Part 16 (2/2)
”Well, I never,” exclaimed the bar-maid, surprised, for once, out of her company manners; then, observing a smile, at her expense, going the round of the party, she added, ”I see how it is; you are making fun of me, sir; -100--oh, fie, you're a wicked young gentleman, I know you are.”
”Never mind him, my dear,” said Lawless, ”but give me another bottle of porter.”
In converse such as this the meal and the half-dozen of porter were finished; in addition to which Lawless chose to have a gla.s.s of brandy-and-water and a cigar. Having been rendered unusually hungry by the sea air and the unaccustomed exercise of rowing, I had both eaten and drunk more than I was in the habit of doing, to which cause may be attributed my falling into a doze; an example which, I have every reason to believe, was followed by most of the others. I know not how long my nap had lasted, when I was aroused by hearing Coleman exclaim:--
”Why I think it rains! Lawless, wake up! I don't much like the look of the weather.”
”What's the row?” inquired Lawless, leisurely removing his legs from the table on which they had been resting, and walking to the window--a feat, by the way, he did not perform quite as steadily as usual. ”By Jove!”
he continued, ”the wind's blowing great guns; we must look sharp, and be off--we shall have the sea getting up.”
Accordingly, the bill was rung for and paid; Mary received half a crown and a kiss from Lawless, and down we ran to the beach, where difficulties we were little prepared for awaited us.
CHAPTER XI -- BREAKERS AHEAD!
”Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground.... The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death.”
”I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him.”--Tempest.
THE wind, which we had observed was rising when we landed, had increased during our stay at the inn, and was now blowing almost a gale from the south-west; whilst the sea, which we had left smooth as a lake, was rolling in and breaking on the beach in somewhat formidable waves.
”I tell you what,” said Coleman, as soon as he had observed the state of affairs, ”I won't attempt to steer in such a sea as that; it requires great skill and judgment, besides a stronger hand than mine, to keep the -101--boat's head right; if I were to let her turn her broadside to one of those waves, it would be a case of 'Found drowned' with some of us, before long.”
”What's to be done, then?” inquired Oaklands. ”I am sure I can't do it: it's a thing I'm quite ignorant of; all my boating having been on the river.”
”Let's hire one of those amphibious beggars out there to steer for us,”
proposed Lawless, pointing to a group of fishermen who were lounging round an old boat, not far from where we stood; ”they're up to all the right dodges, you may depend. Here, my men! which of you will earn half a guinea by steering our boat for us to Helmstone?”
”I wouldn't, master, for ten times the money,” replied an old weather-beaten boatman, in a tarpaulin hat; ”and if you'll take an old man's advice, gentlemen, you'll none of you venture out in that c.o.c.kle-sh.e.l.l this afternoon; the wind's getting up every minute, and we shall have a rough night of it.”
”Nonsense,” replied Lawless; ”I've often been out in worse weather than this. Are you, all of you, frightened by that old woman's croaking?”
continued he, turning to the group of men.
”He's no old woman,” replied a st.u.r.dy fellow, in a rough pea-jacket; ”he's been a better sailor than ever you'll be, and he's right now too,”
he added. ”It's as much as a man's life is worth to go to sea in that bit of a thing, with the waves running in as they do now--and with such a set of landlubbers as them for a crew,” he muttered, turning away.
”Suppose we try and get something to take us home by land,” suggested Oaklands; ”and leave the boat for some of these good fellows to bring home, as soon as the weather will allow.”
”You'll have to walk, sir,” replied one of them, civilly; ”I don't believe there's a cart or horse in the place; they all went inland this morning with fish, and won't return till to-morrow.”
”There, you hear that,” said Lawless, who had just drunk enough to render him captious and obstinate. ”I'm not going to walk to please anybody's fancy; I see how it is,--I did not bid high enough. A couple of guineas for any one who will come with us,” added he.
”A couple of guineas is not to be got every day,” observed a sullen, downcast-looking man, who had not yet spoken; ”and it is not much odds to me whether I sink or swim now; those custom-house sharks,” added he, with an oath, ”look so close after one, that one can't -102--do a stroke of work that will pay a fellow nowadays. Money down, and I'm your man, sir,” he added, turning to Lawless.
”That's the ticket,” said Lawless, handing him the money. ”I'm glad to see one of you, at least, has got a little pluck about him. Come along.”
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