London streets for
Cheapside, where lived Mr. Young, a director of the Hudson's Bay
Company, who was favourable to Pierre Radisson.

"Halloo! Halloo!" shouts Radisson, beating his pistol-butt on the door.

A candle and a nightcap emerge from the upper window.

"Who's there?" demands a voice.

"It's Radisson, Mr. Young!"

"Radisson! In the name o' the fiends--where from?"

"Oh, we've just run across the way from Hudson Bay!" says Radisson.

And the good man presently appears at the door with a candle in one
hand and a bludgeon in the other.

"In the name o' the fiends, when did you arrive, man?" exclaims Mr.
Young, hailing us inside.

"Two minutes ago by the clock," laughs Radisson, looking at the
timepiece in the hall. "Two minutes and a half ago," says he,
following our host to the library.

"How many beaver-skins?" asks the Englishman, setting down his candle.

The Frenchman smiles.

"Twenty thousand beaver--skins and as many more of other sorts!"

The Englishman sits down to pencil out how much that will total at ten
shillings each; and Pierre Radisson winks at us.

"The winnings again," says he.

"Twenty thousand pounds!" cries our host, springing up.

"Aye," says Pierre Radisson, "twenty thousand pounds' worth o' fur
without a pound of shot or the trade of a nail-head for them. The
French had these furs in store ready for us!"

Mr. Young lifts his candle so that the light falls on Radisson's
bronzed face. He stands staring as if to make sure we are no wraiths.

"Twenty thousand pounds," says he, slowly extending his right hand to
Pierre Radisson. "Radisson, man, welcome!"

The Frenchman bows with an ironical laugh.

"Twenty thousand pounds' worth o' welcome, sir!"

But the director of the Fur Company rambles on unheeding.

"These be great news for the king and His Royal Highness," says he.

"Aye, and as I have some rare furs for them both, why not let us bear
the news to them ourselves?" asks Radisson.

"That you shall," cries Mr. Young; and he led us up-stairs, where we
might refresh ourselves for the honour of presentation to His Majesty
next day.

[1] The Duke of York became Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company after
Prince Rupert's death, and the Company's charter was a royal favour
direct from the king.

CHAPTER XXVIII

REBECCA AND I FALL OUT

M. Radisson had carried his rare furs to the king, and I was at Sir
John Kirke's door to report the return of her husba