I warrant that he would have aided Colonel Pride to shoot the bears and hack down the maypoles.' ''Twere fratricide for such a man to shoot a bear,' quoth Sir Gervas, 'with all respect, friend Clarke, for your honoured progenitor.' 'No more than for you to shoot at a popinjay,' I answered, laughing; 'but as to the Mayor's offer, we can but go to meat with him now, and should it prove irksome it will be easy for you to plead some excuse, and so get honourably quit of it.

But bear in mind, Sir Gervas, that such households are in very truth different to any with which you are acquainted, so curb your tongue or offence may come of it.

Should I cry "hem!" or cough, it will be a sign to you that you had best beware.' 'Agreed, young Solomon!' cried he.

'It is, indeed, well to have a pilot like yourself who knows these godly waters.

For my own part, I should never know how near I was to the shoals.