Some five or ten minutes before, a grave looking personage, with a long staff in his hand, had stolen quietly into the room, unnoticed by any one but Arundel—the landlord being absent at the time—and taken a seat where he could overhear the conversation. Upon mine host's return, and noticing the stranger, he exhibited some embarrassment, and endeavored to catch the attention of the drinking party without attracting that of the new comer. His efforts, however, were in vain, and assuming an air of deep mortification, he waited for what should happen. Upon being required by the Captain to supply more wine, he had shaken his head, which it seems was not taken much notice of by the sailor, and was preparing to reply, when he was anticipated by the stranger. Lifting up his staff, and pointing with it at the table, he said,
"Furnish no more strong liquor, good man Nettles, to these carousers. Methinks they have already had more than enough for their souls' or bodies' health."
"I will not gainsay thee, master Prout," said the host, "and will obey, as becometh a man who respects Thee and thine office; but the wine is good and can do no harm, as thou mayest convince thyself by trial. I will pour thee out a cup."
"Nay," said Master Prout, "I need it not. I do stand amazed," he added, bending his brows severely on the host, "that, a man professing godliness, and one of the congregation, shouldst administer to the carnal appetite till the graceless sinner is converted into a swine."
"Dear Master Prout, be not so hard on a friend. I knew not the strength of my wine, or that these strangers were so unaccustomed to drinking. The wine hath been but lately bought, being part of the cargo of the Abstemious, and thou knowest I A indulge not, else I should have been acquainted with its potency, and regulated things accordingly. But thou seest the six have drunk only so many poor bottles."
"Enough, goodman Nettles," answered Prout. "Remove, now, these incitements to temptation, and after that will I drop a word of friendly advisement into the ears of these offenders."
During this conversation a profound silence had prevailed at the table—the three citizens recognising in the intruder one whose authority it would be folly to resist, and the sailors apparently confounded at the boldness of the interference, and curious to hear what should pass between the landlord and his dictatorial visitor. But when mine host, in obedience to an order from the latter, began to take away the bottles and cups, Captain Sparhawk, who had sat leaning on his elbow upon the table and eyeing the two, now seemed to think that his dignity required some interference on his part.
"How now, my masters," he exclaimed. "What coil is this? Are we to be boarded in this piratical way, and see all our stores and, provisions captured without a blow? Run up the red cross, Wheat. Call all hands to repel boarders, and follow me."
"Cease thy papistical babble; it doth vex my soul more even than thy drunkenness," cried Master Prout.
"Papist in thy teeth and drunkenness to boot," exclaimed the excited captain, at the same time striking at Master Prout, who, however, easily eluded the blow of the intoxicated man.