"Sir Benjamin, belay now!" quoth Absalom, frowning. "You've guessed right, here stands my latest recruit and, if no giant, better than he seems and older than he looks."
"Eh—looks, d'ye say? 'S blood—he looks like small vision o' creeping death! Tush and curse it, Captain, 'tis no more than petty boy, a sickling, a lousy lad, a puling manikin not worth shiproom! I want hearty fellows, seadogs and tarry mariners, not spindle-shanked whifflers! Besides, my company's complete——"
"Not so," said Absalom, shaking his head, "your damned company will lack Captain Smy Peters, John Fenn, Nicholas Cobb, Abnegation Mings, with myself and others, except my comrade Adam be signed on."
"But 's death and blood, Captain Troy, don't I tell ye——"
"No, Sir Benjamin, 'tis I tell you,—except my brother Adam sail, neither sail we, and may you and your rogues all perish and rot——"
"Eh? Stap me vitals, your brother, Captain, your brother?"
"Sworn on the blood!" nodded Absalom.
"Then why i' the fiend's name not say so?" cried Sir Benjamin scowling and bouncing in his chair again. "If so be—be sure he sails. Hey, boy, hey, boy, with a curse,—what's your name?"
"Adam."
"Ay, ay, and what beside—what?" bellowed Sir Benjamin stabbing at Adam again with the feather of his pen, "your t'other name—pronounce!"
Now with his gaze on the feather of this quill pen Adam answered:
"Penfeather."
"So,—then down I write ye! Now come and make your mark."
"Nay, first, sir," sighed Adam, "I have to tell you that I am neither lousy nor a lad,—look at this!" And snatching off bonnet he showed thus his white hair. "Furthermore, sir, you have jibed me, jeered and belittled my littleness, and this I can by no means let pass. So——"
With one movement, as it seemed, he stepped back, whipped blade from scabbard and Sir Benjamin's magnificent hat, transfixed on darting steel, was whisked out through the window.
"Now, sir," said Adam, bowing, "let us walk after your hat and see if such mannerless man as yourself may out-man manikin such as I,—come, sir!"
Clapping hands to his round, cropped head, Sir Benjamin uttered a choking roar, he bounced to his feet and, emitting rageful clamour, stamped and strode out into the sunny garden and here, not staying to remove coat or even shoes, drew his own weapon, whirled it dexterously, brandished it fiercely and fell to his guard. Scarcely had the blades crossed than he thrust, was met by a strong parry, leapt back from lightning counter-thrust and, being out of distance, lowered his point to survey his small, so agile assailant; and his eye was bright, his peevish scowl clean gone, he skipped, he bounced, he flourished.
"'Od's body, a pretty manage!" he exclaimed. "This lad is none so lousy as methought. Come again!"
Once more the swords rang together and, joined thus, whirled in flashing arcs, parted to clash in slithering flurry, their flickering points darting, now in the high line, now in the low, until Adam's blade seemed to waver from this line, flashing wide but, in that same instant, he stepped nimbly aside and as Sir Benjamin passed in the expected lunge, Adam smote him lightly across broad back with the flat of his blade.
"There, sir," said he, turning to front his now hard-breathing antagonist, "there was time-thrust had transfixed you had I so willed. Thus, sir, I suffer you to live. Now if this prove me worthy your company let us cry enough and you shall sign me on, if not let us endeavour each other's despatch featly as possible. I await your word. Meanwhile, sir,—your hat!" And reaching this noble adornment whence it lay, Adam tendered it to its puffing owner with humble obeisance.
Sir Benjamin accepted his hat dumbly, he put it on, took it off again, bowed, flourished and made answer briefly with never an oath:
"Master Penfeather, sir, my first word is,—enough! My second,—regret! And my third,—sack!" Then seizing Adam's hand he shook it violently, drew it within his arm and strode back indoors bellowing:
"Oho, landlord,—sack! Sack and plenty on't! Sack-ho!"
