c worth."

"Well, but--"

"My dear Jack, I have reasons for wishing Tristram back. You needn't
ask what they are, because I shan't tell you; but they're at least
as intelligible as all the reasons you can find in that volume."
He caught it out of his friend's hand, and read: "_June 12th.--T.
to-day refused his biscuit and milk at six in the morning, but took
it an hour later. Peevish all night; in part (I think) because not
yet recovered of his weaning, and also because his teeth (second pair
on lower jaw) are troubling him. Query: If the biscuit should be
boiled in the milk, or milk merely poured over the biscuit_--" Here
he glanced up, and seeing the anguish on the hunchback's face, handed
back the book.

"I beg your pardon, Jack. But get your hat and come along."

"You forget, Jemmy. We gave our word, you know."

Captain Runacles stared.

"Trouble has unhinged your wits, my friend. Did you seriously
imagine I intended to disclose to his Majesty the proposal we heard
last night?"

"What, then?"

"My notion was that we should go and offer him our swords and our
services in ransom for Tristram. He may rebuff us. On the other
hand, there's a chance that he will not. You remember that he began,
yesterday, by offering you this way of escape. You are to take me
with you and beg for a renewal of that offer. Maybe he'll demur.
You'll then point out that you have two men's service to tender him
in lieu of one. I _have_ smelt powder in my time, Jack, and I once
had the luck to run De Ruyter's pet captain through the sword-arm and
to carry his ship. It's the very devil that I never could master the
fellow's Dutch name sufficiently to remember it; but his Majesty--who
has a greater grasp of his mother tongue--may be able to recall it,
and the recollection may turn the scale. Anyhow, we'll try."

"You can serve this William?"

"I can; for the matter stands thus: We go and say, 'Your Majesty has
laid hands on a young man. Will it please your Majesty to take two
old men in exchange?' We're a couple of old hulks, Jack; but we may
serve, as well as a youngster, to be battered by the French."

"But suppose that this plot breaks out?--I mean that which the Earl
hinted at."

"My friend, that proposal may be divided into two parts. The first
is mutiny; the second is desertion to the French. How do you like
them? Could you stand by and help either?"

"Why, no," answered Captain Barker, with a brightenin