"Fairlee? Why, where am I? Oh, I remember now. Did I go to sleep, Mr. Frisby?" "You did, Mistress Jean." A quick, blush came. "Oh," she said, "how can I thank you? I don't deserve----" "Ah, Mistress Jean, it is I who do not deserve that pleasure. I would go through a hundred fights to be able to do it again; but you are tired, and I will rouse the house." So, hammering on the door, I soon brought John Cotton to it. His woolly hair almost went straight on seeing me, and he started back, for he thought he saw my ghost. "Good Lord, Mars Jim," he stammered, "does that be you?" "Yes, you black scamp." And I soon convinced him of my real personality. "But, Mars Jim, who is dat you got wid you? It ain't one of dem Yankee ladies, is it?" For, I am sorry to say, John Cotton did not approve of the ladies in question, and was afraid I would "disgrace de family" if I married one of them. Before I could answer I heard a glad little cry, and there was my mother, coming down the stairway of the great hall. "How is my little lady?" said I, as I picked her up and kissed her, and then I introduced Mistress Jean to her and told her of our adventure at the Braes. Then my mother went up to her, in her stately little way, and took her hands in hers, and kissed and welcomed her to the House of Fairlee. So they made friends with each other then and there, as women do, and my mother led her away, up the broad stairs, and I stood looking after them. Then I turned to my own room, and, throwing myself on the bed, I slept the sleep of exhaustion for many hours. When the hour of my awakening came I sprang up, for there lay the despatch which I was to bear to the Council of Safety. Drawing on my riding-boots and buckling on my sword, I called John Cotton to bring my horse to the door, for several miles lay between Fairlee and Rock Hall, where the boat lay to take me to Annapolis. I walked across to the hall and on to the old porch, where I saw Mistress Jean standing, gazing wistfully out on the broad bay. "He is safe now, Mistress Jean." "Yes," she said with a sad smile, "but when shall I ever see him again?" "Just as soon as we whip them," I replied. "Then it will never be," came her retort. "Oh, ho! What will your uncle, Captain Nicholson, say when he finds he has such a fiery little Tory in his house? He will have to give up chasing the redcoats to suppress the Goddess of Sedition in his own camp." But at this Mistress Jean gave her head a toss and walked away to the end of the porch. Then John Cotton brought the horse to the steps. "Are you going so soon, Mr. Frisby?" "I must," I answered; "I am a bearer of despatches to the Council of Safety. I would gladly desert my trust to be your escort to Chestertown, but--" "The honour of the House of Fairlee stands in the way," said she mockingly. "Not that, my lady," I replied, bowing courteously, "but the fact that I would fall even lower in your good graces."