "this is a check Inever thought of. Nobody could land in such a surf as that, even if hehad conquered all India. Landlord, do you mean to tell me any one couldland? And if not, what's the use of your inn standing here?"

"Naw, sir, nawbody cud laun' joost neaw. Lee-ast waas, nut to ca' furnaw yell to dry hissen. "

The landlord was pleased with his own wit--perhaps by reason of itsscarcity--and went out to tell it in the tap-room while fresh; andMordacks had made up his mind to call for something--for the good ofthe house and himself--and return with a sense of escape to his owninn, when the rough frozen road rang with vehement iron, and a horse waspulled up, and a man strode in. The landlord having told his own jokethree times, came out with the taste of it upon his lips; but the sterndark eyes looking down into his turned his smile into a frightenedstare. He had so much to think of that he could not speak--which happensnot only at Flamborough--but his visitor did not wait for the solutionof his mental stutter. Without any rudeness he passed the mooning host, and walked into the parlor, where he hoped to find two persons. 

Instead of two, he found one only, and that one standing with his backto the door, and by the snow-flecked window, intent upon the drizzlydistance of the wind-struck sea. The attitude and fixed regard were sounlike the usual vivacity of Mordacks, that the visitor thought theremust be some mistake, till the other turned round and looked at him. 

"You see a defeated but not a beaten man, " said the factor, to getthrough the worst of it. "Thank you, Sir Duncan, I will not shake hands. My ambition was to do so, and to put into yours another hand, more nearand dear to it. Sir, I have failed. It is open to you to call me byany hard name that may occur to you. That will do you good, be a heartyrelief, and restore me rapidly to self-respect, by arousing my anxietyto vindicate myself. "

"It is no time for joking; I came here to meet my son. Have you foundhim, or have you not?"

Sir Duncan sat down and gazed steadfastly at Mordacks. His self-commandhad borne many hard trials; but the prime of his life was over now; andstrong as he looked, and thought himself, the searching wind had soughtand found weak places in a sun-beaten frame. But no man would be ofnoble aspect by dwelling at all upon himself. 

The quick intelligence of Mordacks--who was of smaller though admirabletype--entered into these things at a flash. And throughout theirinterview he thought less of himself and more of another than was at allhabitual with him, or conducive to good work. 

"You must bear with a very heavy blow, " he said; "and it goes to myheart to have to deal it. "

Sir Duncan Yordas bowed, and said, "The sooner the better, my goodfriend. "

"I have found your son, as I promised you I would, " replied Mordacks, speaking rapidly; "healthy, active, uncommonly clever; a very finesailor, and as brave as Nelson; of gallant appearance--as might beexpected; enterprising, steadfast, respected, and admired; benevolentin private life, and a public benefactor. A youth of whom the mostdistinguished father might be proud. But--but--"

"Will you never finish?"

"But by the force of circumstances, over which he had no control, hebecame in early days a smuggler, and rose to an eminent rank in thatprofession. "

"I do not care two pice for that; though I should have been sorry if hehad not risen. "

"He rose to such eminence as to become the High Admiral of smugglers onthis coast, and attain the honors of outlawry. "

"I look upon that as a pity. But still we may be able to rescind it. Isthere anything more against my son?"

"Unluckily there is. A commander of the Coastguard has been killed indischarge of his duty; and Robin Lyth has left the country to escape awarrant. "

"What have we to do with Robin Lyth? I have heard of him everywhere--avillain and a murderer. "

"God forbid that you should say so! Robin Lyth is your only son. "

The man whose word was law to myriads rose without a word for his owncase; he looked at his agent with a stern, calm gaze, and not a sign oftrembling in his lull broad frame, unless, perhaps, his under lip gave alittle soft vibration to the grizzled beard grown to meet the change ofclimate. 

"Unhappily so it is, " said Mordacks, firmly meeting Sir Duncan's eyes. "I have proved the matter beyond dispute; and I wish I had better newsfor you. "

"I thank you, sir. You could not well have worse. I believe it upon yourword alone. No Yordas ever yet had pleasure of a son. The thing is quitejust. I will order my horse. "

"Sir Duncan, allow me a few minutes first. You are a man of largejudicial mind. Do you ever condemn any stranger upon rumor? And willyou, upon that, condemn your son?"

"Certainly not. I proceed upon my knowledge of the fate between fatherand son in our race. "

"That generally has been the father's fault. In this case, you are thefather. "

Sir Duncan turned back, being struck with this remark. Then he sat downagain; which his ancestors had always refused to do, and had rued it. Hespoke very gently, with a sad faint smile. 

"I scarcely see how, in the present case, the fault can be upon thefather's side. "

"Not as yet, I grant you. But it would be so if the father refused tohear out the matter, and joined in the general outcry against his son, without even having seen him, or afforded him a chance of self-defense. "

"I am not so unjust or unnatural as that, sir. I have heard much aboutthis--sad occurrence in the cave. There can be no question that thesmugglers slew the officer. That--that very unfortunate young man maynot have done it himself--I trust in God that he did not even mean it. Nevertheless, in the eye of the law, if he were present, he is as guiltyas if his own hand did it. Can you contend that he was not present?"

"Unhappily I can not. He himself admits it; and if he did not, it couldbe proved most clearly. "

"Then all that I can do, " said Sir Duncan, rising with a heavy sigh, anda violent shiver caused by the chill of his long bleak ride, "is firstto require your proofs, Mr. Mordacks, as to the identity of my child whosailed from India with this--this unfortunate youth; then to give youa check for 5000 pounds, and thank you for skillful offices, and greatconfidence in my honor. Then I shall leave with you what sum you maythink needful for the defense, if he is ever brought to trial. Andprobably after that--well, I shall even go back to end my life inIndia. "

"My proofs are not arranged yet, but they will satisfy you. I shall takeno 5000 pounds from you, Sir Duncan, though strictly speaking I haveearned it. But I will take one thousand to cover past and future outlay, including the possibility of a trial. The balance I shall live to claimyet, I do believe, and you to discharge it with great pleasure. Forthat will not be until I bring you a son, not only acquitted, but alsoguiltless; as I have good reason for believing him to be. But you do notlook well; let me call for something. "

"No, thank you. It is nothing. I am quite well, but not quite seasonedto my native climate yet. Tell me your reasons for believing that. "

"I can not do that in a moment. You know what evidence is a hundredtimes as well as I do. And in this cold room you must not stop. SirDuncan, I am not a coddler any more than you are. And I do not presumeto dictate to you. But I am as resolute a man as yourself. And I refuseto go further with this subject, until you are thoroughly warmed andrefreshed. "

"Mordacks, you shall have your way, " said his visitor, after aheavy frown, which produced no effect upon the factor. "You are askind-hearted as you are shrewd. Tell me once more what your convictionis; and I will wait for your reasons, till--till you are ready. "

"Then, sir, my settled conviction is that your son is purely innocent ofthis crime, and that we shall be able to establish that. "

"God bless you for thinking so, my dear friend. I can bear a great deal;and I would do my duty. But I did love that boy's mother so. "

The general factor always understood his business; and he knew that nopart of it compelled him now to keep watch upon the eyes of a stern, proud man. 

"Sir, I am your agent, and I magnify mine office, " he said, as he tookup his hat to go forth. "One branch of my duty is to fettle your horse;and in Flamborough they fettle them on stale fish. " Mr. Mordacks strodewith a military tramp, and a loud shout for the landlord, who hadfinished his joke by this time, and was paying the penalties ofreaction. "Gil Beilby, thoo'st nobbut a fondhead, " he was saying tohimself. "Thoo mun hev thy lahtel jawk, thof it crack'th thy own pureback. " For he thought that he was driving two great customers away, by the flashing independence of too brilliant a mind; and many cleverpeople of his native place had told him so. "Make a roaring fire in thatroom, " said Mordacks. 

CHAPTER XLVI

STUMPED OUT

"I think, my dear, that you never should allow mysterious things to bedoing in your parish, and everybody full of curiosity about them, whilethe only proper person to explain their meaning is allowed to remainwithout any more knowledge than a man locked up in York Castle mighthave. In spite of all the weather, and the noise the sea makes, I feelquite certain that important things, which never have any right tohappen in our parish, are going on here, and you never interfere; whichon the part of the rector, and the magistrate of the neighborhood, tomy mind is not a proper course of action. I am sure that I have notthe very smallest curiosity; I feel very often that I should have askedquestions, when it has become too late to do so, and when anybody elsewould have put them at the moment, and not had to be sorry afterward. "

"I understand that feeling, " Dr. Upround answered, looking at his wifefor the third cup of coffee to wind up his breakfast as usual, "andwithout hesitation I reply that it naturally arises in superior natures. Janetta, you have eaten up that bit of broiled hake that I was keepingfor your dear mother!"

"Now really, papa, you are too crafty. You put my mother off with awretched generality, because you don't choose to tell her anything; andto stop me from coming to the rescue, you attack me with a miserablelittle personality. I perceive by your face, papa, every trick thatrises; and without hesitation I reply that they naturally arise ininferior natures. "

"Janetta, you never express yourself well. " Mrs. Upround insisted uponfilial respect. "When I say 'well, ' I mean--Well, well, well, you knowquite well what I mean, Janetta. "

"To be sure, mamma, I always do. You always mean the very best meaningin the world; but you are not up to half of papa's tricks yet. "

"This is too bad!" cried the father, with a smile. 

"A great deal too bad!" said the mother, with a frown. "I am sure Iwould never have asked a word of anything, if I could ever have imaginedsuch behavior. Go away, Janetta, this very moment; your dear fatherevidently wants to tell me something. Now, my dear, you were too sleepylast night; but your peace of mind requires you to unburden itself atonce of all these very mysterious goings on. "

"Well, perhaps I shall have no peace of mind unless I do, " said therector, with a slight sarcasm, which missed her altogether; "only itmight save trouble, my dear, if you would first specify the points whichoppress your--or rather I should say, perhaps, my mind so much. "

"In the first place, then, " began Mrs. Upround, drawing nearer to thedoctor, "who is that highly distinguished stranger who can not get awayfrom the Thornwick Inn? What made him come to such a place in dreadfulweather; and if he is ill, why not send for Dr. Stirbacks? Dr. Stirbackswill think it most unkind of you; and after all he did for dear Janetta. And then, again, what did the milkman from Sewerby mean by the way heshook his head this morning, about something in the family at AnerleyFarm? And what did that most unaccountable man, who calls himself Mr. Mordacks--though I don't believe that is his name at all--"

"Yes, it is, my dear; you never should say such things. He is well knownat York, and for miles around; and I entertain very high respect forhim. "

"So you may, Dr. Upround. You do that too freely; but Janetta quiteagrees with me about him. A man with a sword, that goes slashing about, and kills a rat, that was none of his business! A more straightforwardcreature than himself, I do believe, though he struts like a soldierwith a ramrod. And what did he mean, in such horrible weather, bydragging you out to take a deposition in a place even colder thanFlamborough itself--that vile rabbit-warren on the other side ofBempton? Deposition of a man who had drunk himself to death--and aMethodist too, as you could not help saying. "

"I said it, I know; and I am ashamed of saying it. I was miserably cold, and much annoyed about my coat. "

"You never say anything to be ashamed of. It is when you do not saythings that you should rather blame yourself. For instance, I feel nocuriosity whatever, but a kind-hearted interest, in the doings of myneighbors. We very seldom get any sort of excitement; and when excitingthings come all together, quite within the hearing of our stable bell, to be left to guess them out, and perhaps be contradicted, destroysone's finest feelings, and produces downright fidgets. "

"My dear, my dear, you really should endeavor to emancipate yourselffrom such small ideas. "

"Large words shall never divert me from my duty. My path of duty isdistinctly traced; and if a thwarting hand withdraws me from it, it mustend in a bilious headache. "

This was a terrible menace to the household, which was always thrown outof its course for three days when the lady became thus afflicted. 

"My first duty is to my wife, " said the rector. "If people come into myparish with secrets, which come to my knowledge without my desire, andwithout official obligation, and the faithful and admirable partner ofmy life threatens to be quite unwell--"

"Ill, dear, very ill--is what would happen to me. "

"--then I consider that my duty is to impart to her everything that cannot lead to mischief. "

"How could you have any doubt of it, my dear? And as to the mischief, Iam the proper judge of that. "

Dr. Upround laughed in his quiet inner way; and then, as a matterof form, he said, "My dear, you must promise most faithfully to keepwhatever I tell you as the very strictest secret. "

Mrs. Upround looked shocked at the mere idea of her ever doingotherwise; which indeed, as she said, was impossible. Her husband verynearly looked as if he quite believed her; and then they went into hissnug sitting-room, while the maid took away the breakfast things. 

"Now don't keep me waiting, " said the lady. 

"Well, then, my dear, " the rector began, after crossing stout legsstoutly, "you must do your utmost not to interrupt me, and, in short--toput it courteously--you must try to hold your tongue, and suffermuch astonishment in silence. We have a most distinguished visitor inFlamborough setting up his staff at the Thornwick Hotel. "

"Lord Nelson! I knew it must be. Janetta is so quick at things. "

"Janetta is too quick at things; and she is utterly crazy about Nelson. No; it is the famous Sir Duncan Yordas. "

"Sir Duncan Yordas! Why, I never heard of him. "

"You will find that you have heard of him when you come to think, my dear. Our Harry is full of his wonderful doings. He is one of theforemost men in India, though perhaps little heard of in this countryyet. He belongs to an ancient Yorkshire family, and is, I believe, thehead of it. He came here looking for his son, but has caught a mostterrible chill, instead of him; and I think we ought to send him some ofyour rare soup. "

"How sensible you are! It will be the very thing. But first of all, whatcharacter does he bear? They do such things in India. "

"His character is spotless; I might say too romantic. He is a man ofmagnificent appearance, large mind, and lots of money. "

"My dear, my dear, he must never stay there. I shudder to think of it, this weather. A chill is a thing upon the kidneys always. You know myelectuary; and if we bring him round, it is high time for Janetta tobegin to think of settling. "

"My dear!" said Dr. Upround; "well, how suddenly you jump! I must puton my spectacles to look at you. This gentleman must be getting on forfifty!"

"Janetta should have a man of some discretion, somebody she would notdare to snap at. Her expressions are so reckless, that a young man wouldnot suit her. She ought to have some one to look up to; and you know howshe raves about fame, and celebrity, and that. She really seems to carefor very little else. "

"Then she ought to have fallen in love with Robin Lyth, the most famousman in all this neighborhood. "

"Dr. Upround, you say things on purpose to provoke me when my remarksare unanswerable. Robin Lyth indeed! A sailor, a smuggler, a commonworking-man! And under that terrible accusation!"

"An objectionable party altogether; not even desirable as a grandson. Therefore say nothing more of Janetta and Sir Duncan. "

"Sometimes, my dear, the chief object of your existence seems to be toirritate me. What can poor Robin have to do with Sir Duncan Yordas?"

"Simply this. He is his only son. The proofs were completed, anddeposited with me for safe custody, last night, by that very active manof business, Geoffrey Mordacks, of York city. "

"Well!" cried Mrs. Upround, with both hands lifted, and a high colorflowing into her unwrinkled cheeks; "from this day forth I shall neverhave any confidence in you again. How long--if I may dare to put anysort of question--have you been getting into all this very secretknowledge? And why have I never heard a word of it till now? And noteven now, I do believe, through any proper urgency of conscience on yourpart, but only because I insisted upon knowing. Oh, Dr. Upround, forshame! for shame!"

"My dear, you have no one but yourself to blame, " her husband replied, with a sweet and placid smile. "Three times I have told you things thatwere to go no further, and all three of them went twenty miles withinthree days. I do not complain of it; far less of you. You may have feltit quite as much your duty to spread knowledge as I felt it mine torestrict it. And I never should have let you get all this out of me now, if it had been at all incumbent upon me to keep it quiet. "

"That means that I have never got it out of you at all. I have taken allthis trouble for nothing. "

"No, my dear, not at all. You have worked well, and have promised notto say a word about it. You might not have known it for a week at least, except for my confidence in you. "

"Much of it I thank you for. But don't be cross, my dear, because youhave behaved so atrociously. You have not answered half of my questionsyet. "

"Well, there were so many, that I scarcely can remember them. Let mesee: I have told you who the great man is, and the reason that broughthim to Flamborough. Then about the dangerous chill he has taken; it camethrough a bitter ride from Scarborough; and if Dr. Stirbacks came, hewould probably make it still more dangerous. At least so Mordacks says;and the patient is in his hands, and out of mine; so that Stirbackscan not be aggrieved with us. On the other hand, as to the milkman fromSewerby. I really do not know why he shook his head. Perhaps he foundthe big pump frozen. He is not of my parish, and may shake his headwithout asking my permission. Now I think that I have answered nearlyall your questions. "

"Not at all; I have not had time to ask them yet, because I feel somuch above them. But if the milkman meant nothing, because of his notbelonging to our parish, the butcher does, and he can have no excuse. He says that Mr. Mordacks takes all the best meanings of a mutton-sheepevery other day to Burlington. "

"I know he does. And it ought to put us to the blush that a strangershould have to do so. Mordacks is finding clothes, food, and firing forall the little creatures poor Carroway left, and even for his widow, who has got a wandering mind. Without him there would not have been oneleft. The poor mother locked in all her little ones, and starved them, to save them from some quite imaginary foe. The neighbors began to thinkof interfering, and might have begun to do it when it was all over. Happily, Mordacks arrived just in time. His promptitude, skill, andgenerosity saved them. Never say a word against that man again. "

"My dear, I will not, " Mrs. Upround answered, with tears coming into herkindly eyes. "I never heard of anything more pitiful. I had no ideaMr. Mordacks was so good. He looks more like an evil spirit. I alwaysregarded him as an evil spirit; and his name sounds like it, and hejumps about so. But he ought to have gone to the rector of the parish. "

"It is a happy thing that he can jump about. The rector of the parishcan not do so, as you know; and he lives two miles away from them, andhad never even heard of it. People always talk about the rector of aparish as if he could be everywhere and see to everything. And fewof them come near him in their prosperous times. Have you any otherquestions to put to me, my dear?"

"Yes, a quantity of things which I can not think of now. How it was thatlittle boy--I remember it like yesterday--came ashore here, and turnedout to be Robin Lyth; or at least to be no Robin Lyth at all, but theson of Sir Duncan Yordas. And what happened to the poor man in BemptonWarren. "

"The poor man died a most miserable death, but I trust sincerelypenitent. He had led a sad, ungodly life, and he died at last of woodenlegs. He was hunted to his grave, he told us, by these wooden legs; andhe recognized in them Divine retribution, for the sin of his life wascommitted in timber. No sooner did any of those legs appear--and thepoor fellow said they were always coming--than his heart began topatter, and his own legs failed him, and he tried to stop his ears, buthis conscience would not let him. "

"Now there!" cried Mrs. Upround; "what the power of conscience is! Hehad stolen choice timber, perhaps ready-made legs. "

"A great deal worse than that, my dear; he had knocked out a knot aslarge as my shovel-hat from the side of a ship home bound from India, because he was going to be tried for mutiny upon their arrival at Leith, it was, I think. He and his partners had been in irons, but unluckilythey were just released. The weather was magnificent, a lovely summer'snight, soft fair breeze, and every one rejoicing in the certainty ofhome within a few short hours. And they found home that night, but itwas in a better world. "

"You have made me creep all over. And you mean to say that a wretch likethat has any hope of heaven! How did he get away himself?"

"Very easily. A little boat was towing at the side. There were onlythree men upon deck, through the beauty of the weather, and two of thosewere asleep. They bound and gagged the waking one, lashed the wheel, and made off in the boat wholly unperceived. There was Rickon Goold, theringleader, and four others, and they brought away a little boy who waslying fast asleep, because one of them had been in the service of hisfather, and because of the value of his Indian clothes, which his ayahmade him wear now in his little cot for warmth. The scoundrels tookgood care that none should get away to tell the tale. They saw the poorGolconda sink with every soul on board, including the captain's wife andbabies; then they made for land, and in the morning fog were carried bythe tide toward our North Landing. One of them knew the coast as wellas need be; but they durst not land until their story was concocted, andeverything fitted in to suit it. The sight of the rising sun, scatteringthe fog, frightened them, as it well might do; and they pulled into thecave, from which I always said, as you may now remember, Robin must havecome--the cave which already bears his name. 

"Here they remained all day, considering a plausible tale to accountfor themselves, without making mention of any lost ship, and trying toremove every trace of identity from the boat they had stolen. They hadbrought with them food enough to last three days, and an anker ofrum from the steward's stores; and as they grew weary of their longconfinement, they indulged more freely than wisely in the consumption ofthat cordial. In a word, they became so tipsy that they frightenedthe little helpless boy; and when they began to fight about his goldbuttons, which were claimed by the fellow who had saved his life, hescrambled from the side of the boat upon the rock, and got along anarrow ledge, where none of them could follow him. They tried to coaxhim back; but he stamped his feet, and swore at them, being sadly taughtbad language by the native servants, I dare say. Rickon Goold wanted toshoot him, for they had got a gun with them, and he feared to leave himthere. But Sir Duncan's former boatman would not allow it; and at darkthey went away and left him there. And the poor little fellow, inhis dark despair, must have been led by the hand of the Lord throughcrannies too narrow for a man to pass. There is a well-known landpassage out of that cave; but he must have crawled out by a smaller one, unknown even to our fishermen, slanting up the hill, and having outletin the thicket near the place where the boats draw up. And so he wasfound by Robin Cockscroft in the morning. They had fed the child withbiscuit soaked in rum, which accounts for his heavy sleep and wonderfulexertions, and may have predisposed him for a contraband career. "

"And perhaps for the very bad language which he used, " said Mrs. Upround, thoughtfully. "It is an extraordinary tale, my dear. But Isuppose there can be no doubt of it. But such a clever child should haveknown his own name. Why did he call himself 'Izunsabe'?"

"That is another link in the certainty of proof. On board thatunfortunate ship, and perhaps even before he left India, he was alwayscalled the 'Young Sahib, ' and he used, having proud little ways of hisown, to shout, if anybody durst provoke him, 'I'se young Sahib, I'seyoung Sahib;' which we rendered into 'Izunsabe. ' But his true name isWilton Bart Yordas, I believe, and the initials can be made out upon hisgold beads, Mr. Mordacks tells me, among heathen texts. "

"That seems rather shocking to good principles, my dear. I trust thatSir Duncan is a Christian at least; or he shall never set foot in thishouse. "

"My dear, I can not tell. How should I know? He may have lapsed, ofcourse, as a good many of them do, from the heat of the climate, and badsurroundings. But that happens mostly from their marrying native women. And this gentleman never has done that, I do believe. "

"They tell me that he is a very handsome man, and of most commandingaspect--the very thing Janetta likes so much. But what became of thoseunhappy sadly tipsy sailors?"

"Well, they managed very cleverly, and made success of tipsiness. Assoon as it was dark that night, and before the child had crawled away, they pushed out of the cave, and let the flood-tide take them roundthe Head. They meant to have landed at Bridlington Quay, with a tale ofescape from a Frenchman; but they found no necessity for going so far. Ashort-handed collier was lying in the roads; and the skipper, perceivingthat they were in liquor, thought it a fine chance, and took sometrouble to secure them. They told him that they had been trying to rungoods, and were chased by a revenue boat, and so on. He was only tooglad to be enabled to make sail, and by dawn they were under way for theThames; and that was the end of the Golconda. "

"What an awful crime! But you never mean to tell me that the Lord letthose men live and prosper?"

