When London Burned : a Story of Restoration Times and the Great Fire, Page 6

  CHAPTER VI

  A NARROW ESCAPE

  The _Eliza_, for this Cyril, after leaving Ipswich, learnt was hername, unloaded the rest of her cargo at Aldborough, and then sailedacross to Rotterdam. The skipper fulfilled his promise by takingCyril to the house of one of the men with whom he did business, andarranging with him to board the boy until word came that he couldsafely return to England. The man was a diamond-cutter, and to himpackets of jewellery and gems that could not be disposed of inEngland had often been brought over by the captain. The latter hadnothing to do with the pecuniary arrangements, which were made directby Marner, and he had only to hand over the packets and take backsums of money to England.

  "You understand," the captain said to Cyril, "that I have not said aword touching the matter for which you are here. I have only told himthat it had been thought it was as well you should be out of Englandfor a time. Of course, he understood that you were wanted for anaffair in which you had taken part; but it matters not what hethinks. I have paid him for a month's board for you, and here arethree pounds, which will be enough to pay for your passage back if Imyself should not return. If you do not hear from me, or see the_Eliza_, within four weeks, there is no reason why you should nottake passage back. The trial will be over by that time, and as themembers of the gang have done their part in preventing you fromappearing, I see not why they should have further grudge againstyou."

  "I cannot thank you too much for your kindness, captain. I trust thatwhen I get back you will call at Captain Dowsett's store in TowerStreet, so that I may see you and again thank you; I know that theCaptain himself will welcome you heartily when I tell him how kindlyyou have treated me. He will be almost as glad as I shall myself tosee you. I suppose you could not take him a message or letter from menow?"

  "I think not, lad. It would never do for him to be able to say at thetrial that he had learnt you had been kidnapped. They might writeover here to the Dutch authorities about you. There is one thingfurther. From what I heard when I landed yesterday, it seems thatthere is likely to be war between Holland and England."

  "I heard a talk of it in London," Cyril said, "but I do not rightlyunderstand the cause, nor did I inquire much about the matter."

  "It is something about the colonies, and our taxing their goods, butI don't rightly understand the quarrel, except that the Dutch think,now that Blake is gone and our ships for the most part laid up, theymay be able to take their revenge for the lickings we have giventhem. Should there be war, as you say you speak French as well asEnglish, I should think you had best make your way to Dunkirk as ayoung Frenchman, and from there you would find no difficulty incrossing to England."

  "I know Dunkirk well, captain, having indeed lived there all my life.I should have no difficulty in travelling through Holland as a Frenchboy."

  "If there is a war," the captain said, "I shall, of course, come hereno more; but it may be that you will see me at Dunkirk. French brandysells as well as Dutch Schiedam, and if I cannot get the one I mayperhaps get the other; and there is less danger in coming to Dunkirkand making across to Harwich than there is in landing from Calais orNantes on the south coast, where the revenue men are much more on thealert than they are at Harwich."

  "Are you not afraid of getting your boat captured? You said it wasyour own."

  "Not much, lad. I bring over a regular cargo, and the kegs are stowedaway under the floor of the cabin, and I run them at Pin-mill--thatis the place we anchored the night before we got to Ipswich. I havebeen overhauled a good many times, but the cargo always looks right,and after searching it for a bit, they conclude it is all regular.You see, I don't bring over a great quantity--fifteen or twenty kegsis as much as I can stow away--and it is a long way safer beingcontent with a small profit than trying to make a big one."

  Cyril parted with regret from the captain, whose departure had beenhastened by a report that war might be declared at any moment, inwhich case the _Eliza_ might have been detained for a considerabletime. He had, therefore, been working almost night and day to get inhis cargo, and Cyril had remained on board until the last moment. Hehad seen the diamond dealer but once, and hoped that he should notmeet him often, for he felt certain that awkward questions would beasked him. This man was in the habit of having dealings with Marner,and had doubtless understood from the captain that he was in some wayconnected with his gang; and were he to find out the truth he wouldview him with the reverse of a friendly eye. He had told him that hewas to take his meals with his clerk, and Cyril hoped, therefore,that he should seldom see him.

