'Twas, as you say, a young gentleman, and with him was a young woman.

I misdoubt the lady was ill." "Get me a boat!" cried the new-comer.

"A sovereign, five sovereigns, ten sovereigns, a hundred--but that ship must not weigh anchor until I board her, do you hear!" The ring of the imperative voice, and moreover the ring of good English coin, set all the dock astir.

Straightway there came up another wherry with two lusty fellows, who laid her at the stair where stood the impatient stranger.
"Hurry, men!" he cried.

"'Tis life and death--'tis more than life and death!" And such fortune attended Sir Arthur Pembroke that forsooth he went over the side of the Polly Perkins, even as the gray dawn began to break over the narrow Thames, and even as the anchor-song of the crew struck up..