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exclamation of surprise from the Captain, his wife, and daughter, as

the Earl said "Sir Cyril Shenstone."

Cyril stepped forward.

"I am Cyril Shenstone, my Lord," he said, "and had the good fortune

to be able, with the assistance of my friend here, John Wilkes, to

rescue your daughters, though, at the time, indeed, I was altogether

ignorant of their rank. It was a fortunate occurrence, but I must

disclaim any merit in the action, for it was by mere accident that,

mounting to the window by a ladder, I saw them lying insensible on

the ground."

"Your modesty does you credit, sir," the Earl said, shaking him

warmly by the hand. "But such is not the opinion of Prince Rupert,

who described it to me as a very gallant action; and, moreover, he

said that it was you who first brought him the news that there were

females in the house, which he and others had supposed to be empty,

and that it was solely owing to you that the ladders were taken

round."

"Will you allow me, my Lord, to introduce to you Captain Dowsett, his

wife, and daughter, who have been to me the kindest of friends?"

"A kindness, my Lord," Captain Dave said earnestly, "that has been

repaid a thousandfold by this good youth, of whose rank we were

indeed ignorant until you named it. May I ask you to honour us by

joining in our meal?"

"That will I right gladly, sir," the Earl said, "for, in truth, I

have scarce broke my fast to-day. I was down at my place in Kent when

I was awoke this morning by one of my grooms, who had ridden down

with the news that my mansion in the Savoy had been burned, and that

my daughters had had a most narrow escape of their lives. Of course,

I mounted at once and rode to town, where I was happy in finding that

they had well-nigh recovered from the effects of their fright and the

smoke. Neither they nor the nurse who was with them could give me any

account of what had happened, save that they had, as they supposed,

become insensible from the smoke. When they recovered, they found

themselves in the Earl of Surrey's house, to which it seems they had

been carried. After inquiry, I learned that the Duke of Albemarle and

Prince Rupert had both been on the scene directing operations. I went

to the latter, with whom I have the honour of being well acquainted,

and he told me the whole story, saying that had it not been for Sir

Cyril Shenstone, my daughters would certainly have perished. He gave

credit, too, to Sir Cyril's companion, who, he said, carried them

down the ladder, and himself entered the burning room the last time,

to aid in bringing out the nurse, who was too heavy for the rescuer

of my daughters to lift. Save a cup of wine and a piece of bread,

that I took on my first arrival, I have not broken my fast to-day."

Then he seated himself on a chair that Cyril had placed for him

between Mrs. Dowsett and Nellie.

Captain Dave whispered to John Wilkes, who went out, and returned in

two or three minutes with three or four flasks of rare Spanish wine

which the Captain had brought back on his last voyage, and kept for

drinking on special occasions. The dame always kept an excellent

table, and although she made many apologies to the Earl, he assured

her that none were needed, for that he could have supped no better in

his own house.

"I hear," he said presently to Cyril, "that you are going out as a

Volunteer in Prince Rupert's ship. My son is also going with him, and

I hope, in a day or two, to introduce him to you. He is at present at

Cambridge, but, having set his mind on sailing with the Prince, I

have been fain to allow him to give up his studies. I heard from

Prince Rupert that you had recently been kidnapped and taken to

Holland. He gave me no particulars, nor did I ask them, being

desirous of hurrying off at once to express my gratitude to you. How

was it that such an adventure befell you--for it would hardly seem

likely that you could have provoked the enmity of persons capable of

such an outrage?"