  He wandered about the wharf until it became dark. Then he went in andtook supper with the clerk. As the latter spoke Dutch only, there wasno possibility of conversation. Cyril was thinking of going up to hisbed when there was a ring at the bell. The clerk went to answer it,leaving the door open as he went out, and Cyril heard a voice ask, inEnglish, if Herr Schweindorf was in. The clerk said something inDutch.

  "The fool does not understand English, Robert," the man said.

  "Tell him," he said, in a louder voice, to the clerk, "that twopersons from England--England, you understand--who have only justarrived, want to see him on particular business. There, don't beblocking up the door; just go and tell your master what I told you."

  He pushed his way into the passage, and the clerk, seeing that therewas nothing else to do, went upstairs.

  A minute later he came down again, and made a sign for them to followhim. As they went up Cyril stole out and looked after them. The factthat they had come from England, and that one of them was namedRobert, and that they had business with this man, who was inconnection with Marner, had excited his suspicions, but he felt ashiver of fear run through him as he recognised the figures of RobertAshford and the man who was called Black Dick. He remembered theexpression of hatred with which they had regarded him in the Court,and felt that his danger would be great indeed did they hear that hewas in Rotterdam. A moment's thought convinced him that they wouldalmost certainly learn this at once from his host. The letter wouldnaturally mention that the captain had left a lad in his charge whowas, as he believed, connected with them. They would denounce him asan enemy instead of a friend. The diamond merchant would expel himfrom his house, terrified at the thought that he possessedinformation as to his dealings with this band in England; and oncebeyond the door he would, in this strange town, be at the mercy ofhis enemies. Cyril's first impulse was to run back into the room,seize his cap, and fly. He waited, however, until the clerk came downagain; then he put his cap carelessly on his head.

  "I am going for a walk," he said, waving his hand vaguely.

  The man nodded, went with him to the door, and Cyril heard him put upthe bar after he had gone out. He walked quietly away, for there wasno fear of immediate pursuit.

  Black Dick had probably brought over some more jewels to dispose of,and that business would be transacted, before there would be any talkof other matters. It might be a quarter of an hour before they heardthat he was an inmate of the house; then, when they went downstairswith the dealer, they would hear that he had gone out for a walk andwould await his return, so that he had two or three hours at leastbefore there would be any search.

  It was early yet. Some of the boats might be discharging bytorchlight. At any rate, he might hear of a ship starting in themorning. He went down to the wharf. There was plenty of bustle here;boats were landing fish, and larger craft were discharging or takingin cargo; but his inability to speak Dutch prevented his askingquestions. He crossed to the other side of the road. The houses herewere principally stores or drinking taverns. In the window of one wasstuck up, "English and French Spoken Here." He went inside, walked upto the bar, and called for a glass of beer in English.

  "You speak English, landlord?" he asked, as the mug was placed beforehim.

  The latter nodded.

  "I want to take passage either to England or to France," he said. "Icame out here but a few days ago, and I hear that there is going tobe trouble between the two co
untries. It will therefore be of no usemy going on to Amsterdam. I wish to get back again, for I am toldthat if I delay I may be too late. I cannot speak Dutch, andtherefore cannot inquire if any boat will be sailing in the morningfor England or Dunkirk. I have acquaintances in Dunkirk, and speakFrench, so it makes no difference to me whether I go there or toEngland."

  "My boy speaks French," the landlord said, "and if you like he can goalong the port with you. Of course, you will give him something forhis trouble?"

  "Willingly," Cyril said, "and be much obliged to you into thebargain."

  The landlord left the bar and returned in a minute with a boy twelveyears old.

  "He does not speak French very well," he said, "but I dare say itwill be enough for your purpose. I have told him that you want totake ship to England, or that, if you cannot find one, to Dunkirk. Ifthat will not do, Ostend might suit you. They speak French there, andthere are boats always going between there and England."

  "That would do; though I should prefer the other."

