Mary Axe; but he said that he had but just arrived from Hedingham,
and that your honour would excuse his intrusion when you saw him."
"Bring him up; he may be the bearer of a message from my father,"
Geoffrey said; and the servant went back to the man, whom he had
left a short distance off.
"Master Vickars will speak with you."
The sailor approached the party. He stood for a minute before Geoffrey
without speaking. Geoffrey looked at him with some surprise, and
saw that the muscles of his face were twitching, and that he was
much agitated. As he looked at him remembrance suddenly flashed
upon him, and he sprang to his feet. "Stephen Boldero!" he exclaimed.
"Ay, ay, Geoffrey, it is me."
For a time the men stood with their right hands clasped and the
left on each other's shoulders. Tears fell down the sailor's weather
beaten cheeks, and Geoffrey himself was too moved to speak. For
two years they had lived as brothers, had shared each other's toils
and dangers, had talked over their plans and hopes together; and it
was to Stephen that Geoffrey owed it that he was not now a galley
slave in Barbary.
"Old friend, where have you been all this time?" he said at last,
"I had thought you dead, and have grieved sorely for you."
"I have had some narrow escapes," Stephen said; "but you know I am
tough. I am worth a good many dead men yet.
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