stole the gold in my bag, or what is it that he fears?"

"Tut, I neither know nor care," said I. "No stranger shall pass our
door without a crust and a bed."

With my head cocked and feeling as if I was doing something very fine,
instead of being the most egregious fool south of Edinburgh, I marched
on down the path with my new acquaintance at my elbow.



CHAPTER VI.


A WANDERING EAGLE.

My father seemed to be much of Jim Horscroft's opinion; for he was not
over warm to this new guest and looked him up and down with a very
questioning eye. He set a dish of vinegared herrings before him,
however, and I noticed that he looked more askance than ever when my
companion ate nine of them, for two were always our portion. When at
last he had finished Bonaventure de Lapp's lids were drooping over his
eyes, for I doubt that he had been sleepless as well as foodless for
these three days. It was but a poor room to which I had led him, but he
threw himself down upon the couch, wrapped his big blue cloak around
him, and was asleep in an instant. He was a very high and strong
snorer, and, as my room was next to his, I had reason to remember that
we had a stranger within our gates.

When I came down in the morning, I found that he had been beforehand