For a moment Black Donald stood with his leonine head turned and looking back over his stalwart shoulders, as if in expectation of pursuit, and then, with a loud laugh, turned to his men, exclaiming: "Ho! you thought me followed! So I have been; but not as close as hound to heel!"
"In fact, captain, you look as if you'd but escaped with your skin this time!" said Hal.
"Faith! the captain looks well peeled!" said Stephen.
"Worse than that, boys! worse than that! Your chief has not only lost his pack, his hat and his coat, but--his heart! Not only are the outworks battered, but the citadel itself is taken! Not only has he been captured, but captivated! And all by a little minx of a girl! Boys, your chief is in love!" exclaimed Black Donald, throwing himself into his seat at the head of the table, and quaffing off a large draught of ale.
"Hip! hip! hurraw! three times three for the captain's love!" cried Hal, rising to propose the toast, which was honored with enthusiasm.
"Now tell us all about it, captain. Who is she? Where did you see her? Is she fair or dark; tall or short; thin or plump; what's her name, and is she kind?" asked Hal.
"First, guess where I have been to-day?"
"You and your demon only know!"
"I guess they also know at Hurricane Hall, for it is there I have been!"
"Well, then, why didn't you go to perdition at once?" exclaimed Hal, in a consternation that was reflected in every countenance present.
"Why, because when I go there I intend to take you all with me and remain!" answered Black Donald.
"Tell us about the visit to Hurricane Hall," said Hal.
Whereupon Black Donald commenced, and concealing only the motive of his visit, gave his comrades a very graphic, spicy and highly colored narrative of his adventure at Hurricane Hall, and particularly of his "passages at arms" with the little witch, Capitola, whom he described as: "Such a girl! slender, petite, lithe, with bright, black ringlets dancing around a little face full of fun, frolic, mischief and spirit, and bright eyes quick and vivacious as those of a monkey, darting hither and thither from object to object."
"The captain is in love sure enough," said Steve.
"Bravo! here's success to the captain's love!--she's a brick!" shouted the men.
"Oh, she is!" assented their chief, with enthusiasm.