"Then you would not grant him your recommendation?"

"Nay, truly. I could not answer for him, and his very anxiety made
me the more bent on not bringing him hither. I'd fain serve in no
ship where I know not the honesty of all the crew, and Cuthbert hath
ever had a hankering after the old profession."

"Verily then it were not well to bring him hither."

"Moreover, he is a lover of mysteries and schemes," said Richard.
"He would never be content to let alone the question of our little
wench's birth, and would be fretting us for ever about the matter."

"Did he speak of it?"

"Yes. He would have me to wit that a nurse and babe had been put on
board at Dumbarton. Well, said I, and so they must have been, since
on board they were. Is that all thou hast to tell me? And mighty as
was the work he would have made of it, this was all he seemed to
know. I asked, in my turn, how he came to know thus much about a
vessel sailing from a port in arms against the Lords of the
Congregation, the allies of her Majesty?"

"What said he?"

"That his house had dealings with the owners of the Bride of Dunbar.
I like not such dealings, and so long as this lady and her train are
near us, I would by no means have him whispering here and there that
she is a Scottish orphan."