"You might have walked farther than that," said I. "What villainy are you and your master now upon? for I take it you still serve the Captain?" He laughed. "As for my master, let him be. He's snug enough. I left him-- Look you here, comrade," said he, taking my arm and looking hard at me, "where saw I thee last?" "Once when you lay as drunk as a dog in Finsbury Fields. And a good turn you did me, comrade, and more than me, by what you blabbed then." He gaped rather foolishly at this, and asked did I want my ears slit for a noisy malapert? Then I told him just what passed, and how I had been able thereby to save the maiden from the Captain's clutches. When he heard that he laughed, and swore and thwacked me on the back till I nearly dropped. "By my life, you gallows dog you, if my master only knew what he owed you! Why, my pretty lad, I never saw a man so put about as he was when he came back from Canterbury that time without his prey." "Where is he now?" I asked. "Where else, do you suppose, but smacking his lips near the dove's nest? He hath comforted himself for all he hath suffered, ere now, I warrant thee!" "What!" I shouted. "Has he followed the maiden to Ireland?" He laughed. "So, then, you know where the pretty one has flown? I warrant thee, if thou couldst see her at this moment, thou wouldst see my master not a bow-shot away. Ha! ha! I do not say nearer; for when I left, the fair vixen still held him at arm's length. But he is getting on; and now, since the maid's lover is dead--" "He is not dead," said I; "I parted from him scarce a month ago!" And I told him where and how. He shrugged his shoulders. "A fig for his life if that be his case," said he. "At any rate he is believed to be dead; and the Captain, as I say, is getting on, having made himself monstrous civil to Turlogh Luinech O'Neill, who, I think, favours him somewhat for a son-in-law." "The foul dog!" I exclaimed. "Would I had him standing here, for my friend's sake. Tell me, Tom, what of a little maid who went from London as waiting gentlewoman to the lady. How fares she?" "Sadly, I hope, since she and I are parted," said he. "For, to tell you the truth, Master Dexter, she is the sweetest wench and hath looked kindly on me. Indeed, 'twas for this reason I think my master sent me off here on this business to get him more men. For he is apt to amuse himself, while he waits for the mistress, with the maid; and I doubt when I return I shall find the little witch hath clean forgotten how to smile on me." I hope I may be forgiven the words I uttered when I heard this. I flew at honest Tom Price like a wolf and cried: "Why, what mean you, hound? What does he dare to do?" Tom shook me off roughly, and pulled out his sword. "Look 'ee here, Master Humphrey, if that be the way you ask your questions, your ribs shall know the way I answer them." "I ask your pardon," said I, panting hard. "But for God's mercy say what all this means?"