"Some have done mightily well at it—"
"You see," I said eagerly, "there is only that or the free-trading, or the West Indies again, or a King's ship—"
He nodded understandingly.
"And none of them hold any very big chances—except the free-trading. And there—"
"I know! Your mother won't hear of it. She has her reasons, my boy, and you can leave it at that ... She won't like the privateering either, you know, Phil," he said doubtfully, as though he did not care over much for the job he was being dragged into.
"I'm afraid she won't, Uncle George. That's why—"
"That's why you come to me," he smiled.
"That's it. You see, I've got to be up and doing, because—"
"I know," he nodded. "Well, come along, and let's get it over," and we went across the fields to Belfontaine.
My mother met us at the door, and it was borne in upon me suddenly that as a girl she must have been very good-looking. There was more colour than usual in her face, and the quiet eyes shone brightly. I thought she guessed we had come on some business opposed to her peace of mind, but I have since known that there were deeper reasons.