l; and Burdale
made off to a room in one of the out-houses.

"We treat you now as we shall have to do while you stay here," said the
dame, apologising for the homely entertainment she had given Jack.
"Before long we are expecting several guests, who come here to transact
business with my good man, either to buy cattle or horses, or about
certain affairs abroad. He was a seaman in his younger days, and
visited many strange countries, and even now is often hankering after
the ocean. However, I hope he will settle down quietly soon, for I
think he must be weary of riding about the country in the way he does;
but he's a good, kind husband to me, and I have reason to be grateful.
He saved my life in the time of the Civil War, and protected me from
fearful dangers when all my family were killed, and I was left
penniless; so I have reason, you see, to be grateful to him and love
him. I should be glad if we could move back to the part of the country
we came from, for this fen-district is trying to the health, though
Elizabeth and I keep ours indeed wonderfully, considering the fogs which
so often hang about us. But the inhabitants of Holland retain their
health often to a green old age, and the country is very similar to
this, only there drains have been cut in all directions, and it is only
of late years that attempts have been made to drain our Lincolnshire
fens. It would seem impossible to carry the water off from around us,
and yet, looking to what has been done in Holland, perhaps too some day
we shall see corn-fields and orchards where now we have only marshes and
ponds."

Jack, taking courage from the disposition to talk the good dame
exhibited, asked her the name of the tall stranger who had just arrived.

"That is more than I can tell you, young sir," she answered. "He calls
himself Long Sam, or Sam Smart, and desires to be addressed by that name
alone; but whether that is his real name or not, I leave you to judge.
He is evidently a man who has seen the world, and courtly society too,
though he can be rough enough when he pleases, as you will find if you
offend him, and let me advise you not to do so on any account."

Jack, much interested with the information he had received, at length
put his head upon his straw-stuffed pillow. As he lay there he heard
heavy footsteps pacing up and down the room overhead, which he concluded
to be the one occupied by the gentleman who chose to call himself Long
Sam.