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'There you lie, mine goot vriend, said the injured man, in weak, quavering tones. 'And I will prove that you lie if you have a flaschen in your pocket. 'If Pete were dead and buried, the first speaker said, 'a word about strong waters would bring him to. Give him a sup from your bottle, Dicon. There was a great gurgling and sucking in the darkness, followed by a gasp from the drinker.
They never give tongue for a different trail than the right one. "Dicon, dismount and see what it is; there is something moving there be neath that bush." Seeing himself discovered, Paul rose to his feet, and made a step forward, though uncertainly, as if his limbs still almost refused to obey him.
'There's only one place along here, d'ye see, where we can land cargoes unquestioned. When it clears we shall turn her head for it, but until we can take our bearings it is anxious work wi' the sands under our lee. 'Keep a look-out there, Tom Baldock! cried Dicon to a man in the bows.
A moment later the same fierce hiss ended in a loud wooden crash, and a short, thick crossbow-bolt was buried deep in the side of their boat. "Close in, close in!" roared Badding, tugging at his oar. "Saint George for England! Saint Leonard for Winchelsea! Close in!" But again that fatal crossbow twanged. Dicon of Rye fell back with a shaft through his shoulder.
Then there were the eager Nigel, the melancholy Aylward, Black Simon who was a tried swordsman, and three archers, Baddlesmere, Masters and Dicon of Rye, all veterans of the French War. The numbers in the two vessels might be about equal; but Badding as he glanced at the bold harsh faces which looked to him for orders had little fear for the result.
'All right, Dicon, said their leader soothingly. 'We all know that Pete's not a fighting man, but he's the best cooper on the coast, eh, Pete? There is not his equal at staving, hooping, and bumping. He'll take a plank of wood and turn it into a keg while another man would be thinking of it. 'Oh, you remember that, Captain Murgatroyd, said the Dutchman sulkily.
'Worth a jorum of rumbo, cried Dicon. 'By your leave, Captain, I would say that we are not a gang of padders and michers, but a crew of honest seamen, who harm none but those who harm us.
'He hath not opened his mouth since we took him, said the man who was called Dicon. 'Is he a mute, then? Find your tongue, my fine fellow, and let us hear what your name is. It would have been well for you if you had been born dumb, so that you could not have sworn our comrade's life away.
There have been more shots fired at this lugger than she could carry wore she loaded with them. And yet they never so much as knocked the paint off her before. There they go again! A fresh discharge burst from the man-of-war, but this time they had lost all trace of us, and were firing by guess. 'That is their last bark, sir, said Dicon. 'No fear.
Two archers can pull on the oars, and it may be that they can pick off two or three of these Frenchmen before we close with them. Hugh Baddlesmere, and you, Dicon of Rye into the boat with you!" "What?" cried Aylward. "Am I to be left behind? I, who am the Squire's own man? Ill fare the bowman who comes betwixt me and yonder boat!"
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