"That subject is beyond our view, my dear. There were five of them, andRickon Goold believed himself the last of them. But being very penitent, he might have exaggerated. He said that one was swallowed by a shark, atleast his head was, and one was hanged for stealing sheep, and one fora bad sixpence; but the fate of the other (too terrible to tell you)brought this man down here, to be looking at the place, and to dividehis time between fasting, and drinking, and poaching, and discoursing tothe thoughtless. The women flocked to hear him preach, when the passionwas upon him; and he used to hint at awful sins of his own, whichmade him earnest. I hope that he was so, and I do believe it. Butthe wooden-legged sailors, old Joe and his son, who seem to havebeen employed by Mordacks, took him at his own word for a 'miserablesinner'--which, as they told their master, no respectable man would callhimself--and in the most business-like manner they set to to remove himto a better world; and now they have succeeded. "

"Poor man! After all, one must be rather sorry for him. If old Joe camestumping after me for half an hour, I should have no interest in thislife left. "

"My dear, they stumped after him the whole day long, and at night theydanced a hornpipe outside his hut. He became convinced that the Princeof Evil was come, in that naval style, to fetch him; and he drankeverything he could lay hands on, to fortify him for the contest. Theend, as you know, was extremely sad for him, but highly satisfactoryto them, I fear. They have signified their resolution to attend hisfuneral; and Mordacks has said, with unbecoming levity, that ifthey never were drunk before--which seems to me an almost romanticsupposition--that night they shall be drunk, and no mistake. "

"All these things, my dear, " replied Mrs. Upround, who was gifted witha fine vein of moral reflection, "are not as we might wish if we orderedthem ourselves. But still there is this to be said in their favor, thatthey have a large tendency toward righteousness. "

CHAPTER XLVII

A TANGLE OF VEINS

Human resolution, energy, experience, and reason in its loftiest formmay fight against the doctor; but he beats them all, maintains at leasthis own vitality, and asserts his guineas. Two more resolute men thanMr. Mordacks and Sir Duncan Yordas could scarcely be found in thoseresolute times. They sternly resolved to have no sort of doctor; and yetwithin three days they did have one; and, more than that, the very onethey had positively vowed to abstain from. 

Dr. Stirbacks let everybody know that he never cared two flips of histhumb for anybody. If anybody wanted him, they must come and seek him, and be thankful if he could find time to hear their nonsense. For heunderstood not the system only, but also the nature of mankind. Thepeople at the Thornwick did not want him. Very good, so much the betterfor him and for them; because the more they wanted him, the lesswould he go near them. Tut! tut! tut! he said; what did he want withcrack-brained patients?

All this compelled him, with a very strong reluctance, to be draggedinto that very place the very same day; and he saw that he was not comean hour too soon. Sir Duncan was lying in a bitterly cold room, with thefire gone out, and the spark of his life not very far from following it. Mr. Mordacks was gone for the day upon business, after leaving strictorders that a good fire must be kept, and many other things attended to. But the chimney took to smoking, and the patient to coughing, and thelandlady opened the window wide, and the fire took flight into the upperair. Sir Duncan hated nothing more than any fuss about himself. Hehad sent a man to Scarborough for a little chest of clothes, for hissaddle-kit was exhausted; and having promised Mordacks that he would notquit the house, he had nothing to do except to meditate and shiver. 

Gil Beilby's wife Nell, coming up to take orders for dinner, "got adreadful turn" from what she saw, and ran down exclaiming that the verybest customer that ever drew their latch was dead. Without waiting tothink, the landlord sent a most urgent message for Dr. Stirbacks. That learned man happened to be round the corner, although he lived atBempton; he met the messenger, cast to the winds all sense of wrong, andrushed to the succor of humanity. 

That night, when the general factor returned, with the hunger excitedby feeding the hungry, he was met at the door by Dr. Stirbacks, saying, "Hush, my good sir, " before he had time to think of speaking. "You!"cried Mr. Mordacks, having met this gentleman when Rickon Goold was nearhis last. "You! Then it must be bad indeed!"

"It is bad, and it must have been all over, sir, but for my beingprovidentially at the cheese shop. I say nothing to wound anygentleman's feelings who thinks that he understands everything; but ourpoor patient, with the very best meaning, no doubt, has been all butmurdered. "

"Dr. Stirbacks, you have got him now, and of course you will make thebest of him. Don't let him slip through your fingers, doctor; he is muchtoo good for that. "

"He shall not slip through my fingers, " said the little doctor, witha twinkle of self-preservation. "I have got him, sir, and I shall keephim, sir; and you ought to have put him in my hands long ago. "

The sequel of this needs no detail. Dr. Stirbacks came three times aday; and without any disrespect to the profession, it must be admittedthat he earned his fees. For Sir Duncan's case was a very strange one, and beyond the best wisdom of the laity. If that chill had struck uponhim when his spirit was as usual, he might have cast it off, and goneon upon his business. But coming as it did, when the temperature of hisheart was lowered by nip of disappointment, it went into him, as wateron a duck's back is not cast away when his rump gland is out of order. 

"A warm room, good victuals, and cheerful society--these three areindispensable, " said Dr. Stirbacks to Mr. Mordacks, over whom he beganto try to tyrannize; "and admirable as you are, my good sir, I fearthat your society is depressing. You are always in a fume to be doingsomething--a stew, I might say, without exaggeration--a wonderfulpattern of an active mind. But in a case of illness we require thepassive voice. Everything suggestive of rapid motion must be removed, and never spoken of. You are rapid motion itself, my dear sir. We get arelapse every time you come in. "

"You want me out of the way. Very well. Let me know when you have killedmy friend. I suppose your office ends with that. I will come down andsee to his funeral. "

"Mr. Mordacks, you may be premature in such prevision. Your own may comefirst, sir. Look well at your eyes the next time you shave, and I fearyou will descry those radiant fibres in the iris which always co-existwith heart-disease. I can tell you fifty cases, if you have time tolisten. "

"D--n your prognostics, sir!" exclaimed the factor, rudely; buthe seldom lathered himself thenceforth without a little sigh ofself-regard. "Now, Dr. Stirbacks, " he continued, with a rally, "youmay find my society depressing, but it is generally considered to beelevating; and that, sir, by judges of the highest order, and men ofindependent income. The head of your profession in the northern half ofEngland, who takes a hundred guineas for every one you take, rejoices, sir--rejoices is not too strong a word to use--in my very humblesociety. Of course he may be wrong; but when he hears that Mr. Stirbacks, of Little Under-Bempton--is that the right address, sir?--speaks of my society as depressing--"

"Mr. Mordacks, you misunderstood my meaning. I spoke with no referenceto you whatever, but of all male society as enervating--if you dislikethe word 'depressing'--relaxing, emollient, emasculating, from want ofcontradictory element; while I was proceeding to describe the need ofstrictly female society. The rector offers this; he was here justnow. His admiration for you is unbounded. He desires to receive ourdistinguished patient, with the vast advantage of ladies' society, double-thick walls, and a southern aspect, if you should consider itadvisable. "

"Undoubtedly I do. If the moving can be done without danger; and of thatyou are the proper judge, of course. "

Thus they composed their little disagreement, with mutual respect, andsome approaches to good-will; and Sir Duncan Yordas, being skillfullyremoved, spent his Christmas (without knowing much about it) in the bestand warmest bedroom in the rectory. But Mordacks returned, as anhonest man should do, to put the laurel and the mistletoe on his properhousehold gods. And where can this be better done than in that grandold city, York? But before leaving Flamborough, he settled the claimsof business and charity, so far as he could see them, and so far as thestate of things permitted. 

Foiled as he was in his main object by the murder of the revenueofficer, and the consequent flight of Robin Lyth, he had thoroughlyaccomplished one part of his task, the discovery of the Golconda's fate, and the history of Sir Duncan's child. Moreover, his trusty agents, Joeof the Monument, and Bob his son, had relieved him of one thorny care, by the zeal and skill with which they worked. It was to them a sweetinstruction to watch, encounter, and drink down a rogue who had scuttleda ship, and even defeated them at their own weapons, and made a text ofthem to teach mankind. Dr. Upround had not exaggerated the ardor withwhich they discharged their duty. 

But Mordacks still had one rogue on hand, and a deeper one than RickonGoold. In the course of his visits to Bridlington Quay, he had managedto meet John Cadman, preferring, as he always did, his own impressionsto almost any other evidence. And his own impressions had entirely borneout the conviction of Widow Carroway. But he saw at once that this mancould not be plied with coarse weapons, like the other worn-out villain. He reserved him as a choice bit for his own skill, and was careful notto alarm him yet. Only two things concerned him, as immediate in thematter--to provide against Cadman's departure from the scene, and tolearn all the widow had to tell about him. 

The widow had a great deal to say about that man; but had not said ityet, from want of power so to do. Mordacks himself had often stoppedher, when she could scarcely stop herself; for until her health shouldbe set up again, any stir of the mind would be dangerous. But now, withthe many things provided for her, good nursing, and company, and thekindness of the neighbors (who jealously rushed in as soon as a strangerled the way), and the sickening of Tommy with the measles--which he hadcaught in the coal-cellar--she began to be started in a different planeof life; to contemplate the past as a golden age (enshrining a diamondstatue of a revenue officer in full uniform), and to look upon thepresent as a period of steel, when a keen edge must be kept against theworld, for a defense of all the little seed of diamonds. 

Now the weather was milder, as it generally is at Christmas time, andthe snow all gone, and the wind blowing off the land again, to the greatsatisfaction of both cod and conger. The cottage, which had looked sucha den of cold and famine, with the blinds drawn down, and the snow piledup against the door, and not a single child-nose against the glass, wasnow quite warm again, and almost as lively as if Lieutenant Carrowaywere coming home to dinner. The heart of Mr. Mordacks glowed withpride as he said to himself that he had done all this; and the glow wasreflected on the cheeks of Geraldine, as she ran out to kiss him, andthen jumped upon his shoulder. For, in spite of his rigid aspect andstern nose, the little lass had taken kindly to him; while he admiredher for eating candles. 

"If you please, you can come in here, " said Jerry. "Oh, don't knock myhead against the door. "

Mrs. Carroway knew what he was come for; and although she had triedto prepare herself for it, she could not help trembling a little. Thefactor had begged her to have some friend present, to encourage and helpher in so grievous an affair; but she would not hear of it, and said shehad no friend. 

Mr. Mordacks sat down, as he was told to do, in the little room sacredto the poor lieutenant, and faithful even yet to the pious memory of hispipe. When the children were shut out, he began to look around, that thelady might have time to cry. But she only found occasion for a littledry sob. 

"It is horrible, very, very horrible, " she murmured, with a shudder, asher eyes were following his; "but for his sake I endure it. "

"A most sad and bitter trial, ma'am, as ever I have heard of. But youare bound to bear in mind that he is looking down on you. "

"I could not put up with it, without the sense of that, sir. But I sayto myself how much he loved it; and that makes me put up with it. "

"I am quite at a loss to understand you, madam. We seem to be atcross-purposes. I was speaking of--of a thing it pains me to mention;and you say how much he loved--"

"Dirt, sir, dirt. It was his only weakness. Oh, my darling Charles, myblessed, blessed Charley! Sometimes I used to drive him almost to hisend about it; but I never thought his end would come; I assure you Inever did, sir. But now I shall leave everything as he would like to seeit--every table and every chair, that he could write his name on it. Andhis favorite pipe with the bottom in it. That is what he must love tosee, if the Lord allows him to look down. Only the children mustn't seeit, for the sake of bad example. "

"Mrs. Carroway, I agree with you most strictly. Children must be taughtclean ways, even while they revere their father. You should see mydaughter Arabella, ma'am. She regards me with perfect devotion. Why?Because I never let her do the things that I myself do. It is the onlytrue principle of government for a nation, a parish, a household. Howbeautifully you have trained pretty Geraldine! I fear that you scarcelycould spare her for a month, in the spring, and perhaps Tommy after hismeasles; but a visit to York would do them good, and establish theirexpanding minds, ma'am. "

"Mr. Mordacks, I know not where we may be then. But anything that youdesire is a law to us. "

"Well said! Beautifully said! But I trust, my dear madam, that you willbe here. Indeed, it would never do for you to go away. Or rather, Ishould put it thus--for the purposes of justice, and for other reasonsalso, it is most important that you should not leave this place. Atleast you will promise me that, I hope? Unless, of course, unless youfind the memories too painful. And even so, you might find comfort insome inland house, not far. "

"Many people might not like to stop, " the widow answered, simply; "butto me it would be a worse pain to go away. I sit, in the evening, bythe window here. Whenever there is light enough to show the sea, andthe beach is fit for landing on, it seems to my eyes that I can seethe boat, with my husband standing up in it. He had a majestic way ofstanding, with one leg more up than the other, sir, through one of hisdaring exploits; and whenever I see him, he is just like that; and thelittle children in the kitchen peep and say, 'Here's daddy coming atlast; we can tell by mammy's eyes;' and the bigger ones say, 'Hush! Youmight know better. ' And I look again, wondering which of them is right;and then there is nothing but the clouds and sea. Still, when it isover, and I have cried about it, it does me a little good every time. Iseem to be nearer to Charley, as my heart falls quietly into the will ofthe Lord. "

"No doubt of it whatever. I can thoroughly understand it, although thereis not a bit of resignation in me. I felt that sort of thing, to someextent, when I lost my angelic wife, ma'am, though naturally departedto a sphere more suited for her. And I often seem to think that stillI hear her voice when a coal comes to table in a well-dish. Life, Mrs. Carroway, is no joke to bandy back, but trouble to be shared. And noneshare it fairly but the husband and the wife, ma'am. "

"You make it very hard for me to get my words, " she said, withoutminding that her tears ran down, so long as she spoke clearly. "I am notof the lofty sort, and understand no laws of things; though my husbandwas remarkable for doing so. He took all the trouble of the taxes off, though my part was to pay for them. And in every other way he was awonder, sir; not at all because now he is gone above. That would be mylast motive. "

"He was a wonder, a genuine wonder, " Mordacks replied, without irony. "He did his duty, ma'am, with zeal and ardor; a shining example uponvery little pay. I fear that it was his integrity and zeal, trulyBritish character and striking sense of discipline, that have so sadlybrought him to--to the condition of an example. "

"Yes, Mr. Mordacks, it was all that. He never could put up with a lazyman, as anybody, to live, must have to do. He kept all his men, as Iused to do our children, to word of command, and no answer. Honest menlike it; but wicked men fly out. And all along we had a very wicked manhere. "

"So I have heard from other good authority--a deceiver of women, askulk, a dog. I have met with many villains; and I am not hot. Butmy tendency is to take that fellow by the throat with both hands, andthrottle him. Having thoroughly accomplished that, I should prepare tosift the evidence. Unscientific, illogical, brutal, are such desires, as you need not tell me. And yet, madam, they are manly. I hate slowjustice; I like it quick--quick, or none at all, I say, so long as itis justice. Creeping justice is, to my mind, little better than slowrevenge. My opinions are not orthodox, but I hope they do not frightenyou. "

"They do indeed, sir; or at least your face does; though I know howquick and just you are. He is a bad man--too well I know it--but, as mydear husband used to say, he has a large lot of children. "

"Well, Mrs. Carroway, I admire you the more, for considering what he hasnot considered. Let us put aside that. The question is--guilty or notguilty? If he is guilty, shall he get off, and innocent men be hangedfor him? Six men are in jail at this present moment for the deed whichwe believe he did. Have they no wives, no fathers and mothers, nochildren--not to speak of their own lives? The case is one in which theConstitution of the realm must be asserted. Six innocent men must dieunless the crime is brought home to the guilty one. Even that is notall as regards yourself. You may not care for your own life, but youare bound to treasure it seven times over for the sake of your sevenchildren. While John Cadman is at large, and nobody hanged instead ofhim, your life is in peril, ma'am. He knows that you know him, and havedenounced him. He has tried to scare you into silence; and the frightcaused your sad illness. I have reason to believe that he, by scatteringcrafty rumors, concealed from the neighbors your sad plight, and thatof your dear children. If so, he is worse than the devil himself. Do yousee your duty now, and your interest also?"

Mrs. Carroway nodded gently. Her strength of mind was not come back yet, after so much illness. The baby lay now on its father's breast, and themother's had been wild for it. 

"I am sorry to have used harsh words, " resumed Mordacks; "but I alwayshave to do so. They seem to put things clearer; and without that, wherewould business be? Now I will not tire you if I can help it, nor ask aneedless question. What provocation had this man? What fanciful causefor spite, I mean?"

"Oh, none, Mr. Mordacks, none whatever. My husband rebuked him forbeing worthless, and a liar, and a traitor; and he threatened to gethim removed from the force; and he gave him a little throw down from thecliff--but what little was done was done entirely for his good. "

"Yes, I see. And, after that, was Cadman ever heard to threaten him?"

"Many times, in a most malicious way, when he thought that he was notheeded. The other men may fear to bear witness. But my Geraldine hasheard him. "

"There could be no better witness. A child, especially a pretty littlegirl, tells wonderfully with a jury. But we must have a great deal morethan that. Thousands of men threaten, and do nothing, according to theproverb. A still more important point is--how did the muskets in theboat come home? They were all returned to the station, I presume. Werethey all returned with their charges in them?"

"I am sure I can not say how that was. There was nobody to attend tothat. But one of them had been lost altogether. "

"One of the guns never came back at all!" Mordacks almost shouted. "Whose gun was it that did not come back?"

"How can we say? There was such confusion. My husband would never letthem nick the guns, as they do at some of the stations, for every manto know his own. But in spite of that, each man had his own, I believe. Cadman declares that he brought home his; and nobody contradicted him. But if I saw the guns, I should know whether Cadman's is among them. "

"How can you possibly pretend to know that, ma'am? English ladies can doalmost anything. But surely you never served out the guns?"

"No, Mr. Mordacks. But I have cleaned them. Not the inside, of course;that I know nothing of; and nobody sees that, to be offended. Butseveral times I have observed, at the station, a disgraceful quantityof dust upon the guns--dust and rust and miserable blotches, such as badgirls leave in the top of a fish-kettle; and I made Charley bring themdown, and be sure to have them empty; because they were so unlike whatI have seen on board of the ship where he won his glory, and took thebullet in his nineteenth rib. "

"My dear madam, what a frame he must have had! But this is mostinstructive. No wonder Geraldine is brave. What a worthy wife for anaval hero! A lady who could handle guns!"

"I knew, sir, quite from early years, having lived near a very largearsenal, that nothing can make a gun go off unless there is somethingin it. And I could trust my husband to see to that; and before I touchedone of them I made him put a brimstone match to the touch-hole. AndI found it so pleasant to polish them, from having such wicked thingsquite at my mercy. The wood was what I noticed most, because ofunderstanding chairs. One of them had a very curious tangle of veinson the left cheek behind the trigger; and I just had been doing for thechildren's tea what they call 'crinkly-crankly'--treacle trickled (likea maze) upon the bread; and Tommy said, 'Look here! it is the very sameupon this gun. ' And so it was; just the same pattern on the wood! Andwhile I was doing it Cadman came up, in his low surly way, and said, 'Iwant my gun, missus; I never shoot with no other gun than that. Captainsays I may shoot a sea-pye, for the little ones. ' And so I always calledit 'Cadman's gun. ' I have not been able to think much yet. But if thatgun is lost, I shall know who it was that lost a gun that dreadfulnight. "

"All this is most strictly to the purpose, " answered Mordacks, "andmay prove most important. We could never hope to get those six men off, without throwing most grave suspicion elsewhere; and unless we can getthose six men off, their captain will come and surrender himself, and behanged, to a dead certainty. I doubted his carrying the sense of rightso far, until I reflected upon his birth, dear madam. He belongs, as Imay tell you now, to a very ancient family, a race that would run theirheads into a noose out of pure obstinacy, rather than skulk off. I amof very ancient race myself, though I never take pride in the matter, because I have seen more harm than good of it. I always learned Latinat school so quickly through being a grammatical example of descent. According to our pedigree, Caius Calpurnius Mordax Naso was the Governorof Britain under Pertinax. My name means 'biting'; and bite I can, whether my dinner is before me, or my enemy. In the present case I shallnot bite yet, but prepare myself for doing so. I watch the proceedingsof the government, who are sure to be slow, as well as blundering. There has been no appointment to this command as yet, because of somany people wanting it. This patched-up peace, which may last about sixmonths (even if it is ever signed), is producing confusion everywhere. You have an old fool put in charge of this station till a propersuccessor is appointed. "

"He is not like Captain Carroway, sir. But that concerns me little now. But I do wish, for my children's sake, that they would send a littlemoney. "

"On no account think twice of that. That question is in my hands, andaffords me one of the few pleasures I derive from business. You areunder no sort of obligation about it. I am acting under authority. A manof exalted position and high office--but never mind that till the propertime comes; only keep your mind in perfect rest, and attend to yourchildren and yourself. I am obliged to proceed very warily, but youshall not be annoyed by that scoundrel. I will provide for that before Ileave; also I will see the guns still in store, without letting anybodyguess my motive. I have picked up a very sharp fellow here, whose heartis in the business thoroughly; for one of the prisoners is his twinbrother, and he lost his poor sweetheart through Cadman's villainy--ayoung lass who used to pick mussels, or something. He will see that therogue does not give us the slip, and I have looked out for that in otherways as well. I am greatly afraid of tiring you, my dear madam; but haveyou any other thing to tell me of this Cadman?"

"No, Mr. Mordacks, except a whole quantity of little things that tell agreat deal to me, but to anybody else would have no sense. For instance, of his looks, and turns, and habits, and tricks of seeming neither theone thing nor the other, and jumping all the morning, when the last manwas hanged--"

"Did he do that, madam? Are you quite sure?"

"I had it on the authority of his own wife. He beats her, but still shecan not understand him. You may remember that the man to be suspendedwas brought to the place where--where--"

"Where he earned his doom. It is quite right. Things of that sort shouldbe done upon a far more liberal scale. Example is better than a thousandprecepts. Let us be thankful that we live in such a country. I havebrought some medicine for brave Tommy from our Dr. Stirbacks. Be surethat you stroke his throat when he takes it. Boys are such rogues--"

"Well, Mr. Mordacks, I really hope that I know how to make my little boytake medicine!"

CHAPTER XLVIII

SHORT SIGHS, AND LONG ONES

Now it came to pass that for several months this neighborhood, whichhad begun to regard Mr. Mordacks as its tutelary genius--so great is thepower of bold energy--lost him altogether; and with brief lamentationbegan to do very well without him. So fugitive is vivacious stir, andso well content is the general world to jog along in its old ruts. TheFlamborough butcher once more subsided into a piscitarian; the postman, who had been driven off his legs, had time to nurse his grain again;Widow Tapsy relapsed into the very worst of taps, having none todemand good beverage; and a new rat, sevenfold worse than the mightynet-devourer (whom Mordacks slew; but the chronicle has been cut out, for the sake of brevity), took possession of his galleries, and madethem pay. All Flamborough yearned for the "gentleman as did things, "itself being rather of the contemplative vein, which flows fromimmemorial converse with the sea. But the man of dry hand-and-heelactivity came not, and the lanes forgot the echo of his Roman march. 

