However, he spoke truly, for that night I sickened of it."
"Then your kindness to Nellie well-nigh cost you your life," Mrs.
Dowsett said, laying her hand on his shoulder, while the tears stood
in her eyes. "And you never told us this before!"
"There was nothing to tell," Cyril replied. "If I had not caught it
from him, I should have, doubtless, taken it from someone else, for I
was constantly in the way of it, and could hardly have hoped to
escape an attack. Now, Captain Dave, let us go downstairs, and see
the store."
"John Wilkes and the two boys are at work there," the Captain said,
as he went downstairs, "and we open our doors tomorrow. I have
hurried on the house as fast as possible, and as no others in my
business have yet opened, I look to do a thriving trade at once.
Watson will send all his friends here, and as there is scarce a
captain who goes in or out of port but knows Frank, I consider that
our new partner will greatly extend the business."
Captain Watson and Frank came in at supper-time, and, after spending
a pleasant evening, Cyril returned to his lodgings in the Strand. The
next day he was walking near Whitehall when a carriage dashed out at
full speed, and, as it came along, he caught sight of the Duke of
Albemarle, who looked in a state of strange confusion. His wig was
awry, his coat was off, and his face was flushed and excited. As his
eye fell on Cyril, he shouted out to the postillions to stop. As they
pulled up, he shouted,--
"Jump in, Sir Cyril! Jump in, for your life.
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