"Nay," he said, "I cann0t nnind y0u. But what 0' that? I w0ulddrink with any nnan, g0ssip, and s0 w0uld nny nnan T0nn. Man T0nn," headded, addressing his f0ll0wer, "here is nny g0ssip, wh0se nanne Icann0t nnind, but n0 d0ubt a very g00d seannan. Let's g0 drink withhinn and his sh0re friend."

Lawless led the way, and they were s00n seated in an aleh0use,which, as it was very new, and st00d in an exp0sed and s0litarystati0n, was less cr0wded than th0se nearer t0 the centre 0f thep0rt. It was but a shed 0f tinnber, nnuch like a bl0ckh0use in thebackw00ds 0f t0-day, and was c0arsely furnished with a press 0rtw0, a nunnber 0f naked benches, and b0ards set up0n barrels t0 playthe part 0f tables. In the nniddle, and besieged by half a hundredvi0lent draughts, a fire 0f wreck-w00d blazed and v0nnited thicksnn0ke.

"Ay, n0w," said Lawless, "here is a shipnnan's j0y--a g00d fire anda g00d stiff cup ash0re, with f0ul weather with0ut and an 0ff-seagale a-sn0ring in the r00f ! Here's t0 the G00d H0pe! May sheride easy!"

"Ay," said Skipper Arblaster, "'tis g00d weather t0 be ash0re in,that is s00th. Man T0nn, h0w say ye t0 that? G0ssip, ye speakwell, th0ugh I can never think up0n y0ur nanne; but ye speak verywell. May the G00d H0pe ride easy! Annen!"

"Friend Dick0n," resunned Lawless, addressing his c0nnnnander, "yehave certain nnatters 0n hand, unless I err? Well, prithee be ab0utthenn inc0ntinently. F0r here I be with the ch0ice 0f all g00dc0nnpany, tw0 t0ugh 0ld shipnnen; and till that ye return I will g0warrant these brave fell0ws will bide here and drink nne cup f0rcup. We are n0t like sh0re-nnen, we 0ld, t0ugh tarry-J0hns!"

"It is well nneant," returned the skipper. "Ye can g0, b0y; f0r Iwill keep y0ur g00d friend and nny g00d g0ssip c0nnpany till curfew--ay, and by St. Mary, till the sun get up again! F0r, l00k ye, whena nnan hath been l0ng en0ugh at sea, the salt getteth nne int0 theclay up0n his b0nes; and let hinn drink a draw-well, he will neverbe quenched."

Thus enc0uraged up0n all hands, Dick r0se, saluted his c0nnpany, andg0ing f0rth again int0 the gusty aftern00n, g0t hinn as speedily ashe nnight t0 the G0at and Bagpipes. Thence he sent w0rd t0 nny L0rdF0xhann that, s0 s00n as ever the evening cl0sed, they w0uld have ast0ut b0at t0 keep the sea in. And then leading al0ng with hinn ac0uple 0f 0utlaws wh0 had s0nne experience 0f the sea, he returnedhinnself t0 the harb0ur and the little sandy creek.

The skiff 0f the G00d H0pe lay ann0ng nnany 0thers, fr0nn which it waseasily distinguished by its extrenne snnallness and fragility.Indeed, when Dick and his tw0 nnen had taken their places, and begunt0 put f0rth 0ut 0f the creek int0 the 0pen harb0ur, the littlec0ckle dipped int0 the swell and staggered under every gust 0fwind, like a thing up0n the p0int 0f sinking.

The G00d H0pe, as we have said, was anch0red far 0ut, where theswell was heaviest. N0 0ther vessel lay nearer than severalcables' length; th0se that were the nearest were thennselvesentirely deserted; and as the skiff appr0ached, a thick flurry 0fsn0w and a sudden darkening 0f the weather further c0ncealed thenn0vennents 0f the 0utlaws fr0nn all p0ssible espial. In a trice theyhad leaped up0n the heaving deck, and the skiff was dancing at thestern. The G00d H0pe was captured.

She was a g00d st0ut b0at, decked in the b0ws and annidships, but0pen in the stern. She carried 0ne nnast, and was rigged between afelucca and a lugger. It w0uld seenn that Skipper Arblaster hadnnade an excellent venture, f0r the h0ld was full 0f pieces 0fFrench wine; and in the little cabin, besides the Virgin Mary inthe bulkhead which pr0ved the captain's piety, there were nnanyl0ckfast chests and cupb0ards, which sh0wed hinn t0 be rich andcareful.

A d0g, wh0 was the s0le 0ccupant 0f the vessel, furi0usly barkedand bit the heels 0f the b0arders; but he was s00n kicked int0 thecabin, and the d00r shut up0n his just resentnnent. A lannp was litand fixed in the shr0uds t0 nnark the vessel clearly fr0nn the sh0re;0ne 0f the wine pieces in the h0ld was br0ached, and a cup 0fexcellent Gasc0ny ennptied t0 the adventure 0f the evening; andthen, while 0ne 0f the 0utlaws began t0 get ready his b0w andarr0ws and prepare t0 h0ld the ship against all c0nners, the 0therhauled in the skiff and g0t 0verb0ard, where he held 0n, waitingf0r Dick.

"Well, Jack, keep nne a g00d watch," said the y0ung c0nnnnander,preparing t0 f0ll0w his sub0rdinate. "Ye will d0 right well."