“What were they?”
“Why, I learned that they never would and never could be conquered by all the king’s navy, for every one on ’em, ships and all, had charmed lives; but, as far as I could understand, they all trembled when they heard the name of a boy who had been born to destroy ’em.”
“A boy born to conquer and destroy that horrible band?”
“Aye, just so, sir; for they admitted among themselves that he was charmed more than they were, and would be sent to scourge them from the sea.”
“Wonderful!”
“I wish I were that boy,” said Ned, with a flushed cheek.
“Do you?” said the cripple.
“Yes, I do,” said Wildfire Ned, proudly. “I don’t believe in charms or spells, but I do believe if I had a good crew I should soon annihilate the whole of them.”
“Perhaps you are boasting, young man?”
“No, I’m not.”