At the other end of the rampart, men wrought to extend it. A crew of bandits they were, dressed very slovenly and gay in silk and Indian cotton-stuff of many bright colours. Amongst them, I saw divers of our men, who wrought along with the others; and, spying us, one or two hallooed to me with hearty good cheer. But some looked ill at ease and very sullen.
We turned, making to the norward along the cliffs, having thick woods on our landward.
I looked to the sea-board, but could spy no ships. I asked Ambrose concerning the Tiger; he told me men were at work upon her, getting ashore her guns, munition, and such other things as the Doctor needed.
I heard him to my small content. “But the men will not brook this,” said I. “They’ll rise.”
“They must brook it,” said he. “As to rising, the Doctor, be sure, has not failed to provide himself for that.”
“What force hath he?” asked I.
“If you mean as to the number of his men,” replied he, “not much, and yet abundance for your matter. But his strength is not in numbers.”
“In what, then?” asked I.
“You’ll learn that by observation,” said he shortly.
Hereupon, being come to a place where the ground slanted steeply up, we turned and went inland beneath the slope.