“And faith it is a shipwrecked sailor. I am from the north of ould Ireland, it is now, and would you be after a man of all work, or any work? There is lots of days of work now in these two fists, lady, and that you may well believe.” He bowed three times.
“The Governor is away from home,” said my lady. “He has gone to New Haven by the sea. What is your name?”
“My name is Dennis O’Hay, an honest name as ever there was in Ireland of the north countrie, and I am an honest man.”
“You look it, my good friend. You have an honest face, but there is fire in it.”
“And there are times, lady, when the coals should burn on the hearth of the heart, and flame up into one’s cheeks and eyes. A storm is coming, lady, a land storm; there are hawks in the air. I would serve you well, lady. It is a true heart that you have. I can see it in your face, lady.”
“And what can you do, Dennis O’Hay? You were bred to the sea.”
“And it is little that I can not do, that any man can do with his two fists. You have brains up here among the hills, lady, but there may come a day that you will need fists as well as brains, and wits more than all, for I am a peaceable man; I can work, and I could suffer or die for such people as you all seem to be up here. The heart of Dennis O’Hay is full of this new cause for liberty. I could throw up my hat over the sun for that cause, lady. I would enlist in that cause, and drag the guns to the battle-field like a packhorse. Oh, I am full of America, honest now, and no blarney.”
“I do not meddle with my husband’s affairs, but I can not turn you away from these doors. How could I send away any man who is willing to enlist for a cause like ours? Dennis O’Hay, go to the tavern over there, and ask for a meal in the name of Faith Trumbull. Then come back here and I will give you the keys to the store in the war office, for I can trust you with the keys, and when my goodman comes back I will send him to you.”
“Lady, this is the time to say a word to you. Ask about me among the other sailors, if they come here, so that you may know that I have lived an honest life. Does not your goodman need a guard?”