The postman (with a wicked endeavor of hope to beget faith from sweetlaziness) propagated a loose report that Death had claimed the generalfactor, through fear of any rival in activity. The postman did not putit so, because his education was too good for long words to enterinto it; but he put his meaning in a shorter form than a smattering ofdistant tongues leaves to us. The butcher (having doubt of death, unlessby man administered) kicked the postman out of his expiring shop, wherelarge hooks now had no sheep for bait; and Widow Tapsy, filled withsofter liquid form of memory, was so upset by the letter-man's tale thatshe let off a man who owed four gallons, for beating him as flat as hisown bag. To tell of these things may take time, but time is thoroughlywell spent if it contributes a trifle toward some tendency, on anybody'spart, to hope that there used to be, even in this century, such a thingas gratitude. 

But why did Mr. Mordacks thus desert his favorite quest and quarters, and the folk in whom he took most delight--because so long inaccessible?The reason was as sound as need be: important business of his own hadcalled him away into Derbyshire. Like every true son of stone and crag, he required an annual scratch against them, and hoped to rest among themwhen the itch of life was over. But now he had hopes of even more thanthat--of owning a good house and fair estate, and henceforth exertinghis remarkable powers of agency on his own behalf. For his cousin, Calpurnius Mordacks, the head of the family, was badly ailing, andhaving lost his only son in the West Indies, had sent for this kinsmanto settle matters with him. His offer was generous and noble; to wit, that Geoffrey should take, not the property alone, but also his secondcousin, fair Calpurnia, though not without her full consent. Withoutthe lady, he was not to have the land, and the lady's consent must besecured before her father ceased to be a sound testator. 

Now if Calpurnia had been kept in ignorance of this arrangement, a manpossessing the figure, decision, stature, self-confidence, and otherhigh attributes of our Mordacks, must have triumphed in a week atlatest. But with that candor which appears to have been so strictlyentailed in the family, Colonel Calpurnius called them in; and there (inthe presence of the testator and of each other) they were fully apprisedof this rather urgent call upon their best and most delicate emotions. And the worst of it was (from the gentleman's point of view), thatthe contest was unequal. The golden apples were not his to cast, butAtalanta's. The lady was to have the land, even without accepting love. Moreover, he was fifty per cent beyond her in age, and Hymen would makeher a mamma without invocation of Lucina. But highest and deepest woe ofall, most mountainous of obstacles, was the lofty skyline of his nose, inherited from the Roman. If the lady's corresponding feature had notcorresponded--in other words, if her nose had been chubby, snub, or evenGreek--his bold bridge must have served him well, and even shortenedaccess to rosy lips and tender heart. But, alas! the fair one's nose wasalso of the fine imperial type, truly admirable in itself, but (underone of nature's strictest laws) coy of contact with its own maleexpression. Love, whose joy and fierce prank is to buckle to the platedpole ill-matched forms and incongruous spirits, did not fail of herimpartial freaks. Mr. Mordacks had to cope with his own kin, and foundthe conflict so severe that not a breath of time was left him foranybody's business but his own. 

If luck was against him in that quarter (although he would not own ityet), at York and Flamborough it was not so. No crisis arose to demandhis presence; no business went amiss because of his having to work sohard at love. There came, as there sometimes does in matters pressing, tangled, and exasperating, a quiet period, a gentle lull, a halcyontime when the jaded brain reposes, and the heart may hatch her ownmares'-nests. Underneath that tranquil spell lay fond Joe and Bob (withtheir cash to spend), Widow Precious (with her beer laid in), andWidow Carroway, with a dole at last extorted from the government; whileAnerley Farm was content to hearken the creak of wagon and the ring offlail, and the rector of Flamborough once more rejoiced in the bloodlesswar that breeds good-will. 

For Sir Duncan Yordas was a fine chess-player, as many Indian officersof that time were; and now that he was coming to his proper temperature(after three months of barbed stab of cold, and the breach of the sealof the seventy-seventh phial of Dr. Stirbacks), in gratitude for thatmiraculous escape, he did his very best to please everybody. To Dr. Upround he was an agreeable and penetrative companion; to Mrs. Upround, a gallant guest, with a story for every slice of bread and butter; toJanetta, a deity combining the perfections of Jupiter, Phoebus, Mars, and Neptune (because of his yacht), without any of their drawbacks;and to Flamborough, more largely speaking, a downright good sort ofgentleman, combining a smoke with a chaw--so they understood cigars--andnot above standing still sometimes for a man to say some sense to him. 

But before Mr. Mordacks left his client under Dr. Upround's care, he haddone his best to provide that mischief should not come of gossip; andthe only way to prevent that issue is to preclude the gossip. Sir DuncanYordas, having lived so long in a large commanding way, among peoplewho might say what they pleased of him, desired no concealment here, and accepted it unwillingly. But his agent was better skilled in Englishlife, and rightly foresaw a mighty buzz of nuisance--without any honeyto be brought home--from the knowledge of the public that the Indianhero had begotten the better-known apostle of free trade. Yet itmight have been hard to persuade Sir Duncan to keep that great fact tohimself, if his son had been only a smuggler, or only a fugitive from afalse charge of murder. But that which struck him in the face, as soonas he was able to consider things, was the fact that his son had fledand vanished, leaving his underlings to meet their fate. "The smugglingis a trifle, " exclaimed the sick man; "our family never was law-abiding, and used to be large cattle-lifters; even the slaying of a man in hotcombat is no more than I myself have done, and never felt the worse forit. But to run away, and leave men to be hanged, after bringing theminto the scrape himself, is not the right sort of dishonor for a Yordas. If the boy surrenders, I shall be proud to own him. But until he doesthat, I agree with you, Mordacks, that he does not deserve to know whohe is. "

This view of the case was harsh, perhaps, and showed some ignorance offree-trade questions, and of English justice. If Robin Lyth had beendriven, by the heroic view of circumstances, to rush into embraceconstabular, would that have restored the other six men to familysinuosities? Not a chance of it. Rather would it treble the pangs ofjail--where they enjoyed themselves--to feel that anxiety about theirpledges to fortune from which the free Robin relieved them. Money waslodged and paid as punctual as the bank for the benefit of all theirbelongings. There were times when the sailors grumbled a little becausethey had no ropes to climb; but of any unfriendly rope impending theywere too wise to have much fear. They knew that they had not done thedeed, and they felt assured that twelve good men would never turn roundin their box to believe it. 

Their captain took the same view of the case. He had very little doubtof their acquittal if they were defended properly; and of that a farwealthier man than himself, the Chancellor of the Exchequer of freetrade, Master Rideout of Malton, would take good care, if the money leftwith Dr. Upround failed. The surrender of Robin would simply hurt them, unless they were convicted, and in that case he would yield himself. SirDuncan did not understand these points, and condemned his son unjustly. And Mordacks was no longer there to explain such questions in his sharpclear way. 

Being in this sadly disappointed state, and not thoroughly deliveredfrom that renal chill (which the northeast wind, coming over the leatherof his valise, had inflicted), this gentleman, like a long-pendulousgrape with the ventilators open, was exposed to the delicate insidiousbilling of little birds that love something good. It might bewrong--indeed, it must be wrong, and a foul slur upon fair sweetlove--to insinuate that Indian gold, or rank, or renown, or vagueromance, contributed toward what came to pass. Miss Janetta Upround, upto this time of her life, had laughed at all the wanton tricks of Cupid;and whenever the married women told her that her time would be safe tocome, and then she might understand their behavior, they had always beenordered to go home and do their washing. And this made it harder for herto be mangled by the very tribulation she had laughed at. 

Short little sighs were her first symptom, and a quiet way of going upthe stairs--which used to be a noisy process with her--and then a desireto know something of history, and a sudden turn of mind toward soup. SirDuncan had a basin every day at twelve o'clock, and Janetta had ordersto see him do it, by strict institution of Stirbacks. Those orders shecarried out with such zeal that she even went so far as to blow upon thespoon; and she did look nice while doing it. In a word--as there is notime for many--being stricken, she did her best to strike, as the mannerof sweet women is. 

Sir Duncan Yordas received it well. Being far on toward her futurity inyears, and beyond her whole existence in experience and size, he smiledat her ardor and short vehemence to please him, and liked to see hergo about, because she turned so lightly. Then the pleasant agility ofthought began to make him turn to answer it; and whenever she had thebest of him in words, her bright eyes fell, as if she had the worst. "She doesn't even know that she is clever, " said the patient to himself, "and she is the first person I have met with yet who knows which side ofthe line Calcutta is. "

The manner of those benighted times was to keep from young ladiesimportant secrets which seemed to be no concern of theirs. Miss Uproundhad never been told what brought this visitor to Flamborough, andalthough she had plenty of proper curiosity, she never got any rewardfor it. Only four Flamburians knew that Sir Duncan was Robin Lyth'spapa--or, as they would put it (having faster hold of the end of thestick next to them), that Robin Lyth was the son of Sir Duncan. Andthose four were, by force of circumstance, Robin Cockscroft and Joanhis wife, the rector and the rectoress. Even Dr. Stirbacks (organicallyinquisitive as he was, and ill content to sniff at any bottle with thecork tied down), by mastery of Mordacks and calm dignity of rector, wasable to suspect a lot of things, but to be sure of none of them; andsuspicion, according to its usual manner, never came near the truthat all. Miss Upround, therefore, had no idea that if she became LadyYordas, which she very sincerely longed to be, she would, by that event, be made the step-mother of a widely celebrated smuggler; while herIndian hero, having no idea of her flattering regard as yet, was notbound to enlighten her upon that point. 

At Anerley Farm the like ignorance prevailed; except that MistressAnerley, having a quick turn for romance, and liking to get herpredictions confirmed, recalled to her mind (and recited to her husbandin far stronger language) what she had said, in the clover-blossomtime, to the bravest man that ever lived, the lamented CaptainCarroway. Captain Carroway's dauntless end, so thoroughly befitting hisextraordinary exploits, for which she even had his own authority, madeit the clearest thing in all the world that every word she said tohim must turn out Bible-true. And she had begged him--and one mightbe certain that he had told it, as a good man must, to his poor dearwidow--not to shoot at Robin Lyth; because he would get a thousandpounds, instead of a hundred for doing it. She never could have dreamedto find her words come true so suddenly; but here was an Indian Princecome home, who employed the most pleasant-spoken gentleman; and he mightknow who it was he had to thank that even in the cave the captain didnot like to shoot that long-lost heir; and from this time out there wasno excuse for Stephen if he ever laughed at anything that his wife said. Only on no account must Mary ever hear of it; for a bird in the handwas worth fifty in the bush; and the other gone abroad, and underaccusation, and very likely born of a red Indian mother. Whereas HarryTanfield's father, George, had been as fair as a foal, poor fellow; andperhaps if the church books had been as he desired, he might have keptout of the church-yard to this day. 

"And me in it, " the farmer answered, with a laugh--"dead for love of mywife, Sophy; as wouldn't 'a been my wife, nor drawn nigh upon fi' poundsthis very week for feathers, fur, and ribbon stuff. Well, well, Georgewould 'a come again, to think of it. How many times have I seen him gowith a sixpence in the palm of 's hand, and think better of the kingupon it, and worser of the poor chap as were worn out, like the tail ofit! Then back go the sixpence into George's breeches; and out comes myshilling to the starving chap, on the sly, and never mentioned. But forall that, I think, like enow, old George mought 'a managed to get up toheaven. "

"Stephen, I wish to hear nothing of that. The question concerns hisfamily, not ours, as Providence has seen fit to arrange. Now what isyour desire to have done with Mary? William has made his great discoveryat last; and if we should get the 10, 000 pounds, nobody need look downon us. "

"I should like to see any one look down on me, " Master Anerley said, with his back set straight; "a' mought do so once, but a' would besorry afterward. Not that I would hinder him of 's own way; only thathe better keep out of mine. Sometimes, when you go thinking of your ownideas, you never seem to bear in mind what my considerations be. "

"Because you can not follow out the quickness of the way I think. Youalways acknowledge that, my dear. "

"Well, well. Quick churn spoileth butter. Like Willie with his perpetualmotion. What good to come of it, if he hath found out? And a' might, ifever a body did, from the way he goeth jumping about forever, and neverhold fast to anything. A nice thing 'twould be for the fools to say, perpetual motion come from Anerley Farm!"

"You never will think any good of him, Stephen, because his mind comesfrom my side. But wait till you see the 10, 000 pounds. "

"That I will; and thank the Lord to live so long. But, to come tocommon-sense--how was Mary and Harry a-carrying on this afternoon?"

"Not so very bad, father; and nothing good to speak of. He kept on verywell from the corners of his eyes; but she never corresponded, so tospeak--same as--you know. "

"The same as you used to do when you was young. Well, manners may behigher stylish now. Did he ask her about the hay-rick?"

"That he did. Three or four times over; exactly as you said it to him. He knew that was how you got the upper hand of me, according to yourmemory, but not mine; and he tried to do it the very same way; but theLord makes a lot of change in thirty years of time. Mary quite turnedher nose up at any such riddle, and he pulled his spotted handkerchiefout of that new hat of his, and the fagot never saw fit to heed even thecolor of his poor red cheeks. Stephen, you would have marched off for aweek if I had behaved to you so. "

"And the right way too; I shall put him up to that. Long sighs onlyleads to turn-up noses. He plays too knuckle-down at it. You shouldgo on with your sweetheart very mild at first; just a-feeling for herfinger-tips; and emboldening of her to believe that you are frightened, and bringing her to peep at you as if you was a blackbird, ready to popout of sight. That makes 'em wonderful curious and eager, and sticks youinto 'em, like prickly spinach. But you mustn't stop too long like that. You must come out large, as a bull runs up to gate; and let them seethat you could smash it if you liked, but feel a goodness in your heartthat keeps you out of mischief. And then they comes up, and they says, 'poor fellow!'"

"Stephen, I do not approve of such expressions, or any such lowopinions. You may know how you went on. Such things may have answeredonce; because of your being--yourself, you know. But Mary, although shemay not have my sense, must have her own opinions. And the more you talkof what we used to do--though I never remember your trotting up, likea great bull roaring, to any kind of gate--the less I feel inclined toforce her. And who is Harry Tanfield, after all?"

"We know all about him, " the farmer answered; "and that is something tobegin with. His land is worth fifteen shillings an acre less than ours, and full of kid-bine. But, for all that, he can keep a family, and is agood home-dweller. However, like the rest of us, in the way of women, hemust bide his bolt, and bode it. "

"Father, " the mistress of the house replied, "I shall never go one stepout of my way to encourage a young man who makes you speak so lightly ofthose you owe so much to. Harry Tanfield may take his chance for me. "

"So a' may for me, mother--so a' may for me. If a' was to have our Mary, his father George would be coming up between us, out of his peacein churchyard, more than he doth a'ready; and a' comes too mucha'ready. --Why, poppet, we were talking of you--fie, fie, listening!"

"No, now, father, " Mary Anerley answered, with a smile at such a lowidea; "you never had that to find fault with me, I think. And if you areplotting against me for my good--as mother loves to put it--it would bethe best way to shut me out before you begin to do it. "

"Why, bless my heart and soul, " exclaimed the farmer, with a most craftylaugh--for he meant to kill two birds with one stone--"if the lasshathn't got her own dear mother's tongue, and the very same way ofturning things! There never hath been such a time as this here. Thechilder tell us what to do, and their mothers tell us what not to do. Better take the business off my hands, and sell all they turnips as isrotting. Women is cheats, and would warrant 'em sound, with the best tothe top of the bury. But mind you one thing--if I retires from business, like Brother Popplewell, I shall expect to be supported; cheap, but verysubstantial. "

"Mary, you are wicked to say such things, " Mistress Anerley began, ashe went out, "when you know that your dear father is such a substantialsilent man. "

CHAPTER XLIX

A BOLD ANGLER

As if in vexation at being thwarted by one branch of the family, Cupidbegan to work harder at the other, among the moors and mountains. Notthat either my lady Philippa or gentle Mistress Carnaby fell back intothe snares of youth, but rather that youth, contemptuous of age, leapedup, and defied everybody but itself, and cried tush to its own welfare. 

For as soon as the trance of snow was gone, and the world, emboldened tobehold itself again, smiled up from genial places; and the timid step ofpeeping spring awoke a sudden flutter in the breast of buds; and streams(having sent their broken anger to the sea) were pleased to be murmuringclearly again, and enjoyed their own flexibility; and even sternmountains and menacing crags allowed soft light to play with them--atsuch a time prudence found very narrow house-room in the breast of youngLancelot, otherwise "Pet. "

"If Prudence be present, no Divinity is absent, " according to highauthority; but the author of the proverb must have first excluded Lovefrom the list of Divinities. Pet's breast, or at any rate his chest, hadgrown under the expansive enormity of love; his liver, moreover (which, according to poets, both Latin and Greek, is the especial throne oflove), had quickened its proceedings, from the exercise he took; fromthe same cause, his calves increased so largely that even Jordas couldnot pull the agate buttons of his gaiters through their holes. In aword, he gained flesh, muscle, bone, and digestion, and other greatbodily blessings, from the power believed by the poets to upsetand annihilate every one of them. However, this proves nothinganti-poetical, for the essence of that youth was to contradictexperience. 

Jordas had never, in all his born days, not even in the thick of thesnow-drift, found himself more in a puzzle than now; and he could noteven fly for advice in this matter to Lawyer Jellicorse. The first greatgift of nature, expelled by education, is gratitude. A child is fullof gratitude, or at least has got the room for it; but no full-grownmortal, after good education, has been known to keep the rudiments ofthankfulness. But Jordas had a stock of it--as much as can remain to anyone superior to the making of a cross. 

Now the difficulty of it was that Jordas called to mind, every morningwhen he saw snow, and afterward when he saw anything white, that he musthave required a grave, and not got it (in time to be any good to him), without the hard labor, strong endurance, and brotherly tendance ofthe people of the gill. Even the three grand fairy gifts of LawyerJellicorse himself might scarcely have saved him, although they were noless than as follows, in virtue: the tip of a tongue that had never tolda lie (because it belonged to a bullock slain young), a flask of oldScotch whiskey, and a horn comfit-box of Irish snuff. All these threehad stood him in good stead, especially the last, which kept himwide-awake, and enabled him to sneeze a yellow hole in the drift, whenever it threatened to ingulf his beard. Without those three he couldnever have got on; but, with all the three, he could never have got out, if Bat and Maunder of the gill had not come to his succor in the verynick of time. Not only did they work hard for hours under the guidanceof Saracen (who was ready to fly at them if they left off), but when atlength they came on Jordas, in his last exhaustion, with the good horserubbing up his chin to make him warmer, they did a sight of things, which the good Samaritan, having finer climate, was enabled to dispensewith. And when they had set him on his legs again, finding that hecould not use them yet, they hoisted him on the back of Maunder, who wasstrong; and the whole of that expedition ended at the little cottage inthe gill. But the kindness of the inhabitants was only just beginning;for when Jordas came to himself he found that his off-foot--as Marmadukewould have called it--the one which had ridden with a northeast aspect, was frozen as hard as a hammer, and as blue as a pistol barrel. Mrs. Bart happened to have seen such cases in her native country, and by herskillful treatment and never-wearying care, the poor fellow's foot wassaved and cured, though at one time he despaired of it. Marmaduke alsowas restored, and sent home to his stable some days before his rider wasin a condition to mount him. 

In return for all these benefits, how could the dogman, without beingworse than a dog, go and say to his ladies that mischief was breedingbetween their heir and a poor girl who lived in a corner of their land?If he had been ungrateful, or in any way a sneak, he might have foundno trouble in this thing; but being, as he was, an honest, noble-heartedfellow, he battled severely in his mind to set up the standard of theproper side to take. For such matters Pet cared not one jot. Crafty ashe was, he could never understand that Jordas and Welldrum were not thesame man, one half working out-of-doors, and the other in. For him itwas enough that Jordas would not tell, probably because he was afraidto do so, and Pet resolved to make him useful. For Lancelot Carnaby wasvery sharp indeed in espying what suited his purpose. His set purposewas to marry Insie Bart, in whom he had sense enough to perceive hisbetter, in every respect but money and birth, in which two he wasbefore her, or at any rate supposed so. He was proud, as need be, ofhis station in life; but he reasoned--if the process of his mind wasreason--that being so exalted, he might please himself; that his wifewould rise to his rank, instead of lowering him; that her father was aman of education and a gentleman, although he worked with his own hands;and that Insie was a lady, though she went to fill a pitcher. 

For one happy fact the youth deserved some credit, or rather, perhaps, his youth deserved it for him. He was madly in love with Insie, andhis passion could not be of very high spiritual order; but the idea ofobtaining her dishonorably never occurred to his mind for one moment. Heknew her to be better, purer, and nobler than himself in every way; andhe felt, though he did not want to feel it, that her nature gave alift to his. Insie, on the other hand, began to like him better, and todespise him less and less; his reckless devotion to her made its way;and in spite of all her common-sense, his beauty and his lordly stylehad attractions for her young romance. And at last her heart began tobound, like his, when they were together. "With all thy faults, I lovethee still, " was the loose condition of her youthful mind. 

Into every combination, however steep and deep be the gill of its quietincubation, a number of people and of things peep in, and will enter, like the cuckoo, at the glimpse of a white feather, or even without it, unless beak and claw are shown. And now the intruder into Pet's lovenest had the right to look in, and to pull him out, neck and crop, unless he sat there legally. Whether birds discharge fraternal duty isa question for Notes and Queries even in the present most positiveage. Sophocles says that the clever birds feed their parents and theirbenefactors, and men ascribe piety to them in fables, as a needfulensample to one another. 

Be that as it may, this Maunder Bart, when his rather slow attention wasonce aroused, kept a sharp watch upon his young landlord's works. It waslucky for Pet that he meant no harm, and that Maunder had contemptuousfaith in him; otherwise Insie's brother would have shortly taken him upby his gaiters, and softly beaten his head in against a rock. For Mr. Bart's son was of bitter, morose, and almost savage nature, silent, moody, and as resolute as death. He resented and darkly repined at theloss of position and property of which he had heard, and he scorned thefine sentiments which had led to nothing at all substantial. It was notin his power to despise his father, for his mind felt the presence ofthe larger one; but he did not love him as a son should do; neither didhe speak out his thoughts to anybody beyond a few mutters to his mother. But he loved his gentle sister, and found in her a goodness which warmedhim up to think about getting some upon his own account. 

Such thoughts, however, were fugitive, and Maunder's more generalsubject of brooding was the wrong he had suffered through his father. He was living and working like a peasant or a miner, instead of havinghorses, and dogs, and men, and the right to kick out inferior people--asthat baby Lancelot Carnaby had--for no other reason, that he could find, than the magnitude of his father's mind. He had gone into the subjectwith his father long ago--for Mr. Bart felt a noble pride in hisconvictions--and the son lamented with all his heart the extent ofhis own father's mind. In his lonely walks, heavy hours, and hardwork--which last he never grudged, for his strength required outlet--hepondered continually upon one thing, and now he seemed to see a chanceof doing it. The first step in his upward course would be Insie'smarriage with Lancelot. 

