atch the glasses from the table； grind them to pieces in his teeth； and swallow them： but that was only when his indignation had been aroused by some tale of cruelty or oppression； and； above all； by those West Indian devilries of the Spaniards； whom he regarded （and in those days rightly enough） as the enemies of God and man。 Of this last fact Oxenham was well aware； and therefore felt somewhat puzzled and nettled； when； after having asked Mr。 Leigh's leave to take young Amyas with him and set forth in glowing colors the purpose of his voyage； he found Sir Richard utterly unwilling to help him with his suit。
〃Heyday； Sir Richard！ You are not surely gone over to the side of those canting fellows （Spanish Jesuits in disguise； every one of them； they are）； who pretended to turn up their noses at Franky Drake； as a pirate； and be hanged to them？〃
〃My friend Oxenham；〃 answered he； in the sententious and measured style of the day； 〃I have always held； as you should know by this； that Mr。 Drake's booty； as well as my good friend Captain Hawkins's； is lawful prize； as being taken from the Spaniard； who is not only hostis humani generis； but has no right to the same； having robbed it violently； by torture and extreme iniquity； from the poor Indian； whom God avenge； as He surely will。〃
〃Amen；〃 said Mrs。 Leigh。
〃I say Amen； too；〃 quoth Oxenham； 〃especially if it please Him to avenge them by English hands。〃
〃And I also；〃 went on Sir Richard； 〃for the rightful owners of the said goods being either miserably dead； or incapable； by reason of their servitude； of ever recovering any share thereof； the treasure； falsely called Spanish； cannot be better bestowed than in building up the state of England against them； our natural enemies； and thereby； in building up the weal of the Reformed Churches throughout the world； and the liberties of all nations； against a tyranny more foul and rapacious than that of Nero or Caligula； which； if it be not the cause of God； I； for one； know not what God's cause is！〃 And； as he warmed in his speech； his eyes flashed very fire。
〃Hark now！〃 said Oxenham； 〃who can speak more boldly than he？ and yet he will not help this lad to so noble an adventure。〃
〃You have asked his father and mother； what is their answer？〃
〃Mine is this；〃 said Mr。 Leigh； 〃if it be God's will that my boy should become； hereafter； such a mariner as Sir Richard Grenville； let him go； and God be with him； but let him first bide here at home and be trained； if God give me grace； to become such a gentleman as Sir Richard Grenville。〃
Sir Richard bowed low； and Mrs。 Leigh catching up the last word
〃There； Mr。 Oxenham； you cannot gainsay that； unless you will be discourteous to his worship。 And for methough it be a weak woman's reason； yet it is a mother's： he is my only child。 His elder brother is far away。 God only knows whether I shall see him again； and what are all reports of his virtues and his learning to me； compared to that sweet presence which I daily miss？ Ah！ Mr。 Oxenham； my beautiful Joseph is gone； and though he be lord of Pharaoh's household； yet he is far away in Egypt； and you will take Benjamm also！ Ah！ Mr。 Oxenham； you have no child； or you would not ask for mine！〃
〃And how do you know that； my sweet madam！〃 said the adventurer； turning first deadly pale； and then glowing red。 Her last words had touched him to the quick in some unexpected place； and rising； he courteously laid her hand to his lips； and said〃I say no more。 Farewell； sweet madam； and God send all men such wives as you。〃
〃And all wives；〃 said she； smiling； 〃such husbands as mine。〃
〃Nay； I will not say that；〃 answered he； with a half sneerand then； 〃Farewell； friend Leighfarewell； gallant Dick Grenville。 God send I see thee Lord High Admiral when I come home。 And yet； why should I come home？ Will you pray for poor Jack； gentles？〃
〃Tut； tut； man！ good words；〃 said Leigh； 〃let us drink to our merry meeting before you go。〃 And rising； and putting the tankard of malmsey to his lips； he passed it to Sir Richard； who rose； and saying； 〃To the fortune of a bold mariner and a gallant gentleman；〃 drank； and put the cup into Oxenham's hand。
The adventurer's face was flushed； and his eye wild。 Whether from the liquor he had drunk during the day； or whether from Mrs。 Leigh's last speech； he had not been himself for a few minutes。 He lifted the cup； and was in act to pledge them； when he suddenly dropped it on the table； and pointed； staring and trembling； up and down； and round the room； as if following some fluttering object。
〃There！ Do you see it？ The bird！the bird with the white breast！〃
Each looked at the other； but Leigh； who was a quick…witted man and an old courtier； forced a laugh instantly； and cried〃Nonsense； brave Jack Oxenham！ Leave white birds for men who will show the white feather。 Mrs。 Leigh waits to pledge you。〃
Oxenham recovered himself in a moment； pledged them all round； drinking deep and fiercely； and after hearty farewells； departed； never hinting again at his strange exclamation。
