When he left the eating chamber Foy followed Martin across the courtyard to the walled-in stables, and up a ladder to the room where the serving man slept. It was a queer place, and filled with an extraordinary collection of odds and ends; the skins of birds, otters, and wolves; weapons of different makes, notably a very large two-handed sword, plain and old-fashioned, but of excellent steel; bits of harness and other things. There was no bed in this room for the reason that Martin disdained a bed, a few skins upon the floor being all that he needed to lie on. Nor did he ask for much covering, since so hardy was he by nature, that except in the very bitterest weather his woollen vest was enough for him. Indeed, he had been known to sleep out in it when the frost was so sharp that he rose with his hair and beard covered with icicles. Martin shut the door and lit three lanterns, which he hung to hooks upon the wall. “Are you ready for a turn, master?” he asked. Foy nodded as he answered, “I want to get the taste of it all out of my mouth, so don’t spare me. Lay on till I get angry, it will make me forget,” and taking a leathern jerkin off a peg he pulled it over his head. “Forget what, master?” “Oh! the prayings and the burnings and Vrouw Jansen, and Adrian’s sea-lawyer sort of talk.” “Ah, yes, that’s the worst of them all for us,” and the big man leapt forward and whispered. “Keep an eye on him, Master Foy.” “What do you mean?” asked Foy sharply and flushing. “What I say.” “You forget; you are talking of my brother, my own mother’s son. I will hear no harm of Adrian; his ways are different to ours, but he is good-hearted at bottom. Do you understand me, Martin?” “But not your father’s son, master. It’s the sire sets the strain; I have bred horses, and I know.” Foy looked at him and hesitated. “No,” said Martin, answering the question in his eyes. “I have nothing against him, but he always sees the other side, and that’s bad. Also he is Spanish——” “And you don’t like Spaniards,” broke in Foy. “Martin, you are a pig-headed, prejudiced, unjust jackass.” Martin smiled. “No, master, I don’t like Spaniards, nor will you before you have done with them. But then it is only fair as they don’t like me.” “I say, Martin,” said Foy, following a new line of thought, “how did you manage that business so quietly, and why didn’t you let me do my share?” “Because you’d have made a noise, master, and we didn’t want the watch on us; also, being fully armed, they might have bettered you.” “Good reasons, Martin. How did you do it? I couldn’t see much.” “It is a trick I learned up there in Friesland. Some of the Northmen sailors taught it me. There is a place in a man’s neck, here at the back, and if he is squeezed there he loses his senses in a second. Thus, master—” and putting out his great hand he gripped Foy’s neck in a fashion that caused him the intensest agony. “Drop it,” said Foy, kicking at his shins.