XXIV. Peter Trollope shuts up Shop, 343 ILLUSTRATIONS Page A Perilous Situation _Frontis._ 327 "God hath been truly merciful in that he hath brought me safely back" 48 "Timothy caught him by the neck and hurled him back" 73 "And how fares it with the old shipmate?" 147 "Timothy disarmed the fellow, and with a forward thrust pierced him in the chest" 191 "Ay, but how came ye aboard, my lad?" 219 "For the love of Heaven cut the thing in twain!" 253 The Great Fight on board the _Revenge_ 300 "He made a lunge at Gilbert, aiming a blow at his heart" 342 THE GOLDEN GALLEON. CHAPTER I. TIMOTHY TROLLOPE. "Tim," said Peter Trollope, looking up from the oily whetstone that lay on the edge of the table in front of him, and slowly wiping the blade of the razor on the broad palm of his hand, "I want thee to go fetch me some more herbs." "Herbs?" repeated Tim from the far corner of the shop, where he was sprawling upon the floor side by side with a very ugly-looking bull-dog. "Ay," returned his father, running the edge of the razor along his thumb-nail to test its keenness. "My stock is at an end, and I have none left to make up the physic for Cap'n Cruse's sick wife. 'Tis some hellebore roots that I need most, and a little meadow-saffron and jasmine, and, if thou canst come upon them, a handful of yew-berries. You will find them all in Modbury Park if I make no mistake--over against the plantation of fir-trees where we saw the dead hind. I'd have thee go there this morning; and see that thou tarry not over long by the way, for I shall need thy help in distilling them." Timothy rose slowly to his feet. There was a look of glum discontent on his face. It was evident that he was in nowise willing to obey his father's behest. "What!" cried Peter, glancing at the lad with sharp reproof. "Dost object to the journey? Now, prithee, what wild boy's adventure hast thou on hand that is more to thy humour?" Timothy looked dreamily out through the little latticed window towards the quay, and his eyes wandered for a time among the masts and riggings of the ships. "I was but thinking to go out for a sail in Ambrose Pennington's fishing-boat," he said in a sulky undertone. "A plague on your fishing-boats!" exclaimed Peter somewhat angrily. "Y'are for ever thinking of the sea and ships and all such mischievous inventions! I'll not have it, look you. And to-day, so please you, you'll do my bidding and go fetch me these herbs, and there's an end on't."