ve I done well with
him?"

"None could have done better. He's an eagle, David. I marked him
well. Spirit, imagination, force; youth and honesty looking out of his
eyes. But have you no fears, David, that you will get him killed in
the wars?"

"I could not keep him from going to them if I would, Benjamin. There
my power stops. You old sailors have superstitions or beliefs, and I,
a landsman, have a conviction, too. The invisible prophets tell me
that he will not be killed."

"I don't laugh at such things, David. The greatness and loneliness of
the sea does breed superstition in mariners. I know there is no such
thing as the supernatural, and yet I am swayed at times by the
unknown."

"At least I will watch over him as best I can, and he has uncommon
skill in taking care of himself."

Robert's will triumphed over a curiosity that was intense and burning,
and he turned away. He knew they were speaking of him, and he seemed
to be connected with great affairs. It was enough to stir the most
apathetic youth, and he was just the opposite. It required the utmost
exertion of a very strong mind to pull himself from the door and then
to drag his unwilling feet along the hall. Matter was in complete
rebellion and mind was compelled to win its triumph, unaided, but win
it did and kept the victory.

He reached his own room and softly closed the door behind him. Tayoga
was still sleeping soundly. Robert went again to the window. His eyes
were turned toward the street, but he did not see anything there,
because he was looking inward. The talk of Willet and Hardy came back
to him. He could say it over, every word, and none could deny that it
was charged with significance. But he knew intuitively that neither of
them would answer a single one of his questions, and he must wait for
time and circumstance to disclose the truth. Nor could he bear to tell
them that he had been listening at the door, despite the fact that it
had been brought about by accident, and that he had come away, when he
might have heard more.

Having resigned himself to necessity, he went back to bed and now,
youth triumphing over excitement, he soon slept. The next morning,
directly after breakfast, the three elders and the two lads went to
the Royal Exchange, where there was soon a great concourse of
merchants, clerks and seafaring men. Master Hardy was received with
great respect, and many congratulations were given to him, when he
told the story of the _