Part 28 (1/2)
”And so says all of us,” came in a chorus from the rest of the crew
”Steady! My lads, steady!” cried the an toashore
He wasn't long inthese plans, and when the cove was reached, the two fishi+ng luggers and another boat or two lying there were carefully overhauled, Gurr gazing at thethe different fisher counsel would a witness ashore
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Always the same answer
No, they hadn't seen no sailor lad in a red cap, only their own boys, and they were all at home Had he lost one?
Yes; a boy had come ashore and not returned
The differentold fellow spat, wiped his lips on the back of his hand, stared out to sea, and said gruffly,--
”Runned away”
”Ay,” said another, ”that's it You won't see hiain”
”Won't I?” muttered Gurr between his teeth ”I'll let some of you see about that,at each cluster of cottages and shabby little farm to ask suspiciously, as if he felt certain the person he questioned was hiding the truth
But he always caain to his ed up alongside of dick
”No, my lad,” he would say, ”they haven't seen 'ierly searching the road from side to side, he went on towards Shackle's farm
”Say, Mester Gurr,” said dick, after one of these searches, ”he wouldn't run away?”
”What! Mr Raystoke, sir? Don't be a fool”
”No, sir,” replied dick humbly, and the men tramped on with a couple of open- them to stare at their cutlasses and pistols
”Say, Mester Gurr,” ventured dick, after a pause, ”none of 'em wouldn't ha' done that, would they?”
dick had followed the reen slope which led up to the cliffs
”What?”
”Chucked hilanced round to see if the , and then said rather huskily but kindly,--
”In ord'nary, dick, lers finds theet away, they turns and fights like rats, and when they fights they bites”
”Ah!” ejaculated dick sadly