“My dear boy, I shall not live to see another day. I am bleeding internally. Ah! I know the signs. The end is nearer than you think. I am going--going to leave your mother alone, if you forsake her. My first petition is this: Until you have reached the age of one-and-twenty you will make the old cot your home, and give to your mother your presence and your care. Surely, you will not refuse me this. Margery has been a faithful wife to me, and I shall feel death robbed of much of its terror in the knowledge that she is not to be left alone.” Percy saw very plainly the hand of his mother in this. He knew, as though he had heard her, that she had put that request into his father’s mouth, and had urged him to press it strongly. But, under any circumstances, he would not have refused. He had a deep--a heartfelt--desire to be near the castle; and in what other way could he so surely attain that end? If he took a few seconds for thought before he answered, it was not with the appearance of hesitation. When he spoke, not only were his tones frank and hearty, but the warm, loving light in his handsome face told her that he was sincere. “Father, I will do what you ask, provided, of course, that no unforeseen event beyond my power to overcome shall interpose to prevent it.” “That is understood, of course, and I thank you, my boy--I thank you from my heart. I shall die easier in the assurance that Margery is to have the tender, loving care of our son after I am gone. And now, Percy, to my second request.” He paused for a little time, while his wife arose and went into the room adjoining, returning presently with a phial and a glass. She prepared for the sufferer a potion which one of the physicians had prescribed, and he drank it, experiencing therefrom temporary relief and strength. “Percy, are you aware of the fact that when I am dead and gone that you will be the only living man who can safely run our brig into the Cove?” “Rodney can do it, father,” the youth replied, with much surprise. “No, no, he cannot. The last time in I gave up the command to him when we were about a mile outside Hood’s Island; and, if you will believe me, we came within an ace of losing the old Staghound; and, most likely, losing a few of ourselves as well. While I was looking in another direction, never dreaming of danger, we were within a dozen fathoms of the northern point of Dead Man’s Reef! Yes, my boy, had I been ten seconds later no power on earth could have saved us. Poor old Donald! He said he had no idea the reef made up so far. “Perhaps I have been wrong. I have kept our secret too close for my own good. You learned the course almost by instinct. By the way--didn’t you tell me that you had discovered a safe channel some where about midway of that reef?”