ess."

"Lake dry?" asked Peter.

"It is a matter," said Martin, "which concerns myself; and if all the
lakes in the world were dry, I would not be able to think about them, so
full is my soul of one thing."

"By the Lord Harry," said Peter, "let's have it, quick!"

In a straightforward manner, but with an ardent vehemence which he could
not repress, Martin stated his business with Peter Sadler. He told him how
he loved Margery, what he had said to her, and what she had said to him.

"And now," said the young man, "I have come to ask your permission to
address her; but whether you give it or not I shall go to her mother and
speak to her. I know her address, and I intend to do everything in an
honorable way."

Peter Sadler put down his pipe and looked steadfastly at the young man. "I
wish to Heaven," said he, "that there was a war goin' on! I'd write a
letter to the commander-in-chief and let you take it to him, and I'd tell
him you was the bravest man between Hudson Bay and Patagonia. By George! I
can't understand it! I can't understand how you could have the cheek, the
unutterable brass, to come here and ask me--me, Peter Sadler--to let you
court one of the ladies in a campin'-party of mine. And, what's more, I
can't understand how I can sit here and hear you tell me that tale without
picking up a chair and knocking you down with it."

"Mr. Sadler," said Martin, rising, "I have spoken to you fairly and
squarely, and if that's all you've got to say, I will go."

"Sit down!" roared Peter, bringing his hand upon the table as if he would
drive it's legs through the floor. "Sit down, and listen to what I have to
say to you. It's the strangest thing that ever happened to me that I am
not more angry with you than I am; but I can't understand it, and I pass
it by. Now that you are seated again, I will make some remarks on my side.
Do you see that?" said he, picking up a letter on the table. "Do you see
who it is addressed to?"

"To me!" exclaimed Martin, in surprise.

"Yes, it's to you," said Peter, "and I wrote it, and I intended to send it
by Bill Hammond this afternoon. That's the reason I was surprised when I
saw you here. But I'm not goin' to give it to you; I'd rather tell you
what's in it, now you are here. Before I knew you were the abject
ninnyhammer that you have just told me you are I had a good opinion of
you, and thought that you were cut out to make a first-class traveller and
explorer--the sort of a fe