"Not so very old, Rebecca, not so very long ago since you and I read over the same lesson-books. Do you mind the copy-heads on the writing-books?
"'Heaven to find. The Bible mind. In Adam's fall we sinn'ed all. Adam lived a lonely life until he got himself a wife.'"
But at that last, which was not to be found among the head-lines of Boston's old copy-books, little Rebecca looked like to drop, and with a frightened gesture begged us to be seated, which we all accomplished with a perceptible stiffening of the young gentleman's joints.
"Is M. Radisson back?" she asks.
"He reached England yesterday. He bade me say that he will be here after he meets the shareholders. He goes to present furs to the king this morning."
"That will please Lady Kirke," says the young gentleman.
"Some one else is back in England," exclaims Rebecca, with the air of news. "Ben Gillam is here."
"O-ho! Has he seen the Company?"
"He and Governor Brigdar have been among M. Radisson's enemies. Young Captain Gillam says there's a sailor-lad working on the docks here can give evidence against M. Radisson."
"Can you guess who that sailor-lad is, Rebecca?"