comed straight down aboard and told me what he'd heard.
At first I didn't put very much faith in the yarn, I'll own to't, but
that there Garge so pestered and worrited me that at last I let mun have
mun's way; and ten minutes afore midnight the _Bonaventure_ was under
way and standin' out o' the harbour. We managed to get out without
bein' fired upon by the batteries. But if you'll believe me, sir, they
sent a galley out a'ter us, and if it hadn't ha' happened that the wind
was blowin' fresh from about west, and a nasty lump of a beam sea
runnin', dang my ugly buttons if that galley wouldn't ha' had us! But
the galley rolled so heavy that they couldn't use their oars to
advantage, while the _Bonaventure_ is so fast as any dolphin with a beam
wind and enough of it to make us furl our topgallants; so we got away."

"And a very smart piece of work, too, apparently," said Mr Marshall.
"I must not forget to thank George Saint Leger for his share in it. Has
your voyage been a success, Captain?"

"So, so; I don't think you'll find much to complain about when we comes
to go into the figures," answered Burroughs. "We had a bit of a brush
wi' the rovers, who comed out against us in three ships, during our
outward voyage, but we beat 'em off wi' the loss of only one man--poor
Matthews, as I mentioned just now--since when we've had no call to fire
a single shot."

"Excellent, excellent!" commented the merchant, rubbing his hands. "Of
course I am very sorry to learn that Matthews was slain; but these
things will happen at sea from time to time. Well, to-morrow we will
have the hatches off and begin discharging. While that is proceeding I
must consider what next to do with the ship; for it will be useless to
think of further trade with the Mediterranean while the Spanish embargo
lasts, and Heaven only knows how long that will be."

"Ay," assented Burroughs. "'Tis a pity that her Grace up to Whitehall
can't make up her mind one way or t'other about this here Spanish
business; whether she'll be friends wi' Philip, or will fight mun. For
all this here shilly-shallyin', first one way and then t'other, be
terrible upsettin' to folks like we. But there, what be I grumblin'
about? 'Twont make a mort o' difference to me, because I've made up my
mind as it's time for me to knock off the sea and settle down snug and
comfortable ashore for the rest of my days. I be that bad wi' the
rheumatics that I've got to get the cabin boy t