"Yes!" cried the old woman; "they brought home the guns, and never
brought home my boy!"

"They never saw your boy, mother," said Sir Richard.

"But I've seen him! I saw him in a dream four years last Whitsuntide, as
plain as I see you now, gentles, a-lying upon a rock, calling for a drop
of water to cool his tongue, like Dives to the torment! Oh! dear me!"
and the old dame wept bitterly.

"There is a rose noble for you!" said Mrs. Leigh.

"And there another!" said Sir Richard. And in a few minutes four or five
gold coins were in her hand. But the old dame did but look wonderingly
at the gold a moment, and then--

"Ah! dear gentles, God's blessing on you, and Mr. Cary's mighty good to
me already; but gold won't buy back childer! O! young gentleman! young
gentleman! make me a promise; if you want God's blessing on you this
day, bring me back my boy, if you find him sailing on the seas! Bring
him back, and an old widow's blessing be on you!"

Amyas promised--what else could he do?--and the group hurried on; but
the lad's heart was heavy in the midst of joy, with the thought of John
Oxenham, as he walked through the churchyard, and down the short street
which led between the ancient school and still more ancient town-house,
to the head of the long bridge, across which the pageant, having
arranged "east-the-water," was to defile, and then turn to the right
along the quay.