bless every star that is in the heaven now. I
trusted to my luck, and it has not deceived me."

"Robin dear, I never wish to try to be too pious. But I think that you
should rather trust in Providence than starlight."

"So I do. And it is Providence that has kept me out of sight--out of
sight of enemies, and in sight of you, my Mary. The Lord looks down on
every place where His lovely angels wander. You are one of His angels,
Mary; and you have made a man of me. For years I shall not see you,
darling; never more again, perhaps. But as long as I live you will be
here; and the place shall be kept pure for you. If we only could have
a shop together--oh, how honest I would be! I would give full weight,
besides the paper; I would never sell an egg more than three weeks old;
and I would not even adulterate! But that is a dream of the past, I
fear. Oh, I never shall hoist the Royal Arms. But I mean to serve under
them, and fight my way. My captain shall be Lord Nelson."

"That is the very thing that you were meant for. I will never forgive
Dr. Upandown for not putting you into the navy. You could have done no
smuggling then."

"I am not altogether sure of that. However, I will shun scandal, as
behooves a man who gets so much. You have not asked me to clear myself
of that horrible thing about poor Carroway. I love you the more for not
asking me; it shows your faith so purely. But you have the right to know
all I know. There is no fear of any interruption here; so, Mary, I will
tell you, if you are sure that you can bear it."

"Yes, oh yes! Do tell me all you know. It is so frightful that I must
hear it."

"What I have to say will not frighten you, darling, because I did
not even see the deed. But my escape was rather strange, and deserves
telling better than I can tell it, even with you to encourage me
by listening. When we were so suddenly caught in the cave, through
treachery of some of our people, I saw in a moment that we must be
taken, but resolved to have some fun for it, with a kind of whim which
comes over me sometimes. So I knocked away the lights, and began myself
to splash with might and main, and ordered the rest to do likewise. We
did it so well that the place was like a fountain or a geyser; and I
sent a great dollop of water into the face of the poor lieutenant--the
only assault I have ever made upon him. There was just light enough for
me to know him, because he was so tall and strange; but I doubt whethe