“Ah!  Mr. Leigh—­Captain Leigh now, I beg pardon,” quoth mine host.  “Bideford is an empty place now-a-days, and nothing stirring, sir.  What with Sir Richard to Ireland, and Sir John to London, and all the young gentlemen to the wars, there’s no one to buy good liquor, and no one to court the young ladies, neither.  Sack, sir?  I hope so.  I haven’t brewed a gallon of it this fortnight, if you’ll believe me; ale, sir, and aqua vitae, and such low-bred trade, is all I draw now-a-days.  Try a pint of sherry, sir, now, to give you an appetite.  You mind my sherry of old?  Jane!  Sherry and sugar, quick, while I pull off the captain’s boots.”

Amyas sat weary and sad, while the innkeeper chattered on.

“Ah, sir! two or three like you would set the young ladies all alive again.  By-the-by, there’s been strange doings among them since you were here last.  You mind Mistress Salterne!”

“For God’s sake, don’t let us have that story, man!  I heard enough of it at Plymouth!” said Amyas, in so disturbed a tone that mine host looked up, and said to himself—­

“Ah, poor young gentleman, he’s one of the hard-hit ones.”

“How is the old man?” asked Amyas, after a pause.

“Bears it well enough, sir; but a changed man.  Never speaks to a soul, if he can help it.  Some folk say he’s not right in his head; or turned miser, or somewhat, and takes naught but bread and water, and sits up all night in the room as was hers, turning over her garments.  Heaven knows what’s on his mind—­they do say he was over hard on her, and that drove her to it.  All I know is, he has never been in here for a drop of liquor (and he came as regular every evening as the town clock, sir) since she went, except a ten days ago, and then he met young Mr. Cary at the door, and I heard him ask Mr. Cary when you would be home, sir.”

“Put on my boots again.  I’ll go and see him.”

“Bless you, sir!  What, without your sack?”

“Drink it yourself, man.”

“But you wouldn’t go out again this time o’ night on an empty stomach, now?”

“Fill my men’s stomachs for them, and never mind mine.  It’s market-day, is it not?  Send out, and see whether Mr. Cary is still in town;” and Amyas strode out, and along the quay to Bridgeland Street, and knocked at Mr. Salterne’s door.

Salterne himself opened it, with his usual stern courtesy.

“I saw you coming up the street, sir.  I have been expecting this honor from you for some time past.  I dreamt of you only last night, and many a night before that too.  Welcome, sir, into a lonely house.  I trust the good knight your general is well.”

“The good knight my general is with God who made him, Mr. Salterne.”

“Dead, sir?”

“Foundered at sea on our way home; and the Delight lost too.”

“Humph!” growled Salterne, after a minute’s silence.  “I had a venture in her.  I suppose it’s gone.  No matter—­I can afford it, sir, and more, I trust.  And he was three years younger than I!  And Draper Heard was buried yesterday, five years younger.—­How is it that every one can die, except me?  Come in, sir, come in; I have forgotten my manners.”