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Robert Stevens was more amused than any other person at the manner in which Giles Peram had terminated his speech. He went home and told his sister, who laughed as much as he did. That night, near midnight, Robert was awakened from a sound sleep by some one tapping on his window lattice.
He was informed that Giles Peram was the favorite of the governor and Hugh Price, and to insult him would be insulting those high functionaries. "Why is he here? Whom does he come to see?" "Perhaps it is Mr. Price!" the mother stammered, casting a glance at Peram, who quickly answered: "Yes yes, it is Mr. Price. Will you show me up to him? I have a very important message from the governor."
Giles Peram, at the head of the company, marched forth. He wore a tall hat with a feather in it, and strutted about, until his eye caught sight of the enemy, when he wheeled about as quickly as if he were on springs and bounded away toward Jamestown, yelling loud enough to be heard in Bacon's camp: "Oh, I will be killed! I will be killed!"
"Come on, Giles; he is unarmed," cried Mr. Price. "Oh, are you quite sure?" cried Giles. "I am sure. He is out of ammunition." "That is extraordinary, very extraordinary." Mr. Peram, who had been lingering behind, with this assurance urged his horse alongside the stepfather. "He is heading for the river!" cried Price. "Can he cross?" "No; his horse could scarcely swim it. Try a shot at him."
Hugh Price and his associate, Giles Peram, were nonplussed, puzzled and intimidated by the strong, vigorous, and at the same time mysterious arm which had suddenly been raised to protect him whom they hated. "It is extraordinary! It is very extraordinary!" declared Peram, clearing his throat and strutting over the floor. "Where is your wife?" "On board the ship Despair." "Bring her home.
He hoped to find his wife's son and bring him to the gibbet, for Price hated Robert with a hatred that was demoniacal. Giles Peram took courage, and mounting a horse, joined the troopers in galloping about the country and capturing or shooting the rebels, who, now that their spirits were broken, seldom made any resistance.
Price. Hugh Price never molested Robert, but gave himself up to dissipation and was killed in a drunken brawl two years after his wife's death. Giles Peram continued to make himself a nuisance about the home of Robert Stevens and to annoy his sister, until the indignant brother horsewhipped him and drove him from the premises. Shortly after Giles was seized with fever of which he died.
Peram, blushing, answered: "Nor am I; but I forced myself, at the peril of my life, into their presence, and I swore yes, God forgive me, but I swore if they did not give the commission, I would annihilate them, and, by the mass, they were afraid of me, and they granted it." With this the diminutive egotist strutted proudly before his auditors.
Giles Peram was shivering from his sudden plunge and begged to go to camp, so Hugh Price, sympathizing with him, gave up the man hunt, and returned to the nearest camp of royalists. "We will have him yet. He shall hang!" said Mr. Price, by way of consoling his friend for his ducking.
"Give o'er such thoughts, Giles, or perchance the king will hang you." "Hang me! I defy him!" cried Mr. Peram. His manner was earnest, and Robert, who hated Governor Berkeley, suggested they had better begin their republic by overthrowing the governor. "Do you mean it?" asked Giles. "Aye, do you mean it? Then why not hurl Berkeley from power."
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