"Ay, ay, father," answered Jacob; "she would have had us leave the little maiden to perish, if we had listened to her; I will never forget that." While the elder lads went on board the _Nancy_ to do one of the numberless jobs which a sailor always finds to be done on board his craft, Jacob and his father entered the cottage. The little girl was seated on the dame's knee, prattling in broken language, which her kind nurse in vain endeavoured to understand. She welcomed the fisherman and his son with a smile of recognition. "Glad to see you well and happy, my pretty maiden," said Adam, stooping down to kiss her fair brow, his big heart yearning towards her as if she were truly his child. "Maidy May," she said, with an emphasis on the last word, as if wishing to tell him her proper name. "Yes, our `Maiden May' you are," he answered, misunderstanding her, and from that day forward Adam called her Maiden May, the rest of the family imitating him, and she without question adopting the name. CHAPTER FIVE. DAME HALLIBURT. Dame Halliburt was a good housewife, and an active woman of business. Every morning she was up betimes with breakfast ready for her husband and sons waiting the return of the _Nancy_, and as soon as her fish-baskets were loaded, away she went, making a long circuit through the neighbouring country to dispose of their contents at the houses of the gentry and farmers, among whom she had numerous customers. She generally called at Texford, though, as Sir Reginald Castleton lived much alone, she was not always sure of selling her fish there, and had often to go a considerable distance out of her way for nothing. If Mr Groocock, the steward, happened to meet her on the road he seldom failed to stop his cob, or when she called at the house to come out and inquire what was going on at Hurlston, or to gain any bits of information she might have picked up on her rounds. Maiden May had been for upwards of a year under her motherly care, when one morning as she was approaching Texford with her heavily-loaded basket, she caught sight of the ruddy countenance of Mr Groocock, with his yellow top-boots, ample green coat, and three-cornered hat on the top of his well-powdered wig, jogging along the road towards her. "Good-morrow, dame," he exclaimed, pulling up as he reached her. "I see that you have a fine supply of fish, and you will find custom, I doubt not, at the Hall this morning. There are three or four tables to be served, for we have more visitors than Sir Reginald has received for many a day." As he spoke he looked into the dame's basket, turning the fish with the handle of his whip. "Ah, just put aside that small turbot and a couple of soles for my table, there's a good woman, will you? You have plenty besides for the housekeeper to choose from." "I will not forget your orders, Mr Groocock," said the dame; "and who are the guests, may I ask?"