ead and then his pocket), "to get a seal,
with ten times the despatch of any attorney. I promise by Saturday thee
shalt have assurance to thy utmost requirement. Say, good friend, thee
wilt be at my lodge house on that day."

"I'll promise nothing," says I. "Our poor Captain Evans is still a
prisoner in his room."

"Aye," says Dawson, coming in from the next room, in his nightgown,
seeming very feeble and weak despite his blustering voice, "and I'm like
to be no better till I can get a ship of my own and be to sea again.
Have you brought my money, Mr. Quaker?"

"Thee shalt have it truly; wait but a little while, good friend, a
little while."

"Wait a little while and founder altogether, eh? I know you land sharks,
and would I'd been born with a smack of your cunning; then had I never
gone of this venture, and lost my ship and twoscore men, that money'll
ne'er replace. Look at me, a sheer hulk and no more, and all through
lending ear to one prayer and another. I doubt you're minded to turn
your back on poor old Bob Evans, as t'others have, Mr. Hopkins,--and why
not? The poor old man's worth nothing, and cannot help himself." With
this he fell a-snivelling like any girl.

"I vow I'll not quit you, Evans, till you're hale again."

"Bring him with thee o' Saturday," urged Simon. "Surely, my mistress can
never have the heart to refuse you shelter at the Court, who owes her
life to ye. Come and stay there till thy wage be paid, friend Evans."

"What! would ye make an honest sailor play bum-bailiff, and stick in a
house, willy nilly, till money's found? Plague of your dry land! Give me
a pitching ship and a rolling sea, and a gale whistling in my shrouds.
Oh, my reins, my reins! give me a paper of tobacco, Mr. Hopkins, and a
pipe to soothe this agony, or I shall grow desperate!"

I left the room as if to satisfy this desire, and Simon followed,
imploring me still to come on Saturday to Chislehurst; and I at length
got rid of him by promising to come as soon as Evans could be left or
induced to accompany me.

I persuaded Dawson, very much against his gree, to delay our going until
Monday, the better to hoodwink old Simon; and on that day we set out for
Chislehurst, both clad according to our condition,--he in rough frieze,
and I in a very proper, seemly sort of cloth,--and with more guineas in
our pockets than ever before we had possessed shillings. And a very
merry journey this was; for Dawson, finding himself once m