Sea-Dogs All!
Page 27
Chapter XXVII.
IN PLYMOUTH.
The arrow sang its curving flight through the air and stuck, with aquick quiver, in the very centre of the target. "Four times out of sixhave I found his heart, and a pennypiece would cover the four,"exclaimed Nick Johnson. "'Twill do!" He put his bow-point to his toe,loosened the string, and laid the weapon aside. Brother Ned slippedhis own bow from his shoulder, strung it, tested its tautness andrigidity, and took six arrows from the boy who waited upon the patronsof archery ground. He shot; the arrow went wide. He sighed, rubbedhis eyes as though to clear them from mist, and shot again. The shaftlodged on the outer edge of the target, almost splintering the wood."Better," said Nick encouragingly. Ned shot a third time; the stringtwanged unevenly, and the arrow fell short. With a groan of despairthe sailor threw the bow aside, and called to the boy to fetch thearrows. "'Tis no use," he cried; "I shall ne'er master the trick on'tagain; left hand and eye will not go together as did right hand and eyein the old days. Time was when I could outshoot thee three matches infour; now should I miss the side of a house at a hundred paces. Thyleft arm serves thee better than thy right ever did. I know no bettermarksman."
Nick pulled musingly at his sandy beard. "In truth," he admitted, "itseemeth as though nature intended me for a left-handed man; 'tiswonderful what skill I have acquired with it in a few months ofpractice. Wilt thou not try again?"
"Not to-day. I'll to the witch-woman under the cliffs, and get her tosay some charms that have power over the left side of a man." Nedstrode moodily off, and Nick followed him. At the stile that led intothe highway they met Dan Pengelly coming in search of them. Yards awayhis excited countenance heralded news. "They've turned up at last!"he cried.
"Master Morgan and Rob?"
"No; the Papishers."
"How?"
"Get ye to the 'Blue Dolphin,' and Dame Gregory will tell ye all. I'llbe in hiding on the opposite side of the way, and a whistle will bringme across. Give your legs full play. I'll not be seen with ye. Needsmust that we deal craftily when the devil's in person amongst the foe."
"Rest easy, Dan. Come on, Ned," cried Nick. And the two brothersswung off for the harbour side of the town and the back parlour of the"Blue Dolphin." Whilst they clatter along the cobbled highway, we willexplain their errand.
When Dan Pengelly babbled secrets into the ears of Brother Basil, heunwittingly gave that worthy a new scheme of revenge. For some monthsafter the failure of the plot to burn the forest, the ex-monk hadremained in hiding amidst the mountains of South Wales. He stayed nearNewnham long enough to learn from the farmer at Arlingham the precisefate of Father Jerome, his co-conspirator John, and Andrew Windybank.Being assured of their deaths, and the absolute failure of the Spanishplot, he disappeared. The foresters hoped, and at length believed,that he was dead; they had learned that he was the fiercest and mostunscrupulous of the fanatics, and rumour had quickly clothed him withall sorts of unholy attributes. That he was not dead, but plottingfurther mischief, was known only to one man, and the knowledge helpedto darken that man's life. The farmer at Arlingham had never beensuspected of complicity in the plot; all, save Basil, who could haveblabbed his secret were amongst the slain on the night of the fightwith the _Luath_. He himself lost heart at the critical moment andstayed at home, and his only share in the affair was to provide forsome of the wounded and receive the thanks of the admiral for his readygenerosity. Yet, whilst the wounded groaned and tossed on his beds,Basil lay curled up, wolf fashion, in one of the barns. He lodgedthere again for two days after the burning of Dean Tower, and whilstthe forest was being scoured with horse and hound for him. From thencehe had journeyed to Plymouth, hoping to secure the Spanish papershidden by the garrulous seaman. He succeeded in his object only a fewhours before Dan came hastening back from Blakeney, fearful for thesafety of his precious packet. The trick had been neatly played. DameGregory had entertained, for one night, a very pleasant and gentlemanlyguest, who had speedily found his way into her good graces, and alsointo the back parlour of the "Blue Dolphin," which was sacred to theintimate cronies of her sailor spouse. It was there, behind a panel inthe wall, that the hostess kept treasures belonging to several homelessmariners and adventurers who made her their banker and confidentialagent. The foolish Dan, tipsily anxious to let his little comrade knowhow cunning he was, had explained the working of the panel and thedifficulty of any one, save those in the secret, getting access to theprecious hoard behind it. An evening's survey matured Basil's plans.Early the next morning two strange sailor-men entered the inn, and keptthe landlady answering questions for the best part of half an hour.Not long after she was rid of them, her pleasant guest also bade hergood day and departed.
No suspicions were aroused until Dan's return and discovery of hisloss. Then Basil's handiwork was apparent enough. His connection withthe two sailors was revealed in an early stage of Dan's search for thethief. The three had been seen together in a neighbouring hostel theprevious day. No trace of them was discovered after the robbery. Butnow, on the very eve of Morgan's arrival in Plymouth, Dame Gregory'sson, an urchin of about fourteen summers, had penetrated the roughdisguise of two mariners who had dropped into the kitchen of the "BlueDolphin." Guided by the child's eyes, the mother also had assuredherself of the identity of the two. Dan had been apprised, had giventhe alarm to the Johnsons, and they were already lifting the latch ofthe parlour door. The two spies were on the ale-bench in the kitchen.
There was a whispered consultation with the hostess. Was she sure ofher men? Quite. What was Dan going to do in the affair? Watch, inthe hope that the sallow priest-man would pass along by the inn.
Nick and Ned entered the kitchen. They were taciturn fellows, but theygave the strangers a nod and a good-morrow! Conversation began, theJohnsons leaving the lead, after the first words, to the strangers. Inthose stirring times it was impossible for four mariners to meet inPlymouth town and refrain from talking about the wonderful New Worldacross the Atlantic. All four had sailed its seas and navigated itsrivers. Nick Johnson said many hard things of the Spaniards, and heexpected the strangers to champion them a little. They did not; on theother hand, they heaped curses on the heads of the arrogant Dons. Thetalk turned on "El Dorado" and the fabulous treasures he had heaped up.The Johnsons were eager with inquiries, but had no information tooffer. The strangers pretended to know a great deal about themysterious Indian potentate and his golden land, but they winked at oneanother and kept their counsel. Ned Johnson made a plunge. Did thestrangers know that a ship was actually fitting in Plymouth harbour foran unnamed port on the Orinoco? They did, and thought of trying for aberth in her, having information that would be valuable to her captain.By a casual remark, Ned hinted that he had personal knowledge of someof the co-owners of the _Golden Boar_. Instantly a flood of questionspoured forth, but no answers were returned. The brothers professed abond of secrecy. For a full hour a cunning game was played, twoagainst two, but neither side secured an advantage. The strangersdeparted, having promised the Johnsons to meet the next morning at aninn lower down the harbour.
The spies were followed to their lodging-place, and a watch set uponthem. But Basil was wary and made no sign. For two or three days thefour sailors fraternized together, and Dan Pengelly and the landlady'sson hung about in their neighbourhood, hoping to catch sight of afamiliar and cunning face. Meanwhile the last touches were being givento the _Golden Boar_; her captain, John Drake, younger brother of thefamous admiral, was daily aboard, and her three principalowners--Raleigh, Johnnie Morgan, and Captain Dawe--had arrived inPlymouth. They had given up all hope of seeing Dan's mysteriousSpanish papers. But hope was not dead in the volatile Dan.