Scoutbush shakes hands with curate, Lieutenant, Tardrew, churchwardens; and then come forward the three farthings, in an ancient leather purse.

“Hope your lordship will do us the honour to shake hands with us too; we are your lordship’s free fishermen, as we have been your forefathers’,” says a magnificent old man, gracefully acknowledging the feudal tie, while he claims the exemption.

Little Scoutbush, who is the kindest-hearted of men, clasps the great brown fist in his little white one, and shakes hands heartily with every one of them, saying,—­“If your forefathers were as much taller than mine, as you are than me, gentlemen, I shouldn’t wonder if they took their own freedom, without asking his leave for it!”

A lord who begins his progress with a jest!  That is the sort of aristocrat to rule in Aberalva!  And all agree that evening, at the Mariners’ Rest, that his lordship is as nice a young gentleman as ever trod deal board, and deserves such a yacht as he’s got, and long may he sail her!

How easy it is to buy the love of men!  Gold will not do it:  but there is a little angel, may be, in the corner of every man’s eye, who is worth more than gold, and can do it free of all charges:  unless a man drives him out, and “hates his brother; and so walks in darkness; not knowing whither he goeth,” but running full butt against men’s prejudices, and treading on their corns, till they knock him down in despair—­and all just because he will not open his eyes, and use the light which comes by common human good-nature!

Presently Tom hurries up, having been originally one of the deputation, but kept by the necessity of binding up the three fingers which the ramrod had spared to poor Jem Burman’s hand.  He bows, and the Lieutenant—­who (Frank being a little shy) acts as her Majesty’s representative—­introduces him as “deputy medical man to our district of the union, sir:  Mr. Thurnall.”

“Dr. Heale was to have been hero, by the by.  Where is Dr. Heale?” says some one.

“Very sorry, my lord; I can answer for him—­professional calls, I don’t doubt—­nobody more devoted to your lordship.”

One need not inquire where Dr. Heale was:  but if elderly men will drink much brandy-and-water in hot summer days, after a heavy early dinner, then will those men be too late for deputations and for more important employments.

“Never mind the doctor, daresay he’s asleep after dinner:  do him good!” says the Viscount, hitting the mark with a random shot; and thereby raising his repute for sagacity immensely with his audience, who laugh outright.

“Ah!  Is it so, then?  But—­Mr. Thurnall, I think you said?—­I am glad to make your acquaintance, sir.  I have heard your name often:  you are my friend Mellot’s old friend, are you not?”

“I am a very old friend of Claude Mellot’s.”

“Well, and there he is on board, and will be delighted to do the honours of my yacht to you whenever you like to visit her.  You and I must know each other better, sir.”