"It was the result of his services to me, my Lord," Captain Dave

said. "Having been a sea-captain, I am but a poor hand at accounts;

but, having fallen into this business at the death of my father, it

seemed simple enough for me to get on without much book-learning. I

made but a bad shape at it; and when Master Shenstone, as he then

called himself, offered to keep my books for me, it seemed to me an

excellent mode of saving myself worry and trouble. However, when he

set himself to making up the accounts of my stock, he found that I

was nigh eight hundred pounds short; and, setting himself to watch,

discovered that my apprentices were in alliance with a band of

thieves, and were nightly robbing me. We caught them and two of the

thieves in the act. One of the latter was the receiver, and on his

premises the proceeds of a great number of robberies were found, and

there was no doubt that he was the chief of a notorious gang, called

the 'Black Gang,' which had for a long time infested the City and the

surrounding country. It was to prevent Sir Cyril from giving evidence

at the trial that he was kidnapped and sent away. He was placed in

the house of a diamond merchant, to whom the thieves were in the

habit of consigning jewels; and this might well have turned out fatal

to him, for to the same house came my elder apprentice and one of the

men captured with him--a notorious ruffian--who had been rescued from

the constables by a gang of their fellows, in open daylight, in the

City. These, doubtless, would have compassed his death had he not

happily seen them enter the house, and made his escape, taking

passage in a coaster bound for Dunkirk, from which place he took

another ship to England. Thus you see, my Lord, that I am indebted to

him for saving me from a further loss that might well have ruined

me."

He paused, and glanced at Nellie, who rose at once, saying to the

Earl,--

"I trust that your Lordship will excuse my mother and myself. My

father has more to tell you; at least, I should wish him to do so."

Then, taking her mother's hand, she curtsied deeply, and they left

the room together.

"Such, my Lord, as I have told you, is the service, so far as I knew

till this afternoon, Sir Cyril Shenstone has rendered me. That was no

small thing, but it is very little to what I know now that I am

indebted to him. After he went out I was speaking with my wife on

money matters, desiring much to be of assistance to him in the matter

of the expedition on which he is going. Suddenly my daughter burst

into tears and left the room. I naturally bade my wife follow her and

learn what ailed her. Then, with many sobs and tears, she told her

mother that we little knew how much we were indebted to him. She said

she had been a wicked girl, having permitted herself to be accosted

several times by a well-dressed gallant, who told her that he was the

Earl of Harwich, who had professed great love for her, and urged her

to marry him privately.

"He was about to speak to her one day when she was out under Master

Cyril's escort. The latter interfered, and there was well-nigh a

_fracas_ between them. Being afraid that some of the lookers-on

might know her, and bring the matter to our ears, she mentioned so

much to us, and, in consequence, we did not allow her to go out

afterwards, save in the company of her mother. Nevertheless, the man

continued to meet her, and, as he was unknown to her mother, passed

notes into her hand. To these she similarly replied, and at last

consented to fly with him. She did so at night, and was about to

enter a sedan chair in the lane near this house when they were

interrupted by the arrival of Master Shenstone and my friend John

Wilkes. The former, it seems, had his suspicions, and setting himself

to watch, had discovered that she was corresponding with this

man--whom he had found was not the personage he pretended to be, but

a disreputable hanger-on of the Court, one John Harvey--and had then

kept up an incessant watch, with the aid of John Wilkes, outside the

house at night, until he saw her come out and join the fellow with

two associates, when he followed her to the chair they had in

readiness for her.

"There was, she says, a terrible scene. Swords were drawn. John

Wilkes knocked down one of the men, and Master Shenstone ran John

Harvey through the shoulder. Appalled now at seeing how she had been

deceived, and how narrowly she had escaped destruction, she returned

with her rescuers to the house, and no word was ever said on the

subject until she spoke this afternoon. We had noticed that a great

change had come over her, and that she seemed to have lost all her

tastes for shows and finery, but little did we dream of the cause.

She said that she could not have kept the secret much longer in any

case, being utterly miserable at the thought of how she had degraded

herself and deceived us.

"It was a sad story to have to hear, my Lord, but we have fully

forgiven her, having, indeed, cause to thank God both for her

preservation and for the good that this seems to have wrought in her.