Pet, who had no fear of any one but Maunder, tried crafty little tricksto please him; but instead of earning many thanks, got none at all, which made him endeavor to improve himself. Mr. Bart's opinion of himnow began to follow the course of John Smithies's, and Smithies lookedat it in one light only (ever since Pet so assaulted him, and thentrusted his good-will across the dark moors), and that light was that"when you come to think of him, you mustn't be too hard upon him, afterall. " And one great excellence of this youth was that he cared not adoit for general opinion, so long as he got his own special desire. 

His desire was, not to let a day go by without sight and touch of Insie. These were not to be had at a moment's notice, nor even by much care;and five times out of six he failed of so much as a glimpse or a wordof her. For the weather and the time of year have much to say concerningthe course of the very truest love, and worse than the weather itselftoo often is the cloudy caprice of maiden mind. 

Insie's father must have known what attraction drew this youth to sucha cold unfurnished spot, and if he had been like other men, he wouldeither have nipped in the bud this passion, or, for selfish reasons, fostered it. But being of large theoretical mind, he found his dueoutlet in giving advice. 

It is plain at a glance that in such a case the mother is the proper oneto give advice, and the father the one to act strenuously. But now Mrs. Bart, who was a very good lady, and had gone through a world oftrouble from the want of money--the which she had cast away for sake ofsomething better--came to the forefront of this pretty little business, as Insie's mother, vigorously. 

"Christophare, " she said to her husband, "not often do I speak, betweenus, of the affairs it is wise to let alone. But now of our dear childInesa it is just that I should insist something. Mandaro, which you callEnglish Maunder, already is destroyed for life by the magnitude ofyour good mind. It is just that his sister should find the occasion ofreversion to her proper grade of life. For you, Christophare, I haveabandoned all, and have the good right to claim something from you. Andthe only thing that I demand is one--let Inesa return to the lady. "

"Well, " said Mr. Bart, who had that sense of humor without which no mancan give his property away, "I hope that she never has departed fromit. But, my dear, as you make such a point of it, I will promise not tointerfere, unless there is any attempt to do wrong, and intrap a poorboy who does not know his own mind. Insie is his equal by birth andeducation, and perhaps his superior in that which comes foremostnowadays--the money. Dream not that he is a great catch, my dear; I knowmore of that matter than you do. It is possible that he may stand at thealtar with little to settle upon his bride except his bright waistcoatand gaiters. "

"Tush, Christophare! You are, to my mind, always an enigma. "

"That is as it should be, and keeps me interesting still. But this is amere boy and girl romance. If it meant anything, my only concern wouldbe to know whether the boy was good. If not, I should promptly kick himback to his own door. "

"From my observation, he is very good--to attend to his rights, and makethe utmost of them. "

Mr. Bart laughed, for he knew that a little hit at himself was intended;and very often now, as his joints began to stiffen, he wished that hisyouth had been wiser. He stuck to his theories still; but his practicewould have been more of the practical kind, if it had come back tobe done again. But his children and his wife had no claim to bringup anything, because everything was gone before he undertook theirbusiness. However, he obtained reproach--as always seems to happen--forthose doings of his early days which led to their existence. Still, heliked to make the best of things, and laughed, instead of arguing. 

For a short time, therefore, Lancelot Carnaby seemed to have his own wayin this matter, as well as in so many others. As soon as spring weatherunbound the streams, and enlarged both the spots and the appetite oftrout (which mainly thrive together), Pet became seized, by his ownaccount, with insatiable love of angling. The beck of the gill, runninginto the Lune, was alive, in those unpoaching days, with sweet littletrout of a very high breed, playful, mischievous, and indulging (whilethey provoked) good hunger. These were trout who disdained to feedbasely on the ground when they could feed upward, ennobling almost everygulp with a glimpse of the upper creation. Mrs. Carnaby loved these"graceful creatures, " as she always called them, when fried well;and she thought it so good and so clever of her son to tempt her poorappetite with them. 

"Philippa, he knows--perhaps your mind is absent, " she said, as she putthe fifth trout on her plate at breakfast one fine morning--"he feelsthat these little creatures do me good, and to me it becomes a sacredduty to endeavor to eat them. "

"You seem to succeed very well, Eliza. "

"Yes, dear, I manage to get on a little, from a sort of sporting feelingthat appeals to me. Before I begin to lift the skins of any of theselittle darlings, I can see my dear boy standing over the torrent, withhis wonderful boldness, and bright eagle eyes--"

"To pull out a fish of an ounce and a half. Without any disrespect toPet, whose fishing apparel has cost 20 pounds, I believe that Jordascatches every one of them. "

Sad to say, this was even so; Lancelot tried once or twice, for somefive minutes at a time, throwing the fly as he threw a skittle-ball; butfinding no fish at once respond to his precipitance, down he cast therod, and left the rest of it to Jordas. But inasmuch as he broughtback fish whenever he went out fishing, and looked as brilliantand picturesque as a salmon-fly, in his new costume, his mother wasdelighted, and his aunt, being full of fresh troubles, paid small heedto him. 

For as soon as the roads became safe again, and an honest attorney couldenter "horse hire" in his bill without being too chivalrous, and the inkthat had clotted in the good-will time began to form black blood again, Mr. Jellicorse himself resolved legitimately to set forth upon a legalenterprise. The winter had shaken him slightly--for even a solicitor'sbody is vulnerable; and well for the clerk of the weather it is that noaction lies against him--and his good wife told him to be very careful, although he looked as young as ever. She had no great opinion of thepeople he was going to, and was sure that they would be too high andmighty even to see that his bed was aired. For her part, she hoped thatthe reports were true which were now getting into every honest person'smouth; and if he would listen to a woman's common-sense, and at oncego over to the other side, it would serve them quite right, and be thebetter for his family, and give a good lift to his profession. But hishonesty was stout, and vanquished even his pride in his profession. 

CHAPTER L

PRINCELY TREATMENT

"This, then, is what you have to say, " cried my lady Philippa, in a toneof little gratitude, and perhaps not purely free from wrath; "this iswhat has happened, while you did nothing?"

"Madam, I assure you, " Mr. Jellicorse replied, "that no one point hasbeen neglected. And truly I am bold enough--though you may not perceiveit--to take a little credit to myself for the skill and activity of myproceedings. I have a most conceited man against me; no member at allof our honored profession; but rather inclined to make light of us. A gentleman--if one may so describe him--of the name of Mordacks, wholives in a den below a bridge in York, and has very long harassedthe law by a sort of cheap-jack, slap-dash, low-minded style of doingthings. 'Jobbing, ' I may call it--cheap and nasty jobbing--not at allthe proper thing, from a correct point of view. 'A catch-penny fellow, 'that's the proper name for him--I was trying to think of it half the wayfrom Middleton. "

"And now, in your eloquence, you have hit upon it. I can easilyunderstand that such a style of business would not meet with yourapprobation. But, Mr. Jellicorse, he seems to me to have proved himselfconsiderably more active in his way--however objectionable that maybe--than you, as our agent, have shown yourself. "

The cheerful, expressive, and innocent face of Mr. Jellicorse protestednow. By nature he was almost as honest as Geoffrey Mordacks himselfcould be; and in spite of a very long professional career, the originalelement was there, and must be charged for. 

"I can not recall to my memory, " he said, "any instance of neglect on mypart. But if that impression is upon your mind, it would be better foryou to change your legal advisers at an early opportunity. Such has beenthe frequent practice, madam, of your family. And but for that, none ofthis trouble could exist. I must beg you either to withdraw the chargeof negligence, which I understand you to have brought, or else toappoint some gentleman of greater activity to conduct your business. "

With the haughtiness of her headstrong race, Miss Yordas had failed asyet to comprehend that a lawyer could be a gentleman. And even now thatidea scarcely broke upon her, until she looked hard at Mr. Jellicorse. But he, having cast aside all deference for the moment, met her sterngaze with such courteous indifference and poise of self-composure thatshe suddenly remembered that his grandfather had been the master of apack of fox-hounds. 

"I have made no charge of negligence; you are hasty, and misunderstandme, " she answered, after waiting for him to begin again, as if he were arash aggressor. "It is possible that you desire to abandon our case, andconceive affront where none is meant whatever. "

"God forbid!" Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, with his legal state of mindreturning. "A finer case never came into any court of law. There is acoarse axiom, not without some truth, that possession is nine points ofthe law. We have possession. What is even more important, we have thehostile instrument in our possession. "

"You mean that unfortunate and unjust deed, of a by-gone time, that wasso wickedly concealed? Dishonest transaction from first to last!"

"Madam, the law is not to blame for that, nor even the lawyers; but theclients, who kept changing them. But for that, your admirable fathermust have known that the will he dictated to me was waste paper. Atleast as regards the main part of these demesnes. "

"What monstrous injustice! A positive premium upon filial depravity. Youregard things professionally, I suppose. But surely it must have struckyou as a flagrant dishonesty, a base and wicked crime, that a documentso vile should be allowed even to exist. "

Miss Yordas had spoken with unusual heat; and the lawyer looked at herwith an air of mild inquiry. Was it possible that she suggested to himthe destruction of the wicked instrument? Ladies had done queer things, within his knowledge; but this lady showed herself too cautious forthat. 

"I know what my father would have done in such a case, " she continued, with her tranquil smile recovered: "he would just have ridden up to hissolicitor's office, demanded the implement of robbery, brought it home, and set it upon the hall fire, in the presence of the whole of hisfamily and household. But now we live in such a strictly lawful age thatno crime can be stopped, if only perpetrated legally. And you saythat Mr. More--something, 'Moresharp, ' I think it was, knows of thatiniquitous production?"

"Madam, we can not be certain; but I have reason to suspect that Mr. Mordacks has got wind of that unfortunate deed of appointment. "

"Supposing that he has, and that he means to use his knowledge, he cannot force the document from your possession, can he?"

"Not without an order. But by filing affidavit, after issue of writ inejectment, they may compel us to produce, and allow attested copy to betaken. "

"Then the law is disgraceful to the last degree, and it is useless toown anything. That deed is in your charge, as our attorney, I suppose, sir?"

"By no other right, madam: we have twelve chestfuls, any one or all ofwhich I am bound to render up to your order. "

"Our confidence in you is unshaken. But without shaking it we mightorder home any particular chest for inspection?"

"Most certainly, madam, by giving us receipt for it. For antiquarianuses, and others, such a thing is by no means irregular. And the oldestof all the deeds are in that box--charters from the crown, grants fromcorporations, records of assay by arms--warrants that even I can notdecipher. "

"A very learned gentleman is likely soon to visit us--a man of modernfamily, who spends his whole time in seeking out the stories of theolder ones. No family in Yorkshire is comparable to ours in the interestof its annals. "

"That is a truth beyond all denial, madam. The character of your ancientrace has always been a marked one. "

"And always honorable, Mr. Jellicorse. Undeviating principle hasdistinguished all my ancestors. Nothing has ever been allowed to standbetween them and their view of right. "

"You could not have put it more clearly, Mistress Yordas. Their own viewof right has been their guiding star throughout. And they never havefailed to act accordingly. "

"Alas! of how very few others can we say it! But being of a very goodold family yourself, you are able to appreciate such conduct. Youwould like me, perhaps, to sign the order for that box ofancient--cartularies--is not that the proper word for them? And it mightbe as well to state why they happen to be wanted--for purposes of familyhistory. "

"Madam, I will at once prepare a memorandum for your signature and yoursister's. "

The mind of Mr. Jellicorse was much relieved, although the relief wasnot untempered with misgivings. He sat down immediately at an ancientwriting-table, and prepared a short order for delivery, to theirtrusty servant Jordas, of a certain box, with the letter C upon it, andcontaining title-deeds of Scargate Hall estate. 

"I think it might be simpler not to put it so precisely, " my ladyPhilippa suggested, "but merely to say a box containing the oldest ofthe title-deeds, as required for an impending antiquarian research. "

Mr. Jellicorse made the amendment; and then, with the prudence of longpractice, added, "The order should be in your handwriting, madam; willit give you too much trouble just to copy it?" "How can it signify, if it bears our signatures?" his client asked, with a smile at sucha trifle; however, she sat down, and copied it upon another sheetof paper. Then Mr. Jellicorse, beautifully bowing, drew near to takepossession of his own handwriting; but the lady, with a bow of evengreater elegance, lifted the cover of the standing desk, and thereinplaced both manuscripts; and the lawyer perceived that he could saynothing. 

"How delightful it is to be quit of business!" The hostess now lookedhospitable. "We need not recur to this matter, I do hope. That paper, whatever it is, will be signed by both of us, and handed over to you, in your legal head-quarters, to-morrow. We must have the pleasure ofsending you home in the morning, Mr. Jellicorse. We have bought a verywonderful vehicle, invented for such roads as ours, and to supersede thejumping-car. It is warranted to traverse any place a horse cantravel, with luxurious ease to the passengers, and safety of no commondescription. Jordas will drive you; your horse can trot behind; and youcan send back by it whatever there may be. "

Mr. Jellicorse detested new inventions, and objected most strongly toany experiment made in his own body. However, he would rather diethan plead his time of life in bar, and his faith in the dogman wasunlimited. And now the gentle Mrs. Carnaby, who had gracefully takenflight from "horrid business, " returned in an evening dress and witha sweetly smiling countenance, and very nearly turned the Jellicorsianhead, snowy as it was, with soft attentions and delicious deference. 

"I was treated like a prince, " he said next day, when delivered safe athome, and resting among his rather dingy household gods. "There nevercould have been a more absurd idea than that notion of yours about mybeing put into wet sheets, Diana. Why, I even had my night-cap warmed;and a young woman came, with a blush upon her face, and a questionwhether I would be pleased to sleep in a gross of Naples stockings! Ah, to my mind, after all, it proves what I have always said--that there isnothing like old blood. "

"Nothing like old blood for being made a fool of, " his wife replied, with a coarseness which made him shiver, after Mrs. Carnaby. "They knowwhat they are about, I'll lay a penny. Some roguery, no doubt, that theyseek to lead you into. That is what their night-caps and stockings mean. How low it is to make a foreground of them!"

"Hush, my dear! I can not bear such want of charity. And what is evenworse, you expose me to an action at law, with heavy damages. "

The lawyer had sundry little qualms of conscience, which were deepenedby his wife's sagacious words; and suddenly it struck him that thenew-fangled vehicle which had brought him home so quietly from Scargatehad shown a strange inability to stand still for more than two minutesat his side door. So much had he been hurried by the apparent straits ofhis charioteer that he ran out with box C without ever stopping to makean inventory of its contents--as he intended to do--or even lookingwhether the all-important deed was there. In fact, he had scarcely timeto seal up the key in a separate package, hand it to Jordas, and takethe order (now become a receipt) from the horny fist of the dogman, before Marmaduke, rendered more dashing by snow-drift, was away like athunder-bolt--if such a thing there be, and if it has four legs. 

"How could I have helped doing as I have done?" he whispered to himself, uncomfortably. "Here are two ladies of high position, and they send ajoint order for their property. By-the-bye, I will just have a look atthat order, now that there is no horse to jump over me. " Upon going tothe day file, he found the order right, transcribed from his own amendedcopy, and bearing two signatures, as it should do. But it struck himthat the words "Eliza Carnaby" were written too boldly for that lady'shand; and the more he looked at them, the more he was convinced ofit. That was no concern of his, for it was not his duty, under thecircumstances of the case, to verify her signature. But this convictiondrove him to an uncomfortable conclusion--"Miss Yordas intends todestroy that deed without her sister's knowledge. She knows that hersister's nerve is weaker, and she does not like to involve her inthe job. A very brave, sisterly feeling, no doubt, and much the wisercourse, if she means to do it. It is a bold stroke, and well worthy ofa Yordas. But I hope, with all my heart, that she never can have thoughtof it. And she kept that order in my handwriting to make it look as ifthe suggestion came from me! And I am as innocent as any lamb is of thefrauds that shall come to be written on his skin. The duty of attorneytoward client prevents me from opening my lips upon the matter. But sheis a deep woman, and a bold one too. May the Lord direct things aright!I shall retire, and let Robert have the practice, as soon as Brown'sbankruptcy has worn out captious creditors. It is the Lord alone thatdoeth all things well. "

Mr. Jellicorse knew that he had done his best; and though doubtful ofthe turn which things had taken, with some exclusion of his agency, hefelt (though his conscience told him not to feel it) that here was onetrue source of joy. That impudent, dashing, unprofessional man, who wasalways poking his vile unarticled nose into legal business, that fellowof the name of Mordacks, now would have no locus standi left. At leasta hundred and fifty firms, of good standing in the county, detested thatman, and even a judge would import a scintillula juris into any measurewhich relieved the country of him. Meditating thus, he heard a knock. 

CHAPTER LI

STAND AND DELIVER

The day was not far worn as yet; and May month having come at last, theday could stand a good deal of wear. With Jordas burning to exhibit thewonders of the new machine (which had been bought upon his advice), and with Marmaduke conscious of the new gloss on his coat, all previoustimes had been beaten--as the sporting writers put it; that is to say, all previous times of the journey from Scargate to Middleton, for anyman who sat on wheels. A rider would take a shorter cut, and have manyother advantages; but for a driver the time had been the quickest uponrecord. 

Mr. Jellicorse, exulting in his safety, had imprinted the chaste saluteupon his good wife's cheek at ten minutes after one o'clock; when theclerks in the office with laudable promptitude (not expecting him asyet) had unanimously cast down pen, and betaken hand and foot towardknife and fork. Instead of blaming them, this good lawyer went upon thatsame road himself, with the great advantage that the road to his dinnerlay through his own kitchen. At dinner-time he had much to tell, andmany large helps to receive, of interest and of admiration, especiallyfrom his pet child Emily (who forgot herself so largely as to lick herspoon while gazing), and after dinner he was not without reasons forletting perhaps a little of the time slip by. Therefore, by the time hehad described all dangers, discharged his duty to all comforts, and heldthe little confidential talk with his wife and himself above recorded, the clock had made its way to half past three. 

Mrs. Jellicorse and Emily were gone forth to pay visits; the clerks, shut away in their own room, were busy, scratching up a lovely case fornisi prius; the cook had thrown the sifted cinders on the kitchen fire, and was gone with the maids to exchange just a few constitutional wordswith the gardener; and the whole house was drowsy with that by-time whenlight and shadow seem to mix together, and far-away sounds take a faintto and fro, as if they were the pendulum of silence. 

"That is Emily's knock. Impatient child! Come back for her mother'sgloves, or something. All the people are out; I must go and let her in. "

With these words, and a little placid frown--because a soft nap wasimpending on his eyelids, and yet they were always glad to open on hisfavorite--the worthy lawyer rose, and took a pinch of snuff to rousehimself; but before he could get to the door, a louder and moreimpatient rap almost made him jump. 

"What a hurry you are in, my dear! You really should try to learn somelittle patience. "

While he was speaking, he opened the door; and behold, there was nolittle girl, but a tall and stately gentleman in horseman's dress, andof strong commanding aspect. 

"What is your pleasure, sir?" the lawyer asked, while his heart beganto flutter; for exactly such a visitor had caused him scare of his life, when stronger by a quarter of a century than now. 

"My pleasure, or rather my business, is with Mr. Jellicorse, thelawyer. "

"Then, sir, you have come to the right man for it. My name isJellicorse, and greatly at your service. Allow me the honor of invitingyou within. "

"My name is Yordas--Sir Duncan Yordas, " said the stranger, when seatedin the lawyer's private room. "My father, Philip Yordas, was a client ofyours, and of other legal gentlemen before he came to you. Upon the dayof his death, in the year 1777, you prepared his will, which you havesince found to be of no effect, except as regards his personal estate, and about one-eighth part of the realty. Of the bulk of the land, including Scargate Hall, he could not dispose, for the simple reasonthat it had been strictly entailed by a deed executed by my grandfatherand his wife in 1751. Under that entail I take in fee, for it could nothave been barred without me; and I never concurred in any disentailingdeed, and my father never knew that such was needful. "

"Excuse me, Sir Duncan, but you seem to be wonderfully apt with theterms of our profession. "

"I could scarcely be otherwise, after all that I have had to do withlaw, in India. Our first object is to apply our own laws, and our secondto spread our religion. But no more of that. Do you admit the truth of amatter so stated that you can not fail to grasp it?"

Sir Duncan Yordas, as he put this question, fixed large, unwavering, andpiercing eyes (against which no spectacles were any shelter) upon themild, amiable, and, generally speaking, very honest orbs of sightwhich had lighted the path of the elder gentleman to good repute andcompetence. But who may turn a lawyer's hand from the Heaven-sped legalplough?

"Am I to understand, Sir Duncan Yordas, that your visit to me is of anamicable nature, and intended (without prejudice to other interests) toascertain, so far as may be compatible with professional rules, how farmy clients are acquainted with documents alleged or imagined to be inexistence, and how far their conduct might be guided by desire to affordevery reasonable facility?"

"You are to understand simply this, that as the proper owner of ScargateHall, and the main part of the estates held with it, I require you tosign a memorandum that you hold all the title-deeds on my behalf, and todeliver at once to me that entailing instrument of 1751, under which Imake my claim. "

"You speak, sir, as if you had already brought your action, and enteredverdict. Legal process may be dispensed with in barbarous countries, butnot here. The title-deeds and other papers of Scargate Hall were placedin my custody neither by you nor on your behalf, sir. I hold themon behalf of those at present in possession; and until I receive dueinstructions from them, or a final order from a court of law, I shouldbe guilty of a breach of trust if I parted with a dog's-ear of them. "

"You distinctly refuse my requirements, and defy me to enforce them?"

"Not so, Sir Duncan. I do nothing more than declare what my view of myduty is, and decline in any way to depart from it. "

"Upon that score I have nothing more to say. I did not expect you togive up the deeds, though in 'barbarous countries, ' as you call them, wehave peremptory ways. I will say more than that, Mr. Jellicorse--I willsay that I respect you for clinging to what you must know better thananybody else to be the weaker side. "

The lawyer bowed his very best bow, but was bound to enter protestagainst the calm assumption of the claimant. 

"Let us leave that question, " Sir Duncan said; "the time would failus to discuss that now. But one thing I surely may insist upon asthe proper heir of my grandfather. I may desire you to produce for myinspection that deed in pursuance of his marriage settlement, which hasfor so many years lain concealed. "

"With pleasure I will do so, Sir Duncan Yordas (presuming that any suchdeed exists), upon the production of an order from the Court either ofKing's Bench or of Common Pleas. "

"In that case you would be obliged to produce it, and would earn nothanks of mine. But I ask you to lay aside the legal aspect; for noaction is pending, and perhaps never will be. I ask you, as a valuedadviser of the family, and a trustworthy friend to its interests--as agentleman, in fact, rather than a mere lawyer--to do a wise and amicablething. You can not in any way injure your case, if a law case is tocome of it, because we know all about the deed already. We even havean abstract of it as clear as you yourself could make, and we havediscovered that one of the witnesses is still alive. I have come to youmyself in preference to employing a lawyer, because I hope, if you meetme frankly, to put things in train for a friendly and fair settlement. I am not a young man; I have been disappointed of any one to succeed me, and I wish to settle my affairs in this country, and return to India, which suits me better, and where I am more useful. My sisters have notbehaved kindly to me; but that I must try to forgive and forget. Ihave thought matters over, and am quite prepared to offer very liberalterms--in short, to leave them in possession of Scargate, upon certainconditions and in a certain manner. "

"Really, Sir Duncan, " Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, "allow me to offer youa pinch of snuff. You are pleased with it? Yes, it is of quite superiorquality. It saved the life of a most admirable fellow, a henchmanof your family--in fact, poor Jordas. The power of this snuff alonesupported him from freezing--"

"At another time I may be highly interested in that matter, " the visitorreplied, without meaning to be rude, but knowing that the man of law wasmaking passes to gain time; "just at present I must ask you to say yesor no. If you wish me to set my offer plainly before you, and so relievethe property of the cost of a hopeless struggle--for I have taken theopinion of the first real property counsel of the age--you will, as atoken of good faith and of common-sense, produce for my inspection thatdeed-poll of November 15, 1751. "

Poor Mr. Jellicorse was desperately driven. He looked round the room, toseek for any interruption. He went to the window, and pretended to seeanother visitor knocking at the door. But no help came; he must faceit out himself; and Sir Duncan, with his quiet resolution, looked morestern than his violent father. 

