Richard Carvel — Volume 04

Produced by David Widger
By Winston Churchill
XIX. A Man of Destiny XX. A Sad Home-coming XXI. The Gardener's Cottage XXII. On the Road XXIII. London Town XXIV. Castle Yard XXV. The Rescue
I was picked up and thrown into the brigantine's long-boat with a head and stomach full of salt water, and a heart as light as spray with the joy of it all. A big, red-bearded man lifted my heels to drain me.
The mon's deid, said he.
Dead! cried I, from the bottom-board. No more dead than you!
I turned over so lustily that he dropped my feet, and I sat up, something to his consternation. And they had scarce hooked the ship's side when I sprang up the sea-ladder, to the great gaping of the boat's crew, and stood with the water running off me in rivulets before the captain himself. I shall never forget the look of his face as he regarded my sorry figure.
Now by Saint Andrew, exclaimed he, are ye kelpie or pirate?
Neither, captain, I replied, smiling as the comical end of it came up to me, but a young gentleman in misfortune.
Hoots! says he, frowning at the grinning half-circle about us, it's daft ye are—
But there he paused, and took of me a second sizing. How he got at my birth behind my tangled mat of hair and wringing linsey-woolsey I know not to this day. But he dropped his Scotch and merchant-captain's manner, and was suddenly a French courtier, making me a bow that had done credit to a Richelieu.
Your servant, Mr.—