"With all my heart, sir," said I, "but first will you please enlighten me as to how you know my name?"
"Why we learned it a month after you left us," he replied. ""Twas Roger found it out.
"He is not here, hang it!" he said, his face falling a little. "We could not keep him at home after you had gone, and now he"s carrying an ensign in the foot regiment of General Webb.
"Well, "twas he found out all about you. Having set his heart on going into the army, he must needs go into Shrewsbury to take lessons in fencing from a Captain Galsworthy he had heard of. And it appears that during his very first bout with the captain he tried a botte that you had taught him. The captain drops his point, and stares a moment, and then cries "Ads my life! The only man in the world that knows that botte besides myself is Humphrey Bold.
Where in the name of Beelzebub did you learn it?" And so it all came out, and the whole story of the villainous doings of those Cluddes and Lawyer Vetch--"
"Stay, sir," I interrupted; "Mr. Vetch is a very dear friend of mine, and I would lay my life he is innocent of any share of the trickery that lost me my father"s lands."
"Maybe, maybe: I know the story of the will," said Mr. Allardyce.
"Roger was wild with excitement when he came back, and nothing would satisfy him but that he must go to Bristowe and see if he could learn any news of you. But he could learn nothing, and--"
"My dear," says Mistress Allardyce at this point, "you are keeping us waiting so long. Lucy and I want to hear Mr. Bold."
"That"s an extinguisher," cries he with a jolly laugh.
"Light my pipe, Lucy, my dear; it will last a good half hour, and maybe that will be long enough for Mr. Bold"s story."
But in truth he had smoked another couple of pipes before I had finished, and gave no heed to Susan when she appeared at the door and said that my meal was ready. I have heard that a speaker"s eloquence depends much upon his hearers and the bond of sympathy betwixt him and them, and sure I spoke with a freedom that surprised me. Certainly no man was ever better favored in his audience; Mr. Allardyce let his pipe go out more than once. And the ladies hung on my words, Mistress Lucy sitting forward in her chair, her lips parted, her eyes kindling, and a ruddy glow suffusing her cheeks. The room rang with Mr. Allardyce"s laughter when I described our march across country with the gagged Frenchmen, and I vow I could almost hear the beating of Mistress Lucy"s heart as I told of our fight with Duguay-Trouin.
When I had ended my tale, Mr. Allardyce tugged at the bell rope, crying:
"Egad, we must drink the health of Mr. Midshipman Bold," and when Susan appeared, with surprising celerity (I believe the minx had been listening at the door) he roared at her for keeping me waiting so long a-fasting.
"And what do you think of that, Lucy?" he cries, turning to his niece. "Didst ever hear such a tale of ups and downs and derring do?"
"I love Joe Punchard," said Mistress Lucy, and that set her uncle a-laughing again, though I confess it somewhat mystified me.
My kind friends insisted that I should stay the night with them, and we sat up talking to a late hour. I longed to ask how things stood in the matter of the guardianship of Mistress Lucy, but the subject was ignored by tacit consent so long as the ladies were in the room. When they had retired, however, Mr. Allardyce drew his chair alongside of mine, and said:
"Humphrey, I am worried out of my life. We are almost in a state of siege here. Ever since that attempt at kidnapping Lucy that you so happily frustrated I have never felt easy about her. She never goes forth unattended now: those morning rides are at an end. I have taken two more menservants to act as special guard for her, and they two, or myself and one of them, always accompany her, with well primed pistols, I warrant you. Men have been seen at various times lurking about here, and I have taken pains to track them, and went so far as to commit one of them for loitering with intent to commit a felony. But I had no proof, and an attorney fellow in Shrewsbury named Moggridge threatened me with all sorts of pains and penalties if I did not at once release the villain."
"But what does the law say to it, sir?" I asked.
"The law is uncommon slow to say anything, confound it! My lawyer in Bridgenorth was at first all for an accommodation, as he called it; he wanted me to make terms with that rogue Cludde, and a host of letters pa.s.sed between him and Moggridge, who is Cludde"s attorney. But that failed; of course it did, since I wouldn"t give way, and now my man has filed a bill in chancery to make Lucy a ward of court, with me as her guardian. The other side is opposing, and the case will not come on till next sessions and maybe not then. My man says we are bound to win, the court, as he declares, being very jealous of the rights of minors, especially where property is concerned. But meanwhile we live in constant fear of the girl being carried off, and if they once get her there will be precious little chance of getting her back."
