He is my oldest friend.

I have known him since we were children.

He saved my father's life long, long ago, and helped to support my mother in her last years.
Would you have me to forget all this because men say that he is a pirate ?" "Why, mother," cried Henry, "if you know so much about him you _must_ know that, whatever he was in time past, he is the pirate Durward now." "I do _not_ know that he is the pirate Durward!" said the widow, in a voice and with a look so decided that Henry was silenced and sorely perplexed; yet much relieved, for he knew that his mother would rather die than tell a deliberate falsehood.
The missionary was also comforted; for although his judgment told him that the grounds of hope thus held out to him were very insufficient, he was impressed by the thoroughly confident tone of the widow, and felt relieved in spite of himself.
Soon after this conversation was concluded, the household retired to rest.
Next morning Henry was awakened out of a deep sleep by the sound of subdued voices in the room underneath his own.

At first he paid no attention to these, supposing that, as it was broad daylight, some of their native servants were moving about.

But presently the sound of his mother's voice induced him to listen more attentively.