with the tale and save thy soul
thy scruples, and thy ears the melody of her tongue. I will acquaint
her with the miscarriage of the goods, and whisper of the sick
sailor, and all thou hast to do is to loiter about Jamestown,
keeping thy Bridget well in mind the while, and load thy ship with
the produce of the soil which the beggars of Virginia give of their
loyalty to His Majesty King Charles, and then to take on board my
Lord Culpeper and set sail."

"'Tis a fearful risk," groaned the other, "though I am a poor man,
and I will admit that my Bridget--"

"'Tis a fearful risk for you, Captain Tabor, and through you for my
mistress," I interrupted, for I did not half like the plan.

"Our ships lay alongside, and I am hailed by a brother mariner in
distress both at the prospect of the displeasure of a great and
noble lady and the suspicion of his honesty; but for that latter
will I vouch with my own, and, if needs be, will give surety that
the list of goods which she ordered shall be delivered next voyage,"
said Calvin Tabor.

"Her tongue, you know not her tongue," groaned the other.

"Even that will I dare for thee, Dick, for thee and that fair little
maid who is dabbling her pretty fingers in that flaming pudding with
which only the tough ones of a man should meddle," said Captain
Tabor. "And as for risk for me, my sailormen be as much in the toils
for Sabbath-breaking as their captain, should yesterday's work leak
out; and not a man of them knoweth the contents of those cases,
though, faith, and I heard them marvelling among themselves at the
weight of feathers and silken petticoats, and I made port in the
night-time before, and not a soul knew of it nor the unlading, save
those which be bound to keep the secret for their own necks, and,
and--well, Captain Tabor be not averse to somewhat of risk; it
gives a savour to life." So saying, he rolled his bright-blue eyes
at me and Captain Watson with such utter good-nature and
dare-deviltry as I have never seen equalled.

It was finally agreed that Captain Tabor's plan should be carried
out, and I wended my way back to Drake Hill with a feeling of
triumph, to which I of late years had been a stranger. I know of
nothing in the poor life of a man equal to that great delight of
being of service to one beloved.

I reflected with such ever-increasing joy that it finally became an
ecstasy, and I could almost, it seemed, see the colours of it in my
path; how, had it not b