more than once with hisgrandmother, and the landlord recognised him. He had, therefore, nodifficulty in obtaining a horse, by which he might proceed at a morerapid rate to Lynderton. He desired to be called before daylight, thathe might start with the first streaks of dawn. What object was to begained by his going to Lynderton? There was one person there, who heknew would, at all events, believe him innocent. He wished to tellMabel of the trouble into which he had been plunged; to confess hisfolly, and to entreat her, whatever she might hear, not to think too illof him. He would release her from her engagement, for what right hadhe, a penniless outcast, with his character blasted, still to hope tounite himself to one so lovely and pure, and the heiress of a goodfortune. His heart might break in the struggle. He should never ceaseto love her, but free she must be. Before noon next day he wasgalloping along a green glade in the New Forest. He saw before him ahorseman mounted on a stout cob proceeding at a leisurely pace. He wasabout to dart past the stranger, when turning round he caught a glimpseof features which he remembered well. They were those of CaptainFalwasser, or rather of Captain Rochard. Supposing that he was notrecognised he was going to pass on, when the captain hailed him.
"Harry Tryon, my lad, where are you going so fast? Is it your usualcustom thus to cut old friends?"
Harry pulled up; an idea struck him.
"No, indeed," he answered, "but I am afraid my old friends will cut me.Captain Falwasser, I am an unfortunate man. I am in great difficulties;I need not tell you what they are. I ask you, will you let me join yourvessel as one of the crew, if you still command her? I care not where Igo, but I want to leave England. I should be ready to start with youto-morrow, or the next day at the very furthest."
"You seem in a desperate hurry to take a plunge into something, Harry,"answered Captain Falwasser.
"I know the world better than you do, so let me advise you to reflectwell before you leap off firm ground. I would not ask what has gonewrong with you, but I will wager you are not worse off than hundreds ofother young men have been. Some who took leaps in the dark are bitterlyrepenting their folly. Those who paused before they jumped are happyand prosperous. Think of what I say, my dear boy. Then, again, Icannot promise to receive you on board the lugger. I command heroccasionally, I confess. I have my reasons for doing so, though I amnot the lawless person you suppose. Some day you may know more about methan you do now. In the meantime, come and stay at my cottage on theborders of the forest, unless you are going to visit your friends atLynderton."
"Thank you," said Harry, "I accept your offer, for my plans are veryuncertain. All I want to do is to keep in hiding for some time. If youare not afraid of housing me, I shall be more secure with you than withanybody else."
"I am obliged to you for your confidence," answered the captain, "and asI do not believe you have been guilty of a felony, I will gladly affordyou an asylum as long as you choose to take advantage of it. When I amabsent, my old housekeeper, Dame Tricot, will look after you."
The captain's cottage was a very humble one. It stood deep back in arecess of the forest, and was built of yellow clay dug from aneighbouring pit, and thickly thatched with straw. It was, however,whitewashed. In front was a neat porch, over which clematis had beentaught to climb, while the interior was fitted up with considerableattention to comfort, though it had but two apartments. One served asthe kitchen and Dame Tricot's dormitory, the other as the owner'sparlour and bedroom. Harry would have guessed by the appearance of theroom that the occupier was a gentleman. On one side was a table with ahandsome writing-desk. On the other, an easel with drawing apparatus.On the walls were several good pictures, and in the bookcase a fewwell-bound volumes. There was a table in the centre, which was largeenough to admit of two or three persons sitting round it, while thenarrow truckle bed in one corner showed that though the owner possessedrefined tastes, his habits were far from luxurious.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
A LOOK AT THE OLD PLACE.
A tidy, active, intelligent little woman placed a plain but abundantrepast before the captain and his guest.
"I have taken to English customs," said the captain, "and Dame Tricot iswilling to please my taste, however much she may pity it. She cannottalk much English, but you may talk French to her, and if you make heryour confidant I am sure that you will win her affections. There'snothing an old woman likes so much as to be trusted by the young. Ibelieve that if you had committed a highway robbery and confessed it toher she would not betray your confidence. I shall have to go intoLynderton, and perhaps shall not return for some days; but you canremain here, and I'm sure she will take very good care of you."
