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Against the enemy he had his plans, as every great commander must, and he certainly did not desire to have his glory stolen by Nettlebones. But that he would have suffered, with only a grin at the bad luck so habitual; to do any crooked thing against it was not in his nature. The cause of the grief of Commander Nettlebones lay far away from Carroway; and free trade was at the bottom of it.
Nettlebones set a good example by lifting the prostrate Irishman; and they bore him into safety, and drew up there; while the beachmen, forbidden the shelter at point of cutlass, made off right and left; and then, with a crash that shook the strand and drove back the water in a white turmoil, the Crown of Gold flew into a fount of timbers, splinters, shreds, smoke, fire, and dust.
"Upon me sowl and so we could; and it's meself that would go into the trade, so soon as it was stopped with the thousand pounds." "We have no time for talking nonsense;" answered Nettlebones, severely, according to the universal law that the man who has wasted the time of others gets into a flurry about his own. "Your suggestion, Bowler, is a very wise one, and as full as possible of common-sense.
"Lord, have mercy! She could run us all down if she tried!" exclaimed Commander Nettlebones; "and what are my pop-guns against such beam?" For a while the bilander seemed to mean to try it, for she carried on toward the central cruiser as if she had not seen one of them.
"Every man ston' with his hands to his sides, and ask of they sojjers for a pinch of bacca." This made them laugh, till Captain Nettlebones strode up. "In the name of his Majesty, surrender, all you fellows. You are fairly caught in the very act of landing a large run of goods contraband. It is high time to make an example of you. Where is your skipper, lads? Robin Lyth, come forth."
"Donovan," Nettlebones suddenly broke in, "we will have that story, which I can see by the cut of your jib is too good to be hurried, when first we come together after business done. The sun will be down in less than half an hour, and by that time we all must be well under way. We are watched from the land, as I need not tell you, and we must not let them spy for nothing.
But his powder was wet, or else there was some stoppage; for the only result was a spurt of smoke inward, and a powdery eruption on his own red cheeks. "I wish I could have heard him swear," grumbled Nettlebones; "that would have been worth something. But Bowler is further out. Bowler will cross her bows, and he is not a fool. Don't be in a hurry, my fine Bob Lyth.
Carroway, vigilant captain of men, why have you forsaken your domestic hearth? Is it through jealousy of Nettlebones, and a stern resolve to be ahead of him? Robin, my Robin, is a genius in tactics, a very bright Napoleon of free trade. He penetrates the counsels, or, what is more, the feelings, of those who camp against him. He means to land this great emprise at Captain Carroway's threshold.
"I'm thinking that your notion is a very good one, captain," said the master of the bilander, Brown, a dry old hand from Grimsby. "Capital, capital; there never was a better," the master of the ketch chimed in, "Nettlebones and Carroway they will knock their heads together!"
"What shall we do with that insolent hound?" Nettlebones asked poor Donovan, who was groaning in slow convalescence. "We have caught him in nothing. We can not commit him; we can not even duck him legally." "Be jabers, let him drink his health in his own potheen." "Capital! Bravo for old Ireland, my friend! You shall see it done, and handsomely.
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