  "There would be no difficulty at any other time in getting a boat forEngland, but I don't know whether you will do so now. They have beenclearing off for some days, and I doubt if you will find an Englishship in port now, though of course there may be those who have beendelayed for their cargo."

  Cyril went out with the boy, and after making many inquiries learntthat there was but one English vessel still in port. However, Cyriltold his guide that he would prefer one for Dunkirk if they couldfind one, for if war were declared before the boat sailed, she mightbe detained. After some search they found a coasting scow that wouldsail in the morning.

  "They will touch at two or three places," the boy said to Cyril,after a talk with the captain; "but if you are not in a hurry, hewill take you and land you at Dunkirk for a pound--that is, if hefinds food; if you find food he will take you for eight shillings. Hewill start at daybreak."

  "Tell him that I agree to his price. I don't want the trouble ofgetting food. As he will be going so early, I will come on board atonce. I will get my bundle, and will be back in half an hour."

  He went with the boy to one of the sailors' shops near, bought arough coat and a thick blanket, had them wrapped up into a parcel,and then, after paying the boy, went on board.

  As he expected, he found there were no beds or accommodation forpassengers, so he stretched himself on a locker in the cabin, coveredhimself with his blanket, and put the coat under his head for apillow. His real reason for choosing this craft in preference to theEnglish ship was that he thought it probable that, when he did notreturn to the house, it would at once be suspected that he hadrecognised the visitors, and was not going to return at all. In thatcase, they might suspect that he would try to take passage toEngland, and would, the first thing in the morning, make a search forhim on board any English vessels that might be in the port.

  It would be easy then for them to get him ashore, for the diamondmerchant might accuse him of theft, and so get him handed over tohim. Rather than run that risk, he would have started on foot had henot been able to find a native craft sailing early in the morning.Failing Dunkirk and Ostend, he would have taken a passage to anyother Dutch port, and run his chance of getting a ship from there.The great point was to get away from Rotterdam.

  The four men forming the crew of the scow returned late, and by theirloud talk Cyril, who kept his eyes closed, judged that they were inliquor. In a short time they climbed up into their berths, and allwas quiet. At daybreak they were called up by the captain. Cyril layquiet until, by the rippling of the water against the side, he knewthat the craft was under way. He waited a few minutes, and then wentup on deck. The scow, clumsy as she looked, was running along fastbefore a brisk wind, and in an hour Rotterdam lay far behind them.

  The voyage was a pleasant one. They touched at Dordrecht, atSteenbergen on the mainland, and Flushing, staying a few hours ineach place to take in or discharge cargo. After this, they made outfrom the Islands, and ran along the coast, putting into Ostend andNieuport, and, four days after starting, entered the port of Dunkirk.

  Cyril did not go ashore at any of the places at which they stopped.It was possible that war might have been declared with England, andas it might be noticed that he was a foreigner he would in that casebe questioned and arrested. As soon, therefore, as they neared aquay, he went down to the cabin and slept until they got under wayagain. The food was rough, but wholesome; it consisted entirely offish and black bread; but the sea air gave him a good appetite, andhe was in high spirits at the thought that he had escaped from dangerand was on his way back again. At Dunkirk he was under the Frenchflag, and half an hour after landing had engaged a passage to Londonon a brig that was to sail on the following day. The voyage was astormy one, and he rejoiced in the possession of his great-coat,which he had only bought in order that he might have a packet tobring on board the scow, and so avoid exciting any suspicion orquestion as to his being entirely unprovided with luggage.

  It was three days before the brig dropped anchor in the Pool. As soonas she did so, Cyril hailed a waterman, and spent almost his lastremaining coin in being taken to shore. He was glad that it was latein the afternoon and so dark that his attire would not be noticed.His clothes had suffered considerably from his capture andconfinement on board the _Eliza_, and his great-coat was of a roughappearance that was very much out of character in the streets ofLondon. He had, however, but a short distance to traverse before hereached the door of the house. He rang at the bell, and the door wasopened by John Wilkes.

  "What is it?" the latter asked. "The shop is shut for the night, andI ain't going to open for anyone. At half-past seven in the morningyou can get what you want, but not before."

