I was starting to seek an audience on the morning that you sailed from Harwich, when your soldiers--" "My soldiers ?" "Yes, sire; but perhaps they erred from abundance of zeal." Portland looked at the speaker shrewdly.

"You know more than you tell us, my friend," he said quietly.
"Possibly, my lord; but it is nothing that can affect his Majesty now." "You are under some promise ?" William asked gravely.
"We are, sire; but be assured that if it touched your welfare we had never come to lay our services at your disposal." "I believe you, my friends.

And now, about starting for England--I was about to propose that as Captain van Adrienssen's frigate-- "Captain van Adrienssen!" "You know him?
He is about to sail from Amsterdam in the frigate _Merry Maid_ to escort a convoy of thirty-six merchantmen to the Thames.

If you start at once you will overtake him." "Unfortunately, sire, Captain van Adrienssen will not be able to start for many days." "Eh ?" "He is unwell." "Unwell?
Why, it is not an hour since he left me!" "Nevertheless--" "Let me explain, sire," said Captain Runacles, stepping forward again.

"It happened thus.