"A busy day to thee!" exclaimed the spouse. "Thou, who hast no more to do than a stray in the pound, what are you fit for, if it be not to do as you are commanded? But go on, Captain; the story would only be marred by Garret's telling--go on yourself--I am impatient to hear it." "I pray you, what o'clock is it, mistress?" asked the Captain. "It is only near nine. It matters not for the hour--go on." "Nine!" exclaimed Dauntrees; "truly, dame, I must leave the story for Master Garret. Nine, said you? By my sword, I have overstaid my time! I have business with the Lord Proprietary before he goes to his bed. There are papers at the Fort which should have been delivered to his Lordship before this." "Nay, Captain," said the hostess, "if it be but the delivery of a pacquet, it may be done by some other hand. There is Driving Dick in the tap-room: he shall do your bidding in the matter. Do not let so light a business as that take you away." "To-morrow, dame, and I will tell you the tale." "To-night, Captain--to-night." "Truly, I must go; the papers should be delivered by a trusty hand--I may not leave it to an ordinary messenger. Now if Garret--but I will ask no such service from the good man at this time of night; it is a long way. No, no, I must do my own errand." "There is no reason upon earth," said the landlady, "why Garret should not do it: it is but a step to the Fort and back." "I can take my nag and ride there in twenty minutes," said Garret. "I warrant you his Lordship will think the message wisely entrusted to me." "Then get you gone, without parley," exclaimed the dame. "The key of the stable, wife," said Garret. "If you will go, Master Garret," said Dauntrees--"and it is very obliging of you--do it quickly. Tell Nicholas Verbrack to look in my scritoire; he will find the pacquet addressed to his Lordship. Take it, and see it safely put into his Lordship's hands. Say to Nicholas, moreover, that I will be at the Fort before ten to-night. You comprehend?" "I comprehend," replied Garret, as his wife gave him the key of the stable, and he departed from the room. "Now, Captain." "Well, mistress: you must know that Peregrine Cadger, the mercer, who in the main is a discreet man----" "Yes." "A discreet man--I mean, bating some follies which you wot of; for this trading and trafficking naturally begets foresight. A man has so much to do with the world in that vocation, and the world, Mistress Dorothy, is inclined by temper to be somewhat knavish, so that they who have much to do with it learn cautions which other folks do not. Now, in our calling of soldiership, caution is a sneaking virtue which we soon send to the devil; and thereby you may see how it is that we are more honest than other people. Caution and honesty do not much consort together." "But of the mercer's wife, Captain."