Harry, however, was anxious to see Mabel. If he did not go at once,something might prevent him. He told the captain, therefore, that hewished to visit his friends at Stanmore.
"Ah! you'll only find the colonel and Miss Everard there, for thecaptain has got a ship, and gone away again to sea. My young friend,the Baron de Ruvigny, is, I am told, a constant visitor there,undoubtedly attracted by the _beaux yeux_ of Miss Mabel."
Harry felt uncomfortable. He thought that his friend was wrong in hissuspicions; at the same time, he did not like to hear them uttered. Thecaptain agreed to take his horse to Lynderton that it might be sentback, while he proceeded on foot towards Stanmore. Harry set forthsoon. From a height which he reached he saw the blue sea stretchingbefore him, the rays of the setting sun lighting up the snowy cliffs ofthe western end of the Isle of Wight, which rose like a lofty buttressout of the glittering ocean. Several vessels were sailing in and out ofthe narrow passage between the island and the main land. Some withlofty canvas were standing out into mid channel, others were creepingalong in shore, lest during darkness an enemy's cruiser might approachand carry them off as prizes. He was about to take a cut across thefields, when he saw below him a figure sitting on a stile. A rich manlyvoice burst forth with a stave of a ditty--
"British sailors have a knack, Haul away ye ho, boys, Of hauling down a Frenchman's Jack 'Gainst any one you know, boys.
"Come three to one, right sure am I If we can't beat them, still we'll try To make old England's colours fly, Haul away, haul away, haul away ye ho, boys."
"That fellow has not much care at his heart," thought Harry, ratherdisposed to avoid the singer.
Harry went on. He had, however, to ask him to move on one side to lethim pass.
"With all the pleasure in my life, my hearty," was the answer. "Why,Master Harry Tryon, on my life!" exclaimed the singer, as Harry jumpedover the stile. "Stop, you are not going to cut an old friend, areyou?"
"I should scarcely have known you, Jacob Tuttle, if you had not spokento me," said Harry, taking the seat the other had vacated; "you aregrown into such a big burly fellow."
"Yes; a life at sea browns a fellow's phiz, and plenty of beef fills himout; not that ours isn't often tough enough, and more likely covered thebones of an old horse than an ox. But where are you bound to, MasterHarry?"
"I am going to pay a farewell visit to some friends, and then I have agreat mind to go to sea. I am sick of a shore life, and wish I had gonethree or four years ago."
"Not too late now," answered Tuttle. "You are rather old for anofficer, and I suppose you would be too proud to go before the mast."
"No, indeed I would not," answered Harry. "I am ready to go anyhow. IfI'm worth anything I hope to work my way up, as others have done, and ifI am worth nothing I must take my chance with the rest."
"Very rightly said, Harry; active hands like you are wanted. I amthinking of going to Portsmouth to look out for a ship, and if you takemy advice you will volunteer on board the same. I will soon teach youyour duties, and you will be a petty officer before many months areover. There were plenty of gentlemen's sons on board the last ship Iserved in, or at all events they said they were. Some of them werepretty wild blades, to be sure, and were `King's hard bargains;' butthat's not your style, I have a notion, and so, as I said before, co
mealong with me. I will rig you out as a seaman. And now I come to thinkon't, you are a better one already than many a chap who has been two orthree years afloat. There are some cut out for sailors, and there areothers nothing can be made of."
This proposition jumped exactly with Harry's present notions.
"I have no time to lose," said Harry, "and I want to get rid of mypresent long shore toggery as soon as possible."
"Well, then, mate," said Jacob, "my old mother's cottage, where I amstopping, is not far from here, and if you like to come, I'll rig youout in a seaman's suit, which I only got the other day, and never yetput on. You can pay me for it or not, as you think fit; you are