He rang the
bell, and ordered the servant to tell Mr. Wilks he should be glad if he
would step in to him. When his friend came, he handed him the letter
without a word.
"That settles the matter," he said, as he threw the letter angrily down
upon the table. "A malicious young viper! I wish I had him here."
"It is not nicely worded," the squire said gravely; "but it was an
unpleasant story to have to tell."
"It was not an unpleasant story for him to tell," the old soldier said
hotly. "There is malice in every line of it. He speaks of the men as
James's associates, talks about the disgrace he would bring on his
mother. There's malice, squire, in every line of it."
"I'm afraid it's a bad letter," the squire assented gravely.
"It's a natural letter," Mr. Wilks said savagely. "It is written in a
hurry, and he's had no time to pick and choose his words, and round off
his sentences, as he generally does in his letters to you. He was so
full of malicious exultation that he did not think how much he was
showing his feeling, as he wrote."
"It's a bad letter and a nasty letter," the squire assented; "but let
that pass, now. The first question is--How are we to tell Jim's mother?
Do you think it will be a relief to her, or otherwise?"
"It will be a blow to know that the lugger has been captured," Mr.
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