th
the secret, but it went no further. As now there was no particular
hurry for our hero to get well, he was contented and happy in the
society of Agnes and her parents; the old lady, after she had been
informed of the conduct of Friar Thomaso, having turned round in our
hero's favour, and made a vow never to have a confessor in the house
again. Jack and Gascoigne were now as happy as could be; all their
alarm was about Mesty, for whose return they were most anxious.

To Don Rebiera Jack made known formally his intentions with regard to
Agnes. He fully satisfied him as to his qualifications and his
property, and Don Rebiera was fully aware of his debt of gratitude to
our hero. But all he required was the consent of Jack's father, and
until this was obtained, he would not consent to the marriage taking
place. Jack attempted to argue the point; his father, he said, had
married without consulting him, and therefore he had a right to marry
without consulting his father. But Don Rebiera, not having any
acquaintance with the rights of man and equality, did not feel the full
force of Jack's argument, and made it a _sine qua non_ that his parents
should write and consent to the alliance before it took place.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

IN WHICH MESTY SHOULD BE CALLED THROUGHOUT MEPHISTOPHELES, FOR IT
ABOUNDS IN BLACK CLOAKS, DISGUISES, DAGGERS, AND DARK DEEDS.

On the fourth evening after the removal of our two midshipmen to the
palazzo of Don Rebiera, as they were sitting in company with Agnes and
Don Philip in their own room, a friar made his appearance at the door.
They all started, for by his height they imagined him to be the Friar
Thomaso, but no one addressed him. The friar shut the door without
saying a word, and then lifting up his cowl, which had been drawn over
it, discovered the black face of Mesty. Agnes screamed, and all sprang
from their seats at this unusual and unexpected apparition. Mesty
grinned, and there was that in his countenance which said that he had
much to communicate.

"Where is the friar, Mesty?" inquired Easy.

"Stop a little, Massa--suppose we lock door first, and den I tell all."

Taking this precaution, Mesty threw off the friar's gown, and appeared
in his own dress, with the bag of dollars slung round his body.

"Now, Massa Easy, I hab a long tory to tell--so I tink I better begin at
the beginning."

"It is the most approved method," replied Jack; "but stop when I hold up
my