The Buccaneer - A Tale

It was before such a man that Burrell of Burrell now stood, and by whom

he was addressed.

"My piping-bird, good sir, told me you wanted me; and though somewhat

inconvenient at this present time, here I am. Won't you sit? This is no

lady's lounging-room; yet we can find seats, and costly ones too," he

added, pushing a chest of spices towards his visitor.

"Then, you were not at sea, Captain?" observed Burrell, seating himself,

and unclasping his cloak.

"I did not say so," replied the other, bringing his bushy brows more

closely over his eyes, and glancing suspiciously upon the questioner.

"Oh, no; I only imagined it."

"Well, sir, I was not at sea, and I care not who knows it."

"But, my worthy friend, we have been acquainted too long for you to fear

my 'peaching aught concerning you or your doings."

"And did I talk of fear?" inquired the Buccaneer, with a droll and yet

bitter expression. "Well, if I did, I only follow, as Robin would say,

the example of my betters, by talking about what I don't understand."

"Vastly good, and true!--true as the----"

"Needle to the pole; the finest simile in nature, Sir Willmott Burrell:

you were fishing for a holy one, I saw, which is what these walls don't

often hear, for we've no laggers nor warpes among us."

"You've enlarged this room, and improved it much, Captain, since I last

saw it."

"Humph! ay, that was, I remember, when his Highness----"

"Hush!" interrupted Burrell, changing colour, and looking round the

room cautiously; "you must be very careful, Dalton, how you say any

thing about----"

"Ha! ha! ha! So you look for a troop of old Noll's Ironsides to bounce

from under these packages in this good Isle of Shepey; or, mayhap,

expect to see him start forth from behind his own Acts, which you

perceive garnish my walls--the walls of my secret palace, so splendidly;

but I may talk about his Highness, ay, and about the prisoners you

escorted here, despite the loyal men of Kent, for me to ship to the

Colonies--and--. But no matter, no matter; Noll knew I did it, for he

knows every thing. Well, sir, you seem so alarmed, that I'm dumb as a

sand-bank; only this, his Highness is far enough off to-night, and you

need fear no other Olivers, for England will never see but one."

"True, true--good Dalton!--but tell me, are you often on the French

coast now?"