I was very sorry to receive this latter piece of information, though it did not prevent me joining the party at the judge's dinner-table, where Rochford was seated as an honoured guest, instead of being, as his captors expected, sent off to the State prison. Little Paul was brought in after dinner, and the company were informed of the gallant way in which Rochford had saved his life at the hazard of his own.
My friend gave us an account of his adventures among the Indians and blacks, which fully satisfied the patriotic militia captain that he had no hostile intentions towards the Government of the United States.
After dinner, I found that a boat was in readiness to carry me to Castle Kearney.
"Our friend Rochford will, I suspect, be happy to accompany you," said the judge. "It will be as well for him to get out of this place, in case any disagreeable gentlemen should take it into their heads that he has been too leniently dealt with. And, in truth, the sooner he leaves the country, perhaps, the better; though we shall be delighted to see him back again when affairs are more settled, and this Seminole war has been brought to a close."
I was not exactly surprised to find that Rochford was very willing to follow the judge's advice.
Wishing the judge, his wife, and their friends good-bye, we embarked shortly before sunset, and were able to continue our journey at night without difficulty. As we approached Castle Kearney, we were hailed by a voice which I recognised as that of Tim Flanagan, who was keeping watch on the castle walls. On hearing my reply, he quickly descended to the little postern-gate to admit us.
"Sure, I'm glad to see you back, Mr. Maurice, and you, Mr. Rochford, though I've bad news to welcome you with about the misthress. She's gone, sir, she's gone. An' the young ladies are in a sad way; so that the captain finds it a hard matter to comfort them, an' he'll be glad to have you to help him."
On ascending to the upper floor, we met my father, who gave a cordial welcome to Rochford. My aunt, he told us, had died that morning, never having recovered from the loss of her husband and son. The young ladies bore up as well as could be expected, and he hoped that we should be able to assist in consoling them. Notwithstanding the report that the Indians had been driven westward, he considered it prudent to maintain a strict watch in the castle, lest another attempt might be made by her Indian admirer to carry off Juanita.