It was Hugh Knollys who accompanied him,--a stalwart, broad-chested young fellow of twenty-five or six, with blunt features and a not over-handsome face. But for all this he had an irresistible magnetism for those who knew him; and no one could ever associate evil or untruth with his frank, keen-glancing gray eyes and clean-cut, smiling lips. "Good-evening, Hugh, and welcome," said Joseph Devereux, rising to extend a friendly hand as the young man came up the steps. Hugh removed his hat and nodded to Dorothy, glancing at her askance as she arose and with a demure greeting passed him and went to her brother, who was now giving some orders to old Leet. "Jack," she whispered imploringly, under cover of the talk going on in the porch,--"Jack, tell me, please, that you will not speak to father of Mary and me seeing Moll Pitcher this afternoon." He looked at her smilingly, and then took her chin in his fingers and gave her head a gentle shake, in a way he had of doing. "If I do as you ask, will you promise not to go over to that part of the town again without telling me first, and then not to go unless I say you may?" "Yes, yes," she answered eagerly. "Well, then, 't is a bargain." With this he put an arm around her, and they turned toward the house. "Did Mary go home?" he asked, as they walked slowly along. "Yes; but she is coming soon to stop with us, as her father is to go to Boston on business of some sort." "He is like to go this very night," the young man said. "This very night!" Dorothy echoed. "Why, then, Mary might have come home with me, as I wished. But how do you know that, Jack?" "Never mind now," was his evasive answer. "You will hear all about it later." They were now at the porch, and his father, who had been conversing earnestly with young Knollys, said: "Hugh tells me that ye both had supper at the inn. So come within, Jack,--come, both o' ye, and let us talk over certain matters of importance. Hugh will stop with us for the night; and, Dot, do you go and tell your Aunt Penine, so that his room may be prepared." And leading the way, the old gentleman went inside, followed by his son and their guest. "Grandame," asked 'Bitha, as Dorothy arose and went in quest of Aunt Penine, "what did Hugh Knollys mean by his talk to Uncle Joseph just now, of the King's soldiers at Salem?" The child spoke in an awed voice, drawing closer to the old lady, and looking up at her with startled eyes. Aunt Lettice tried to give her delicate features a properly severe cast as she answered, "Hush, 'Bitha! you should not listen to matters not meant for your hearing." "But I've heard it before, grandame," 'Bitha persisted. "Johnnie Strings said the same thing, this afternoon, to Dot and Mary Broughton. He said the soldiers were coming all over here, clear to the shore, and that we best have guns ready to shoot them."