“I cannot do it, Dick; I promised not to run, and I must not break my promise,” answered Ralph.
“Oh, nonsense!” cried Dick; “if those fellows made you give a promise it’s their look out.”
“A promise is a promise in God’s sight, however made,” said Ralph.
“Then you don’t care for the young girl you talked of marrying,” said Dick, again lowering his voice.
“I’d give my life for her sake,” answered Ralph.
“That’s not the question. Come, here’s the place; say the word and you’ll be free,” whispered Dick, not attending to his last remark.
“No, I cannot,” answered Ralph firmly.
“An obstinate man will have his own way, and be sorry for it afterwards,” exclaimed Dick, in a tone of vexation. “But I’ll see what I can do in spite of you; there’ll be another chance further on.”
Dick staggered on as if he were still half-seas-over, gradually increasing his distance from Ralph till he got alongside his friend Tom. The latter was in no mood for talking, but he listened eagerly to what Dick had to say.
“Ay, give the word, and I’m ready,” answered Tom, after listening for some time; “only just help me to get my hands out of limbo.”