  "Don't you know me, John?" Cyril laughed. The old sailor stepped backas if struck with a blow.

  "Eh, what?" he exclaimed. "Is it you, Cyril? Why, we had all thoughtyou dead! I did not know you in this dim light and in that big coatyou have got on. Come upstairs, master. Captain Dave and the ladieswill be glad indeed to see you. They have been mourning for yousadly, I can tell you."

  Cyril took off his wrap and hung it on a peg, and then followed Johnupstairs.

  "There, Captain Dave," the sailor said, as he opened the door of thesitting-room. "There is a sight for sore eyes!--a sight you neverthought you would look on again."

  For a moment Captain Dave, his wife, and daughter stared at Cyril asif scarce believing their eyes. Then the Captain sprang to his feet.

  "It's the lad, sure enough. Why, Cyril," he went on, seizing him bythe hand, and shaking it violently, "we had never thought to see youalive again; we made sure that those pirates had knocked you on thehead, and that you were food for fishes by this time. There has beenno comforting my good wife; and as to Nellie, if it had been abrother she had lost, she could not have taken it more hardly."

  "They did knock me on the head, and very hard too, Captain Dave. Ifmy skull hadn't been quite so thick, I should, as you say, have beenfood for fishes before now, for that is what they meant me for, andthere is no thanks to them that I am here at present. I am sorry thatyou have all been made so uncomfortable about me."

  "We should have been an ungrateful lot indeed if we had not,considering that in the first place you saved us from being ruined bythose pirates, and that it was, as we thought, owing to the servicesyou had done us that you had come to your end."

  "But where have you been, Master Cyril?" Nellie broke in. "What hashappened to you? We have been picturing all sorts of horrors, motherand I. That evil had befallen you we were sure, for we knew that youwould not go away of a sudden, in this fashion, without so much assaying goodbye. We feared all the more when, two days afterwards, thewretches were so bold as to attack the constables, and to rescueRobert Ashford and another from their hands. Men who would do this inbroad daylight would surely hesitate at nothing."

  "Let him eat his supper without asking further questions, Nellie,"her father said. "It is ill asking one with victuals before him tobegin a tal
e that may, for aught I know, last an hour. Let him havehis food, lass, and then I will light my pipe, and John Wilkes shalllight his here instead of going out for it, and we will have the yarnin peace and comfort. It spoils a good story to hurry it through.Cyril is here, alive and well; let that content you for a fewminutes."

  "If I must, I must," Nellie said, with a little pout. "But you shouldremember, father, that, while you have been all your life havingadventures of some sort, this is the very first that I have had; forthough Cyril is the one to whom it befell, it is all a parcel withthe robbery of the house and the capture of the thieves."

  "When does the trial come off, Captain Dave?"

  "It came off yesterday. Marner is to be hung at the end of the week.He declared that he was but in the lane by accident when two ladsopened the gate. He and the man with him, seeing that they were ladenwith goods, would have seized them, when they themselves wereattacked and beaten down. But this ingenuity did not save him. TomFrost had been admitted as King's evidence, and testified that Marnerhad been several times at the gate with the fellow that escaped, toreceive the stolen goods. Moreover, there were many articles amongthose found at his place that I was able to swear to, besides theproceeds of over a score of burglaries. The two men taken in hishouse will have fifteen years in gaol. The women got off scot-free;there was no proof that they had taken part in the robberies, thoughthere is little doubt they knew all about them."

  "But how did they prove the men were concerned?"

  "They got all the people whose property had been found there, andfour of these, on seeing the men in the yard at Newgate, were able toswear to them as having been among those who came into their roomsand frightened them well-nigh to death. It was just a questionwhether they should be hung or not, and there was some wonder thatthe Judge let them escape the gallows."

  "And what has become of Tom?"

