The Buccaneer - A Tale

"Me!--her!" exclaimed Robin, closing his teeth, and glaring on Jack

Roupall with fiendish fierceness.

"Keep off!" ejaculated Roupall, securing the ear-rings, and placing

himself in a posture of defence--"Keep off! I know ye of old, Robin

Hays, with your griping fingers and strong palms! Never quarrel with a

man because he doesn't understand ye'r delicacies, which are things each

makes in his own mind, so that no one else can taste 'em. I meant no

harm; only, mark ye, ye sha'n't throttle me for nothing the next go; so

keep off; and I'm off, for sides o' flesh and sides o' iron are astir up

there; so this is no place for me. I shall be off, and join King

Charlie: he's much in want of strong hands, I hear, and who knows but

the time is coming when 'the king shall enjoy his own again?'"

"Do but bury that!" said Robin: "I would stay and do it, but that I

must to the Nest at once."

"No, no," replied Roupall, striding away in an opposite direction; "let

it stay where it is, to poison ravens and the carrion-birds. It is

fitting food for them. They had nobler banquets at Naseby and at

Marston."