"Now, while the night-wind loud and chill Unheeded raves around the door, Let us the wine-cup drain and fill, And welcome social joys once more-- The joys that still remain to cheer The gloomiest month of all the year, By our own fire side. "What need we care for frost and snow? Thus meeting--what have we to fear From frost and snow, or winds that blow? Such guests can find no entrance here. No coldness of the heart or air-- Our little world of twelve feet square, And our own fire-side. "I drink this pledge to thee and thine-- I fill this cup to thine and thee-- How long the summer sun might shine, Nor fill our souls with half the glee A merry winter's night can bring, To warm our hearts, while thus we sing By our own fire-side." The song, however, produced a contrary effect to that the Ranger had intended. It pictured a fancied scene--one to which both Walter and the Buccaneer had long been strangers; and a lengthened and painful pause succeeded to the brief moment of forced merriment. It was broken by the Cavalier, who inquired-- "How long will it be before you return from this new trip? for remember, my good friend, that suspense is a----" "Hell!" interrupted Dalton, in his usual intemperate manner: "but I cannot help it. It is not wise to pluck unripe fruit--do you understand me?" "Perfectly--and I dare say you are right; but tell me, Dalton, how is it that, till lately, you so completely abandoned this island, and kept to the Devon and Cornwall coasts? I should have thought this the most convenient; your storehouse here is so well arranged." "Ay, ay, sir; but this is over-near London, though it used to be a safe place enough; but now that Sir Michael Livesey--regicide that he is!--abides so continually at Little Shurland, what chance is there for any good to such as I? I tell ye, Cromwell's nose is ever on the scent." "A great advantage to him, and a disadvantage to his foes," said Robin: "he has only to put the said nose to the touch-hole of the biggest cannon, and off it goes; it never costs the army a farthing for matches when he's with it." "Pshaw, Robin! but is he indeed so red-nosed? You have often seen him, Captain."