"How!" demanded his lordship. "Come sound
ashore? There is, then, a question of it?"

"The ship laboureth--the sea is grievous and con-
trary," replied the lad; "and by what I can learn of my
fellow that steereth us, we shall do well, indeed, if we
come dryshod to land."

"Ha!" said the baron, gloomily, "thus shall every
terror attend upon the passage of my soul! Sir, pray
rather to live hard, that ye may die easy, than to be
fooled and fluted all through life, as to the pipe and
tabor, and, in the last hour, be plunged among misfor-
tunes! Howbeit, I have that upon my mind that must
not be delayed. We have no priest aboard?

"None," replied Dick.

"Here, then, to my secular interests," resumed Lord
Foxham: "ye must be as good a friend to me dead, as I
found you a gallant enemy when I was living. I fall in
an evil hour for me, for England, and for them that
trusted me. My men are being brought by Hamley--he
that was your rival; they will rendezvous in the long
holm at Holywood; this ring from off my finger will ac-
credit you to represent mine orders; and I shall write,
besides, two words upon this paper, bidding Hamley yield
to you the damsel. Will ye obey? I know not."

"But, my lord, what orders?" inquired Dick.

"Ay," quoth the baron, "ay--the orders;" and he
looked upon Dick with hesitation. "Are ye Lancaster or
York?" he asked, at length.

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