"You lie," said he, "for I saw you to-day accompany the old Scotsman to
the Castle. And, by my body, that slouching dog there should be--
Hillo! comrades," cried he, amazed at his discovery, "more ghosts! May
I perish if there have not been sitting in this very room while we
talked of him this same sour-faced, love-sick clown, Master Ludar, and
one of his merry men. Marry come up! The very man, skulking here,
while his light-of-love is on her honeymoon, and the old dotard, his
father, with his pockets full of English gold--"

He said no more. Ludar had no sword, but the blow he gave him silenced
his foul tongue for a week. Instantly the room was turned into a
shambles. 'Twas no time to mince words or blows, and we did neither.
Nor were we two left alone to withstand all the rest; for the gentleman
of the party (whom I have mentioned), sided with us, as did also the sea
captain, who owed mine host a long score, and saw a good way to cry
quits without shortening his purse. Among us, we made so good an
account of ourselves, that when at length we took our leave, not a man
bade us stay.

"Come," said the captain, "my ship lies at the bridge. To-morrow we
shall see England."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

HOW I FOUND MYSELF AGAIN IN LONDON.

Three days later, as our ship laboured up the gulf of the Solway, Ludar
came to me, as I stood on the poop, and said:

"Humphrey, I have news."

"Good or bad?" I asked.

"Neither," said he, "for it means we must part."

"I call that bad news. How is it, Ludar?"

"Our fellow-voyager," said he, and I could see he spoke nervously like
one who doubts his listener, "is in the service of my Queen, Mary of
Scotland. There! fly not out, Humphrey; I never said she was your
Queen."

"Heaven forbid!" said I. "And as for this stranger, I mistrusted him
all along. How calls he himself?"

"He is one Captain Fortescue, and hath a commission to engage loyal men
to the Queen's service. And, indeed, she needs it; for she lies in
prison, watched and solitary, with scarce a face about her that is not
an enemy's. What would you do, Humphrey, were your Queen in such a
plight?"

"Were my Queen a traitor--" I began, and stopped.

"I cannot help myself," said he. "I owe her my life. Only one woman
else could claim it, and her I have lost."

"But," said I, "are you sure of this man? May this not be some trap to
your ruin? What if he be a spy and no more?"

Ludar laughed.