He was a dark fellow, with sly black eyes, who, had he not spoken English so well, might have been taken for a Spaniard.
"Who are you, and what is your business ?" asked Betty sharply.
"I am the carpenter of the ship _Margaret_," he answered, "and I am here to say that our master Castell has met with an accident there, and desires that Mistress Margaret, his daughter, should come to him at once." "What accident ?" asked Betty.
"In seeing to the stowage of cargo he slipped and fell down the hold, hurting his back and breaking his right arm, and that is why he cannot write.

He is in great pain; but the physician whom we summoned bade me tell Mistress Margaret that at present he has no fear for his life.

Are you Mistress Margaret ?" "No," answered Betty; "but I will go to her at once; do you bide here." "Then are you her cousin, Mistress Betty Dene, for if so I have something for you ?" "I am.

What is it ?" "This," said the man, drawing out a letter which he handed to her.
"Who gave you this ?" asked Betty suspiciously.

"I do not know his name, but he was a noble-looking Spanish Don, and a liberal one too.