"I think that before we proceed any further, " said the lawyer, at lastsitting down, and taking up a pen and trying what the nib was like, "wereally should understand a little where we are already. My own desire toavoid litigation is very strong--almost unprofessionally so--thoughthe first thing consulted by all of us naturally is the pocket of ourclient--"

"Whether it will hold out, I suppose. " Sir Duncan Yordas departed fromhis dignity in saying this, and was sorry as soon as he had said it. 

"That is the vulgar impression about us, which it is our duty todisdain. But without losing time upon that question, let me ask, whatshall I put down as your proposition, sir?"

"There is nothing to put down. That is just the point. I do not comehere with any formal proposition. If that had been my object, I wouldhave brought a lawyer. What I say is that I have the right to see thatdeed. It forms no part of my sisters' title-deeds, but even destroystheir title. It belongs to me, it is my property, and only through fraudis it now in your hands. Of course we can easily wrest it from you, andmust do so if you defy me. It rests with you to take that risk. But Iprefer to cut things short. I pledge myself to two things--first, toleave the document in your possession; and next, to offer fair and evenhandsome terms when you have met me thus fairly. Why should you object?For we know all about it. Never mind how. "

Those last three words decided the issue. Even worse than the fear ofbreach of trust was the fear of treason in the office, and the lawyer'sonly chance of getting clew to that was to keep on terms with this SirDuncan Yordas. There had been no treason whatever in the office; neitherhad anything come out through the proctorial firm in York, or Sir WalterCarnaby's solicitors; but a note among longheaded Duncombe's papers hadgot into the hands of Mordacks. Of that, however, Mr. Jellicorse had noidea. 

"Sir Duncan Yordas, I will meet you as you come, " he said, with hisgood, fresh-colored face, as honest as the sun when the clouds roll off. "It is an unusual step on my part, and perhaps irregular. But ratherthan destroy the prospect of a friendly compromise, I will straina point, and candidly admit that there is an instrument open to aninterpretation which might, or might not, be in your favor. "

"That I knew long ago, and more than that. My demand is--to see it, andto satisfy myself. "

"Under the circumstances, I am half inclined to think that I shouldbe disposed to allow you that privilege if the document were in mypossession. "

"Now, Mr. Jellicorse, " Sir Duncan answered, showing his temper in hiseyes alone, "how much longer will you trifle with me? Where is thatdeed?"

Mr. Jellicorse drew forth his watch, took off his spectacles, and dustedthem carefully with a soft yellow handkerchief; then restored them totheir double sphere of usefulness, and perused, with some diligence, thetime of day. By the law which compels a man to sneeze when another mansets the example, Sir Duncan also drew forth his watch. 

"I am trying to make my reply as accurate, " said the lawyer, beginningto enjoy the position as a man, though not quite as a lawyer--"asaccurate as your candor and confidence really deserve, Sir Duncan. Thebox containing that document, to which you attach so much importance(whether duly or otherwise is not for me to say until counsel's opinionhas been taken on our side), considering the powers of the horse, thatbox should be about Stormy Gap by this time. A quarter to four by me. What does your watch say, sir?"

"The deed has been sent for, post-haste, has it? And you know for whatpurpose?"

"You must draw a distinction between the deed and the box containingit, Sir Duncan. Or, to put it more accurately, betwixt that deed and itscasual accompaniments. It happens to be among very old charters, whichhappen to be wanted for certain excellent antiquarian purposes. Such things are not in my line, I must confess, although so deeplyinteresting. But a very learned man seems to have expressed--"

"Rubbish. Excuse me, but you are most provoking. You know, as well as Ido, that robbery is intended, and you allow yourself to be made a partyto it. "

This was the simple truth; and the lawyer, being (by some strangeinversion of professional excellence) honest at the bottom, was deeplypained at having such words used, as to, for, about, or in anywiseconcerning him. 

"I think, Sir Duncan, that you will be sorry, " he answered, with muchdignity, "for employing such language where it can not be resented. Yourfather was a violent man, and we all expect violence of your family. "

"There is no time to go into that question now. If I have wronged you, I will beg your pardon. A very few hours will prove how that is. How andby whom have you sent the box?"

Mr. Jellicorse answered, rather stiffly, that his clients had sent atrusty servant with a light vehicle to fetch the box, and that now hemust be half way toward home. 

"I shall overtake him, " said Sir Duncan, with a smile; "I have a goodhorse, and I know the shortcuts. Hoofs without wheels go a yard to afoot upon such rocky collar-work. "

Without another word, except "Good-by, " Sir Duncan Yordas left thehouse, walked rapidly to the inn, and cut short the dinner his goodhorse was standing up to. In a very few minutes he was on Tees bridge, with his face toward the home of his ancestors. 

It may be supposed that neither his thoughts nor those of the lawyerwere very cheerful. Mr. Jellicorse was deeply anxious as to the conflictwhich must ensue, and as to the figure his fair fame might cut, if thisstrange transaction should be exposed and calumniated by evil tongues. In these elderly days, and with all experience, he had laid himselfopen, not legally perhaps, but morally, to the heavy charge ofconnivance at a felonious act, and even some contribution toward it. Hetold himself vainly that he could not help it, that the documents werein his charge only until he was ordered to give them up, and that it wasno concern of his to anticipate what might become of them. His positionhad truly been difficult, but still he might have escaped from it withclearer conscience. His duty was to cast away drawing-room manners, andwarn Miss Yordas that the document she hated so was not her own to dealwith, but belonged (in equity at least) to those who were entitled underit, and that to take advantage of her wrongful possession, and destroythe foe, was a crime, and, more than that, a shabby one. The formerpoint might not have stopped her; but the latter would have done sowithout fail, for her pride was equal to her daring. But poor Mr. Jellicorse had felt the power of a will more resolute than his own, andof grand surroundings and exalted style; and his desire to please hadconfused, and thereby overcome, his perception of the right. But nowthese reflections were all too late, and the weary brain found comfortonly in the shelter of its night-cap. 

If a little slip had brought a very good man to unhappiness, how muchharder was it for Sir Duncan Yordas, who had committed no offense atall! No Yordas had ever cared a tittle for tattle--to use their ownexpression--but deeper mischief than tattle must ensue, unless greatluck prevented it. The brother knew well that his sister inherited muchof the reckless self-will which had made the name almost a by-word, and which had been master of his own life until large experience ofthe world, and the sense of responsible power, curbed it. He had littleaffection for that sister left--for she had used him cruelly, and evennow was imbittering the injury--but he still had some tender feeling forthe other, who had always been his favorite. And though cut off, by hisfather's act, from due headship of the family, he was deeply grieved, inthis more enlightened age, to expose their uncivilized turbulence. 

Therefore he spurred his willing horse against the hill, and up themany-winding ruggedness of road, hoping, at every turn, to descry in thedistance the vehicle carrying that very plaguesome box. If his son hadbeen there, he might have told him, on the ridge of Stormy Gap (whichcommanded high and low, rough and smooth, dark and light, for milesahead), that Jordas was taking the final turn, by the furthest gleam ofthe water-mist, whence the stone road labored up to Scargate. But SirDuncan's eyes--though as keen as an eagle's while young--had now seentoo much of the sun to make out that gray atom gliding in the sunsethaze. 

Upon the whole, it was a lucky thing that he could not overtake the car;for Jordas would never have yielded his trust while any life was in him;and Sir Duncan having no knowledge of him, except as a boy-of-all-workabout the place, might have been tempted to use the sword, without whichno horseman then rode there. Or failing that, a struggle between twoequally resolute men must have followed, with none at hand to part them. 

When the horseman came to the foot of the long steep pull leading up tothe stronghold of his race, he just caught a glimpse of the car turningin at the entrance of the court-yard. "They have half an hour's start ofme, " he thought, as he drew up behind a rock, that the house might notdescry him; "if I ride up in full view, I hurry the mischief. Philippawill welcome me with the embers of my title. She must not suspect thatthe matter is so urgent. Nobody shall know that I am coming. For manyreasons I had better try the private road below the Scarfe. "

CHAPTER LII

THE SCARFE

Jordas, without suspicion of pursuit, had allowed no grass to grow underthe feet of Marmaduke on the homeward way. His orders were to use allspeed, to do as he had done at the lawyer's private door, and then, without baiting his horse, to drive back, reserving the nose-bag forsome very humpy halting-place. There is no such man, at the present timeof day, to carry out strict orders, as the dogman was, and the chanceof there being such a one again diminishes by very rapid process. Marmaduke, as a horse, was of equal quality, reasoning not about hisorders, but about the way to do them. 

There was no special emergency now, so far as my lady Philippa knew; butthe manner of her mind was to leave no space between a resolution andits execution. This is the way to go up in the world, or else to go downabruptly; and to her the latter would have been far better than to haltbetween two opinions. Her plan had been shaped and set last night, and, like all great ideas, was the simplest of the simple. And Jordas, whohad inklings of his own, though never admitted to confidence, knew howto carry out the outer part. 

"When the turbot comes, " she said to Welldrum, as soon as her long sightshowed her the trusty Jordas beginning the home ascent, "it is to betaken first out of the car, and to my sister's sitting-room; the otherthings Jordas will see to. I may be going for a little walk. But youwill at once carry up the turbot. Mrs. Carnaby's appetite is delicate. "

The butler had his own opinion upon that interesting subject. But in herpresence it must be his own. Any attempt at enlargement of her mind byexchange of sentiment--such as Mrs. Carnaby permitted and enjoyed--wouldhave sent him flying down the hill, pursued by square-toed men preparedto add elasticity to velocity. Therefore Welldrum made a leg in silence, and retreated, while his mistress prepared for her intended exploit. Shehad her beaver hat and mantle ready by the shrubbery door--as a littlequiet postern of her own was called--and in the heavy standing desk, or"secretary, " of her private room she had stored a flat basket, or frail, of stout flags, with a heavy clock weight inside it. 

"Much better to drown the wretched thing than burn it, " she had beensaying to herself, "especially at this time of year, when fires are weakand telltale. And parchment makes such a nasty smell; Eliza might comein and suspect it. But the Scarfe is a trusty confidant. "

Mistress Yordas, while sure that her sister (having even more thanherself at stake) would approve and even applaud her scheme, was equallysure that it must be kept from her, both for its own sake and for hers. And the sooner it was done, the less the chance of disturbing poorEliza's mind. 

The Scarfe is a deep pool, supposed to have no bottom (except, perhaps, in the very bowels of the earth), upon one of the wildest head-waters ofthe Tees. A strong mountain torrent from a desolate ravine springs forthwith great ferocity, and sooner than put up with any more stabs fromthe rugged earth, casts itself on air. For a hundred and twenty feet thewater is bright, in the novelty and the power of itself, striking outfreaks of eccentric flashes, and even little sun-bows, in fine weather. But the triumph is brief; and a heavy retribution, created by itsviolence, awaits below. From the tossing turmoil of the fall two whitevolumes roll away, with a clash of waves between them, and sweepinground the craggy basin, meet (like a snowy wreath) below, and rush backin coiling eddies flaked with foam. All the middle is dark deep water, looking on the watch for something to suck down. 

What better duty, or more pious, could a hole like this perform, thanthat of swallowing up a lawyer; or, if no such morsel offered, then atleast a lawyer's deeds? Many a sheep had been there ingulfed, and neversaluted by her lambs again; and although a lawyer by no means is a sheep(except in his clothing, and his eyes perhaps), yet his doings appearupon the skin thereof, and enhance its value more than drugs of Tyre. And it is to be feared that some fleeced clients will not feel thehorror which they ought to feel at the mode pursued by Mistress Yordasin the delivery of her act and deed. 

She came down the dell, from the private grounds of Scargate, with aresolute face, and a step of strength. The clock weight, that shouldknow time no more, was well imbosomed in the old deed-poll, and allstitched firmly in the tough brown frail, whose handles would help for along strong cast. Towering crags, and a ridge of jagged scaurs, shut outthe sunset, while a thicket of dwarf oak, and the never-absent bramble, aproned the yellow dugs of shale with brown. In the middle was thecaldron of the torrent, called the "Scarfe, " with the sheer trap-rock, which is green in the sunlight, like black night flung around it, whilea snowy wreath of mist (like foam exhaling) circled round the basinedsteep, or hovered over the chasm. 

Miss Yordas had very stanch nerves, but still, for reasons of her own, she disliked this place, and never came near it for pleasure's sake, although in dry summers, when the springs were low, the fury of thescene passed into grandeur, and even beauty. But a Yordas (long ago goneto answer for it) had flung a man, who plagued him with the law, intothis hole. And what was more disheartening, although of less importance, a favorite maid of this lady, upon the exile of her sweetheart, hearingthat his feet were upside down to hers, and that this hole went rightthrough the earth, had jumped into it, in a lonely moment, instead oftaking lessons in geography. Philippa Yordas was as brave as need be;but now her heart began to creep as coldly as the shadows crept. 

For now she was out of sight of home, and out of hearing of any sound, except the roaring of the force. The Hall was half a mile away, behinda shoulder of thick-ribbed hill; and it took no sight of this torrent, until it became a quiet river by the downward road. "I must be gettingold, " Miss Yordas thought, "or else this path is much rougher than itused to be. Why, it seems to be getting quite dangerous! It is too badof Jordas not to see to things better. My father used to ride this waysometimes. But how could a horse get along here now?"

There used to be a bridle-road from the grounds of Scargate to a fordbelow the force, and northward thence toward the Tees; or by keepingdown stream, and then fording it again, a rider might hit uponthe Middleton road, near the rock that warned the public of theblood-hounds. This bridle-road kept a great distance from the cliffsoverhanging the perilous Scarfe; and the only way down to a view ofthe fall was a scrambling track, over rocks and trunks, unworthy tobe called a foot-path. The lady with the bag had no choice left but tofollow this track, or else abandon her intention. For a moment shewas sorry that she had not been satisfied with some less troublesomedestruction of her foe, even at the risk of chance suspicions. Buthaving thus begun it, she would not turn back, and be angry with heridle fears when she came to think of them. 

With hereditary scorn of second thoughts she cast away doubt, and wentdown the steep, and stood on the brow of sheer rock, to recover herbreath and strength for a long bold cast. The crag beneath her feet wastrembling with the power of the flood below, and the white mist from thedeep moved slowly, shrouding now, and now revealing, the black gulf andits slippery walls. For the last few months Miss Yordas had taken verylittle exercise, and seldom tasted the open air; therefore the tumultand terror of the place, in the fading of the sky and darkening of theearth, got hold of her more than they should have done. 

With the frail in her right hand, poised upon three fingers (for thefourth had been broken in her childhood), she planted the sole of herleft foot on the brink, and swung herself for the needful cast. 

A strong throw was needful to reach the black water that never gaveup anything: if the bag were dropped in the foaming race, it mightbe carried back to the heel of the fall. She was proud of her bodilystrength, which was almost equal to that of a muscular man, and her longarm swelled with the vigor of the throw. But just when the weight shouldhave been delivered, and flown with a hiss into the bottomless abyss, aloose flag of the handle twisted on her broken finger. Instead of beingfreed, the bag fell back, struck her in the chest, and threw her back, for the clock weight was a heavy one. Her balance was lost, her feetflew up, she fell upon her back, and the smooth beaver cloak begansliding upon the slippery rock. Horrible death was pulling at her; nota stick nor a stone was in reach of her hands, and the pitiless cragsechoed one long shriek above all the roar of the water-fall. She stroveto turn over and grasp the ground, but only felt herself going faster. Her bright boots were flashing against the white mist--a picture inher mind forever--her body was following, inch by inch. With elbow andshoulder, and even hair coils, she strove to prolong the descent intodeath; but the descent increased its speed, and the sky itself wassliding. 

Just when the balance was inclining downward, and the plunge hanging ona hair's-breadth, powerful hands fell upon her shoulders; a grating of adrag against the grain was the last thing she was conscious of; and SirDuncan Yordas, having made a strong pull, at the imminent risk of hislife, threw back his weight on the heels of his boots, and they helpedhim. His long Indian spurs, which had no rowel, held their hold like afalcon's hind talon; and he drew back the lady without knowing who shewas, having leaped from his horse at her despairing scream. From hisknowledge of the place he concluded that it was some person seekingsuicide, but recoiling from the sight of death; and without anotherthought he risked his life to save. 

Breathless himself--for the transit of years and of curry-powder had notimproved his lungs--he labored at the helpless form, and laid it at lastin a place of safety. 

"What a weight the lady is!" was his first idea; "it can not be want offood that has driven her, nor of money either; her cloak would fetch athousand rupees in Calcutta. And a bag full of something--precious also, to judge by the way she clings to it. Poor thing! Can I get any waterfor her? There used to be a spring here, where the woodcocks came. Isit safe to leave her? Certainly not, with her head like that; she mighteven have apoplexy. Allow me, madam. I will not steal it. It is only fora cushion. "

The lady, however, though still in a stupor, kept her fingers clinchedupon the handle of the bag; and without using violence he could not movethem. Then the stitching of the frail gave way, and Sir Duncan espieda roll of parchment. Suddenly the lady opened large dark eyes, whichwandered a little, and then (as he raised her head) met his, and turnedaway. 

"Philippa!" he said, and she faintly answered "Yes, " being humbled andshaken by her deadly terror, and scarcely sure of safety yet, for theroar and the chasm were in sight and hearing still. 

"Philippa, are you better? Never mind what you were thinking of. Allshall be right about that, Philippa. What is land in comparison withlife? Look up at me. Don't be afraid to look. Surely you know your onlybrother! I am Duncan, who ran away, and has lived for years in India. I used to be very kind to you when we were children, and why should Ialter from it now? I remember when you tumbled in the path down there, and your knee was bleeding, and I tied it up with a dock leaf and myhandkerchief. Can you remember? It was primrose time. "

"To be sure I do, " she said, looking up with cheerfulness; "and youcarried me all the way home almost, and Eliza was dreadfully jealous. "

"That she always was, and you not much better. But now we are getting onin life, and we need not have much to do with one another. Still, we maytry not to kill one another by trumpery squabbles about property. Staywhere you are for a moment, sister, and you shall see the end of that. "

Sir Duncan took the bag, with the deed inside it, returned in threesteps to the perilous shelf, and with one strong hurl sent forth theload, which cleft the white mist, and sank forever in the waves of thewhirlpool. 

"No one can prosecute me for that, " he said, returning with a smile, "though Mordacks may be much aggrieved. Now, Philippa, although I cannot carry you well, from the additions time has made to you, I can helpyou home, my dear; and then on upon my business. "

The pride and self-esteem of Miss Yordas had never been so crushedbefore. She put both hands upon her brother's shoulders, and burst intoa flood of tears. 

CHAPTER LIII

BUTS REBUTTED

Sir Duncan Yordas was a man of impulse, as almost every man must be whosways the wills of other men. But he had not acted upon mere impulse incasting away his claim to Scargate. He knew that he could never live inthat bleak spot, after all his years in India; he disliked the place, through his father's harshness; he did not care that any son of his, whohad lain under charge of a foul crime, and fled instead of meeting it, should become a "Yordas of Scargate Hall, " although that description byno means involved any very strict equity of conduct. And besides thesereasons, he had another, which will appear very shortly. But whateverthe secondary motives were, it was a large and generous act. 

When Mrs. Carnaby saw her brother, she was sure that he was come toturn her out, and went through a series of states of mind natural toan adoring mother with a frail imagination of an appetite--as shepoetically described it. She was not very swift of apprehension, although so promptly alive to anything tender, refined, and succulent. Having too strong a sense of duty to be guilty of any generosity, shecould not believe, either then or thereafter, that her brother had castaway anything at all, except a mere shred of a lawsuit. And without anyheed of chronology--because (as she justly inquired), what two clocksare alike?--she was certain that if he did anything at all to drive offthose horrible lawyers from the house, there was no credit due to anyone but Pet. It was the noble way Pet looked at him!

Pet, being introduced to his uncle, after dinner, when he came home fromfishing, certainly did look nobly at him, if a long stare is noble. Then he went up to him, with a large and liberal sniff, and an affableinquiry, as a little dog goes up to a big one. Sir Duncan was amused, having heard already some little particulars about this youth, whosenature he was able to enter into as none but a Yordas could rightly do. However, he was bound to make the best of him, and did so; discoveringnot only room for improvement, but some hope of that room beingoccupied. 

"The boy has been shockingly spoiled, " he said to his sister Philippathat evening; "also he is dreadfully ignorant. None of us are very greatat scholarship, and never have much occasion for it. But things arebecoming very different now. Everybody is beginning to be expected toknow everything. Very likely, as soon as I am no more wanted, I shall bevoted a blockhead. Luckily the wars keep people from being too choice, when their pick goes every minute. And this may stop the fuss, thatcomes from Scotland mainly, about universal distribution--or some bigwords--of education. 'Pet, ' as you call him, is a very clever fellow, with much more shape of words about him than ever I was blessed with. Inspelling I saw that he was my master; and so I tried him with geography, and all he knew of India was that it takes its name from India rubber!"

"Now I call that clever of him, " said Miss Yordas; "for I really mighthave forgotten even that. But the fatal defect in his education hasbeen the want of what you grow, chiefly in West India perhaps--thecane, Duncan, the sugar-cane. I have read all about it; you can tell menothing. You suck it, you smoke it, and you beat your children with it. "

"Well, " said Sir Duncan, who was not quite sure, in the face of suchauthority, "I disremember; but perhaps they do in some parts, becausethe country is so large. But it is not the ignorance of Pet I carefor--such a fault is natural and unavoidable; and who is there to pickholes in it? The boy knows a great deal more than I did at his age, because he is so much younger. But, Philippa, unless you do somethingwith him, he will never be a gentleman. "

"Duncan, you are hard. You have seen so much. "

"The more we see, the softer we become. The one thing we harden againstis lying--the seed, the root, and the substance of all vileness. I amsorry to say your Pet is a liar. "

"He does not always tell the truth, I know. But bear in mind, Duncan, that his mother did not insist--and, in fact, she does not herselfalways--"

"I know it; I am grieved that it should come from our side. I nevercared for his father much, because he went against me; but this I willsay for him, Lance Carnaby would sooner cut his tongue out that put itto a lie. When I am at home, my dealings are with fellows who couldnot speak the truth if they tried for dear life, simply through wantof practice. They are like your lower class of horse-dealers, but withinfinitely more intelligence. It is late to teach poor Pet the first ofall lessons; and for me to stop to do it is impossible. But will you tryto save further disgrace to a scapegrace family, but not a mean one?"

