and made as little of his real wound as he made much the day
before of his imaginary one.

Frank asked him that evening how he came to show so cool
and approved a valour in so sudden a mishap.

"Well, my masters," said Jack, "I don't deny that I was
very downcast on account of' what you said, and the scandal
which I had given to the crew; but as it happened, I was read-
ing there under the tree, to fortify my spirits, the history of
the ancient worthies, in St. Paul his eleventh chapter to the
Hebrews; and just as I came to that, 'out of weakness were
made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens,' arose the cry of the Spaniards. At which,
gentlemen, thinking in myself that I fought in just so good a
cause as they, and, as I hoped, with like faith, there came upon
me so strange an assurance of victory, that I verily believed in
myself that if there had been a ten thousand of them, I should
have taken no hurt. Wherefore," said Jack modestly, "there is
no credit due to me, for there was no valouir in me whatsoever,
but only a certainty of safety; and any coward would fight if
he know that he were to have all the killing and none of the
scratches."

Which words he next day, being Sunday, repeated in his
sermon which he made on that chapter, with which all, even
Salvation Yeo himself, were well content and edified, and allowed
him to be as godly a preacher as he was (in spite of his simple
ways) a valiant and true-hearted comrade.

They brought away the Spanish officers sword (a very good
blade), and also a great chain of gold which he wore about his
neck; both of which were allotted to Brimblecombe as his fair
prize; but he, accepting the sword, steadfastly refused the chain,
entreating Amyas to put it into the common stock; and when
Amyas refused, he cut it into links and distributed it among
those of the boat's crew who had succoured him, winning there.
by much good-will. "And indeed" (says the chronicler), "I
never saw in that worthy man, from the first day of our school-
fellowship till he was laid in his parish church of Hartland
(where he now sleeps in peace), any touch of that sin of covet-
ousness which has in all ages, and in ours no less than others,
beset especially (I know not why) them who minister about the
sanctuary. But this man, though he was ugly and lowly in
person, and in understanding simple, and of breeding but a poor
parson's son, had yet in him a spirit so loving and cheerful, so
lifted from base and selfish purposes to the worship of duty, and

-330-