“A week ago there was a ship ashore on Accomac.  Pirates boarded her, but they took nothing away save a sum of gold that was mine.  Was that your doing also, Mr. Campbell?”

“Yes,” he said; “but the money’s safe.  I’ll give you a line to Mercer, and he’ll pay it you.”

“I’m much obliged to you, Mr. Campbell,” I said, choking with anger.  “But who, in Heaven’s name, asked you to manage my business?  I thought you were my friend, and I came to you as such, and here I find you the chief among my enemies.”

“Patience, Andrew,” he said, “and I’ll explain everything, for I grant you it needs some explaining.  First, you are right about the English merchants.  They and the Free Companions have long had an understanding, and word was sent by them to play tricks on your ships.  I was absent at the time, and though the thing was dirty work, as any one could see, some of the fools thought it a fair ploy, and Cosh was suffered to do his will.  When I got back I heard the story, and was black angry, so I took the matter into my own keeping.  I have ways and means of getting the news of Virginia, and I know pretty well what you have been doing, young one.  There’s spirit in you and some wise notions, but you want help in the game.  Besides, there’s a bigger thing before you.  So I took steps to bring you here.”

“You took a roundabout road,” said I, by no means appeased.

“It had to be.  D’you think I could come marching into James Town and collogue with you in your counting-house?  Now that you’re here, you have my sworn word that the Free Companions will never lay hand again on your ventures.  Will that content you?”

“It will,” I said; “but you spoke of a bigger thing before me.”

“Yes, and that’s the price you are going to pay me for my goodwill.  It’s what the lawyers call consideratio for our bargain, and it’s the reason I brought you here.  Tell me, Andrew, d’you ken a man Frew who lives on the South Fork River?” “A North Ireland fellow, with a hatchet face and a big scar?  I saw him a year ago.”

“It stuck in my mind that you had.  And d’you mind the advice he gave you?”

I remembered it very well, for it was Frew who had clinched my views on the defencelessness of our West.  “He spoke God’s truth,” I said, “but I cannot get a Virginian to believe it.”

“They’ll believe in time,” he said, “though maybe too late to save some of their scalps.  Come to this hillock, and I will show you something.”

From the low swell of ground we looked west to some little hills, and in the hollow of them a spire of smoke rose into the blue.

“I’m going to take you there, that you may hear and see something to your profit.  Quick, Moro,” he cried to a servant.  “Bring food, and have the horses saddled.”

We breakfasted on some very good beefsteaks, and started at a canter for the hills.  My headache had gone, and I was now in a contented frame of mind; for I saw the purpose of my errand accomplished, and I had a young man’s eagerness to know what lay before me.  As we rode Ringan talked.