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Updated: September 3, 2025
For her size she's well armed is the 'Faithful Friend, Mart'n!" Thus Godby, as he led me from gun to gun slapping hand on breech or trunnion, and as I hearkened 'twas hard to recognise the merry peddler in this short, square, grave-faced gunner who spake with mariner's tongue, hitched ever and anon at the broad belt of his galligaskins, and rolled in his gait already.
And presently, being summoned, Adam appeared on the lofty poop in all the bravery of flowing periwig and 'broidered coat. "Ha, Mart'n," sighed Godby, hitching at his belt as we went to meet him, "I love him best in buff and steel, though he'll ever be my cap'n, pal. There aren't what you'd call a lot of him, neither, but what there is goeth a prodigious long way in steel or velvet. Talk o' glory!
Will ye along?" "Heartily, captain, heartily!" "Are ye armed, Godby?" "I've Gregory's dag here," says Godby, pulling out a long-barrelled pistol. "Joel shall find ye another to go with it. And ye know the sea?" "Aye, Captain, I sailed with Captain Myddleton as gunner and will lay you a gun with any man from a murdering-piece or minion to a great culverin."
Look'ee now, 'roomer' means 'large, and 'large' means 'free, and 'free' means wi' a quartering-wind, and that means going away from the wind or the wind astarn of us; whiles 'on a bowline' means close-hauled agin the wind, d'ye see?" "Godby, 'tis hard to believe you that same peddler I fell in with at the 'Hop-pole." "Why, Mart'n, I'm a cove as adapts himself according.
"There's a spare berth in the coach, comrade, an you're so minded!" "Nay, Adam, I'll watch awhile with Godby." "Good! You've keen eyes, Martin use 'em!" says he, and goes down the ladder forthwith. And now, pacing the lofty poop beside Godby, I was aware that the "Faithful Friend" was dark fore and aft, not a light twinkled anywhere.
"Smother me if it weren't!" quoth Godby, staring. "Sit down, Godby, and tell me how you chanced on this," says Adam, seating himself at the table. "Well, master, I happened to lie snug hid 'neath a heap o' straw and for why, says you? Says I to you, by reason o' two lousy catchpolls as won't let poor Godby be. Now this straw chanced to be in my Lady Brandon's stables and why there, says you?
"Aye and t'other 'un the Spanish dame as you come up a-cuddling of, Mart'n and a notable fine piece she be, as I'm a gunner " "Is my lady on deck?" "Which on 'em, pal?" "Joan, man my Lady Brandon!" "Aye, and mighty downcast by her look. 'Godby, says she to me a while back, 'if I find not my father now, I do think my poor heart will break! And the sweet sad eyes of her, pal "
"Why then," says Adam, pinching his chin, "did ye chance to see his hands?" "No whit, master, and for why? he wore a loose cloak about him." "And what more did ye hear?" "No more, master, and for why? because, as luck would have it a straw tickled my nose and I sneezed loud as a demi-culverin, and there's poor Godby up and running for his life and these murderous rogues after poor Godby.
And now from coppice and hedgerow, near and far, was stir and flutter, a whistling and a piping that rose ever louder and swelled to a trilling ecstasy of gladness. "Hark to 'em O pal, hark to 'em!" quoth Godby, lifting head to watch a lark that soared aloft. "Here's music, Martin, here's cure for the megrims, hope for the downcast and promise o' joys to come. O hark to 'em!"
Here he took up the letter Godby had brought and breaking the seal, read it through, once with a glimmer of his grim smile, read it again and frowned and frowning, glanced across at me: "Here's matter concerning you, Martin, hark'ee!" Moreover I will you should sail as speedily soon as may be.
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