So with a hitch at his sword belt and a twirl at his moustache, the speaker clanked into the kitchen, from which his voice came a moment later with commanding insistence.
And no sooner had he vanished than Pennington bent eagerly toward Ezra.
As Ezra did not reply, the man continued in a low, rapid tone:
“You saw me frequently at your grandfather’s house at Boston.”
A thrill ran through Ezra. He now understood that first surprised look. The man mistook him for his twin brother, George. But the boy shook his head as though in doubt.
“I have no recollection of you,” he answered.
“You are he whom I took you to be,” he said. He studied the lad carefully for a moment. “Upon second thought I do not wonder that you fail to recall me,” continued he. “If I remember rightly, I have always been somewhat given to hesitancy in my manner of showing myself.” Here he laughed his disagreeable laugh. “A man in my particular profession must not be too forward.”
“And what is your profession?” asked Ezra.
“I am the confidential agent of—of others,” replied the man. “In point of fact I am the very man you came here to see.”
“That is my name,” returned the man. “And now,” with a quick look toward the kitchen, where, judging by the sounds that came from it, a very stormy interview was taking place, “give me the message sent by Abdallah. I have been trying to get into communication with him, but could not do so. I had no notion of what had happened until I heard some fragments of the story from this loud-mouthed soldier.”
The landlord’s voice now came from the kitchen in loud denial.
“I tell you, sir, I know nothing of the gentleman you ask for.”
“And I tell you that you do. Don’t think to pull the wool over my eyes. Give me full information of this Master Pennington, or I’ll spit you on this skewer and toast you over your own fire.”
“I do not pretend to understand anything that has happened,” said Pennington to Ezra, swiftly and very low. “You’ll have your own good time to explain all that. But,” with a fearful glance at the kitchen door, “the matter of the dispatch which Abdallah gave you is perhaps urgent. And all the more so from being delayed.”
The uproar in the kitchen, if such a thing were possible, grew louder. But Ezra paid no heed to it.