ine. He is now busy talking with Alderman Hart the
grocer, Sheriff Spencer the clothworker, and Charles Leigh (Amyas's
merchant-cousin), and with Aldworth the mayor of Bristol, and William
Salterne, alderman thereof, and cousin of our friend at Bideford. For
Carlile, and Secretary Walsingham also, have been helping them heart
and soul for the last two years to collect money for Humphrey and Adrian
Gilbert's great adventures to the North-West, on one of which Carlile
was indeed to have sailed himself, but did not go after all; I never
could discover for what reason.

On the opposite side of the table is a group, scarcely less interesting.
Martin Frobisher and John Davis, the pioneers of the North-West passage,
are talking with Alderman Sanderson, the great geographer and "setter
forth of globes;" with Mr. Towerson, Sir Gilbert Peckham, our old
acquaintance Captain John Winter, and last, but not least, with Philip
Sidney himself, who, with his accustomed courtesy; has given up his
rightful place toward the head of the table that he may have a knot of
virtuosi all to himself; and has brought with him, of course, his two
especial intimates, Mr. Edward Dyer and Mr. Francis Leigh. They too are
talking of the North-West passage: and Sidney is lamenting that he is
tied to diplomacy and courts, and expressing his envy of old Martin
Frobisher in all sorts of pretty compliments; to which the other replies
that,

"It's all very fine to talk of here, a sailing on dry land with a
good glass of wine before you; but you'd find it another guess sort of
business, knocking about among the icebergs with your beard frozen fast
to your ruff, Sir Philip, specially if you were a bit squeamish about
the stomach."

"That were a slight matter to endure, my dear sir, if by it I could win
the honor which her majesty bestowed on you, when her own ivory hand
waved a farewell 'kerchief to your ship from the windows of Greenwich
Palace."

"Well, sir, folks say you have no reason to complain of lack of favors,
as you have no reason to deserve lack; and if you can get them by
staying ashore, don't you go to sea to look for more, say I. Eh, Master
Towerson?"

Towerson's gray beard, which has stood many a foreign voyage, both fair
and foul, wags grim assent. But at this moment a Waiter enters, and--

"Please my lord mayor's worship, there is a tall gentleman outside,
would speak with the Right Honorable Sir Walter Raleigh."

"Show him in, man. Sir