Chapter 25 - Page 2

saying, "the best ship out o' the port o' Dartmouth, a Virgin
Mary parcel-gilt, thirteen pounds of good gold money - "

"I have bad losses, too," interrupted one of the others. "I have
had losses of mine own, gossip Arblaster. I was robbed at
Martinmas of five shillings and a leather wallet well worth
ninepence farthing."

Dick's heart smote him at what he heard. Until that moment he had
not perhaps thought twice of the poor skipper who had been ruined
by the loss of the Good Hope; so careless, in those days, were men
who wore arms of the goods and interests of their inferiors. But
this sudden encounter reminded him sharply of the high-handed
manner and ill-ending of his enterprise; and both he and Lawless
turned their heads the other way, to avoid the chance of
recognition.

The ship's dog had, however, made his escape from the wreck and
found his way back again to Shoreby. He was now at Arblaster's
heels, and suddenly sniffing and pricking his ears, he darted
forward and began to bark furiously at the two sham friars.

His master unsteadily followed him.

"Hey, shipmates!" he cried. "Have ye ever a penny pie for a poor
old shipman, clean destroyed by pirates? I am a man that would
have paid for you both o' Thursday morning; and now here I be, o'
Saturday night, begging for a flagon of ale! Ask my man Tom, if ye
misdoubt me. Seven pieces of good Gascon wine, a ship that was
mine own, and was my father's before me, a Blessed Mary of plane-
tree wood and parcel-gilt, and thirteen pounds in gold and silver.
Hey! what say ye? A man that fought the French, too; for I have
fought the French; I have cut more French throats upon the high
seas than ever a man that sails out of Dartmouth. Come, a penny
piece."

Neither Dick nor Lawless durst answer him a word, lest he should
recognise their voices; and they stood there as helpless as a ship
ashore, not knowing where to turn nor what to hope.

"Are ye dumb, boy?" inquired the skipper. "Mates," he added, with
a hiccup, "they be dumb. I like not this manner of discourtesy;
for an a man be dumb, so be as he's courteous, he will still speak
when he was spoken to, methinks."

By this time the sailor, Tom, who was a man of great personal
strength, seemed to have conceived some suspicion of these two
speechless figures; and being soberer than his captain, stepped
suddenly before him, took Lawless roughly by the shoulder, and
asked him, with an oath, what ailed him that he held his tongue.
To this the outlaw, thinking all was over, made answer by a
wrestling feint that stretched the sailor on the sand, and, calling
upon Dick to follow him, took to his heels among the lumber.

The affair passed in a second. Before