"I feel it as much as you do--perhaps more, " Miss Yordas answered, forgetting altogether about the deed-box and her antiquary. "You neednot tell me how very sad it is. But how can it be cured? His mother ishis mother. She never would part with him; and her health is delicate. "

"Stronger than either yours or mine, unless she takes too muchnourishment. Philippa, her will is mere petulance. For her own good, wemust set it aside. And if you agree with me, it can be done. He must gointo a marching regiment at once, ordered abroad, with five shillings inhis pocket, earn his pay, and live upon it. This patched-up peace willnever last six months. The war must be fought out till France goes down, or England. I can get him a commission; and I know the colonel, a man ofmy own sort, who sees things done, instead of talking. It would be themaking of Lancelot. He has plenty of courage, but it has been milched. At Oxford or Cambridge he would do no good, but simply be ruined byhaving his own way. Under my friend Colonel Thacker, he will have a hardtime of it, and tell no lies. "

Thus it was settled. There was a fearful outcry, hysterics of an elegantorder, and weepings enough to produce summer spate in the Tees. But theonly result was the ordering of the tailor, the hosier, the boot-maker, and the scissors-grinder to put a new edge upon Squire Philip's razors, that Pet might practice shaving. "Cold-blooded cruelty, savage homicide;cannibalism itself is kinder, " said poor Mrs. Carnaby, when she saw therazors; but Pet insisted upon having them, made lather, and practicedwith the backs, till he began to understand them. 

"He promises well; I have great hopes of him, " Sir Duncan said tohimself. "He has pride; and no proud boy can be long a liar. I will goand consult my dear old friend Bart. "

Mr. Bart, who was still of good bodily strength, but becoming lessresolute in mind than of yore, was delighted to see his old friendagain; and these two men, having warm, proud hearts, preserved eachother from self-contempt by looking away through the long hand-clasp. For each of them was to the other almost the only man really respectedin the world. 

Betwixt them such a thing as concealment could not be. The difference intheir present position was a thing to laugh at. Sir Duncan looked up toBart as being the maker of his character, and Bart admired Sir Duncanas a newer and wiser edition of himself. They dispatched the past in acheery talk; for the face of each was enough to show that it might havebeen troublous--as all past is--but had slidden into quiet satisfactionnow, and a gentle flow of experience. Then they began to speak ofpresent matters, and the residue of time before them; and among otherthings, Sir Duncan Yordas spoke of his nephew Lancelot. 

"Lancelot Yordas Carnaby, " said Bart, with the smile of a gray-beard atyoung love's dream, "has done us the honor to fall in love, for ever andever, with our little Insie. And the worst of it is that she likes him. "

"What an excellent idea!" his old friend answered; "I was sure there wassomething of that sort going on. Now betwixt love and war we shall makea man of Pet. "

As shortly as possible he told Mr. Bart what his plan about his nephewwas, and how he had carried it against maternal, and now must carryit against maiden, love. If Lancelot had any good stuff in him, anyvertebrate embryo of honesty, to be put among men, and upon his mettle(with a guardian angel in the distance of sweet home), would stablishall the man in him, and stint the beast. Mr. Bart, though he hated hardfighting, admitted that for weak people it was needful; and was only toohappy so to cut the knot of his own home entanglements with the ruthlesssword. For a man of liberal education, and much experience in spendingmoney, who can put a new bottom to his own saucepan, is not the one tofeel any despair of his fellow-creatures mending. 

Then arose the question, who should bell the cat, or rather, who shouldlead the cat to the belling. Pet must be taken, under strong duress, tothe altar--as his poor mother said, and shrieked--whereat he was to shedhis darling blood. His heart was in his mouth when his uniform came; andhe gave his sacred honor to fly, straight as an arrow, to the port wherehis regiment was getting into boats; but Sir Duncan shook his grizzledhead. "Somebody must see him into it, " he said. "Not a lady; no, no, my dear Eliza. I can not go myself; but it must be a man of rigidity, astern agent. Oh, I know! how stupid of me!"

"You mean poor dear Mr. Jellicorse, " suggested Mrs. Carnaby, with ashort hot sob. "But, Duncan, he has not the heart for it. For anythinghonest and loyal and good, kind people may trust him with their lives. But to tyranny, rapine, and manslaughter, he never could lend his finehonorable face. "

"I mean a man of a very different cast--a man who knows what time isworth; a man who is going to be married on a Sunday, that he may notlose the day. He has to take three days' holiday, because the lady is anheiress; otherwise he might get off with one. But he hopes to be at workagain on Wednesday, and we will have him here post-haste from York onThursday. It will be the very job to suit him--a gentleman of Romanancestry, and of the name of Mordacks. "

"My heart was broken already; and now I can feel the poor pieces flyinginto my brain. Oh, why did I ever have a babe for monsters of the nameof Mordacks to devour?"

Mordacks was only too glad to come. On the very day after their union, Calpurnia (likewise of Roman descent) had exhibited symptoms of a strongwill of her own. 

Mordacks had temporized during their courtship; but now she was his, andmust learn the great fact. He behaved very well, and made no attempt atreasoning (which would have been a fatal course), but promptly donnedcloak, boots, and spurs while his horse was being saddled, and then setoff, with his eyes fixed firmly upon business. A crow could scarcelymake less than fifty miles from York to Scargate, and the factor'strusty roadster had to make up his mind to seventy. So great, however, is sometimes the centrifugal force of Hymen, that upon the third day Mr. Mordacks was there, vigorous, vehement, and fit for any business. 

When he heard what it was, it liked him well; for he bore a fine grudgeagainst Lancelot for setting the dogs at him three years ago, when hecame (as an agent for adjoining property) to the house of Yordas, and when Mr. Jellicorse scorned to meet an illegal meddler with legalmatters. If Mordacks had any fault--and he must have had some, in spiteof his resolute conviction to the contrary--it was that he did notaltogether scorn revenge. 

Lives there man, or even woman, capable of describing now the miseries, the hardships, the afflictions beyond groaning, which, like electrichail, came down upon the sacred head of Pet? He was in the graspof three strong men--his uncle, Mr. Bart, worst of all, thatMordacks--escape was impossible, lamentation met with laughter, andpassion led to punishment. Even stern Maunder was sorry for him, although he despised him for feeling it. The only beam of light, theonly spark of pleasure, was his royal uniform; and to know that Insie'slaugh thereat was hollow, and would melt away to weeping when he was outof sight, together with the sulky curiosity of Maunder, kept him up alittle, in this time of bitter sacrifice. 

Enough that he went off, at last, in the claws of that Romanhippogriff--as Mrs. Carnaby savagely called poor Mordacks--and thevisitor's flag hung half-mast high, and Saracen and the other dogs madea howling dirge, with such fine hearts (as the poor mother said, betweenher sobs) that they got their dinners upon china plates. 

Sir Duncan had left before this, and was back under Dr. Upround'shospitable roof. He had made up his mind to put his fortune, or ratherhis own value, to the test, in a place of deep interest to him now, theheart of the fair Janetta. He knew that, according to popular view, hewas much too old for this young lady; but for popular view he cared notone doit, if her own had the courage and the will to go against it. Foryears he had sternly resisted all temptation of second marriage, towardwhich shrewd mothers and nice maidens had labored in vain to lead him. But the bitter disappointment about his son, and that long illness, andthe tender nursing (added to the tenderness of his own sides, fromlying upon them, with a hard dry cough), had opened some parts of hisconstitution to matrimonial propensities. Miss Upround was of a playfulnature, and teased everybody she cared about; and although Sir Duncanwas a great hero to her, she treated him sometimes as if he were herdoll. Being a grave man, he liked this, within the bounds of good tasteand manners; and the young lady always knew where to stop. From beingamused with her, he began to like her; and from liking her, he went onto miss her; and from missing her to wanting her was no long step. 

However, Sir Duncan was not at all inclined to make a fool of himselfherein. He liked the lady very much, and saw that she would suit him, and help him well in the life to which he was thinking of returning. Forwithin the last fortnight a very high post at Calcutta had been offeredto him by the powers in Leadenhall Street, upon condition of sailing atonce, and foregoing the residue of his leave. If matters had been to hisliking in England, he certainly would have declined it; but after hissad disappointment, and the serious blow to his health, he resolved toaccept it, and set forth speedily. The time was an interlude of the war, and ships need not wait for convoy. 

This had induced him to take his Yorkshire affairs (which Mordacks hadbeen forced to intermit during his Derbyshire campaign) into his ownhands, and speed the issue, as above related. And part of his plan wasto quit all claim to present possession of Scargate; that if the younglady should accept his suit, it might not in any way be for the sake ofthe landed interest. As it happened, he had gone much further than this, and cast away his claim entirely, to save his sister from disgrace andthe family property from lawyers. And now having sought Dr. Upround'sleave (which used to be thought the proper thing to do), he askedJanetta whether she would have him, and she said, "No, but he might haveher. " Upon this he begged permission to set the many drawbacks beforeher, and she nodded her head, and told him to begin. 

"I am of a Yorkshire family. But, I am sorry to say that their temper isbad, and they must have their own way too much. "

"But, that suits me; and I understand it. Because I must have my own waytoo. "

"But, I have parted with my inheritance, and have no place in thiscountry now. "

"But, I am very glad of that. Because I shall be able to go about. "

"But, India is a dreadfully hot country; many creatures tease you, andyou get tired of almost everything. "

"But, that will make it all the more refreshing not to be tired of you, perhaps. "

"But, I have a son as old as you, or older. "

"But, you scarcely suppose that I can help that!"

"But, my hair is growing gray, and I have great crow's-feet, andeverybody will begin to say--"

"But, I don't believe a word of it, and I won't have it; and I don'tcare a pin's head what all the world says put together, so long as youdon't belong to it. "

CHAPTER LIV

TRUE LOVE

About a month after Sir Duncan's marriage, when he and his bride were inLondon, with the lady's parents come to help, in the misery of outfit, alittle boy ran through a field of wheat, early in the afternoon, andhid himself in a blackthorn hedge to see what was going on at Anerley. Nothing escaped him, for his eyes were sharp, being of true Danishbreed. He saw Captain Anerley trudging up the hill, with a pipe in hismouth, to the bean field, where three or four men were enjoying the air, without any of the greedy gulps produced by too great exertion of themuscles; then he saw the mistress of the house throw wide a lattice, andshake out a cloth for the birds, who skipped down from the thatch bythe dozen instantly; and then he saw Mary, with a basket and a woodenmeasure, going round the corner of the house, and clucking for the fowlsto rally from their scratching-places. These came zealously, with speedof leg and wing, from straw-rick, threshing-floor, double hedge, ormixen; and following their tails, the boy slipped through the rick-yard, and tossed a note to Mary with a truly Flamburian delivery. 

Although it was only a small-sized boy, no other than the heir of the"Cod-fish, " a brighter rose flew into Mary's cheeks than the master-cockof all the yard could show upon comb or wattle. Contemptuous oftwopence, which Mary felt for, the boy disappeared like a rabbit; andthe fowls came and helped themselves to the tail-wheat, while theirmistress was thinking of her letter. It was short and sweet--at leastin promise--being no more than these few words: "Darling, the dike wherefirst we met, an hour after sunset. "

Mary never doubted that her duty was to go; and at the time appointedshe was there, with firm knowledge of her own mind, being now a lovingand reasonable woman. It was just a year since she had saved the lifeof Robin; and patience, and loneliness, and opposition, had enlarged andennobled her true and simple heart. No lord in the land need have lookedfor a purer or sweeter example of maidenhood than this daughter of aYorkshire farmer was, in her simple dress, and with the dignity of love. The glen was beginning to bestrew itself with want of light, insteadof shadows; and bushy places thickened with the imperceptible growth ofnight. Mary went on, with excitement deepening, while sunset deepenedinto dusk; and the color of her clear face flushed and fleeted under theanxious touch of love, as the tint of a delicate finger-nail, with anypressure, varies. But not very long was she left in doubt. 

"How long you have been! And oh, where have you been? And how muchlonger will you be?" Among many other words and doings she insistedchiefly on these points. 

"I am a true-blue, as you may see, and a warrant-officer already, " hesaid, with his old way of smiling at himself. "When the war begins again(as it must--please God!--before many weeks are over), I shall verysoon get my commission, and go up. I am quite fit already to command afrigate. "

Mary was astonished at his modesty; she thought that he ought to be anadmiral at least, and so she told him; however, he knew better. 

"You must bear in mind, " he replied, with a kindly desire to spareher feelings, "that until a change for the better comes, I am underdisadvantages. Not only as an outlaw--which has been upon the wholea comfort--but as a suspected criminal, with warrant against him, andreward upon him. Of course I am innocent; and everybody knows it, or atleast I hope so, except the one who should have known it best. "

"I am the person who should know it best of all, " his true loveanswered, with some jealousy. "Explain yourself, Robin, if you please. "

"No Robin, so please you, but Mr. James Blyth, captain of the foretop, then cockswain of the barge, and now master's mate of H. M. Ship of theline Belleisle. But the one who should have trusted me, next to my ownlove, is my father, Sir Duncan Yordas. "

"How you are talking! You have such a reckless way. A warrant-officer, an arrant criminal! And your father, Sir Duncan Yordas, that verystrange gentleman, who could never get warm! Oh, Robin, you always didtalk nonsense, when--whenever I would let you. But you should not try tomake my head go round. "

"Every word of it is true, " the young sailor answered, applying a promptremedy for vertigo. "It had been clearly proved to his knowledge, longbefore the great fact was vouchsafed to me, that I am the only son ofSir Duncan Yordas, or, at any rate, his only son for the present. Thediscovery gratified him so little, that he took speedy measures tosupplant me. "

"The very rich gentleman from India, " said Mary, "that married MissUpround lately; and her dress was all made of spun diamonds, they say, as bright as the dew in the morning. Oh, then you will have to give meup; Robin, you must give up me!"

Clasping her hands, she looked up at him with courage, keeping down allsign of tears. She felt that her heart would not hold out long, and yetshe was prouder than to turn away. "Speak, " she said; "it is better tospeak plainly; you know that it must be so. "

"Do I? why?" Robin Lyth asked, calmly, being well contented to prolongher doubts, that he might get the benefit thereafter. 

"Because you belong to great people, and I am just a farmer's daughter, and no more, and quite satisfied to remain so. Such things neveranswer. "

"A little while ago you were above me, weren't you? When I was nobody'sson, and only a castaway, with a nickname. "

"That has nothing to do with it. We must take things exactly as we findthem at the time. "

"And you took me as you found me at the time; only that you made me outso much better. Mary, I am not worthy of you. What has birth to do withit? And so far as that goes, yours is better, though mine may seem thebrighter. In every other way you are above me. You are good, and Iam wicked. You are pure, and I am careless. You are sweet, and I amviolent. In truth alone can I ever vie with you; and I must be a pitifulscoundrel, Mary, if I did not even try to do that, after all that youhave done for me. "

"But, " said Mary, with her lovely eyes gleaming with the glitteringshade of tears, "I like you very much to do it--but not exactly as aduty, Robin. "

"You look at me like that, and you talk of duty! Duty, duty; this is myduty. I should like to be discharging it forever and a day. "

"I did not come here for ideas of this kind, " said Mary, with her lipsas red as pyracanthine berries; "free trade was bad enough, but theRoyal Navy worse, it seems. Now, Robin dear, be sensible, and tell mewhat I am to do. "

"To listen to me, and then say whether I deserve what my father has doneto me. He came back from India--as you must understand--with no otherobject in life, that I can hear of (for he had any quantity of money), than to find out me, his only child, and the child of the only wifehe ever could put up with. For twenty years he had believed me to bedrowned, when the ship he sent me home in to be educated was supposedto have foundered, with all hands. But something made him fancy that Imight have escaped; and as he could not leave India then, he employed agentleman of York, named Mordacks, to hunt out all about it. Mordacks, who seems to be a wonderful man, and most kind-hearted to everybody, as poor Widow Carroway says of him with tears, and as he testifies ofhimself--he set to work, and found out in no time all about me and myear-rings, and my crawling from the cave that will bear my name, theysay, and more things than I have time to tell. He appointed a meetingwith Sir Duncan Yordas here at Flamborough, and would have brought me tohim, and everything might have been quite happy. But in the mean whilethat horrible murder of poor Carroway came to pass, and I was obliged togo into hiding, as no one knows better than you, my dear. My father (asI suppose I must call him) being bound, as it seems that they all are, to fall out with their children, took a hasty turn against me at once. Mordacks, whom I saw last week, trusting myself to his honor, tells methat Sir Duncan would not have cared twopence about my free-trade work, and so on, or even about my having killed the officer in fair conflict, for he is used to that. But he never will forgive me for absconding, andleaving my fellows, as he puts it, to bear the brunt. He says that I ama dastard and a skulk, and unworthy to bear the name of Yordas. "

"What a wicked, unnatural man he must be!" cried Mary. "He deserves tohave no children. "

"No; I am told that he is a very good man, but stiff-necked anddisdainful. He regards me with scorn, because he knows no better. He mayknow our laws, but he knows nothing of our ways, to suppose that my menwere in any danger. If I had been caught while the stir was on, a gibbeton the cliff would have been set up, even before my trial--such is thereward of eminence--but no Yorkshire jury would turn round in the box, with those poor fellows before them. 'Not guilty, my lord, ' was on theirtongues, before he had finished charging them. "

"Oh, I am so glad! They have been acquitted, and you were there to seeit!"

"To be sure. I was in the court, as Harry Ombler's father. Mr. Mordacksgot it up; and it told on the jury even more than could have beenexpected. Even the judge wiped his eyes as he looked at me, for they sayhe has a scapegrace son; and Harry was the only one of all the sixin danger, according to the turn of the evidence. My poor eyes havescarcely come round yet from the quantity of sobbing that I had to do, and the horrible glare of my goggles. And then I had a crutch thatI stumped with as I sighed, so that all the court could hear me; andwhenever I did it, all the women sighed too, and even the hardest heartswere moved. Mr. Mordacks says that it was capital. "

"Oh, but, Robin, how shocking, though you make me laugh! If the verdicthad been otherwise--oh, what then?"

"Well, then, Harry Ombler had a paper in his hand, done in printingletters by myself, because he is a very tidy scholar, and signed by me;the which he was to read before receiving sentence, saying that RobinLyth himself was in York town, and would surrender to that court uponcondition that mercy should be warranted to the prisoners. "

"And you would have given yourself up? And without consulting me aboutit!"

"Bad, I admit, " Robin answered, with a smile; "but not half so bad asto give up you--which you calmly proposed just now, dear heart. However, there is no need for any trouble now, except that I am forced to keepout of sight until other evidence is procured. Mordacks has taken to me, like a better father, mainly from his paramount love of justice, and ofdaring gallantry, as he calls it. "

"So it was, and ten times more; heroic self-devotion is a much moreproper term. "

"Now don't, " said Robin. "If you make me blush, you may guess what Ishall do to hide it--carry the war into the sweet land of the enemy. Buttruly, my darling, there was very little danger. And I am up for a muchbetter joke this time. My august Roman father, who has cast me off, sails as a very great Indian gun, in a ship of the line, from Spithead, early in September. The Belleisle is being paid off now, and I have mycertificate, as well as lots of money. Next to his lass, every sailorloves a spree; and mine, instead of emptying, shall fill the locker. With this disgusting peace on, and no chance of prize-money, and plentyin their pockets for a good spell ashore, blue-jackets will be scarcewhen Sir Duncan Yordas sails. If I can get a decent berth as a pettyofficer, off I go for Calcutta, and watch (like the sweet little cherubthat sits up aloft) for the safety of my dear papa and mamma, as theFrenchmen are teaching us to call them. What do you think of such filialdevotion?"

"It would be a great deal more than he deserves, " Mary answered, withsweet simplicity. "But what could you do, if he found out who you are?"

"Not the smallest fear of that, my dear. I have never had the honor ofan introduction. My new step-mother, who might have been my sweetheartif I had not seen somebody a hundred times as good, a thousand times asgentle, and a million times as lovely--"

"Oh, Robin, do leave off such very dreadful stories! I saw her in thechurch, and she looked beautiful. "

"Fine feathers make fine birds. However, she is well enough in her way;and I love her father. But, for all that, she has no business to be mystep-mother; and of course it was only the money that did it. She has alittle temper of her own, I can assure you; and I wish Sir Duncan joy ofher when they get among mosquitoes. But, as I was going to say, the onlyrisk of my being caught is from her sharp eyes. Even of that there isnot much danger, for we common sailors need not go within hail of thosegrandees, unless it comes to boat-work. And even if Miss Janetta--I begher pardon, Lady Yordas--should chance to recognize me, I am sure shewould never tell her husband. No, no; she would be too jealous; and forfifty other reasons. She is very cunning, let me tell you. "

"Well, " cried Mary, with a smile of wisdom, "I hope that I may neverlive to be a step-mother. The way those poor things get abused--"

"You would have more principle, I should hope, than to marry anybodyafter me. However, I have told you nearly all my news, and in a fewminutes I must be off. Only two things more. In the first place, Mordacks has taken a very great fancy to me, and has turned against myfather. He and Widow Carroway and I had a long talk after the trial, andwe all agreed that the murder was committed by a villain called 'JohnCadman, ' a sneak and a skulk, whom I knew well, as one of Carroway'sown men. Among other things, they chanced to say that Cadman's gun wasmissing, and that the poor widow can swear to it. I asked if any one hadsearched for it; and Mordacks said no, it would be hopeless. I told themthat if I were only free to show myself and choose my time, I would laymy life upon finding it, if thrown away (as it most likely was) in somepart of that unlucky cave. Mordacks caught at this idea, and asked me anumber of questions, and took down my answers; for no one else knows thecave as I do. I would run all risks myself, and be there to do it, iftime suited. But only certain tides will serve, even with the best ofweather; and there may be no such tide for months--I mean tide, weather, and clear water combined, as they must be for the job. Therefore I amnot to wait, but go about my other business, and leave this to Mordacks, who loves to be captain of everything. Mr. Mordacks talked of adiving-bell, and some great American inventions; but nothing of the kindcan be used there, nor even grappling-irons. The thing must not be heardof even, until it has been accomplished. Whatever is done, must be doneby a man who can swim and dive as I can, and who knows the place almostas well. I have told him where to find the man, when the opportunitycomes for it; and I have shown my better father, Robin Cockscroft, thelikely spot. So now I have nothing more to do with that. "

"How wonderfully you can throw off cares!" his sweetheart answered, softly. "But I shall be miserable till I know what happens. Will theylet me be there? Because I understand so much about tides, and I canhold my tongue. "

"That you have shown right well, my Mary; but your own sense will tellyou that you could not be there. Now one thing more: here is a ring, notworthy--although it is the real stuff--to go upon your precious hand, yet allow me to put it on; no, not there; upon your wedding finger. Nowdo you know what that is for?"

