right to your honesty. You
are as bad as a Jew."

"If so, I have surely a right to extort money from a Christian."

"A truce to your jests, you ill-favoured loon: I want no man's labour
for nothing--there are some broad pieces to stop your mouth; and now,
when saw you Hugh Dalton?"

"Not since I had the honour to wait upon you, sir, to London."

"But he is off the coast."

"Under favour, sir, that accounts for my not seeing him on it."

"Scoundrel!" exclaimed Burrell fiercely; "no such mummery with me, or
I'll soon put you upon salt-water rations. Dalton, I say, is off the
coast; I would speak with him, I _must_ speak with him; and as I have
good reason to know you telegraph each other, manage so that he meet me
under the cavern:--do you understand, you sprat-spawn? Under the cavern;
to-morrow night, at eleven; we can serve each other." Burrell, when he
had retraced his steps about five yards, turned round and added, "You
owe me amends for your base desertion the night before last, which I
have not forgotten."

Robin, cap in hand, watched his receding footsteps with an underlook;
and then, attended by his faithful Crisp, repaired to the cottage, where
a cannikin of porridge, seasoned by the hand of his mother with good
spicery, and more than half composed of double-dub, awaited his arrival.

CHAPTER VI.

By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.

SHAKSPEARE.

There is nothing in England so variable as its climate. Before the
succeeding night, the very remembrance of the storm seemed to have
passed away from the placid waters, which now slept in the moonbeams as
tranquilly as a cradled child; the sea-bird's scream no longer whistled
through the air, and the small waves murmured their gentle music along
the strand. Nature was hushed and happy; but the tranquillity of
external objects had little effect upon the mind of Burrell, as he
strode to his trysting with the bold Buccaneer. Yet were there no
outward tokens that he apprehended aught from the meeting; for,
excepting the sword, usually borne by persons of all ranks and
professions during the dynasty of Oliver, he was completely unarmed. The
place appointed was appropriately described as "Under the Cavern." It
was known to Dalton's more intimate associates, and the Cavaliers, who
had from time to time obtained security therein; but, if its bare, bleak
walls had been gifted with speech, they might have rehearsed su