You bring me a message from my quondam friend, Captain Jack.

I would hear news of him; so tell me all the tale." Tom told the tale simply enough, and Lord Claud listened with unaffected interest, nodding his head once or twice at hearing the terms of the message delivered for himself.
"Ah, good Captain Jack! So he is still in the free forest! Well, well, well, perhaps he has chosen the better part.

There be times when I look back at the old free life of peril and adventure, and my soul sickens at the weary round I see day by day.

Who knows but the time may come when I will break these gossamer bonds! Ah, I might do worse--I might do worse--ere my youth and courage are fooled and squandered away." He seemed almost to have forgotten that he had a listener, and to be musing aloud; but, catching the wondering glance of Tom's eyes, he recollected himself with a smile, and stretching out a white yet muscular hand, he said, with an air of winning grace: "My young friend, I have taken a liking to you.

I like you because you bring to my jaded senses a whiff of the free air of field and forest, as well as a message from one to whom I owe much.