nce, his elbows on the table,
his cheeks on his doubled fists, looking him through and through with
kindling eyes. No one spoke for several minutes; and then--

"Amyas, you have heard this story. You believe it?"

"Every word, sir, or I should not have the heart of a Christian man."

"So do I. Anthony!"

The butler entered.

"Take this man to the buttery; clothe him comfortably, and feed him with
the best; and bid the knaves treat him as if he were their own father."

But Yeo lingered.

"If I might be so bold as to ask your worship a favor?--"

"Anything in reason, my brave fellow."

"If your worship could put me in the way of another adventure to the
Indies?"

"Another! Hast not had enough of the Spaniards already?"

"Never enough, sir, while one of the idolatrous tyrants is left
unhanged," said he, with a right bitter smile. "But it's not for that
only, sir: but my little maid--Oh, sir! my little maid, that I swore to
Mr. Oxenham to look to, and never saw her from that day to this! I must
find her, sir, or I shall go mad, I believe. Not a night but she comes
and calls to me in my dreams, the poor darling; and not a morning but
when I wake there is my oath lying on my soul, like a great black cloud,
and I no nearer the keeping of it. I told that poor young minister of it
when we were in the galleys together; and he said oaths were oaths, and
keep it I must; and keep it I will, sir, if you'll but help me."

"Have patience, man. God will take as good care of thy little maid as
ever thou wilt."

"I know it, sir. I know it: but faith's weak, sir! and oh! if she were
bred up a Papist and an idolater; wouldn't her blood be on my head then,
sir? Sooner than that, sooner than that, I'd be in the Inquisition again
to-morrow, I would!"

"My good fellow, there are no adventures to the Indies forward now: but
if you want to fight Spaniards, here is a gentleman will show you the
way. Amyas, take him with you to Ireland. If he has learnt half the
lessons God has set him to learn, he ought to stand you in good stead."

Yeo looked eagerly at the young giant.

"Will you have me, sir? There's few matters I can't turn my hand to:
and maybe you'll be going to the Indies again, some day, eh? and take me
with you? I'd serve your turn well, though I say it, either for gunner
or for pilot. I know every stone and tree from Nombre to Panama, and all
the ports of both the seas. You'll never be content, I'll warrant, till
you'