In his uncle’s house matters were growing a little strained.  Martin Holt undoubtedly suspected something of the matter betwixt him and Cherry, and as plainly disapproved.  He looked upon Cherry as promised to her cousin Jacob, and doubtless he thought the steady, plodding, slow-witted son of the house of Dyson a far safer husband for his feather-brained youngest than handsome Cuthbert Trevlyn, with his gentler birth, his quick and keen intelligence, and his versatile, inquiring mind, which was always inclining him to meddle in matters better left alone, and to judge for himself with an independence that was perilous in times like these.  Not that Martin Holt was himself averse to independence of judgment, rather the reverse; but he knew the dangers besetting the path of those who were resolved to think and judge for themselves, and he would fain have seen his youngest and dearest child safely made over to the care of one who would be content to go through life without asking troublesome questions or intermeddling with matters of danger and difficulty, and would conform to all laws, civil and religious, without a qualm, recognizing the King’s will as supreme in all matters, temporal and spiritual, without a doubt or a scruple.  Cherry would be safe with Jacob, that was Martin’s feeling, whilst with Cuthbert he could have no such security.  Cuthbert had still his way to make in the world, and it had not yet appeared that he would be of any use in business matters.  He was clever with his pen.  He was a good scholar, and had been able to make himself useful to his uncle in a number of small matters where his quickness and sharp wits had room to work.  He was also of no small use in the matter of the building and fitting up of the new sloop, in which he took such keen interest.  He would go over every bit of the work, comparing it with what he saw in other vessels, and learning quickly to distinguish good workmanship from bad.  He became so ready of resource and suggestion when any small difficulty occurred, that both Martin Holt and Abraham Dyson learned to think exceedingly well of his abilities, and employed him largely in matters where quickness of observation and apprehension was wanted.  But for all that, and despite the fact that he had earned some considerable sum of money (as he reckoned it) during the winter and spring months, he had shown no great desire to settle himself down to any steady occupation or trade, and neither of the elder men saw any opening for him that should give him regular and permanent occupation.

“He has too much of the gay gallant about him for my taste,” Abraham would say.  “He is more Trevlyn than Holt; and some folks say more Wyvern than Trevlyn.  Be that as it may, he is a gentleman to the fingertips; and one might as well try to tame an eagle as set him down to the round of work that comes natural to lads like Jacob.”