pleasure, nor pain, tempest, wound, nor pestilence withhold you

from the hour and place, for the welfare of England lieth upon this

cast."

"I do soberly take this up on me," said Dick. "In so far as in me

lieth, your purpose shall be done."

"It is good," said the wounded man. "My lord duke shall order you

farther, and if ye obey him with spirit and good will, then is your

fortune made. Give me the lamp a little nearer to mine eyes, till

that I write these words for you."

He wrote a note "to his worshipful kinsman, Sir John Hamley;" and

then a second, which he-left without external superscripture.

"This is for the duke," he said. "The word is 'England and

Edward,' and the counter, 'England and York.'"

"And Joanna, my lord?" asked Dick.

"Nay, ye must get Joanna how ye can," replied the baron. "I have

named you for my choice in both these letters; but ye must get her

for yourself, boy. I have tried, as ye see here before you, and

have lost my life. More could no man do."

By this time the wounded man began to be very weary; and Dick,

putting the precious papers in his bosom, bade him be of good

cheer, and left him to repose.

The day was beginning to break, cold and blue, with flying squalls

of snow. Close under the lee of the Good Hope, the coast lay in

alternate rocky headlands and sandy bays; and further inland the

wooded hill-tops of Tunstall showed along the sky. Both the wind

and the sea had gone down; but the vessel wallowed deep, and scarce

rose upon the waves.

Lawless was still fixed at the rudder; and by this time nearly all

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