hes, and
boards set upon barrels to play the part of tables. In the middle, and
besieged by half a hundred violent draughts, a fire of wreck-wood blazed
and vomited thick smoke.

"Ay, now," said Lawless, "here is a shipman's joy--a good fire and a
good stiff cup ashore, with foul weather without and an off-sea gale
a-snoring in the roof! Here's to the _Good Hope_! May she ride easy!"

"Ay," said Skipper Arblaster, "'tis good weather to be ashore in, that
is sooth--Man Tom, how say ye to that?--Gossip, ye speak well, though I
can never think upon your name; but ye speak very well. May the _Good
Hope_ ride easy! Amen!"

"Friend Dickon," resumed Lawless, addressing his commander, "ye have
certain matters on hand, unless I err? Well, prithee be about them
incontinently. For here I be with the choice of all good company, two
tough old shipmen; and till that ye return I will go warrant these brave
fellows will bide here and drink me cup for cup. We are not like
shore-men, we old tough tarry-Johns!"

"It is well meant," returned the skipper. "Ye can go, boy; for I will
keep your good friend and my good gossip company till curfew--ay, and by
St. Mary, till the sun get up again! For, look ye, when a man hath been
long enough at sea, the salt getteth me into the clay upon his bones;
and let him drink a draw-well, he will never be quenched."

Thus encouraged upon all hands, Dick rose, saluted his company, and
going forth again into the gusty afternoon, got him as speedily as he
might to the "Goat and Bagpipes." Thence he sent word to my Lord Foxham
that, so soon as ever the evening closed, they would have a stout boat
to keep the sea in. And then leading along with him a couple of outlaws
who had some experience of the sea, he returned himself to the harbour
and the little sandy creek.

The skiff of the _Good Hope_ lay among many others, from which it was
easily distinguished by its extreme smallness and fragility. Indeed,
when Dick and his two men had taken their places, and began to put forth
out of the creek into the open harbour, the little cockle dipped into
the swell and staggered under every gust of wind, like a thing upon the
point of sinking.

The _Good Hope_, as we have said, was anchored far out, where the swell
was heaviest. No other vessel lay nearer than several cables' length;
those that were the nearest were themselves entirely deserted; and as
the skiff approached, a thick flurry of snow and a sudden darke