"Can we not imprison d.i.c.k Cludde for the former attempt?" I suggested. "Now that I am back I could give evidence against him."
"He is away with his ship, and will be careful, you may be sure, not to show his nose again in these parts while there is any danger."
"But the other fellow, Vetch--has he been seen hereabouts? I have often wondered what became of him after he left prison."
"What is he like?"
"A tall, thin, weasel-faced fellow, with a sour look."
"No, I have not seen or heard of him."
"If I could hear of his whereabouts I would have him arrested for his complicity in my kidnapping. I own I should feel more secure of Mistress Lucy"s safety if I knew he was laid by the heels. Could you give me a warrant, sir, which I could execute if ever I met him?"
"I will certainly do so, though I doubt if he"ll ever give you the opportunity. Villains of his stamp are uncommonly clever in running to earth. But you shall have the warrant."
"I shall see his uncle tomorrow," I said. "May I mention Mistress Lucy"s affairs to him? He was accounted a good lawyer until that unhappy business of my father"s will, and as he has no reason to love the Cluddes, or his nephew either, I am sure he would give the best advice he knows."
"Do so, by all means; "twill be some comfort to know that my man is taking the right course."
We sat till near midnight, and Mr. Allardyce recovered something of his usual good spirits before I rose to say good night. As he shook hands with me he broke into a sudden laugh.
"Egad!" he cried, "I had forgot to ask you whether you still have that crown piece you were so loath to part with."
"Indeed I have," I said, laughing too. "It is slung about my neck, and there it will remain until I return it with interest to d.i.c.k Cludde."
"d.i.c.k Cludde!" says he. "What! is he concerned in that, too?"
And then I told him what I had hitherto kept to myself--that incident upon the road when Cludde flung the coin at me.
"On my life, Humphrey," he said, "I should not care to have you for an enemy."
And then we parted.
I left next morning, promising to see my friends as often as possible before I received the summons which I hoped for from Admiral Benbow. Mr. Allardyce lent me one of his horses, which he was kind enough to place at my service while I remained at home. In my breast pocket I carried a warrant in due form for the arrest of Cyrus Vetch.
There was a great surprise awaiting me at Shrewsbury. I asked the little maid who answered my knock at Mr. Vetch"s door for Mistress Pennyquick, and felt some astonishment that the door had not been opened by the good dame herself, for she had no maid when I left her, doing all the housework herself. The girl stared at me.
"Is Mistress Pennyquick within?" I repeated.
"No, sir: but would you like to see Mistress Vetch?"
I was minded to refuse, and thought of going on to Mr. Vetch"s offices where I knew I should find him at this time of day. I felt a certain annoyance at Mr. Vetch marrying ("twas unreasonable, I admit), and wondered whether poor old Becky had been dismissed, or was dead. But while I stood hesitating, I heard the well-remembered voice from the interior of the house--"Tell the man the coffee is not fit to drink, and if I have any more of it I"ll say goodby to Mr. Huggins and see if Mr. Martin can serve me better."
"What, Becky!" I cried; "d"you think I"m a grocer"s boy after all?"
There was a scream, and my old friend came flying towards me, her cap (with lilac tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs) shaken askew by her haste.
"Oh, my boy!" she cried, flinging her arms about me. "Drat the girl!
"How many times have I told you to ask visitors into the parlor!
"Oh, my dear, precious boy!"
""Tis not her fault," I said, giving the good creature an answering hug; "I asked for Mistress Pennyquick."
"Which my name is Vetch, and has been for six months come Sat.u.r.day.
He would have it so, though I told him Vetch wasn"t a name to my taste. But there! What was a poor lone widow to do? A lawyer have got such a tongue!"
"You look ten years younger, Becky," I said.
"I feel it, Humphrey," she said solemnly, and then bade the maid set wine and biscuits in the parlor, and never to forget to ask a gentleman in instead of keeping him at the door, gaping like a ninny!