“I cannot say that it has that effect on me,” said A’Dale. “It is very horrible, but people fight to kill, and know that they run the risk of being killed. Now I am rather weary of the merchant’s desk, and if some of these gallant captains will receive me as an officer on board their ships, I propose joining them.”
“You an officer, A’Dale?” I said; “you know but little of nautical affairs.”
“But I can soon learn,” he answered. “Very few of them knew much about the sea a few months ago. Besides, I have a fancy for a rover’s life on the ocean.”
“But what is to become of Mistress Margery?” I asked, in a low voice.
“Ah! there’s the rub,” he answered. “I will tell you about it by-and-by. It is not that I do not love her, or that she does not return my affection. Do not suppose that; but this is not the place to talk about it.”
We had returned to our boat when he said this, and were pulling towards one of the Beggars’ ships which lay between us and the Falcon. On stepping on board, the commander received us very courteously. I found that he was a well-known noble, William de Blois, of Treslong. Fearing, notwithstanding the promise of the first officer who had visited us, that Don Rodrigo’s life would be endangered, we begged Captain Treslong to interfere in his favour, explaining who he was, and the generous way he had behaved towards us. He promised faithfully to do so; and our minds were thus greatly relieved with regard to Don Rodrigo. I proposed returning to the Falcon; but, to my surprise and regret, A’Dale there and then tendered his services to Captain Treslong, who accepted his offer.
“You must not expect any high rank given to you at first,” he said; “but you will fight your way up to that in time, I doubt not, from the account you give of yourself; and I fully believe you will be a credit to the cause. You had better go back to your ship and see your friends, and come on board before we part company. We shall probably see you safe in sight of the English coast. By the bye, your captain must not expect to escape without paying salvage. Our men are disappointed at having lost the Spaniard’s large ship; and they will be in no good humour unless they collect a little prize money.”
With this not very satisfactory message, we pulled back towards the Falcon. I asked A’Dale again on our way how he could bring himself to give up little Margery.
“I do not give her up,” he answered; “but I hope to collect a good sum with which to set up house, far more rapidly than I have any chance of doing with Sir Thomas
