thropy vanishes when I have your
company. How did you come? Not by the causeway, I should say," smiling
again, and glancing at the unblemished top-boots.

"I have two men waiting for me in the gig below; my schooner, the
_Peregrine_, lies in the offing."

The elder man turned to the window, and through the grey curtain of
crepuscule recognised the rakish topsail schooner that had excited
Molly's admiration some days before. He gazed forth upon it a few
meditative moments.

"Not knowing whether I would find you ready to receive me," pursued
the captain, "I arranged that the _Peregrine_ was to wait for me if I
had to return to-night."

"Which, of course, is not to be heard of," said Sir Adrian. "Here is
Renny; he will carry word that with me you remain to-night.... Come,
Renny, do you recognise an old acquaintance?"

Already well disposed towards any one who could call this note of
pleasure into the loved voice, the Breton, who had just entered,
turned to give a broad stare at the handsome stranger, then burst into
a guffaw of pure delight. "By my faith, it is Mr. the Lieutenant!" he
ejaculated; adding, as ingeniously as Tanty herself might have done,
that he would never have known him again.

"It is Mr. the Captain now, Renny," said that person, and held out a
strong hand to grip that of the little Frenchman, which the latter,
after the preliminary rubbing upon his trousers that his code of
manners enjoined, readily extended.

"Ah, it is a good wind that sent you here this day," said he, with a
sigh of satisfaction when this ceremony had been duly gone through.

"You say well," acquiesced his master, "it has ever been a good wind
that has brought Captain Jack across my path."

And then receiving directions to refresh the gig's crew and dismiss
them back to their ship with instructions to return for orders on the
morrow, the servant hurried forth, leaving the two friends once more
alone.

"Thanks," said Captain Jack, when the door had closed upon the
messenger. "That will exactly suit my purpose. I have a good many
things to talk over with you, since you so kindly give me the
opportunity. In the first place, let me unburden myself of a debt
which is now of old standing--and let me say at the same time," added
the young man, rising to deposit upon the table a letter-case which he
had taken from his breast-pocket, "that though my actual debt is now
met, my obligation to you remains the same and will always be s