After he was gone； and while Leigh was attending him to the door； Mrs。 Leigh and Grenville kept a few minutes' dead silence。 At last〃God help him！〃 said she。
〃Amen！〃 said Grenville； 〃for he never needed it more。 But； indeed； madam； I put no faith in such omens。〃
〃But； Sir Richard； that bird has been seen for generations before the death of any of his family。 I know those who were at South Tawton when his mother died； and his brother also； and they both saw it。 God help him！ for； after all； he is a proper man。〃
〃So many a lady has thought before now； Mrs。 Leigh； and well for him if they had not。 But； indeed； I make no account of omens。 When God is ready for each man； then he must go； and when can he go better？〃
〃But；〃 said Mr。 Leigh； who entered； 〃I have seen； and especially when I was in Italy； omens and prophecies before now beget their own fulfilment； by driving men into recklessness； and making them run headlong upon that very ruin which； as they fancied； was running upon them。〃
〃And which；〃 said Sir Richard； 〃they might have avoided； if； instead of trusting in I know not what dumb and dark destiny； they had trusted in the living God； by faith in whom men may remove mountains； and quench the fire； and put to flight the armies of the alien。 I too know； and know not how I know； that I shall never die in my bed。〃
〃God forfend！ 〃 cried Mrs。 Leigh。
〃And why； fair madam； if I die doing my duty to my God and my queen？ The thought never moves me： nay； to tell the truth； I pray often enough that I may be spared the miseries of imbecile old age； and that end which the old Northmen rightly called 'a cow's death' rather than a man's。 But enough of this。 Mr。 Leigh； you have done wisely to…night。 Poor Oxenham does not go on his voyage with a single eye。 I have talked about him with Drake and Hawkins； and I guess why Mrs。 Leigh touched him so home when she told him that he had no child。〃
〃Has he one； then； in the West Indies？〃 cried the good lady。
〃God knows； and God grant we may not hear of shame and sorrow fallen upon an ancient and honorable house of Devon。 My brother Stukely is woe enough to North Devon for this generation。〃
〃Poor braggadocio！〃 said Mr。 Leigh； 〃and yet not altogether that too； for he can fight at least。〃
〃So can every mastiff and boar； much more an Englishman。 And now come hither to me； my adventurous godson； and don't look in such doleful dumps。 I hear you have broken all the sailor…boys' heads already。〃
〃Nearly all；〃 said young Amyas； with due modesty。。 〃But am I not to go to sea？〃
〃All things in their time； my boy； and God forbid that either I or your worthy parents should keep you from that noble calling which is the safeguard of this England and her queen。 But you do not wish to live and die the master of a trawler？〃
〃I should like to be a brave adventurer； like Mr。 Oxenham。〃
〃God grant you become a braver man than he！ for； as I think； to be bold against the enemy is common to the brutes； but the prerogative of a man is to be bold against himself。〃
〃How； sir？〃
〃To conquer our own fancies； Amyas； and our own lusts； and our ambition； in the sacred name of duty； this it is to be truly brave； and truly strong； for he who cannot rule himself； how can he rule his crew or his fortunes？ Come； now； I will make you a promise。 If you will bide quietly at home； and learn from your father and mother all which befits a gentleman and a Christian； as well as a seaman； the day shall come when you shall sail with Richard Grenville himself； or with better men than he； on a nobler errand than gold…hunting on the Spanish Main。〃
〃O my boy； my boy！〃 said Mrs。 Leigh； 〃hear what the good Sir Richard promises you。 Many an earl's son would be glad to be in your place。〃
〃And many an earl's son will be glad to be in his place a score years hence； if he will but learn what I know you two can teach him。 And now； Amyas； my lad； I will tell you for a warning the history of that Sir Thomas Stukely of whom I spoke just now； and who was； as all men know； a gallant and courtly knight； of an ancient and worshipful family in Ilfracombe； well practised in the wars； and well beloved at first by our incomparable queen； the friend of all true virtue； as I trust she will be of yours some day； who wanted but one step to greatness； and that was this； that in his hurry to rule all the world； he forgot to rule himself。 At first； he wasted his estate in show and luxury； always intending to be famous； and destroying his own fame all the while by his vainglory and haste。 Then； to retrieve his losses； he hit upon the peopling of Florida； which thou and I will see done some day； by God's blessing； for I and some good friends of mine have an errand there as well as he。 But he did not go about it as a loyal man； to advance the honor of his queen； but his own honor only； dreaming that he too should be a king； and was not ashamed to tell her majesty that he had rather be sovereign of a molehill than the highest subject of an emperor。〃
〃They say；〃 said Mr。 Leigh； 〃that he told her plainly he should be a prince before he died； and that she gave him one of her pretty quips in return。〃