he; 'and lest
there should be a jealousy amongst other captains that you should come
among us, I do hereby confer upon you the special title of Scout-master,
which, though it entail few if any duties in the present state of our
force, will yet give you precedence over your fellows. We had heard that
your greeting from Beaufort was of the roughest, and that you were in
sore straits in his dungeons. But you have happily come yourself on the
very heels of him who bore the tidings. Tell us then from the beginning
how things have fared with you.'

I should have wished to have limited my story to Beaufort and his
message, but as the council seemed to be intent upon hearing a full
account of my journey, I told in as short and simple speech as I
could the various passages which had befallen me--the ambuscado of
the smugglers, the cave, the capture of the gauger, the journey in the
lugger, the acquaintance with Farmer Brown, my being cast into prison,
with the manner of my release and the message wherewith I had been
commissioned. To all of this the council hearkened with the uttermost
attention, while a muttered oath ever and anon from a courtier or a
groan and prayer from a Puritan showed how keenly they followed the
various phases of my fortunes. Above all, they gave the greatest heed
to Beaufort's words, and stopped me more than once when I appeared to be
passing over any saying or event before they had due time to weigh
it. When I at last finished they all sat speechless, looking into each
other's faces and waiting for an expression of opinion.

'On my word,' said Monmouth at last, 'this is a young Ulysses, though
his Odyssey doth but take three days in the acting. Scudery might not be
so dull were she to take a hint from these smugglers' caves and sliding
panels. How say you, Grey?'

'He hath indeed had his share of adventure,' the nobleman answered, 'and
hath also performed his mission like a fearless and zealous messenger.
You say that Beaufort gave you nought in writing?'

'Not a word, my lord,' I replied.

'And his private message was that he wished us well, and would join us
if we were in his country?'

'That was the effect, my lord.'

'Yet in his council, as I understand, he did utter bitter things against
us, putting affronts upon the King, and making light of his just claims
upon the fealty of his nobility?'

'He did,' I answered.

'He would fain stand upon both sides of the hedge at once,' said King
Mo