“Yes, I heard it, of course,” said Mark, fighting hard with his growing alarm, “Ahoy!”
Ha—ha—ha!
Wauck!
And then the same peculiar low chuckle.
“Mr Mark, sir, this is hard on a man,” whispered Billy. “I want to run away, sir, but—”
“Ugh! You coward!”
“No, sir, I aren’t a coward. If I was I should run, but I can’t run and leave you alone, and that’s why it’s so hard.”
“I tell you it’s the birds, Billy. Let’s shout together.”
“That aren’t no birds, sir. It’s things as it’s best not to talk about. Now, look ye here, Mr Mark, sir: I’ll run away with you, and fight for you, or do anything you like, sir, or I stands by you till I drops, so don’t say I’m a coward.”
“You are, to be afraid of birds. Ahoy!”