"Go to the brook and wallow again: you shall have five minutes to reflect, or rather to sober, for you are not yet in your senses. Why, fool, do you think I will hurt you? or hark! is there a tory bullet in the clink of an English guinea? Come, sit down, and listen. You have nothing to do with tories, save to take their money.--There is one lying in prison in yonder village below, who needs the help of a lawyer. Yourself then, Affidavy, or another." "Oh, if there be no treason in the matter," said the attorney, "why then----that is, if you will take that cursed tomahawk away, for I dare say you've got one about you, Mr.----that is to say, captain----Zounds, Mr. Oran Gilbert! I know you very well; and I hope you won't murder me, or do me any mischief, if it were even for old times' sake; for we were very good friends in old times." "Ay," said the refugee; "and for that reason, I have offered you twenty guineas, and employment on a business that may bring you as many--perhaps five times as many more, which any one else will be as happy to accept." "Botheration, there is no occasion," said Affidavy, creeping timorously back. "I see what it is; I'm not afraid of you, but you have a cursed bad name. I don't agree with you in principles, that is, in politics; but it sha'nt be said, I refused my professional services to an old friend in distress"---- "With twenty guineas in his hand," said the tory. "Ay; and with as many, or five times as many at the back of them"---- "In case of success." "Oh, yes, certainly. I understand the case now: your brother, captain"---- "We will drop all titles,--brother, captain, and every one else," said the tory. "The young man, Hyland Gilbert, is a prisoner." "Ay; and"---- "Was he hurt?" "A bruise or so." "And he shot Henry Falconer?" "As dead as a herring: I sat on the body myself." "And he will be tried for that, as for a murder?" "Ay, faith, and hanged too, unless"---- "Unless _what_?" "Unless we can prove him innocent, or establish a legal irresponsibility." "Or snatch him out of his den, some such bright midnight as this?" "Tush," said the lawyer, waxing in courage, "I have nothing to do with that. But cheer up. There's a way of managing these cases, and I have thought of it already. But concerning that bill of exchange and letter of credit? They say, the younker has money enough--a rich estate in the Islands?" "Fear not for your reward," said Oran Gilbert. "Do what's expected of you, and you shall have gold enough to content you." "Here then is the state of the case," said Affidavy: "if the young man be tried in this county, were it but for killing a farmer's dog, he will die. The name--saving your presence--the name of Gilbert will be hanging matter with any jury. But I'll be short--he bears the king's commission, does he not? the commission of a lieutenant among the royal refugees?" "And what then?"? said Oran.