who indeed? It seems you've killed 'em all."

"Ha, d'ye doubt my word, Martin?"

"Aye, I do so, and judging from what I know, I do take ye for a very
rogue and so I'm done with you henceforth."

"Rogue?" says he, "'Tis an ill word! And yet I had rather be rogue
than fool, and you are the fool of the world, Martin, for here are you
seeking quarrel with your best friend."

"Friend?" quoth I, "O God protect me from such!"

"Now, look'ee, you have named me rogue and good as called me liar,
which is great folly seeing you do lie in my power. So here will I
prove my friendship and the depth of your folly."

"Nay--I'll hear no more!"

"Aye--but you will! Cover him, Godby, and fire if I say so!"

"O Lord love me!" groaned Godby, but obeyed nevertheless, and looking
where he stood, his piece levelled at me, I knew he would obey Adam's
word despite his anguished looks.

"And now," says Adam, crossing his arms, "here's the truth on't. I
found a poor wretch bent on vengeance, murder, and a rogue's death,
which was pure folly. I offered you riches, the which you refused, and
this was arrant folly. I took you for comrade, brought you aboard ship
with offer of honest employ which you likewise refused and here was
more folly. Your conduct on board ship was all folly. So, despite
yourself, I set you on a fair island with the right noble and handsome
lady that you, by love, might perchance learn some little wisdom.
Well, you fall in love--"

"Stop!" cried I, clenching my fists.

"Not I!" says he, uncrossing his arms, and I saw he had levelled a
pistol at me in the crook of his arm, "I'm no fine gentleman for ye to
bruise, so haul your wind and listen! You fall in love with my lady,
as how could you help, and she with you, which is a matter of some
wonder. So here are you full o' love, but doth this teach ye wisdom?
Never a whit! For now must you fall foul and belabour our four
gallants, and from mere fine gentlemen transform 'em into your deadly
enemies, and here was folly stupendous! And now you must quarrel with
me, the which is folly absolute. Thus do I find ye fool persistent and
consistent ever, and I, being so infinitely the opposite, do contemn
you therefore--"

"And now ha' you done?" I demanded, raging.

"Not quite, Martin. You balked me i' the hanging o' these two rogues
Tressady and Mings, and here was pitiful folly, since to hang such were
a wise and prudent measure. Thus have you loosed murder