never be what it had been.

"Fiddlesticks!" said his wife. "You have no spirit, Mr. Vetch, and
what you would be if I didn't keep you up, the Lord alone knows."

I will not dwell on my visit to Captain Galsworthy. He was looking
older, I thought: but after I had told him my adventures, nothing
would satisfy him but that we should have a bout with the foils. I
was careful to let the good old man get the better of me, and when
we had finished he shook his head and declared that my skill had
declined.

"But we'll get it back, we'll get it back," he said. "You must come
to me for half an hour every day, and we'll soon rub off the rust."

He told me of the six months' lessons he had given Roger Allardyce,
and foretold a creditable career for that young soldier, not so
much for any sign of military aptitude in him (though the captain
owned he had the making of a good swordsman) as because he had
doggedly refused to say anything about me. He knew, I suppose, that
I should not wish the tale of my mischances to be told by any lips
but my own, and could not have pleased the captain more than by
declining to answer his questions. I never knew a man nicer than
Captain Galsworthy on the point of honor.

I remained about a month in Shrewsbury, seeing old friends, among
them Nelly Hind and Mistress Punchard, whom I rejoiced with news of
their brother and son, and paying many visits to my newer friends
at the Hall. I was able to assure Mr. Allardyce that the procedure
of his lawyer had the full approval of Mr. Vetch, who was careful
to say, when giving his opinion, that it was given in a private
capacity and without prejudice to his brother in the profession.

One day I received through the post a letter with a great red seal.
I tore it open eagerly, and could scarcely believe in my good
fortune when I saw it was nothing less than a lieutenant's
commission in the King's navy, accompanied by an order to join my
ship the Falmouth, Captain Samuel Vincent, at Portsmouth, as soon
as might be. I had not expected to be rated higher than a
midshipman, though when I had mentioned that to Mistress Vetch, she
tossed her head and declared she had looked for nothing else.

"Midshipmen, as I have heard tell," she said, "are but little boys
fresh from their nurses' apron strings, and the King had the good
sense to know that you are too tall for any such childishness."

"I don't suppose the King knows anything about me," I said
laughing.