The Heart

"Then think you that my lady will allow her lord the governor to

sail?"

"Dick," laughed Captain Tabor, "governors be great men and you but a

poor sailor, but when it comes to coin in wifely value, thy weight

in the heart of thy good Bridget would send the governor of Virginia

higher than thy masthead. None but my Lady Culpeper need have hint

of the fever."

"I have a sailor ailing," said the other, doubtfully, "but he hath

no sign of fever."

"'Tis enough," cried the other, gayly. "His fever will rage in

twelve hours enough to heat the 'tween decks."

"But," said Captain Watson, speaking angrily, and yet with a certain

timidity, as men will do before a scoffing friend and their own

accusing conscience, "you ask me to forswear myself."

"Nay, that I will not," cried the other. "By the Lord, I forgot thy

conscience, good Dick. Well, I have enough from my ancestors of

Plymouth to forswear and forswear again, and yet have some to spare.

I--I will go to my Lady Culpeper with the tale and save thy soul

thy scruples, and thy ears the melody of her tongue. I will acquaint

her with the miscarriage of the goods, and whisper of the sick

sailor, and all thou hast to do is to loiter about Jamestown,

keeping thy Bridget well in mind the while, and load thy ship with

the produce of the soil which the beggars of Virginia give of their

loyalty to His Majesty King Charles, and then to take on board my

Lord Culpeper and set sail."

"'Tis a fearful risk," groaned the other, "though I am a poor man,

and I will admit that my Bridget--"

"'Tis a fearful risk for you, Captain Tabor, and through you for my

mistress," I interrupted, for I did not half like the plan.

"Our ships lay alongside, and I am hailed by a brother mariner in

distress both at the prospect of the displeasure of a great and

noble lady and the suspicion of his honesty; but for that latter

will I vouch with my own, and, if needs be, will give surety that

the list of goods which she ordered shall be delivered next voyage,"

said Calvin Tabor.

"Her tongue, you know not her tongue," groaned the other.

"Even that will I dare for thee, Dick, for thee and that fair little

maid who is dabbling her pretty fingers in that flaming pudding with

which only the tough ones of a man should meddle," said Captain

Tabor. "And as for risk for me, my sailormen be as much in the toils

for Sabbath-breaking as their captain, should yesterday's work leak

out; and not a man of them knoweth the contents of those cases,

though, faith, and I heard them marvelling among themselves at the

weight of feathers and silken petticoats, and I made port in the

night-time before, and not a soul knew of it nor the unlading, save

those which be bound to keep the secret for their own necks, and,

and--well, Captain Tabor be not averse to somewhat of risk; it

gives a savour to life." So saying, he rolled his bright-blue eyes

at me and Captain Watson with such utter good-nature and

dare-deviltry as I have never seen equalled.