Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 19, 2025
"Good!" says Penfeather and summoned Joel Bym, who, beholding the peddler, stared, bellowed jovial greeting, and at nod from Penfeather, departed with him, arm in arm. "Well, Martin," says Adam when the door had closed, "and what d'ye make o' this tale of sailor-men?" "That they're the same rogues I fell out with." "Beyond doubt, Martin. And what more?"
The big man turned, Penfeather sprang with uplifted pistol and smote him, stunned and bleeding, to the floor, then bestriding the prostrate carcass, fronted the rest with head viciously out-thrust. "And who's next come!" says he softly, scowling from one to other of the shrinking company.
But Penfeather winged one o' the lubberly rogues, praise God, Mart'n! Which done and with due time to curse 'em, every mother's son of 'em, he turns to him and the carpenter and his mates there and then to repair damages. Ha, a man o' mark is Captain Adam, pal." "Godby," says I, "did ye chance to see aught of a boat carrying a great bundle in the stern-sheets and rowed by a man in a red cap?"
"Lord love ye, shipmate that's the spirit!" said a voice below me, "But keep the wind o' them don't let 'em rake ye douse your figure-head. Lie low, shipmate, lie low and trust to your comrade Adam Penfeather and that's me. Patience is the word!"
"Gone aboard this morning along o' Toby Hudd the bo's'un!" "See here, my bright lads," quoth Penfeather, eyeing each scowling face in turn, "learn this when you come aboard my ship and I say to one o' ye do this or do that, he does it, d'ye see, or up to the yard-arm he swings by his thumbs or his neck as occasion warrants. D'ye get me, my bully roarers?"
Midway burned a dim fire whose small flame flickered palely; all round us, huge and mountainous, rose the shapes of strange deities wonderfully wrought; round about the altar fire were grouped many black-robed priests and hard by this fire stood a thing that brought back memory of Adam Penfeather his words of how he had fought for his life on the death-stone; and now, beholding this grim thing, I shifted round my sword and felt if my pistols were to hand.
But then came the pirate Tressady and his fellows seeking the treasure, and after him, Penfeather, which last, being a very desperate, cunning man, took Tressady by a wile and would have hanged him with his comrade Mings, but for my lady. These rogues turned I adrift in one of the boats to live or die as God should appoint. But such great happiness was not for me, it seemed.
"Aye!" nodded Penfeather, "That was the kind. A bullet's bad, a knife's worse, but a steel hook, shipmate, very sharp d'ye see, is a death no man should die. Shipmate, I've seen divers men dead by that same hook torn and ripped d'ye see like a dog's fangs! I'd seen many die ere then, but that way 'twas an ill sight for queasy stomachs!" "And he this man with the hook is dead, you say?"
"Wherein he was exactly right!" says I, grinding my teeth at memory of Red Andy. "Aye, there Penfeather was very right, this fellow was a vile and beastly rogue!" "What dreadful thing had he done, Martin?" "Stared at you!" says I, and stopped; and glancing up, found her regarding me with look mighty strange. "Did you mind so much?" she questioned. "No whit, madam. Why should I?"
"Let be," I groaned, "I'm a dead man!" "Then here's that shall make ye quick," says this fellow Penfeather, dangling a great key before my swimming eyes. "Here's freedom from your devil's trap and a plaguy time I've had to come by it." "Then for the love o' God let me out," I groaned. "Easy all, shipmate!" says he, turning the key upon his finger. Now a bargain's a bargain, you'll agree?"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking