Even Robin's weaknesses were hallowed, if not cherished things--she

innocently catered to his personal vanity, for she really loved to see

him well appointed; and she avoided every thing bordering on gaiety of

dress, manner, or society, because she felt that jealousy was one of his

infirmities; thus by never arousing his evil passions, their very

existence was forgotten, and the violent, capricious Ranger would have

been hardly recognized (except by his very intimates), as the

self-satisfied, and somewhat important manager of Sir Walter Cecil's

estates.

As Robin and Barbara drew near their father and the children, they

perceived a Cavalier well mounted, and attended by two serving men, also

on horseback, winding along the hill path, or road, as it was called;

and the younger dog--by the way a daughter of our old acquaintance

Blanche--gave notice to the little mariners of the approach, by

bristling her silken hair and rounding her flapping ears, while she

barked long and loudly at the unusual arrival.

The Buccaneer shaded his eyes with his hand and looked out. Robin jerked

his hat a little more on one side, while Barbara drew the Flanders lace

of her silken hood more closely round her face.

"It is a Court Cavalier," exclaimed Master Hays, as he was

respectfully termed by his associates, "with two attendants and a dog;

beshrew me! but a noble dog from foreign parts; some friend of our kind

master is that gentleman. One would think he was reconnoitring, so

earnestly does he look out from place to place. Father," he continued,

drawing towards Dalton, "do you note how he peers out yonder, towards

where once--you understand me----"

"I do," replied the old man, "I do note it; and I note also that yon

same Cavalier is no other than one we both knew well. There! he sees

us--his hat is off--he hails us right joyfully. Know you not the bold

brow, and the bright eye--blue, blue as the waters and the heavens he

has so long looked upon? Off with ye'r hats, my boys," he added to the

children; "and, Robin, is yours nailed to your head, that it answers not

his signal?--it is the young sea captain of whom, even here, we have

heard and read so much. It is Springall!"

And so it was; distinguished by the Protector at the very moment when to

be so distinguished makes a man's fortune, the bold intrepid boy quickly

ripened into the able and experienced seaman. His promotion was rapid,

because his talents were appreciated--and, after the death of Cromwell,

he had been too much occupied with England's enemies at sea, to suffer

from the moral blight of Charles's court on shore.




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