"Ain't I tellin' you to wait till I've done? You don't suppose as it ended there, do you? No; I passed my word to that sister of mine, and my word I must keep. So I went back to Symonds's—who was that pleased to see me again you'd have thought I'd been half round the world—and I ordered up three-pennorth of rum, and pens and ink to the same amount: and this is what I wrote, and I hope you'll get it by heart before you're in a hurry again to accuse Ben Jope of dishonourable conduct—'Respected Madam,' I wrote, 'this is to enquire if you'll marry me. Better late than never, and please don't trouble to reply. I'll call for an answer when I wants it. Yours to command, B. Jope. N.B.: We might board the boy out.' Symonds found a messenger, and I told him on no account to wait for an answer. Now, I hope you call that acting straight?"
"Well, but what was the answer?" I asked.
He hung his head. "To tell you the truth, I ha'n't called for it yet. You notice I didn't specify no time; and being inclined for a v'yage just then, I tramped it down to Falmouth and shipped aboard the Marlborough, Post Office Packet, for Lisbon."
"And you've been dodging at sea ever since," said I severely.
"If you'd only seen that boy!" protested Mr. Jope.
"I'll call with you and see him as soon as ever we reach Plymouth," I said; "but you passed your word, and your word you must keep."
"You're sure 'twill be safe for you at Plymouth?" he asked, and (as I thought) a trifle mischievously. "How about that Jew?"
"Oh, that's all cleared up!"
He sighed. "Some folks has luck. To be sure, he may be dead," he added, with an attempt at cheerfulness.
"The Jew?"