"We shall at least serve a good cause," replied Arthur, "by humbling the
arrogant pretensions of a papist,--one who has set up a cross, and
openly bowed before it, on the very borders of our territory."

"And are you sure that the adventurer, La Tour, is free from the
idolatry of that abominable church?" asked Mr. Stanhope.

"We should, I think, have the charity to believe so, till it is fully
and fairly contradicted," said Arthur; "we know that the crew of his
vessel are mostly protestants from Rochelle, and would they follow the
standard of a popish adventurer?"

"You are young, Arthur," returned his father, "and know not yet the
wiles of the deceiver; God forgive me, if I am uncharitable, but the
testimony of many worthy persons goes to prove, that this same La Tour
hath openly employed a monkish priest, dressed in the habit of a layman,
as his agent in important concerns."

"These persons may have been mistaken, father; at any rate, if we do
sin, it is in ignorance, and we are certainly not accountable for the
errors of others."

"So, doubtless, reasoned Jehoshaphat," his father replied, "when he was
tempted, by a lying spirit, to join with Ahab, an idolater, against
Ramoth-Gilead; and was he not reproved for helping the ungodly?"

"The cases appear to me widely different," said Arthur; "and, in the
present instance, I think we only obey the dictates of Christian
charity, which enjoins us to assist the stranger in his distress."