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Updated: May 29, 2025
The man made a sudden quick movement and caught Aleck's right wrist tightly, leaning forward as if to pierce his eyes with the fierce look he gave. "Don't do that you hurt!" cried Aleck, sharply. "Yes, I mean to hurt," growled the man. "Now, then, look at me! Is that true?" "Do you hear, Eben Megg? You hurt me. Let go, or I shall hit out."
"I don't like Eben Megg, and I don't like smugglers in general," Tom Bodger; "but human natur's human natur', even with old King's pensioned men as oughtn't to; but if Eben comes to me with that there hankychy and slips a big wodge of hard Hamsterdam 'bacco and a square bottle o' stuff as hasn't paid dooty into my hands in the dark some night, what am I to do? Say I can't take it?
"Well, there's nothing to be done but to wait patiently for the coming of that low tide when a boat could come in, as Eben Megg said, and as it's plain it does, or else all these stores couldn't have been brought in." "And when it does come?" said the middy. "We shall swim or wade out, of course," said Aleck. "No, we shan't," grumbled the middy.
"I b'lieve there's a fog sattling down, sir, and if there is we shall be ketched as sure as eggs is eggs. I'm sorry for you, my lad, and I s'pose I'm sorry for Eben Megg, though we arn't friends. Bit sorry, too, for myself." "Oh, they can't hurt you, Tom." "Can't hurt me, sir? Why, they'll hev me up afore the magistrits, and cut me shorter than I am." "Nonsense!" said Aleck, with a laugh.
One minute it was against his shirt for sticking to his wet back; another time it was at Aleck for getting on so fast with his dressing consequent upon his being drier; and then he began to abuse Eben Megg. "A beast; that's what he is. It's just as bad as murdering us with a knife or chopper, that it is."
"I allus knowed that Eben Megg and his mates must have a store hole somewhere, and p'raps if I'd ha' lay out to sarch for it I might ha' found it out. But I didn't want to go spying about and get a crack o' the head for my pains. The Revenoo lads'll find out for theirselves some day; and so you young gents have been the first?" "Stop a minute," said Aleck. "What about Eben Megg?"
"No," said Aleck, shading his eyes. "Yes, I do. How he is changed! Why, Eben Megg, I hardly knew you again without your beard." "Glad to see you, Master Aleck," said the man, warmly. "Mr Wrighton here was good enough to bring me along with him to see the old place.
"The press-gang landed and surprised the smugglers, then?" "Yes, sir, and they've nabbed Eben Megg and six of his mates. Did yer hear the women giving it to the sailors?" "I heard something of it." "They was fighting savage like to save their men, and the sailor chaps was glad enough to get back to their boats; but they took Eben Megg and half a dozen more along with 'em."
They've made up their minds as boats'll come in from the sloop arter dark just to see in a friendly way if they can't pick up a few likely lads to sarve the King." "From the smugglers who are hanging about?" said Aleck, eagerly, as he recalled what had passed between him and Eben Megg that afternoon. "Smugglers, or fishermen, or anyone else.
"Say, Master Aleck," was suddenly whispered to him, "I hope Eben Megg arn't going to die." "Die? Oh, Tom, no. I forgot all about his cut head. We must tie it up." "Tied up it is, sir, wi' my hankychy, but he's got a nasty cut on the head. Ah, it's bad work resisting the law, for lawful it is, I s'pose, to press men." "Don't talk so loud.
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