The Splendid Spur

ot heard our noise was to me starkly incredible. I stepp'd along the de

und with a

e broke out of Bristol Keep, and the Colonel's men are after me. Give me up to them, and they hang me to-morrow: give my

in the world: for under a trunk extraordinary broad and strong, straddled & pair of legs that a baby would have d

ard, and shouted into my ear so

'n o' the Godsend-an' you can't make

his put me in a

as nails!

ht) if anywhere near, could not miss hear

, an' the half below in a very accomplished state

oment, then r

you make me very cu

toward the stern, led down into darkness. Here he sign'd to us to follow; and, descending first, threw open a door, letting out a faint stream of light in our faces. 'Twas the captain's cabin, lin'd with cupboards and lockers:

er Pottery shaking u

en, dipp'd it, an

g Charles; and this night am escap'

the pen was caught suddenly from my fingers, the paper torn in shreds, and there was Master Potter

horn lantern, a mallet, and a chisel. Not a word was spoken as he lit th

clos'd another ladder stretching, as it seem'd, down into the bowels of the ship. This we des

contested by two puissant essences, the one of raw wood, the other of bilge water. With wool the place was pil'd

gg'd them to another trap and tugg'd out the bungs. A stream of fresh water gush'd from each and splash'd down t

over us, our noses at the bungholes and our ears listening to Master Pottery's footsteps as they climb'd heavily back to

ac

el

l heroica

rickle of water running do

oh, what a hateful smell!

g I've been longing these weeks to sa

t is

lips to the b

ce for a moment: and then, within Delia

an it, upon my oath. Wi

Oh, Jack, what a dear goose thou a

ng overhead. 'Twas the sound of someone hailing t

drown'd all speech but his own. When he ceas'd, there was silence for some minutes: after which we heard a party descend to the cabin, and the trampling of their feet on the

sky voice; "overha

rs bustling about the hold and

hen you've done rummaging my ship,

commanded the husky voice. "W

answers a trooper,

g behin

right again

ile a-way, and Cap'n Stubbs no better than a fool to send us back h

hankfulness and strong odors. And so we crouch'd till, about midnight, Captain Billy brou

ar our thanks:

have my reasoning heresies, holding the Lord's Anointed to be an anointed rogue, but nevertheless to be serv'd: just as aboard the Godsend I be Cap'n Billy an' you pl

eit 'twas near five in the morning, I dare say, bef

noise, and the voices of the men hiccoughing a dismal chant. They were lifting anchor. I crawl'd forth and woke

their song, and we heard their f

d Delia, "we

the Godsend began to keep. Once more I tasted freedom again, and the joy of living, and could have sung for the

beside me, her hands in her lap, and her great eyes fix'd most dolefully. And when Captain Billy came down with news that we were safe and free to go o

the evening, when, faint with fasting and nausea, we

he coast line: the thick rain descending straight, with hardly wind enough to set the sails flapping; the sea spread

surprise to see us, but nodded very friendly, with a smile for our stra

s in the scuppers, their legs pointed inboard, and very orderly arranged. They were a dozen and two in all, and ov

, pointing with his mop like a showm

rew

oames, master o' this

ea

the mop in the fellow's heavy face. "There now! Did he mov

up No. 2, who open'd one eye lazi

man of dismal color, and hath other drawbacks natural to such. Can the Aethiop shift his skin?

line till he came to the last man

use the fellow turn'd stubborn, put a knife into his waistband, an' had to run away to sea: a middling drinker only, but after a quart or so to hear him tackle Predestination! So there be times after all when I sets'n apart, and says, 'Drunk, you'm no good, but half-drunk, you'm pri

next Martinmas," p

state o

ru

dru

a lo

stand u

o' quantums be denied. When was I iver wholesomely maz'd? Or when did I lay my grey

es for the b

hopes-

the wind; and, as we turn'd away with the Captain, was sti

" said Captain

them hardly, let me say here that when they recovered of their stupor-as happen'd to the worst after thirty-six hours-there was no brisker, handier set of fellows on the seas. And this Captain Billy well un

ere on the Cornish coast, for that I carried intelligence which would not keep till we reached Plymouth, a town that, besides, was held by the rebels. And he agreed re

d her wont, avoiding (I thought) t

with

, beckon'd me, very mysterious, outside the cabin, a

"ply her briskly! Womankind is but yielding flesh: 'am

nd of a stifled laugh from the other side of the cabin door: but it d

nce, and made a pretty sight: for the day, that had begun with a white frost, was now turn'd sunny and still, so that looking north we saw the sea all spread with pink and lilac and hyacinth, and upon it the ship lit up, her masts and sails glowing like a gold piece. And there was Billy, leaning over the bulwarks and

t fine to laugh and sing When

n't think it": and capp'

t to find Is to lea

her fingers to her ears. "What a nasty,

an may hold,"

ery poor voice, but mine

any," "Come ye bearded men-at-arms," and "The Bending Rush." All these she sang,

sweet voice? Why, J

e me a reply to what, four days agone, I as

a stop, wringing her hands and

ave had such merry times: and

walking without any feeling of weariness. Captain Billy had given me at parting a small compass, of new invention, that a man could carry easily in his pocket; and this from time to time I examin'd in the moonlight, guiding our way almost due south, in hopes of striking into the main road w

he way. Because we knew not with certainty the temper of the country, it seem'd best to choose this second course: so we fetch'd around by certain barren meadows, and thought ourselves luc

breakfast," said Delia, and stepped be

e to the right of the house, I caught the

ourt, saddled and dripping with sweat. My first thought was to run

m-a mare with one high white stocking. In

y ears a voice sounding that stopp'd me short and told

ing in the taproom; and already Delia s

ord of Stamford's orders, whose servant I am, and as captain of this troop I am sent to exact them. As they displease you,

out and gripp'd her. I saw, or half saw, the troopers crowding out after him. For a

tside! Leave me-I am ta'e

e. I dash'd out around the house, vaulted the gate,

t the gate, and two had

rend

ng'd i

burning pain seem'd to tear open my left shoulder. In a moment the mare alighted safe on the other side, flinging me

for dear life. So also were a score of rebel troopers. Twenty mile

he two pistols r