"Then just you apologise at once."
"Beg your pardon, grant your grace, wish I may die if I do so any more. That do?"
[!-- [Pg 197] --]"Yes, that'll do. Now tell me where they are, just to show me you do trust me."
"Tell you in a minute, Master Lance," cried the lad earnestly, "but I don't know a bit. We did hear from a Falmouth boat as some un' had sin 'em up Middlesbro' way after the herrin'; but that's all, and p'raps they're all drownded. I say, I'll tell you something, though. What d'yer think my old woman said about your mother?"
"I don't know. What did she say?"
"Said she was just a hangel, and she didn't know what she should ha' done all through the stormy time if it hadn't been for her."
"Oh, bother! I didn't want to hear about that," said Lance hurriedly.
"But you ought to hear, and so I telled you. I say, what's gone of your cousin?"
"Never you mind. What is it to you?" said Lance roughly. "You don't want to see him again."
"Nay, I don't want to see him, Master Lance, 'cause I might feel tempted like; and I don't want to run again' him, it might make me feel mad."