ow Mr.
Leigh's example, and go forth to find us stay-at-homes new markets for
our ware."

"What? you want to be rid of us, eh?"

"I don't know why I should, sir. We sha'n't cross each other now, sir,
whatever might have been once. But if I were you, I should be in the
Indies about now, if I were not fighting the queen's battles nearer
home."

"In the Indies? I should make but a poor hand of Drake's trade." And so
the conversation dropped; but Cary did not forget the hint.

"So, lad, to make an end of a long story," said he to Amyas; "if you are
minded to take the old man's offer, so am I: and Westward-ho with you,
come foul come fair."

"It will be but a wild-goose chase, Will."

"If she is with him, we shall find her at La Guayra. If she is not, and
the villain has cast her off down the wind, that will be only an
additional reason for making an example of him."

"And if neither of them are there, Will, the Plate-fleets will be; so it
will be our own shame if we come home empty-handed. But will your
father let you run such a risk?"

"My father!" said Cary, laughing. "He has just now so good hope of a
long string of little Carys to fill my place, that he will be in no lack
of an heir, come what will."

"Little Carys?"

"I tell you truth. I think he must have had a sly sup of that fountain
of perpetual youth, which our friend Don Guzman's grandfather went to
seek in Florida; for some twelvemonth since, he must needs marry a
tenant's buxom daughter; and Mistress Abishag Jewell has brought him one
fat baby already. So I shall go, back to Ireland, or with you: but
somewhere. I can't abide the thing's squalling, any more than I can
seeing Mistress Abishag sitting in my poor dear mother's place, and
informing me every other day that she is come of an illustrious house,
because she is (or is not) third cousin seven times removed to my
father's old friend, Bishop Jewell of glorious memory. I had
three-parts of a quarrel with the dear old man the other day; for after
one of her peacock-bouts, I couldn't for the life of me help saying,
that as the Bishop had written an Apology for the people of England, my
father had better conjure up his ghost to write an apology for him, and
head it, 'Why green heads should grow on gray shoulders.'"

"You impudent villain! And what did he say?"

Laughed till he cried again, and told me if I did not like it I might
leave it; which is just what I intend to do. Only mind