"Your name is Burke?" interrupted Clive. "I had not before caught it. May I ask what part of Ireland you come from, sir? Pardon me, but your accent smacks more of Shropshire than of County Dublin." "'Tis Shropshire, sir; I come from Market Drayton." ("Like yourself!" his glowing cheeks and flashing eyes seemed to say. This was the proudest moment in Desmond's life as yet.) "I was not mistaken," said Clive. "I remember a schoolfellow of mine of your name; let me see--" "Richard Burke, sir, my brother; my father was Captain Burke in the Company's service." "Sure I have it now. I remember him: a tall, fine old sea dog whom I saw at times in Market Drayton when I was a child. I had a great awe of Captain Burke--i'faith, the only man I was afraid of. And you are his son!--But come, I am interrupting your story." Desmond spoke of his longing for adventure, which had led him to leave home in search of fortune. He glossed over his brother's ill treatment. He told how he had been inveigled on board the Good Intent, and handed over to Angria when the vessel arrived at Gheria. He mentioned no names except that of Captain Barker, though he could not have explained his motive in keeping silence about Diggle. "Barker is a villain, ripe for the gallows," said Captain King. "But, Mr. Burke, I don't understand how you came to be so hoodwinked in London. Sure you must have known that a boy without an ounce of experience would never be made supercargo. Had you any enemies in London?" "I didn't know that I had, sir, till the Good Intent had sailed. I was deceived, but the man who promised me the berth was very friendly, and I didn't suspect him." "It was not Barker, then?" "No, sir; it was a man I met at Market Drayton." "At Market Drayton?" said Clive. "That's odd. What was his name?" "His name was Diggle, and--" "A stranger? I remember no one of that name," said Clive. "I thought he was a stranger, sir; but of late I have begun to suspect he was not such a stranger as he seemed." "How did you meet him?" "Accidentally, sir, the night of your banquet in Market Drayton." "Indeed! 'Tis all vastly curious. Was he lodging in the town?" "He came in from Chester that night and lodged at the Four Alls." "With that disreputable sot Grinsell!" Clive paused. "Did he tell you anything about himself?" "Very little, sir, except that he'd been unlucky. I think he mentioned once that he was a fellow at a Cambridge college, but he spoke to me most about India." As he put his questions Clive leaned forward, and seemed to become more keenly interested with every answer. He now turned and gave a hard look at the bluff man whom he had called Mr. Merriman. The rest of the company were silent. "Do you happen to know whether he went up to the Hall?" asked Clive.