She had been a spoilt child, and, being well-favoured, her head had

been turned by flattery, and she indulged in all sorts of foolish

dreams. Now she is truly penitent for her folly. Had you not arrived,

my Lord, I should, when we had finished our supper, have told Master

Shenstone that I knew of this vast service he has rendered us--a

service to which the other was as nothing. That touched my pocket

only; this my only child's happiness. I have told you the story, my

Lord, by her consent, in order that you might know what sort of a

young fellow this gentleman who has rescued your daughter is. John, I

thank you for your share in this matter," and, with tears in his

eyes, he held out his hand to his faithful companion.

"I thank you deeply, Captain Dowsett, for having told me this story,"

the Earl said gravely. "It was a painful one to tell, and I feel sure

that the circumstance will, as you say, be of lasting benefit to your

daughter. It shows that her heart is a true and loyal one, or she

would not have had so painful a story told to a stranger, simply that

the true character of her preserver should be known. I need not say

that it has had the effect she desired of raising Sir Cyril Shenstone

highly in my esteem. Prince Rupert spoke of him very highly and told

me how he had been honourably supporting himself and his father,

until the death of the latter. Now I see that he possesses unusual

discretion and acuteness, as well as bravery. Now I will take my

leave, thanking you for the good entertainment that you have given

me. I am staying at the house of the Earl of Surrey, Sir Cyril, and I

hope that you will call to-morrow morning, in order that my daughters

may thank you in person."

Captain Dave and Cyril escorted the Earl to the door and then

returned to the chamber above.

CHAPTER XII

NEW FRIENDS

On arriving at the room upstairs, Captain Dave placed his hand on

Cyril's shoulder and said:

"How can I thank you, lad, for what you have done for us?"

"By saying nothing further about it, Captain Dave. I had hoped that

the matter would never have come to your ears, and yet I rejoice, for

her own sake, that Mistress Nellie has told you all. I thought that

she would do so some day, for I, too, have seen how much she has been

changed since then, and though it becomes me not to speak of one

older than myself, I think that the experience has been for her good,

and, above all, I am rejoiced to find that you have fully forgiven

her, for indeed I am sure that she has been grievously punished."

"Well, well, lad, it shall be as you say, for indeed I am but a poor

hand at talking, but believe me that I feel as grateful as if I could

express myself rightly, and that the Earl of Wisbech cannot feel one

whit more thankful to you for having saved the lives of his three

children than I do for your having saved my Nellie from the

consequences of her own folly. There is one thing that you must let

me do--it is but a small thing, but at present I have no other way of

showing what I feel: you must let me take upon myself, as if you had

been my son, the expenses of this outfit of yours. I was talking of

the matter, as you may have guessed by what I said to the Earl, when

Nellie burst into tears; and if I contemplated this when I knew only

you had saved me from ruin, how much more do I feel it now that you

have done this greater thing? I trust that you will not refuse me and

my wife this small opportunity of showing our gratitude. What say

you, John Wilkes?"

"I say, Captain Dave, that it is well spoken, and I am sure Master

Cyril will not refuse your offer."

"I will not, Captain Dave, providing that you let it be as a loan

that I may perhaps some day be enabled to repay you. I feel that it

would be churlish to refuse so kind an offer, and it will relieve me

of the one difficulty that troubled me when the prospects in all

other respects seemed so fair."

"That is right, lad, and you have taken a load off my mind. You have

not acted quite fairly by us in one respect, Master Cyril!"

"How is that?" Cyril asked in surprise.

"In not telling us that you were Sir Cyril Shenstone, and in letting

us put you up in an attic, and letting you go about as Nellie's

escort, as if you had been but an apprentice."

Cyril laughed.

"I said that my father was Sir Aubrey Shenstone, though I own that I

did not say so until I had been here some time; but the fact that he

was a Baronet and not a Knight made little difference. It was a

friendless lad whom you took in and gave shelter to, Captain Dave,

and--it mattered not whether he was plain Cyril or Sir Cyril. I had

certainly no thought of taking my title again until I entered a

foreign army, and indeed it would have been a disservice to me here