to anybody. I was
in a bad plight, and what was worst of all, it seemed as if no one cared
much what I did or what became of me.

"At any rate," said I to myself as I jogged Londonwards, "I can go to
the wars and fight for my Queen--Heaven bless her!"

It was a sore temptation as I passed near Richmond to climb the hill and
see what was going forward at the Hall. That house harboured the two
people I held dearest in the world, and the one I hated most. Yet I was
afraid to go, not because of Captain Merriman or the cellar, but lest I
should not read a welcome on Ludar's brow, or should be scorned by that
fair lady. No; I must wait till Ludar came to me in London. Meanwhile,
forward thither.

I took the boat we had left last night at Mortlach, and went down on the
tide. The hard labour of rowing did me good, and made me forget all but
the biggest of my troubles. I resolved first to go to my master's
house, and see more closely how the land lay there. To my surprise, as
I entered, unexpected, I found great noise and revelry afoot; and there
sat in my mistress' snug little parlour Timothy Ryder himself making
merry with no other than my fellow-apprentice, Peter Stoupe. And if I
mistook not, the good cheer on the table came out of Mistress Walgrave's
own larder.

"Oh, he!" thought I. "You are a pretty pair. Now there is like to be a
pretty three of us."

So I walked in, and just as Master Peter was lifting the tankard to his
hypocritical face, I caught him a whack on the back which sent him off
his chair, choking, and groaning aloud that the end of the world was
come.

When they saw who it was, their jaws fell a bit, and Timothy Ryder began
to bluster.

"Come, come," said he. "What do you here? Who bade you here, pray?
Know you not this place is in the Company's keeping? Come, make off
with you, rascal, or some of us will see you go keep your rogue of a
master company."

"Hold your peace, beadle," said I, "or you shall swing on the beam over
your head. Here, Peter, get up."

Peter rose, purple in face, and not very steady in the knees.

"Now," said I, "tell me, where got you that ale?"

"Indeed, Humphrey, I was invited to it. I never--"

"Where got you that beef and bread?"

"I--oh, dost thou think so ill of me as to suppose--"

"That when your master is in gaol, and your mistress and her little ones
are homeless, you would come here and gorge your vile paunch with the
food that belongs to