"Not since I had the honour to wait upon you, sir, to London."
"But he is off the coast."
"Under favour, sir, that accounts for my not seeing him on it."
"Scoundrel!" exclaimed Burrell fiercely; "no such mummery with me, or
I'll soon put you upon salt-water rations. Dalton, I say, is off the
coast; I would speak with him, I must speak with him; and as I have
good reason to know you telegraph each other, manage so that he meet me
under the cavern:--do you understand, you sprat-spawn? Under the cavern;
to-morrow night, at eleven; we can serve each other." Burrell, when he
had retraced his steps about five yards, turned round and added, "You
owe me amends for your base desertion the night before last, which I
have not forgotten."
Robin, cap in hand, watched his receding footsteps with an underlook;
and then, attended by his faithful Crisp, repaired to the cottage, where
a cannikin of porridge, seasoned by the hand of his mother with good
spicery, and more than half composed of double-dub, awaited his arrival.