Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 27, 2025
"True, as far as you have gone," said Ruby, with a quiet smile; "but Swankie is six feet two in his stockings, and his nose is turned up, and his hair don't curl, and his eyes are light-green, and his complexion is sallow, if I may not say yellow " "Fair, lad; fair," said the officer, laughing in spite of himself. "Ah! Ruby Brand, you are jealous of him!
Swankie, seeing that it was useless to attempt to gain over his comrade, and knowing that the Badger was waiting impatiently for him near the appointed house, hurried away without another word, and Davy Spink strolled towards his home, which was an extremely dirty little hut, near the harbour.
Swankie, frowning fiercely, and shaking his fist, looked at him in horror; and well he might, for the Badger became first red and then purple in the face, and seemed as if he were about to burst with his efforts to keep down the cough.
"Janet," said he, flinging himself into a rickety old armchair that stood by the fireplace, "the press-gang has catched us at last, and they've took Big Swankie away, and, worse than that " "Oh!" cried Janet, unable to wait far more, "that's the best news I've heard for mony a day. Ye're sure they have him safe?"
These worthies were in a rather exhausted condition, having been rowing almost incessantly from daybreak. "I tell 'ee what it is," said Swankie; "I'll be hanged if I poo another stroke." He threw his oar into the boat, and looked sulky. "It's my belief," said his companion, "that we ought to be near aboot Denmark be this time."
Presently Big Swankie took out a flint and steel, and proceeded to strike a light. It was some some time before the tinder would catch. At each stroke of the steel a shower of brilliant sparks lit up his countenance for an instant, and this momentary glance showed that its expression was not prepossessing by any means.
"Ay, these are my good friends Swankie and Spink, who know a deal more about other improper callings besides smuggling, if I did not greatly mistake their words," cried Ruby. "Give way, lads!" cried the lieutenant.
"It's plain to me that we must pairt, freen'," said Swankie in a dogged manner, as he lifted a keg out of the boat and placed it on the ground. "Ay," exclaimed Spink, with something of a sneer, "an" d'ye think I'll pairt without a diveesion o' the siller tea-pats and things that ye daurna sell for fear o' bein' fund out?"
Auburn is a very undecided colour; there's a great deal of red in it, and no one can deny that Swankie has a good deal of red in his hair." There was indeed no denying this, for it was altogether red, of an intense carroty hue. "You see, friend," continued the officer, turning to Ruby, "that the description suits Swankie very well."
"Hurrah!" cried the men, who were all assembled on the mortar-gallery, looking down at the fishermen, excepting Ruby, Watt, and Dumsby, who were still on the cross-beams below. "Mind the boat; keep her aff," said Swankie, stretching out his hand with the packet to the utmost, while Dumsby descended the ladder and held out his hand to receive it.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking