Nothing was said of the summary manner in which he had disposed of Mr.Peram, and it was a week before he saw his sister's unwelcome suitor.
The little fellow was standing on a platform making a speech to some sailors and idlers.

The harangue was silly, as all his speeches were.
"If the king wants brave soldiers to cope with these rebels, let him send me to command them.

Fain would I lead an army against the vagabonds." At this, some wag in the crowd made a remark about the diminutive size of the speaker, and the ludicrous figure he would cut as a general, at which he became enraged and cried: "Begone, knave! Do you think I talk to fools?
Nay, I speak sense." "Which is very extraordinary," put in the wag.

This so exasperated the orator, that he fumed and raged about the platform and, not taking heed which way he went, tumbled backward off the stage, which brought his harangue to an inglorious close.
Shouts of laughter went up from the assembled group at his mishap, and the orator retired in disgust.
Robert Stevens was more amused than any other person at the manner in which Giles Peram had terminated his speech.

He went home and told his sister, who laughed as much as he did.
That night, near midnight, Robert was awakened from a sound sleep by some one tapping on his window lattice.