"For me, I suppose, " she answered, blushing with pleasure andadmiration; "but it is too good, too beautiful, too costly. "

"Not half good enough. Though, to tell you the truth, it can not bematched easily; any more than you can. But I know where to get thosethings. Now promise me to wear it, when you think of me; and the onehabit will confirm the other. But the more important part is this, andthe last thing for me to say to you. Your father still hates my name, Ifear. Tell him every word I have told you, and perhaps it will bring himhalf way round. Sooner or later he must come round; and the only way todo it is to work him slowly. When he sees in how many ways I have beenwronged, and how beautifully I have borne it all, he will begin to sayto himself, 'Now this young man may be improving. ' But he never willsay, 'He hath no need of it. '"

"I should rather think not, you conceited Robin, or whatever else I amto call you now. But I bargain for one thing--whatever may happen, Ishall never call you anything else but Robin. It suits you, and you lookwell with it. Yordas, indeed, or whatever it may be--"

"No bargain is valid without a seal, " etc. , etc. In the old butever-vivid way they went on, until they were forced to part, at thevery lips of the house itself, after longing lingerings. The air ofthe fields was sweet with summer fragrance and the breath of night; theworld was ripe with soft repose, whose dreams were hope and happiness;and the heaven spread some gentle stars, to show mankind the way to it. Then a noble perfume strewed the ambient air with stronger presence, asthe farmer, in his shirt sleeves, came, with a clay pipe, and grumbled, "Wherever is our Mary all this time?"

CHAPTER LV

NICHOLAS THE FISH

Five hundred years ago there was a great Italian swimmer, even greaterthan our Captain Webb; inasmuch as he had what the wags of the ageunjustly ascribe to our hero, that is to say, web toes and fingers. Thiscapable man could, if history be true, not only swim for a week withoutceasing (reassuring solid nature now and then by a gulp of live fish), but also could expand his chest so considerably that it held enough airfor a day's consumption. Fortified thus, he explored Charybdis and allthe Liparic whirlpools, and could have found Cadman's gun anywhere, ifit had only been there. But at last the sea had its revenge upon him, through the cruel insistence of his king. 

No man so amphibious has since arisen through the unfathomed tide oftime. But a swimmer and diver of great repute was now living not farfrom Teesmouth. That is to say, he lived there whenever the state of theweather or the time of year stranded him in dry misery. Those who havenever come across a man of this description might suppose that he washappy and content at home with his wife and growing family, assuagingthe brine in the delightful manner commended by Hero to Leander. But, alas! it was not so at all. The temper of the man was very slow to move, as generally happens with deep-chested men, and a little girl mightlead him with her finger on the shore; and he liked to try to smellland flowers, which in his opinion were but weeds. But if a man can notcontrol his heart, in the very middle of his system, how can he hope tocommand his skin, that unscientific frontier of his frame?

"Nicholas the fish, " as his neighbors (whenever, by coming ashore, hehad such treasures) contemptuously called him, was endowed from hisbirth with a peculiar skin, and by exercise had improved it. Its virtuewas excessive thickness--such as a writer should pray for--protectedalso by powerful hairiness--largely admired by those with whom it isrestricted to the head. 

Unhappily for Nicholas, the peremptory poises of nature struck a linewith him, and this was his line of flotation. From perpetual usage thiswas drawn, obliquely indeed, but as definitely as it is upon a ship ofuniform displacement--a yacht, for instance, or a man-of-war. Belowthat line scarcely anything could hurt him; but above it he was mostsensitive, unless he were continually wetted; and the flies, and thegnats, and many other plagues of England, with one accord pitchedupon him, and pitched into him, during his short dry intervals, with abracing sense of saline draught. Also the sun, and the wind, and eventhe moon, took advantage of him when unwetted. 

This made his dry periods a purgatory to him; and no sooner did he hearfrom Mr. Mordacks of a promising job under water than he drew breathenough for a ten-fathom dive, and bursting from long despair, made agreat slap at the flies beneath his collar-bone. The sound was likea drum which two men strike; and his wife, who was devoted to him, hastened home from the adjoining parish with a sad presentiment ofparting. And this was speedily verified; for the champion swimmer anddiver set forth that very day for Bempton Warren, where he was to have aprivate meeting with the general factor. 

Now it was a great mistake to think--as many people at this time did, both in Yorkshire and Derbyshire--that the gulf of connubial cares hadswallowed the great Roman hero Mordacks. Unarmed, and even without hisgallant roadster to support him, he had leaped into that Curtian lake, and had fought a good fight at the bottom of it. The details are highlyinteresting, and the chronicle might be useful; but, alas! there is nospace left for it. It is enough, and a great thing too, to say thathe emerged triumphant, reduced his wife into very good condition, andobtained the due mastery of her estates, and lordship of the household. 

Refreshed and recruited by the home campaign, and having now a doublebase for future operations--York city with the fosse of Ouse in theeast, and Pretorian Hill, Derbyshire, westward--Mordacks returned, witha smack of lip more dry than amontilladissimo, to the strict embrace ofbusiness. So far as the needs of the body were concerned, he might havedone handsomely without any business; but having no flesh fit to weighagainst his mind, he gave preference to the latter. Now the essenceof his nature was to take strong views; not hastily--if he could helpit--nor through narrow aspect of prejudice, but with power of insight(right or wrong), and stern fixity thereafter. He had kept his opinionabout Sir Duncan Yordas much longer than usual pending, being struckwith the fame of the man, and his manner, and generous impulsive nature. All these he still admired, but felt that the mind was far too hasty, and, to put it in his own strong way, Sir Duncan (whatever he might bein India) had been but a fool in England. Why had he cast away his claimon Scargate, and foiled the factor's own pet scheme for a great triumphover the lawyers? And why condemn his only son, when found with suchskill and at heavy expense, without even hearing both sides of the tale?Last, but not least, what induced him to marry, when amply old enoughto know better, a girl who might be well enough in her way, but had nofamily estate to bring, was shrewdly suspected of a cutting tongue, andhad more than once been anything but polite to Geoffrey Mordacks?

Although this gentleman was not a lawyer, and indeed bore a tyrannoushate against that gentle and most precious class, he shared thesolicitor's just abhorrence of the word "farewell, " when addressed tohim by any one of good substance. He resolved that his attentions shouldnot cease, though undervalued for the moment, but should be continuedto the son and heir--whose remainder in tail subsisted still, though itmight be hard to substantiate--and when his cousin Lancelot should comeinto possession, he might find a certain factor to grapple him. Mr. Mordacks hated Lancelot, and had carried out his banishment with intenseenjoyment, holding him as in a wrench-hammer all the way, silencing hissqueaks with another turn of the screw, and as eager to crack him as ifhe were a nut, the first that turns auburn in September. 

This being the condition of so powerful a mind, facts very speedilyshaped themselves thereto, as they do when the power of an eminentorator lays hold of them and crushes them, and they can not even squeak. Or even as a still more eminent 'bus driver, when the street is blocked, and there seems to be no room for his own thumb, yet (with a gentlewhistle and a wink) solves the jostling stir and balk, makes obstructivetraffic slide, like an eddy obsequious, beside him and behind, and comesforth as the first of an orderly procession toward the public-house ofhis true love. 

Now if anything beyond his own conviction were wanted to set this greatagent upon action, soon it was found in York Summer Assizes, andthe sudden inrush of evidence, which--no matter how a case has beenprepared--gets pent up always for the Bar and Bench. Then Robin Lythcame, with a gallant dash, and offered himself as a sacrifice, ifneedful, which proved both his courage and his common-sense in waitingtill due occasion demanded him. Mordacks was charmed with thisyoung man, not only for proving his own judgment right, but also forpossessing a quickness of decision akin to his own, and backing up hisown ideas. 

With vigor thus renewed by many interests and motives, the generaland generous factor kept his appointment in Bempton Warren. Since thedistressing, but upon the whole desirable, decease of that poor RickonGoold, the lonely hut in which he breathed his last had not been by anymeans a popular resort. There were said to be things heard, seen, andfelt, even in the brightest summer day, which commended the spot to thecreatures that fear mankind, but not their spectres. The very last ofall to approach it now would have been the two rollicking tars whohad trodden their wooden-legged watch around it. Nicholas the fish wassuperstitious also, as it behooved him well to be; but having heardnothing of the story of the place, and perceiving no gnats in theneighborhood, he thankfully took it for his short dry spells. 

Mr. Mordacks met him, and the two men were deeply impressed withone another. The diver admired the sharp, terse style and definiteexpression of the factor, while the factor enjoyed the large ponderousroll and suggestive reservations of the diver. For this was a man whohad met great beings, and faced mighty wonders in deep places; and hethought of them more than he liked to say, because he had to get hisliving. 

Nothing could be settled to a nicety between them, not even as topounds, shillings, and pence. For the nature of the job depended whollyupon the behavior of the weather; and the weather must be not only atits best, but also setting meekly in the right direction at the rightmoment of big springtide. The diver was afraid that he might ask toolittle, and the factor disliked the risk of offering too much, andpossibly spoiling thereby a noble nature. But each of them realized (tosome extent) the honesty of the other, and neither of them meant to beunreasonable. 

"Give and take, is what I say, " said the short man with the monstrouschest, looking up at the tall man with the Roman nose; "live and letlive. Ah! that's it. "

Mr. Mordacks would have said, "Right you are, " if that elegantexpression had been in vogue; but as that brilliance had not yetrisen, he was content to say, "Just so. " Then he added, "Here you haveeverything you want. Madam Precious will send you twice a day, to thestone at the bottom of the lane, a gallon of beer, and victuals inproportion. Your duty is to watch the tides and weather, keep your boatgoing, and let me know; and here I am in half an hour. "

Calpurnia Mordacks was in her duty now, and took her autumn holidayat Flamborough. And though Widow Precious felt her heart go pitapat atfirst sight of another Mrs. Mordacks, she made up her mind, with a gulp, not to let this cash go to the Thornwick. As a woman she sighed; but asa landlady she smiled, and had visions of hoisting a flag on her roof. 

When Mordacks, like a victorious general, conqueror of this Danish town, went forth for his evening stroll to see his subjects and be saluted, ahandsome young sailor came up from the cliffs, and begged to have a fewquiet words with him. "Say on, my lad; all my words are quiet, " repliedthe general factor. Then this young man up and told his tale, which wasall in the well-trodden track of mankind. He had run away to sea, fullof glorious dreams--valor, adventure, heroism, rivers of paradise, andlands of heaven. Instead of that, he had been hit upon the head, andin places of deeper tenderness, frequently roasted, and frozen yet moreoften, basted with brine when he had no skin left, scorched with thirst, and devoured by creatures whose appetites grew dainty when his own wasravening. 

"Excellent youth, " Mr. Mordacks said, "your tale might move a heart offlint. All who know me have but one opinion. I am benevolence itself. But my balance is low at my banker's. "

"I want no money, sir, " the sailor answered, simply offering benevolenceitself a pipeful of tobacco from an ancient bit of bladder; "I have notgot a farthing, but I am with good people who never would take it ifI had it, and that makes everything square between us. I might have ahatful of money if I chose, but I find myself better without it, and myconstitution braces up. If I only chose to walk a league sou'west, therewould be bonfires burning. But I vowed I would go home a captain, and Iwill. "

"Ha!" cried Mr. Mordacks, with his usual quickness, and now knowingall about everybody; "you are Mr. John Anerley, the son of the famousCaptain Anerley. "

"Jack Anerley, sir, till better times; and better they never will be, till I make them. But not a word to any one about me, if you please. It would break my mother's heart (for she doth look down upon people, without asking) to hear that Robin Cockscroft was supporting of me. But, bless you, I shall pay him soon, a penny for a guinea. "

Truth, which struggles through the throng of men to get out and havea little breath sometimes, now and then succeeds, by accident, or thestupid misplacement of a word. A penny for a guinea was as much as RobinCockscroft was likely ever to see for his outlay upon this very fineyoung fellow. Jack Anerley accepted the situation with the largephilosophy of a sailor; and all he wanted from Mr. Mordacks was leaveto be present at the diving job. This he obtained, as he promised to beuseful, and a fourth oar was likely to be needed. 

It was about an hour before noon of a beautifully soft September day, when little Sam Precious, the same boy that carried Robin Lyth's note toMary, came up to Mr. Mordacks with a bit of plaited rushes, the scytaleof Nicholas the fish, who was happy enough not to know his alphabet. Thefactor immediately put on his hat, girded himself with his riding swordand pistol belt, and told his good wife that business might take himaway for some hours. Then he hastened to Robin Cockscroft's house, aftersending the hostler, on his own horse, with a letter to Bridlingtoncoast-guard station, as he had arranged with poor Carroway's successor. 

The Flamborough fishermen were out at sea; and without any fuss, Robin'sboat was launched, and manned by that veteran himself, together with oldJoe and Bob, who had long been chewing the quid of expectation, and atthe bow oar Jack Anerley. Their orders were to slip quietly round, andwait in the Dovecote till the diver came. Mordacks saw them on theirway; and then he strode up the deserted path, and struck away toward anorthern cove, where the diver's little boat was housed. There he foundNicholas the fish, spread out in all his glory, like a polypod awash, ora basking turtle, or a well-fed calf of Proteus. Laid on his back, wherethe wavelets broke, and beaded a silver fringe upon the golden ruff ofsand, he gave his body to soft lullaby, and his mind to perfect holiday. His breadth, and the spring of fresh air inside it, kept him gently upand down; and his calm enjoyment was enriched by the baffled wrath ofhis enemies. For flies, of innumerable sorts and sizes, held a hopelessbuzz above him, being put upon their mettle to get at him, and perishingsweetly in the vain attempt. 

With a grunt of reluctance he awoke to business, swam for his boat, andembarking Mr. Mordacks, pulled him across the placid bay to the cavewhere his forces were assembled. 

"Let there be no mistake about it, " the factor shouted from themermaids' shelf, having promised his Calpurnia to keep upon dry landwhenever the water permitted him; "our friend the great diver will firstascertain whether the thing which we seek is here. If so, he willleave it where it is until the arrival of the Preventive boat. You allunderstand that we wish to put the matter so that even a lawyer can notpick any hole in the evidence. Light no links until I tell you. Now, Nicholas the fish, go down at once. "

Without a word the diver plunged, having taken something between histeeth which he would not let the others see. The watery floor of thecavern was as smooth as a mill-pond in July, and he plunged so neatlythat he made no splash; nothing but a flicker of reflection on the roof, and a lapping murmur round the sides, gave token that a big man wasgone into the deep. For several minutes no one spoke, but every eye wasstrained upon the glassy dimness, and every ear intent for the firstbreak of sound. 

"T' goop ha' got un, " cried old Robin, indignant at this outrage by astranger to his caves, "God niver mahd mon to pree intil 's ain warks. "

Old Joe and Bob grunted approbation, and Mordacks himself was beginningto believe that some dark whirlpool or coil of tangles had drowned thepoor diver, when a very gentle noise, like a dabchick playing beneath abridge, came from the darkest corner. Nicholas was there, inhaling air, not in greedy gulps and gasps, like a man who has had no practice, butleisurely encouraging his lungs with little doses, as a doctor givessoup to a starved boat crew. Being hailed by loud voices, he answerednot, for his nature was by no means talkative; but presently, with verylittle breach of water, he swam to the middle, and asked for his pipe. 

"Have you found the gun?" cried Mordacks, whose loftiest feelings hadsubsided in a quarter of a minute to the business level. Nicholas madeno reply until the fire of his pipe was established, while he stood inthe water quite as if he were on land, supporting himself by nothingmore than a gentle movement of his feet, while the glow of thetouch-paper lit his round face and yellow leather skull-cap. "In coorseI has, " he said at last, blowing a roll of smoke along the gleamingsurface; "over to yon little cornder. "

"And you can put your hand upon it in a moment?" The reply was a nod andanother roll of smoke. "Admirable! Now, then, Joe, and Bob the son ofJoe, do what I told you, while Master Cockscroft and our nimble youngfriend get the links all ready. "

The torches were fixed on the rocky shelf, as they had been upon thefatal night; but they were not lit until Joe and his son, sent forth inthe smaller boat to watch, came back with news that the Preventive gigwas round the point, and approaching swiftly, with a lady in the stern, whose dress was black. 

"Right!" cried Mr. Mordacks, with a brisk voice ringing under theponderous brows of rock. "Men, I have brought you to receive a lesson. You shall see what comes of murder. Light the torches. Nicholas, gounder, with the exception of your nose, or whatever it is you breathewith. When I lift my hand, go down; and do as I have ordered you. "

The cavern was lit with the flare of fire, and the dark still waterheaved with it, when the coast-guard boat came gliding in. The crew, inwhite jerseys, looked like ghosts flitting into some magic scene. Onlythe officer, darkly clad, and standing up with the tiller-lines in hand, and the figure of a woman sitting in the stern, relieved their spectralwhiteness. 

"Commander Hardlock, and men of the coastguard, " shouted Mr. Mordacks, when the wash of ripples and the drip of oars and the creak of wood gavesilence, "the black crime committed upon this spot shall no longergo unpunished. The ocean itself has yielded its dark secret to theperseverance of mankind, and the humble but not unskillful efforts whichit has been my privilege to conduct. A good man was slain here, incold blood slain--a man of remarkable capacity and zeal, gallantry, discipline, and every noble quality, and the father of a very largefamily. The villain who slew him would have slain six other harmlessmen by perjury if an enlightened English jury had been fools enough tobelieve him. Now I will show you what to believe. I am not eloquent, Iam not a man of words; my motto is strict business. And business with meis a power, not a name. I lift my hand; you wait for half a minute; andthen, from the depths of this abyss, arises the gun used in the murder. "

The men understood about half of this, being honest fellows in the main, and desiring time to put heads together about the meaning; but one therewas who knew too well that his treacherous sin had found him out. Hestrove to look like the rest, but felt that his eyes obeyed heart morethan brain; and then the widow, who had watched him closely through herblack veil, lifted it, and fixed her eyes on his. Deadly terror seizedhim, and he wished that he had shot himself. 

"Stand up, men, " the commander shouted, "until we see the end of this. The crime has been laid upon our force. We scorn the charge of suchtreachery. Stand up, men, and face, like innocent men, whatever can beshown against you. "

The men stood up, and the light of the torches fell upon their faces. All were pale with fear and wonder, but one was white as death itself. Calling up his dogged courage, and that bitterness of malice which hadmade him do the deed, and never yet repent of it, he stood as firmly asthe rest, but differed from them in three things. His face wore a smile;he watched one place only; and his breath made a noise, while theirs washeld. 

Then, from the water, without a word, or sign of any hand that movedit, a long gun rose before John Cadman, and the butt was offered to hishand. He stood with his arms at his sides, and could not lift them todo anything. Neither could he speak, nor make defense, but stood like animage that is fastened by the feet. 

"Hand me that, " cried the officer, sharply; but instead of obeying, theman stared malignantly, and then plunged over the gun into the depth. 

Not so, however, did he cheat the hangman; Nicholas caught him (as awater-dog catches a worn-out glove), and gave him to any one that wouldhave him. "Strap him tight, " the captain cried; and the men found reliefin doing it. At the next jail-delivery he was tried, and the jury didtheir duty. His execution restored good-will, and revived that faith injustice which subsists upon so little food. 

CHAPTER LVI

IN THE THICK OF IT

One of the greatest days in all the history of England, having no senseof its future fame, and being upon a hostile coast, was shining ratherdismally. And one of England's greatest men, the greatest of all hersons in battle--though few of them have been small at that--was out ofhis usual mood, and full of calm presentiment and gloomy joy. He knewthat he would see the sun no more; yet his fear was not of that, butonly of losing the light of duty. As long as the sun endures, he shallnever see duty done more brilliantly. 

The wind was dropping, to give the storm of human fury leisure; andwhile a sullen swell was rolling, canvas flapped and timbers creaked. Like a team of mallards in double column, plunging and lifting buoyantbreasts to right and left alternately, the British fleet bore down uponthe swan-like crescent of the foe. These were doing their best to fly, but failing of that luck, put helm alee, and shivered in the wind, andmade fine speeches, proving that they must win the day. 

"For this I have lived, and for this it would be worth my while to die, having no one left, I dare say now, in all the world to care for me. "

Thus spake the junior lieutenant of that British ship, the Victory--ayoung man after the heart of Nelson, and gazing now on Nelson's face. No smarter sailor could be found in all that noble fleet than thisLieutenant Blyth, who once had been the captain of all smugglers. He hadfought his way up by skill, and spirit, and patience, and good temper, and the precious gift of self-reliance, failing of which all meritfails. He had always thought well of himself, but never destroyed thegood of it by saying so; and whoever praised him had to do it again, tooutspeak his modesty. But without good fortune all these merits wouldnever have been successes. One of Robin's truest merits was that hegenerally earned good luck. 

However, his spirits were not in their usual flow of jocundity just now, and his lively face was dashed with care. Not through fear of lead, orsteel, or wooden splinter, or a knock upon the head, or any other humanmode of encouraging humanity. He hoped to keep out of the way of these, as even the greatest heroes do; for how could the world get on if allits bravest men went foremost? His mind meant clearly, and with trustin proper Providence, to remain in its present bodily surroundings, withwhich it had no fault to find. Grief, however--so far as a man havingfaith in his luck admits that point--certainly was making some littlehole into a heart of corky fibre. For Robin Lyth had heard last night, when a schooner joined the fleet with letters, that Mary Anerley at lastwas going to marry Harry Tanfield. He told himself over and over againthat if it were so, the fault was his own, because he had not takenproper care about the safe dispatch of letters. Changing from ship toship and from sea to sea for the last two years or more, he had foundbut few opportunities of writing, and even of those he had not made theutmost. To Mary herself he had never once written, knowing well that herfather forbade it, while his letters to Flamborough had been few, andsome of those few had miscarried. For the French had a very clever knackjust now of catching the English dispatch-boats, in most of which theyfound accounts of their own thrashings, as a listener catches bad newsof himself. But none of these led them to improve their conduct. 

Flamborough (having felt certain that Robin could never exist withoutfree trade, and missing many little courtesies that flowed from hisliberal administration), was only too ready to lament his death, without insisting on particulars. Even as a man who has foretold a verydestructive gale of wind tempers with the pride of truth the sorrowwhich he ought to feel for his domestic chimney-pots (as soon as hefinds them upon his lawn), so Little Denmark, while bewailing, acceptedthe loss as a compliment to its own renowned sagacity. 

But Robin knew not until last night that he was made dead atFlamborough, through the wreck of a ship which he had quitted a monthbefore she was cast away. And now at last he only heard that news bymeans of his shipmate, Jack Anerley. Jack was a thorough-going sailornow, easy, and childish, and full of the present, leaving the past tocure and the future to care for itself as might be. He had promised Mr. Mordacks and Robin Cockscroft to find out Robin Lyth, and tell him allabout the conviction of John Cadman; and knowing his name in the navyand that of his ship, he had done so after in-and-out chase. But therefor the time he had rested from his labors, and left "Davy Jones" tosend back word about it; which that Pelagian Davy fails to do, unlessthe message is enshrined in a bottle, for which he seems to cherish truenaval regard. 

In this state of things the two brothers-in-law--as they fully intendedto be by-and-by--were going into this tremendous battle: Jack as a pettyofficer, and Robin as a junior lieutenant of Lord Nelson's ship. Alreadyhad Jack Anerley begun to feel for Robin--or Lieutenant Blyth, as he nowwas called--that liking of admiration which his clear free manner, andquickness of resource, and agreeable smile in the teeth of peril, hadwon for him before he had the legal right to fight much. AndRobin--as he shall still be called while the memory of Flamboroughendures--regarded Jack Anerley with fatherly affection, and hoped to putstrength into his character. 

