grey autumn cloud, as if all heaven and earth were resting
after those fearful summer months of battle and of storm.
Silently, as if ashamed and sad, the Vengeance slid over the
bar, and passed the sleeping sandhills and dropped her anchor
off Appledore, with her flag floating half-mast high; for the
corpse of Salvation Yeo was on board.

A boat pulled off from the ship, and away to the western
end of the strand; and Cary and Brimblecombe helped out
Amyas Leigh, and led him slowly up the hill toward his home.

The crowd clustered round him, with cheers and blessings,
and sobs of pity from kind-hearted women; for all in Appledore
and Bideford knew well by this time what had befallen him.

"Spare me, my good friends," said Amyas, "I have landed
here that I might go quietly home, without passing through the
town, and being made a gazing-stock. Think not of me, good
folks, nor talk of me; but come behind me decently, as Chris-
tian men, and follow to the grave the body of a better man
than I."

And, as he spoke, another boat came off, and in it, covered
with the flag of England, the body of Salvation Yeo.

The people took Amyas at his word; and a man was sent
on to Burrough, to tell Mrs. Leigh that her son was coming.
When the coffin was landed and lifted, Amyas and his friends
took their places behind it as chief mourners, and the crew
followed in order, while the crowd fell in behind them, and
gathered every moment; till ere they were half-way to Northam
town, the funeral train might number full five hundred souls.

They had sent over by a fishing-skiff the day before to bid
the sexton dig the grave; and when they came into the church-
yard, the parson stood ready waiting at the gate.

Mrs. Leigh stayed quietly at home; for she had no heart
to face the crowd; and though her heart yearned for her son,
yet she was well content (when was she not content?) that he
should do honour to his ancient and faithfal servant; so she
sat down in the bay-window, with Ayacanora by her side; and
when the tolling of the bell ceased, she opened her Prayer-book,
and began to read the Burial-service.

" Ayacanora," she said, "they are burying old Master Yeo,
who loved you, and sought you over the wide, wide world, and
saved you from the teeth of the crocodile. Are you not sorry
for him, child, that you look so gay to-day?"

Ayacanora blushed, and hung down her head; she was
thinking of nothing, poor child, but Amyas.

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