"Captain Rip-Rap you says it was! Blister me, young gentleman, but that's dreadful news. Well, well, well! A fortunate escape as ever was. And 'tis good hearing that others was ekal lucky. But I dare say the King's ships will be after him by now?"
"No, there's none nearer than Boston," I answered. "'Twill be a week at the least before we can hunt the scoundrels hence."
He wagged his head dolefully.
"Blister me, but that's ill news. Fortunate, indeed, I was to draw clear. He was after me till darkness and sheered off more in fear o' the sands than for aught else, I dare swear."
"So it was yesterday he chased you?" I asked.
"To be sure, young sir. Wasn't that what I told ye? Yesterday, about the noon glass, he came a-thunderin' up, and towards dusk he could bring his bow-chasers to bear, and was for droppin' a spar to hinder us. But we took his shot in the hull, as ye see, and got off safe in spite of all he could do."
One of the wherrymen was sculling toward us along the shore, and I waved to him to pull under the piling on which we stood.
"I must be off," I said. "I congratulate you, Master Silver, on your escape. Whatever dangers you may have encountered in the past, your good luck was with you yesterday."
He bobbed his head and pulled at his forelock.
"Thank'ee kindly, young gentleman. Here, sir, let me catch the painter. Right! Will ye ha' the basket on the thwart by ye? And this nice lad here, doesn't he go, too? No?