And presently, seated all four with brimming glasses, they solemnly pledged one another; they drank to good-fellowship; to the stout ship London Merchant; to a prosperous voyage, success on their venture and general good fortune. They (Adam excepted) drank indeed oft and deep until the wine getting low and their voices high, Adam contrived to steal away unnoticed and so to the kitchen,—a place of quiet orderliness with its gleaming copper and pewter, its wide hearth, roomy ingle and great ceiling beams hung with smoked hams and fragrant bunches of dried herbs. Here he found Mrs. Martha, this buxom yet so capable person, who, at sight of him, laid finger on lip, then laughed, clapping her hands, and still laughing, drew him within the deep inglenook and whispered:
"Oh, Master Adam, 'tis wonderful sure-ly! She do fit your clothes to a hair, she do! And, Lord bless her pretty limbs, a more lovesome young gen'leman she do make as no eyes never see afore,—never!"
"Is she dressed correctly, good Mother Martha?"
"That she be, ay marry is she, sir! Every single stitch, innards and outards, I did on her my own self—wi' these two hands, I did. And a lovely creeter your sister be, Master Adam, white-skinned as yourself though plumper."
"And is she girt with my spare sword?"
"She be, sir. I belts it about her pretty middle wi' these same two 'ands, I did. Likewise I've been a-learning her to stride large and strut,—manlike."
"God love thee, Mother Martha,—hast been such kind friend to us,—'tis beyond my poor words to show."
"Nay, sir, nay, how should I not be—and ye two orphan waifs so young and helpless like ... and yet none so helpless neether, not yourself, Master Adam, not when it do come to murderous steel! First that toad Abner and now yon bellering fury Sir Benjamin! You be the quickest thing as I ever see on legs,—and you so small too and thin! As I says to Mistress Antonia while us watched ee fight Sir Benjamin—'tis like David and Goliath, I says."
"Pray where is she ... my sister?"
"'Bove stairs busy wi' needle and thread for me, insisted, she did,—my Sunday gownd, and so quick and clever as ever I see! Ye should do well in life, the both o' ye, I'm sure."
"Indeed I hope we may!" said Adam fervently.
"Now what o' t'other gen'lemen, sir? Be they still a-guzzlin' their sherris wine? 'Tis not like Cap'n Absalom for to fuddle like so many fool men do, specially sailormen! Ay, but 'tis proper gen'leman, Cap'n Absalom, and one o' the quality to boot, wonderful rich they was, his family,—but now all dead and gone save himself,—and the gert house little better than empty ruin! Though he weren't called Absalom in them days, nor yet Troy."
"You knew him well?"
"Ay, born were I on his father's manor. And my Ben sailed 'boardship wi' him to the Spanish Main, two voyages and come back wi' money enough for to marry—which marry him I did. And now 'tis yourself."
"Me?" exclaimed Adam, blinking.
"Ay, you, sir, and sweet sister are to sail along o' him, and may the good Lord prosper and bless ye. Which do mind me o' that wrigglesome snake Abner, hast seen aught of him since you trounced him so proper?"
"Not a glimpse."
"Ah well, take care lest he crawl and sting afore ye're aware.... And yonder be Sir Benjamin a-bellering for ee, Master Adam."
"I heard him. Pray now go summon my—sister."
"This will I, Master Adam, and I vow you shall scarce know her...."
Meanwhile in stable-yard Sir Benjamin, after one or two earnest though vain efforts, had at last contrived to get astride his somewhat mettlesome horse when to him came Adam accompanied by one—at sight of whom Captain Smy goggled while Absalom stared mumchance; for this other was a tall, slim, dark-avised young gentleman whose hair, cut long in the new mode, was tied below each shoulder in curling love-locks that framed a handsome though swarthy visage; a gentleman this who swaggered in his walk, left hand posed gracefully upon rapier-hilt, right hand waving be-feathered hat,—perceiving which Sir Benjamin instantly flourished his own, whereat his horse jibbed and was cursed, thickly though with fervid eloquence,—and when this animal had stopped capering and Sir Benjamin ceased bouncing responsive, Adam addressed him: