We sat till near midnight, and Mr. Allardyce recovered something of his usual good spirits before I rose to say good night. As he shook hands with me he broke into a sudden laugh.
"Egad!" he cried, "I had forgot to ask you whether you still have that crown piece you were so loath to part with."
"Indeed I have," I said, laughing too. "It is slung about my neck, and there it will remain until I return it with interest to Dick Cludde."
"Dick Cludde!" says he. "What! is he concerned in that, too?"
And then I told him what I had hitherto kept to myself--that incident upon the road when Cludde flung the coin at me.
"On my life, Humphrey," he said, "I should not care to have you for an enemy."
And then we parted.
I left next morning, promising to see my friends as often as possible before I received the summons which I hoped for from Admiral Benbow. Mr. Allardyce lent me one of his horses, which he was kind enough to place at my service while I remained at home. In my breast pocket I carried a warrant in due form for the arrest of Cyrus Vetch.
There was a great surprise awaiting me at Shrewsbury. I asked the little maid who answered my knock at Mr. Vetch's door for Mistress Pennyquick, and felt some astonishment that the door had not been opened by the good dame herself, for she had no maid when I left her, doing all the housework herself. The girl stared at me.
"Is Mistress Pennyquick within?" I repeated.