“He was pointed out to me once at the village. I can only remember that he reminded me of a big brown bear, though more of the color of a lion.”
“Lord Allerdale, I can tell you nothing of the man that would inform you. He is an enigma to me. I only hope we may have the opportunity for a closer acquaintance ere long. I know him to be a villain; if there is any good in his composition, it is unknown to me.”
The earl regarded his youthful companion for a time in silence, seeming the while to be debating with himself. At length, with the passing of a cloud from his brow, he said:
“Maitland, we must engage in this matter with a thorough understanding of each other, and, should you lend me your aid, I should naturally depend upon you to take the lead. You know the ground; I do not. You also know the persons, while scarcely one of them is known to me; in fact, I may say not one, for were Tryon to appear in a garb different from that in which I saw him I should not recognize him from an utter stranger.”
“Well, my lord,” said the youth having waited a time for the other to proceed, “I think you had more in your mind that you wished to say.”
Allerdale started and changed color.
“Yes,” he replied, “I will tell you. As I have just remarked, if you engage in this work, I shall have to depend upon you; and, even though I should have the assistance of the king’s officers, I should still expect you to lead. And now, my young friend, I don’t want you to place yourself in an unpleasant position for me. If you would prefer not to openly raise your hand against these men, I will certainly excuse you.”
Our hero saw the drift of the old man’s thoughts, and he was grateful, though there was a touch of disappointment that he had not been weighed more correctly.
Still, judging by the past—by his parentage, and the associates of his childhood, he could not deem it strange that his lordship should have held a lingering thought that he might feel a grain of sympathy even now for the crew of the vessel which his father had so long commanded, and many of whom had been his warm and loving friends.
But he—the earl—did not quite understand. Percy answered, frankly and kindly, and with truth in every word: