I stood full in front of him, to see if he would know me again, for I cared not if he did. He looked at me meekly without a sign of recognition, and humming ever, passed his eyes to some other place.
“So, so, Peter,” thought I, “as you know not your old shopmate, why should I disturb your humming?”
And I carelessly asked a man who stood next him whither his company was bound and on what service.—
“Westward,” he said, “to look for Spaniards. And you?”
“To join one Captain Merriman in the north.”
It tickled me much to see Peter start and change colour at that.
“Ah, ’tis a brave gallant, I’m told,” said the man. “’Twas he slew Sorley Boy’s son, was it not?”
“Ay, a brave deed that was,” said I. “I saw it.”
The fellow laughed.
“You know him, then? Ha! ha! You can satisfy Peter here better than I can. He desireth to know the Captain’s whereabouts; and when I tell him he is no further off than the nearest pretty face, he turneth up his eyes as if he expected to see him at his own side. He! he! What say you, Peter?”