  "They kept Tom in the prison till last night. I saw him yesterday,and I am sure the boy is mighty sorry for having been concerned inthe matter, being, as I truly believe, terrified into it. I hadwritten down to an old friend of mine who has set up in the same wayas myself at Plymouth. Of course I told him all the circumstances,but assured him, that according to my belief, the boy was not so muchto blame, and that I was sure the lesson he had had, would last himfor life; so I asked him to give Tom another chance, and if he didso, to keep the knowledge of this affair from everyone. I got hisanswer yesterday morning, telling me to send him down to him; hewould give him a fair trial, and if he wasn't altogether satisfiedwith him, would then get him a berth as ship's boy. So, last nightafter dark, he was taken down by John Wilkes, and put on board acoaster bound for Plymouth. I would have taken him back here, butafter your disappearance I feared that his life would not be safe;for although they had plenty of other cases they could have provedagainst Marner, Tom's evidence brought this business home to him."

  Captain Dave would not allow Cyril to begin his story until the tablehad been cleared and he and John Wilkes had lighted their pipes. ThenCyril told his adventure, the earlier part of which elicited manyexclamations of pity from Dame Dowsett and Mistress Nellie, and someangry ejaculations from the Captain when he heard that Black Dick andRobert Ashford had got safely off to Holland.

  "By St. Anthony, lad," he broke out, when the story was finished,"you had a narrow escape from those villains at Rotterdam. Had itchanced that you were out at the time they came, I would not havegiven a groat for your life. By all accounts, that fellow Black Dickis a desperate villain. They say that they had got hold of evidenceenough against him to hang a dozen men, and it seems that there islittle doubt that he was concerned in several cases, where, notcontent with robbing, the villain had murdered the inmates of lonelyhouses round London. He had good cause for hating you. It was throughyou that he had been captured, and had lost his share in all thatplunder at Marner's. Well, I trust the villain will never venture toshow his face in London again; but there is never any saying. Ishould like to meet that captain who behaved so well to you, and Iwill meet him too, and shake him by the hand and tell him that anygear he may want for that ketch of his, he is free to come in here tohelp himself. There is another thing to be thought of. I must goround in the morning to the Guildhall and notify the authorities thatyou have come back. There has been a great hue and cry for you. Theyhave searched the thieves' dens of London from attic to cellar; therehave been boats out looking for your body; and on the day after youwere missing they overhauled all the ships in the port. Of course thesearch has died out now, but I must go and tell them, and you willhave to give them the story of the affair."

  "I shan't say a word that will give them a clue that will help themto lay hands on the captain. He saved my life, and no one could havebeen kinder than he was. I would rather go away for a timealtogether, for I don't see how I am to tell the story withoutinjuring him."

  "No; it is awkward, lad. I see that, even if you would not give themthe name of the craft, they might find out what vessels went intoIpswich on that morning, and also the names of those that sailed fromRotterdam on the day she left."

  "It seems to me, Captain, that the only way will be for me to say theexact truth, namely, that I gave my word to the captain that I wouldsay naught of the matter. I could tell how I was struck down, and howI did not recover consciousness until I found myself in a boat, andwas lifted on board a vessel and put down into the hold, and wasthere kept until morning. I could say that when I was let out I foundwe were far down the river, that the captain expressed great regretwhen he found that I had been hurt so badly, that he did everythingin his power for me, and that after I had been some days on board theship he offered to land me in Holland, and to give me money to pay myfare back here if I would give him my word of honour not to divulgehis name or the name of the ship, or that of the port at which helanded me. Of course, they can imprison me for a time if I refuse totell, but I would rather stay in gaol for a year than say aught thatmight set them upon the track of Captain Madden. It was not until theday he left me in Holland that I knew his name, for of course the menalways called him captain, and so did I."

  "That is the only way I can see out of it, lad. I don't think theywill imprison you after the service you have done in enabling them tobreak up this gang, bring the head of it to justice, and recover alarge amount of property."

  So indeed, on their going to the Guildhall next morning, it turnedout. The sitting Alderman threatened Cyril with committal to prisonunless he gave a full account of all that had happened to him, butCaptain Dowsett spoke up for him, and said boldly that instead ofpunishment he deserved honour for the great service he had done tojustice, and that, moreover, if he were punished for refusing to keepthe promise of secrecy he had made, there was little chance in thefuture of desperate men sparing the lives of those who fell intotheir hands. They would assuredly murder them in self-defence if theyknew that the law would force them to break any promise of silencethey might have made. The Magistrate, after a consultation with theChief Constable, finally came round to this view, and permitted Cyrilto leave the Court, after praising him warmly for the vigilance hehad shown in the protection of his employer's interests. He regrettedthat he had not been able to furnish them with the name of a man whohad certainly been, to some extent, an accomplice of those who hadassaulted him, but this was not, however, so much to be regretted,since the man had done all in his power to atone for his actions.

  "There is no further information you can give us, Master Cyril?"

  "Only this, your worship: that on the day before I left Holland, Icaught sight of the two persons who had escaped from the constables.They had just landed."

  "I am sorry to hear it," the Alderman said. "I had hoped that theywere still in hiding somewhere in the City, and that the constablesmight yet be able to lay hands on them. However, I expect they willbe back again erelong. Your ill-doer is sure to return here sooner orlater, either with the hope of further gain, or because he cannotkeep away from his old haunts and companions. If they fa
ll into thehands of the City Constables, I will warrant they won't escapeagain."

  He nodded to Cyril, who understood that his business was over andleft the Court with Captain Dave.

  "I am not so anxious as the Alderman seemed to be that Black Dick andRobert Ashford should return to London, Captain Dave."

  "No; I can understand that, Cyril. And even now that you know theyare abroad, it would be well to take every precaution, for the otherswhose business has been sorely interrupted by the capture of thatvillain Marner may again try to do you harm. No doubt other receiverswill fill his place in time, but the loss of a ready market mustincommode them much. Plate they can melt down themselves, and Ireckon they would have but little difficulty in finding knaves readyto purchase the products of the melting-pot; but it is only a manwith premises specially prepared for it who will buy goods of allkinds, however bulky, without asking questions about them."

  Cyril was now in high favour with Mistress Nellie, and whenever hewas not engaged when she went out he was invited to escort her.

  One day he went with her to hear a famous preacher hold forth at St.Paul's. Only a portion of the cathedral was used for religiousservices; the rest was utilised as a sort of public promenade, andhere people of all classes met--gallants of the Court, citizens,their wives and daughters, idlers and loungers, thieves andmendicants.

  As Nellie walked forward to join the throng gathered near the pulpit,Cyril noticed a young man in a Court suit, standing among a group whowere talking and laughing much louder than was seemly, take off hisplumed hat, and make a deep bow, to which she replied by a slightinclination of the head, and passed on with somewhat heightenedcolour.

  Cyril waited until the service was over, when, as he left thecathedral with her, he asked,--

  "Who was that ruffler in gay clothes, who bowed so deeply to you,Mistress Nellie?--that is, if there is no indiscretion in my asking."

  "I met him in a throng while you were away," she said, with anattempt at carelessness which he at once detected. "There was a greatpress, and I well-nigh fainted, but he very courteously came to myassistance, and brought me safely out of the crowd."

  "And doubtless you have seen him since, Mistress?"

  Nellie tossed her head.

  "I don't see what right you have to question me, Master Cyril?"

  "No right at all," Cyril replied good-temperedly, "save that I am aninmate of your father's house, and have received great kindness fromhim, and I doubt if he would be pleased if he knew that you bowed toa person unknown to him and unknown, I presume, to yourself, savethat he has rendered you a passing service."

  "He is a gentleman of the Court, I would have you know," she saidangrily.

  "I do not know that that is any great recommendation if the tales onehears about the Court are true," Cyril replied calmly. "I cannot sayI admire either his companions or his manners, and if he is agentleman he should know that if he wishes to speak to an honestcitizen's daughter it were only right that he should first addresshimself to her father."

  "Heigh ho!" Nellie exclaimed, with her face flushed with indignation."Who made you my censor, I should like to know? I will thank you toattend to your own affairs, and to leave mine alone."

