My errand is not to your honour this time, though you are my master.

It's no great matter, after all, being just to hand this bit of a letter over to Admiral Blue." "And where did this letter come from, and how did it happen to fall into your hands ?" demanded Bluewater, looking at the superscription, the writing of which he appeared to recognise.
"It hails from Lun'nun, I hear; and they tell me it's to be a great secret that you've got it, at all.

The history of the matter is just this.

An officer got in to-night, with orders for us, carrying sail as hard as his shay would bear.

It seems he fell in with Master Atwood, as he made his land-fall, and being acquainted with that gentleman, he just whipped out his orders, and sent 'em off to the right man.