ace him again. "How? You will take a
blow?"

Sir Oliver shrugged. "None saw it given," said he.

"But I shall publish it abroad that I have caned you."

"You'll publish yourself a liar if you do; for none will believe you."
Then he changed his tone yet again. "Come, Peter, we are behaving
unworthily. As for the blow, I confess that I deserved it. A man's
mother is more sacred than his father. So we may cry quits on that
score. Can we not cry quits on all else? What can it profit us to
perpetuate a foolish quarrel that sprang up between our fathers?"

"There is more than that between us," answered Master Godolphin. "I'll
not have my sister wed a pirate."

"A pirate? God's light! I am glad there's none to hear you for since her
grace has knighted me for my doings upon the seas, your words go very
near to treason. Surely, lad, what the Queen approves, Master Peter
Godolphin may approve and even your mentor Sir John Killigrew. You've
been listening to him. 'Twas he sent you hither."

"I am no man's lackey," answered the other hotly, resenting the
imputation--and resenting it the more because of the truth in it.

"To call me a pirate is to say a foolish thing. Hawkins with whom I
sailed has also received the accolade, and who dubs us pirates insults
the Queen herself. Apart from that, which, as you see, is a very empty
charge, what else have you against me? I am, I hope, as good as any
other here in Cornwall; Rosamund honours me with her affection and I am
rich and shall be richer still ere the wedding bells are heard."

"Rich with the fruit of thieving upon the seas, rich with the treasures
of scuttled ships and the price of slaves captured in Africa and sold to
the plantations, rich as the vampire is glutted--with the blood of dead
men."

"Does Sir John say that?" asked Sir Oliver, in a soft deadly voice.

"I say it."

"I heard you; but I am asking where you learnt that pretty lesson. Is
Sir John your preceptor? He is, he is. No need to tell me. I'll deal
with him. Meanwhile let me disclose to you the pure and disinterested
source of Sir John's rancour. You shall see what an upright and honest
gentleman is Sir John, who was your father's friend and has been your
guardian."

"I'll not listen to what you say of him."

"Nay, but you shall, in return for having made me listen to what he says
of me. Sir John desires to obtain a licence to build at the mouth of the
Fal. He hopes to see a town spring up above the