  "The affairs of Captain Dave's daughter are mine so long as I amabroad with her," Cyril said firmly. "I am sorry to displease you,but I am only doing what I feel to be my duty. Methinks that, wereJohn Wilkes here in charge of you, he would say the same, onlyprobably he would express his opinion as to yonder gallant morestrongly than I do;" he nodded in the direction of the man, who hadfollowed them out of the cathedral, and was now walking on the otherside of the street and evidently trying to attract Nellie'sattention.

  Nellie bit her lips. She was about to answer him passionately, butrestrained herself with a great effort.

  "You are mistaken in the gentleman, Cyril," she said, after a pause;"he is of a good family, and heir to a fine estate."

  "Oh, he has told you as much as that, has he? Well, Mistress Nellie,it may be as he says, but surely it is for your father to inquireinto that, when the gentleman comes forward in due course andpresents himself as a suitor. Fine feathers do not always make finebirds, and a man may ruffle it at King Charles's Court without tenguineas to shake in his purse."

  At this moment the young man crossed the street, and, bowing deeplyto Nellie, was about to address her when Cyril said gravely,--

  "Sir, I am not acquainted with your name, nor do I know more aboutyou save that you are a stranger to this lady's family. That beingso, and as she is at present under my escort, I must ask you toabstain from addressing her."

  "You insolent young varlet!" the man said furiously. "Had I a caneinstead of a sword I would chastise you for your insolence."

  "That is as it may be," Cyril said quietly. "That sort of thing maydo down at Whitehall, but if you attempt to make trouble here inCheapside you will very speedily find yourself in the hands of thewatch."

  "For Heaven's sake, sir," Nellie said anxiously, as severalpassers-by paused to see what was the matter, "do not cause trouble.For my sake, if not for your own, pray leave me."

  "I obey you, Mistress," the man said again, lifting his hat andbowing deeply. "I regret that the officiousness of this blunderingvarlet should have mistaken my intentions, which were but to saluteyou courteously."

  So saying, he replaced his hat, and, with a threatening scowl atCyril, pushed his way roughly through those standing round, andwalked rapidly away.

  Nellie was very pale, and trembled from head to foot.

  "Take me home, Cyril," she murmured.

  He offered her his arm, and he made his way along the street, whilehis face flushed with anger at some jeering remarks he heard from oneor two of those who looked on at the scene. It was not long beforeNellie's anger gained the upper hand of her fears.

  "A pretty position you have placed me in, with your interference!"

  "You mean, I suppose, Mistress Nellie, a pretty position that manplaced you in, by his insolence. What would Captain Dave say if heheard that his daughter had been accosted by a Court gallant in thestreets?"

  "Are you going to tell him?" she asked, removing her hand sharplyfrom his arm.

  "I have no doubt I ought to do so, and if you will take my advice youwill tell him yourself as soon as you reach home, for it may be thatamong those standing round was someone who is acquainted with bothyou and your father; and you know as well as I do what Captain Davewould say if it came to his ears in such fashion."

  Nellie walked for some time in silence. Her anger rose still higheragainst Cyril at the position in which his interference had placedher, but she could not help seeing that his advice was sound. She hadindeed met this man several times, and had listened without chidingto his protestations of admiration and love. Nellie was ambitious.She had been allowed to have her own way by her mother, whose solecompanion she had been during her father's absence at sea. She knewthat she was remarkably pretty, and saw no reason why she, like manyanother citizen's daughter, should not make a good match. She hadreadily given the man her promise to say nothing at home until hegave her leave to do so, and she had been weak, enough to take allthat he said for gospel. Now she felt that, at any rate, she mustsmooth matters over and put it so that as few questions as possibleshould be asked. After a long pause, then, she said,--

  "Perhaps you are right, Cyril. I will myself tell my father andmother. I can assure you that I had no idea I should meet himto-day."

  This Cyril could readily believe, for certainly she would not haveasked him to accompany her if she had known. However, he only repliedgravely,--

  "I am glad to hear that you will tell them, Mistress Nellie, andtrust that you will take them entirely into your confidence."

  This Nellie had no idea of doing; but she said no further word untilthey reached home.