“I was kept busy listening to you telling me who and what I was,” Wainsworth assured him, good-naturedly. “I never heard so much truth in all my life.”
“I never thought to be so incontinently found out myself,” Adam confessed contritely. “But as long as I have found you, I feel as good as if I had fought a good fight and wiped my blade. Indeed, Henry, I am tremendously glad to see you. How did you get here? When did you come? What a blundering fool I was!”
“Come in, come in to my castle,” said Wainsworth, turning back to the apartment he had been quitting when knocked over. “Bring in your friends. You shall all share in my dinner. I’m a ship, burdened with news for cargo to be unloaded. Come in here; we’ll talk all night.”
“But I am due at a dinner already, with my beef-eaters,” said Rust. “I have been delayed past all reason now, but——”
“You weren’t delayed by our duel of words, I trust?”
“No, no, but I have kept our host waiting, nevertheless. I shall be back before the night’s worn through, however, and then I am yours till breath fails me.”
“Haste away then, Sachem Rust, for the sooner you are gone the sooner I shall see you returned; and I shall consume myself with impatience till I can tell you of the sweetest plight mortal man ever got himself tangled in. I’ve got to tell you, for no one else on earth would answer. Begone, then. Good-by, and hasten back.”
Adam bade him au revoir, for he felt that already William Phipps must be thinking him sadly remiss and ungracious.
Preparations as to evening dress were soon completed. They consisted in a brisk wash of face and hands for the trio, not one of the party being endowed with a second suit of clothing. Thus they were upon the road, walking soberly, though diligently, toward the Captain’s residence, before the twilight had begun to fade.