However, one necessary step toward that is to keep the charactersurviving; and in the world's pell-mell now beginning, the uproar alonewas enough to kill some, and the smoke sufficient to choke the rest. Many a British sailor who, by the mercy of Providence, survived thatday, never could hear a word concerning any other battle (even thougha son of his own delivered it down a trumpet), so furious was theconcussion of the air, the din of roaring metal, and the clash ofcannon-balls which met in the air, and split up into founts of iron. 

No less than seven French and Spanish ships agreed with one accord tofall upon and destroy Lord Nelson's ship. And if they had only adopteda rational mode of doing it, and shot straight, they could hardly havehelped succeeding. Even as it was, they succeeded far too well; for theymanaged to make England rue the tidings of her greatest victory. 

In the storm and whirl and flame of battle, when shot flew as close asthe teeth of a hay-rake, and fire blazed into furious eyes, and thenwith a blow was quenched forever, and raging men flew into pieces--someof which killed their dearest friends--who was he that could do morethan attend to his own business? Nelson had known that it would be so, and had twice enjoined it in his orders; and when he was carried down todie, his dying mind was still on this. Robin Lyth was close to him whenhe fell, and helped to bear him to his plank of death, and came backwith orders not to speak, but work. 

Then ensued that crowning effort of misplaced audacity--the attempt toboard and carry by storm the ship that still was Nelson's. The captainof the Redoubtable saw through an alley of light, between walls ofsmoke, that the quarter-deck of the Victory had plenty of corpses, butscarcely a life upon it. Also he felt (from the comfort to his feet, and the increasing firmness of his spinal column) that the heavy Britishguns upon the lower decks had ceased to throb and thunder into hisown poor ship. With a bound of high spirits he leaped to a pleasingconclusion, and shouted, "Forward, my brave sons; we will take thevessel of war of that Nielson!"

This, however, proved to be beyond his power, partly through theinborn absurdity of the thing, and partly, no doubt, through the quickperception and former vocation of Robin Lyth. What would England havesaid if her greatest hero had breathed his last in French arms, and acaptive to the Frenchman? Could Nelson himself have departed thus to aworld in which he never could have put the matter straight? The wrongwould have been redressed very smartly here, but perhaps outside hisknowledge. Even to dream of it awakes a shudder; yet outrages almost asgreat have triumphed, and nothing is quite beyond the irony of fate. 

But if free trade can not be shown as yet to have won for our countryany other blessing, it has earned the last atom of our patience andfortitude by its indirect benevolence at this great time. Without freetrade--in its sweeter and more innocent maidenhood of smuggling--therenever could have been on board that English ship the Victory, a man, unless he were a runagate, with a mind of such laxity as to understandFrench. But Robin Lyth caught the French captain's words, and with twobounds, and a holloa, called up Britons from below. By this time a swarmof brave Frenchmen was gathered in the mizzen-chains and gangwaysof their ship, waiting for a lift of the sea to launch them into theEnglish outworks. And scarcely a dozen Englishmen were alive within hailto encounter them. Not even an officer, till Robin Lyth returned, wasthere to take command of them. The foremost and readiest there was JackAnerley, with a boarder's pike, and a brace of ship pistols, and hisfine ruddy face screwed up as firm as his father's, before a big sale ofwheat "Come on, you froggies; we are ready for you, " he shouted, as ifhe had a hundred men in ambush. 

They, for their part, failed to enter into the niceties of hislanguage--which difficulty somehow used never to be felt among classicwarriors--yet from his manner and position they made out that he offeredlet and hinderance. To remove him from their course, they began to loadguns, or to look about for loaded ones, postponing their advance untilhe should cease to interfere, so clear at that time was the Gallicperception of an English sailor's fortitude. Seeing this to be so, Jack(whose mind was not well balanced) threw a powder-case amongst them, andexhibited a dance. But this was cut short by a hand-grenade, and, beforehe had time to recover from that, the deck within a yard of his headflew open, and a stunning crash went by. 

Poor Jack Anerley lay quite senseless, while ten or twelve men (whowere rushing up, to repel the enemy) fell and died in a hurricane ofsplinters. A heavy round shot, fired up from the enemy's main-deck, hadshattered all before it; and Jack might thank the grenade that he layon his back while the havoc swept over. Still, his peril was hot, for avolley of musketry whistled and rang around him; and at least a hundredand fifty men were watching their time to leap down on him. 

Everything now looked as bad as could be, with the drifting of thesmoke, and the flare of fire, and the pelting of bullets, and of grapnelfrom coehorns, and the screams of Frenchmen exulting vastly, withscarcely any Englishmen to stop them. It seemed as if they were to do asthey pleased, level the bulwarks of English rights, and cover themselveswith more glory than ever. But while they yet waited to give one morescream, a very different sound arose. Powder, and metal, and crashof timber, and even French and Spanish throats at their very highestpressure, were of no avail against the onward vigor and power of anEnglish cheer. This cheer had a very fine effect. Out of their ownmouths the foreigners at once were convicted of inferior stuff, andtheir two twelve-pounders crammed with grapnel, which ought to havescattered mortality, banged upward, as harmless as a pod dischargingseed. 

In no account of this great conflict is any precision observedconcerning the pell-mell and fisticuff parts of it. The worst of it isthat on such occasions almost everybody who was there enlarges his ownshare of it; and although reflection ought to curb this inclination, itseems to do quite the contrary. This may be the reason why nobody as yet(except Mary Anerley and Flamborough folk) seems even to have tried toassign fair importance to Robin Lyth's share in this glorious encounter. It is now too late to strive against the tide of fortuitous clamor, whose deposit is called history. Enough that this Englishman came up, with fifty more behind him, and carried all before him, as he was boundto do. 

CHAPTER LVII

MARY LYTH

Conquests, triumphs, and slaughterous glory are not very nice till theyhave ceased to drip. After that extinction of the war upon the waves, the nation which had won the fight went into general mourning. Sorrow, as deep as a maiden's is at the death of her lover, spread over theland; and people who had married their romance away, and fathered offtheir enthusiasm, abandoned themselves to even deeper anguish at theinsecurity of property. So deeply had England's faith been anchoredinto the tenacity of Nelson. The fall of the funds when the victory wasannounced outspoke a thousand monuments. 

From sires and grandsires Englishmen have learned the mood into whichtheir country fell. To have fought under Nelson in his last fight was apassword to the right hands of men, and into the hearts of women. Evena man who had never been known to change his mind began to condemnother people for being obstinate. Farmer Anerley went to church in hisFencible accoutrements, with a sash of heavy crape, upon the first dayof the Christian year. To prove the largeness of his mind, he harnessedthe white-nosed horse, and drove his family away from his own parish, toSt. Oswald's Church at Flamborough, where Dr. Upround was to preach uponthe death of Nelson. This sermon was of the noblest order, eloquent, spirited, theological, and yet so thoroughly practical, that sevenFlamborough boys set off on Monday to destroy French ships of war. Marydid her very utmost not to cry--for she wanted so particularly to watchher father--but nature and the doctor were too many for her. And when hecame to speak of the distinguished part played (under Providence) by agallant son of Flamborough, who, after enduring with manly silence evilreport and unprecious balms, stood forward in the breach, like Phineas, and, with the sword of Gideon, defied Philistia to enter the Britishark; and when he went on to say that but for Flamborough's prowess onthat day, and the valor of the adjoining parish (which had also supplieda hero), England might be mourning her foremost [Greek word], her verygreatest fighter in the van, without the consolation of burying him, andembalming him in a nation's tears--for the French might have firedthe magazine--and when he proceeded to ask who it was that (under theguiding of a gracious hand) had shattered the devices of the enemy, upstood Robin Cockscroft, with a score of equally ancient captains, and remembering where they were, touched their forelocks, andanswered--"Robin Lyth, sir!"

Then Mary permitted the pride of her heart, which had long been painfulwith the tight control, to escape in a sob, which her mother hadforeseen; and pulling out the stopper from her smelling-bottle, MistressAnerley looked at her husband as if he were Bonaparte himself. He, though aware that it was inconsistent of her, felt (as he saidafterward) as if he had been a Frenchman; and looked for his hat, andfumbled about for the button of the pew, to get out of it. But luckilythe clerk, with great presence of mind, awoke, and believing the sermonto be over, from the number of men who were standing up, pronounced"Amen" decisively. 

During the whole of the homeward drive Farmer Anerley's countenance wasfull of thought; but he knew that it was watched, and he did not chooseto let people get in front of him with his own brains. Therefore he lethis wife and daughter look at him, to their hearts' content, while helooked at the ledges, and the mud, and the ears of his horse, and theweather; and he only made two observations of moment, one of which was"gee!" and the other was "whoa!"

With females jolting up and down, upon no springs--except those ofjerksome curiosity--conduct of this character was rude in the extreme. But knowing what he was, they glanced at one another, not meaning in anysort of way to blame him, but only that he would be better by-and-by, and perhaps try to make amends handsomely. And this, beyond any denial, he did as soon as he had dined, and smoked his pipe on the butt of thetree by the rick-yard. Nobody knew where he kept his money, or at leasthis good wife always said so, when any one made bold to ask her. Andeven now he was right down careful to go to his pot without anybodywatching; so that when he came into the Sunday parlor there was not oneof them who could say, even at a guess, where he last had been. 

Master Simon Popplewell, gentleman-tanner (called out of his name, andinto the name of "Johnny, " even by his own wife, because there was nosign of any Simon in him), he was there, and his good wife Debby, andMistress Anerley in her best cap, and Mary, dressed in royal navy blue, with bars of black (for Lord Nelson's sake), according to the kind giftof aunt and uncle; also Willie, looking wonderfully handsome, thoughpale with the failure of "perpetual motion, " and inclined to be languid, as great genius should be in its intervals of activity. Among them alively talk was stirring; and the farmer said, "Ah! You was talkingabout me. "

"We mought be; and yet again we mought not, " Master Popplewell returned, with a glance at Mrs. Deborah, who had just been describing to thecompany how much her husband excelled in jokesomeness. "Brother Stephen, a good man seeks to be spoken of, and a bad one objects to it, in vain. "

"Very well. You shall have something for your money. Mary, you knowwhere the old Mydeary wine is that come from your godfathers andgodmothers when you was called in baptism. Take you the key from yourmother, child, and bring you up a bottle, and brother Popplewell willopen it, for such things is beyond me. "

"Well done, our side!" exclaimed the tanner; for if he had a weakness itwas for Madeira, which he always declared to have a musky smack of tan;and a waggish customer had told him once that the grapes it was madeof were always tanned first. The others kept silence, foreseeing greatevents. 

Then Mr. Popplewell, poised with calm discretion, and moving with thenice precision of a fine watchmaker, shed into the best decanter (softlyas an angel's tears) liquid beauty, not too gaudy, not too sparklingwith shallow light, not too ruddy with sullen glow, but vivid--like anoble gem, a brown cairngorm--with mellow depth of lustre. "That's yoursort!" the tanner cried, after putting his tongue, while his wife lookedshocked, to the lip of the empty bottle. 

"Such things is beyond my knowledge, " answered Farmer Anerley, as soonas he saw the best glasses filled; "but nothing in nature is too good tospeak a good man's health in. Now fill you up a little glass for Mary;and, Perpetual Motion, you stand up, which is more than your machinescan do. Now here I stand, and I drink good health to a man as I neverclapped eyes on yet, and would have preferred to keep the door betweenus; but the Lord hath ordered otherwise. He hath wiped out all hisfaults against the law; he hath fought for the honor of old Englandwell; and he hath saved the life of my son Jack. Spite of all that, Imight refuse to unspeak my words, which I never did afore, if it had notbeen that I wronged the man. I have wronged the young fellow, and I amman enough to say so. I called him a murderer and a sneak, and time hathproved me to have been a liar. Therefore I ask his pardon humbly; and, what will be more to his liking, perhaps, I say that he shall have mydaughter Mary, if she abides agreeable. And I put down these here twentyguineas, for Mary to look as she ought to look. She hath been a goodlass, and hath borne with me better than one in a thousand would havedone. Mary, my love to you; and with leave all round, here's the verygood health of Robin Lyth!"

"Here's the health of Robin Lyth!" shouted Mr. Popplewell, with his fatcheeks shining merrily. "Hurrah for the lad who saved Nelson's deathfrom a Frenchman's grins, and saved our Jack boy! Stephen Anerley, Iforgive you. This is the right stuff, and no mistake. Deborah, come andkiss the farmer. "

Mrs. Popplewell obeyed her husband, as the manner of good wives is. Andover and above this fleeting joy, solid satisfaction entered into noblehearts, which felt that now the fruit of laborious years, and the cashof many a tanning season, should never depart from the family. And tomake an end of any weak misgivings, even before the ladies went--to fillthe pipes for the gentlemen--the tanner drew with equal care, andeven better nerve, the second bottle's cork, and expressed himself asfollows:

"Brother Steve hath done the right thing. We hardly expected it ofhim, by rights of his confounded stubbornness. But when a shut-up manrepenteth, he is equal to a hoyster, or this here bottle. What goodwould this 'a been without it was sealed over? Now mark my words. I'llnot be behind no man when it comes to the right side up. I may be apoor man, a very poor man; and people counting otherwise might findthemselves mistaken. I likes to be liked for myself only. But the dayour Mary goes to church with Robin Lyth she shall have 500 pounds tiedupon her back, or else my name's not Popplewell. "

Mary had left the room long ago, after giving her father a gentle kiss, and whispering to Willie that he should have half of her twenty guineasfor inventing things; which is a most expensive process, and should bemore highly encouraged. Therefore she could not express at the momenther gratitude to Squire Popplewell; but as soon as she heard of hisgenerosity, it lifted a great weight off her mind, and enabled her tothink about furnishing a cottage. But she never told even her mother ofthat. Perhaps Robin might have seen some one he liked better. Perhaps hemight have heard that stupid story about her having taken up with poorHarry Tanfield; and that might have driven him to wed a foreign lady, and therefore to fight so desperately. None, however, of these perhapseswent very deeply into her heart, which was equally trusting and trusty. 

Now some of her confidence in the future was justified that very momentalmost, by a sudden and great arrival, not of Jack Anerley and RobinLyth (who were known to be coming home together), but of a gentlemanwhose skill and activity deserved all thanks for every good thing thathad happened. 

"Well! I am in the very nick of time. It is my nature, " cried Mr. Mordacks, seated in the best chair by the fire. "Why? you inquire, withyour native penetration. Simply because in very early days I acquiredthe habit of punctuality. This holding good where an appointment is, holds good afterward, from the force of habit, in matters that are ofluck alone. The needle-eye of time gets accustomed to be hit, andturns itself up, without waiting for the clew. Wonderful Madeira! Well, Captain Anerley, no wonder that you have discouraged free trade withyour cellars full of this! It is twenty years since I have tasted suchwine. Mistress Anerley, I have the honor of quaffing this glass toyour very best health, and that of a very charming young lady, who hashitherto failed to appreciate me. "

"Then, sir, I am here to beg your pardon, " said Mary, coming up, witha beautiful blush. "When I saw you first I did not enter intoyour--your--"

"My outspoken manner and short business style. But I hope that you havecome to like me better. All good persons do, when they come to know me. "

"Yes, sir; I was quite ashamed of myself, when I came to learn all thatyou have done for somebody, and your wonderful kindness at Bridlington. "

"Famously said! You inherit from your mother the power and the charm ofexpression. And now, my dear lady, good Mistress Anerley, I shall undoall my great merits by showing that I am like the letter-writers, whonever write until they have need of something. Captain Anerley, itconcerns you also, as a military man, and loyal soldier of King George. A gallant young officer (highly distinguished in his own way, and verylikely to get on, in virtue of high connection) became of age some fewweeks back; and being the heir to large estates, determined to entailthem. I speak as in a parable. My meaning is one which the ladies willgracefully enter into. Being a large heir, he is not selfish, but wouldfain share his blessings with a little one. In a word, he is to marry avery beautiful young lady to-morrow, and under my agency. But he hasa very delightful mother, and an aunt of a lofty and commanding mind, whose views, however, are comparatively narrow. For a hasty, briefseason, they will be wroth; and it would be unjust to be angry withthem. But love's indignation is soon cured by absence, and tones downrapidly into desire to know how the sinner is getting on. In the presentcase, a fortnight will do the business; or if for a month, so much thebetter. Heroes are in demand just now; and this young gentleman tooksuch a scare in his very first fight that he became a hero, and so hasbehaved himself ever since. Ladies, I am astonished at your goodness innot interrupting me. Your minds must be as practical as my own. Now thislovely young pair, being married to-morrow, will have to go hunting forthe honey in the moon, to which such enterprises lead. "

"Sir, you are very right, " Squire Popplewell replied; and, "That isBible truth, " said the farmer. 

"Our minds are enlarged by experience, " resumed the genial factor, pleasantly, and bowing to the ladies, who declined to say a word untila better opportunity, "and we like to see the process going on withothers. But a nest must be found for these young doves--a quiet one, asimple one, a place where they may learn to put up with one another'scookery. The secret of happiness in this world is not to be tooparticular. I have hit upon the very place to make them thankfulby-and-by, when they come to look back upon it--a sweet little hole, half a league away from anybody. All is arranged--a frying-pan, abrown-ware tea-pot, a skin of lard, a cock and a hen, to lay some eggs;a hundredweight of ship biscuits, warranted free from weevil, and aknife and fork. Also a way to the sea, and a net, for them tofish together. Nothing more delightful can be imagined. Under suchcircumstances, they will settle, in three days, which is to bethe master--which I take to be the most important of all marriagesettlements. And, unless I am very much mistaken, it will be the rightone--the lady. My little heroine, Jerry Carroway, is engaged as theirfactotum, and every auspice is favorable. But without your consent, allis knocked on the head; for the cottage is yours, and the tenant won'tgo out, even under temptation of five guineas, without your writtenorder. Mistress Anerley, I appeal to you. Captain, say nothing. This isa lady's question. "

"Then I like to have a little voice sometimes, though it is not oftenthat I get it. And, Mr. Mordacks, I say 'Yes. ' And out of the fiveguineas we shall get our rent, or some of it, perhaps, from Poacher Tim, who owes us nigh upon two years now. "

The farmer smiled at his wife's good thrift, and, being in a pleasantmood, consented, if so be the law could not be brought against him, andif the young couple would not stop too long, or have any family tofall upon the rates. The factor assured him against all evils; and thencreated quite a brisk sensation by telling them, in strict confidence, that the young officer was one Lancelot Yordas, own first cousin to thefamous Robin Lyth, and nephew to Sir Duncan Yordas. And the lady was thedaughter of Sir Duncan's oldest friend, the very one whose name he hadgiven to his son. Wonder never ceased among them, when they thought howthings came round. 

Things came round not only thus, but also even better afterward. Mordacks had a very beautiful revenge of laughter at old Jellicorse, byoutstripping him vastly in the family affairs. But Mr. Jellicorse didnot care, so long as he still had eleven boxes left of title-deeds toScargate Hall, no liability about the twelfth, and a very fair prospectof a lawsuit yet for the multiplication of the legal race. And meetingMr. Mordacks in the highest legal circles, at Proctor Brigant's, inCrypt Court, York, he acknowledged that he never met a more delightfulgentleman, until he found out what his name was. And even then heoffered him a pinch of snuff, and they shook hands very warmly withoutanything to pay. 

When Robin Lyth came home he was dissatisfied at first--so difficult ismankind to please--because his good luck had been too good. No scratchof steel, no permanent scorch of powder, was upon him, and England wasnot in the mood to value any unwounded valor. But even here his goodluck stood him in strong stead, and cured his wrong. For when the bodyof the lamented hero arrived at Spithead, in spirits of wine, early inDecember, it was found that the Admiralty had failed to send down anyorders about it. Reports, however, were current of some intention thatthe hero should lie in state, and the battered ship went on with him. And when at last proper care was shown, and the relics of one of thenoblest men that ever lived upon the tide of time were being transferredto a yacht at the Nore, Robin Lyth, in a sad and angry mood, neglectedto give a wide berth to a gun that was helping to keep up the mourningsalute, and a piece of wad carried off his starboard whisker. 

This at once replaced him in the popular esteem, and enabled him toland upon the Yorkshire coast with a certainty of glorious welcome. Mr. Mordacks himself came down to meet him at the Northern Landing, with Dr. Upround and Robin Cockscroft, and nearly all the men, and entirelyall the women and children, of Little Denmark. Strangers also fromoutlandish parts, Squire Popplewell and his wife Deborah, Mrs. Carroway(with her Tom, and Jerry, and Cissy, and lesser Carroways, for her oldaunt Jane was gone to Paradise at last, and had left her enough to keepa pony-carriage), and a great many others, and especially a group offour distinguished persons, who stood at the top of the slide, becauseof the trouble of getting back if they went down. 

These had a fair and double-horsed carriage in the lane, at the spotwhere fish face their last tribunal; and scarcely any brains but thoseof Flamborough could have absorbed such a spectacle as this, togetherwith the deeper expectations from the sea. Of these four persons, twowere young enough, and two not so young as they had been, but still verylively, and well pleased with one another. These were Mrs. Carnaby andMr. Bart; the pet of the one had united his lot with the darling of theother; for good or for bad, there was no getting out of it, and the onlything was to make the best of it. And being good people, they were doingthis successfully. Poor Mrs. Carnaby had said to Mr. Bart, as soon asMr. Mordacks let her know about the wedding, "Oh, but, Mr. Bart, youare a gentleman; now, are you not? I am sure you are, though you do suchthings! I am sure of it by your countenance. "

"Madam, " Mr. Bart replied, with a bow that was decisive, "if I am not, it is my own fault, as it is the fault of every man. "

At this present moment they were standing with their children, Lancelotand Insie, who had nicely recovered from matrimony, and began to be toohigh-spirited. They all knew, by virtue of Mr. Mordacks, who Robin Lythwas; and they wanted to see him, and be kind to him, if he made no claimupon them. And Mr. Bart desired, as his father's friend, to shake handswith him, and help him, if help were needed. 

But Robin, with a grace and elegance which he must have imported fromforeign parts, declined all connection and acquaintance with them, and declared his set resolve to have nothing to do with the name of"Yordas. " They were grieved, as they honestly declared, to hear it, butcould not help owning that his pride was just; and they felt that theirname was the richer for not having any poor people to share it. 

Yet Captain Lyth--as he now was called, even by revenue officers--in noway impoverished his name by taking another to share it with him. Thefarmer declared that there should be no wedding until he had soldseven stacks of wheat, for his meaning was to do things well. But thisobstacle did not last long, for those were times when corn was golden, not in landscape only. 

So when the spring was fair with promise of green for the earth, andof blue for heaven, and of silver-gray upon the sea, the little churchclose to Anerley Farm filled up all the complement of colors. Therewas scarlet, of Dr. Upround's hood (brought by the Precious boy fromFlamborough); a rich plum-color in the coat of Mordacks; delicate roseand virgin white in the blush and the brow of Mary; every tint of therainbow on her mother's part; and gold, rich gold, in a great tannedbag, on behalf of Squire Popplewell. His idea of a "settlement" was cashdown, and he put it on the parish register. 

Mary found no cause to repent of the long endurance of her truth, andthe steadfast power of quiet love. Robin was often in the distancestill, far beyond the silvery streak of England's new salvation. ButMary prayed for his safe return; and safe he was, by the will of theLord, which helps the man who helps himself, and has made his handbigger than his tongue. When the war was over, Captain Lyth came home, and trained his children in the ways in which he should have walked, andthe duties they should do and pay. 

THE END.