Part 30 (2/2)
”Say, Master Aleck,” was suddenly whispered to hi to die”
”Die? Oh, Toot all about his cut head We must tie it up”
”Tied up it is, sir, wi' ot a nasty cut on the head Ah, it's bad work resisting the law, for lawful it is, I s'pose, to press men”
”Don't talk so loud Feel Eben's head, and find out whether it has stopped bleeding”
”Did just now, sir, and it about hev But, I say, Master Aleck, I'm all in a squirm about you”
”About me? Why?”
”You see, we don't know hardly which way to turn, and I expects everyinto one o' the man-o'-war boats”
”Well, if we do we do; but I think we can get right out, and it won't be so dark then”
”I b'lieve there's a fog sattling down, sir, and if there is we shall be ketched as sure as eggs is eggs I', though we arn't friends Bit sorry, too, for myself”
”Oh, they can't hurt you, Tom”
”Can't hurt istrits, and cut me shorter than I ah ”They don't behead people now, and even if they did they wouldn't do it for helping a pressed man to escape”
”Tchah! I don't mean that way, my lad I ly they had been slowly sailing right for one of the sloop's boats, and their whispers had been heard, for from out of the darkness, and apparently a very little way off, came a hail and an order to stop
”Shall us stop, sir?” said To that way Hel over and filled on the other side, the water rippling gently under their bows Otherwise it was so silent that they could hear whispers away to their right, followed by a softly given order, which was followed by the dip, dip, dip, dip of oars, and they glided so closely by the rowers that Aleck fancied he could see the man-o'-war's boat
A couple ofon, when all at once Aleck whispered, as he leaned over his co bank, Tom Look how black it is!”
”Where, sir?”
”Over where I'rowled To the wind out of the sail, which flapped for a bit and then once more filled on the other tack
”What was it, To bank lying low on the water, but the harbour wall Why, we should ha' gone smash on it in another jiffy, stove in, and sunk, for there's no getting up the place this side”
”Are you sure it was?”
”Sartain We're all right, though, now, and it's done us good, for I knohere we are, and I think we can get away now unless the boat's headed us once more”
”Keep her away a littleto”