"It means," said he, "that you are mightily concerned with this same little waiting lass." "She is my sweetheart," said I, "and is to be my wife." It was his turn to look blank now, and catch his breath. He whistled, and stared at me from head to foot, and whistled again. Then he found words, and held out his hand. "If she be thy sweetheart, she is none of mine. I go halves with no man." "And this Merriman?" I asked, scarce heeding what he said. "This Merriman!" said he; "why, take a shame on yourself that you stand skulking here, and leave the defence of those two fair maids to a crack- brained poet and a swashbuckling soldier. I tell you, Humphrey Dexter, those two fellows, little as I love them, are your friends and your master's; and, if the maids be still safe, they owe it to them, and not to your idle whimpering here." "Heaven bless them!" said I. "But, Tom Price, how can I, who have scarce shoes to stand in, or food for one day, go to them?" "This way," said he; "I am here to engage men for my master's troop-- join us." "What!" I exclaimed; "serve that villain? I had as soon serve the devil himself." "May be you can serve both at one time," said he, with a laugh; "but join us you must." "He would hang me at the nearest tree, so soon as he saw me." "He would never know you. I scarce did." We stood eyeing one another a minute. Then I held out my hand. "When do you start?" "In two days, if I can find the men by then. Meanwhile, come with me and put your big carcase in a soldier's trappings, and drink health to her Majesty and Captain Merriman." A week passed before Tom Price got his company together. I chafed and grumbled at every hour that passed. On the day before we set out, I went to show myself in my soldier's bravery to Will Peake, on London Bridge. "Every man to his taste," said the latter. "I think thee not as fine as thou thinkest thyself. By the way, thou art like to have knocks enough where thou goest, I hear, for news is come that the Spaniards mean to land on Irish shore, and strike at us from that quarter." This was great news to me; and on every hand I heard it repeated, till, at nightfall, there was something near a panic in London, and orders were given for all troops possible to set out forthwith. Therefore, Tom Price, though his company still wanted a few of its number, bade us be within call and ready spurred at daybreak. The road from London to Chester was full of straggling companies of soldiers, hastened forward like us by the alarm of the Spanish attack on Ireland. We, being mounted, distanced most of them. And so eager were the country folk along the march to see our backs, that, had we been minded to tarry long in any place, we should have soon outworn our welcome. I saw little of Tom Price during the early part of our march. But when, presently, he had leisure to gossip, he told me one piece of news which moved me not a little.