“This is Mr. Richard Carvel,” said Mr. Claude.

The fellow made me a low bow, which I scarcely returned.

“I am sure, ’sir,” he began in a whining voice, “that I crave your forbearance for this prodigious, stupid mistake I have made.”

“Mistake!” I exclaimed hotly; “you mean to say, sir, that you have brought me back for nothing?”

The man’s eye shifted, and he made me another bow.

“I scarce know what to say, Mr. Carvel,” he answered with much humility; “to speak truth, ’twas zeal to my employers, and methought to you, that caused you to retrace your steps in this pestiferous storm.  I travel,” he proceeded with some importance, “I travel for Messrs. Rinnell and Runn, Barristers of the town of New York, and carry letters to men of mark all over these middle and southern colonies.  And my instructions, sir, were to come to Annapolis with all reasonable speed with this double-sealed enclosure for Mr. Carvel:  and to deliver it to him, and him only, the very moment I arrived.  As I came through your town I made inquiries, and was told by a black fellow in the Circle that Mr. Carvel was but just left for Upper Marlboro with a cavalcade of four coaches-and-six and some dozen gentlemen with their servants.  I am sure my mistake was pardonable, Mr. Carvel,” he concluded with a smirk; “this gentleman was plainly of the first quality, as was he to whom I was directed.  And as he was about to leave town for I knew not how long, I hope I was in the right in bidding the black ride after him, for I give you my word the business was most pressing for him.  I crave your forgiveness, and the pleasure of drinking your honour’s health.”

I barely heard the fellow through, and was turning on my heel in disgust, when it struck me to ask him what Mr. Carvel he sought, for I feared lest my grandfather had got into some lawsuit.

“And it please your honour, Mr. Grafton Carvel,” said he; “your uncle, I understand.  Unfortunately he has gone to his estate in Kent County, whither I must now follow him.”

I bade Mr. Claude summon my servant, not stopping to question the man further, such was my resentment against him.  And in ten minutes we were out of the town again, galloping between the nearly filled tracks of the coaches, now three hours ahead of us.  The storm was increasing, and the wind cutting, but I dug into Cynthia so that poor Hugo was put to it to hold the pace, and, tho’ he had a pint of rum in him, was near perished with the cold.  As my anger cooled somewhat I began to wonder how Mr. Silas Ridgeway, whoever he was, could have been such a simpleton as his story made him out.  Indeed, he looked more the rogue than the ass; nor could I conceive how reliable barristers could hire such a one.  I wished heartily that I had exhausted him further, and a suspicion crossed my brain that he might have come to Mr. Allen, who had persuaded him to deliver a letter to Grafton intended for me.