"She is. So much have I learned by looking down at her just now from the tower of St. Clement's Church."
"'Fore Gad, she may be a Spaniard then."
"I think nay to that, too."
"Or a pirate?"
"There thou hast it; methinks she is a pirate. Nay, certes she is a pirate who has been forced to take shelter in our haven by yesterday's gale."
"My life upon't thou art right. Let's e'en go look upon her, and then to the mayor with our report." And the worthy burgesses immediately threaded the narrow streets, and approached the Fisher's Gate, which looks upon the flats on the Thanet side of the town.
Just within the Fisher's Gate, and in the narrow lane which leads down to it from the town, there is still to be seen an ancient hostel called the Checquers. Its low arched doors, its narrow passages, its comfortable sanded parlour, its ample kitchen, diamond paned windows, and small comfortable rooms, low in roof, and ponderous in beam, bespeak its early date. It had been the hostel of the Fisher's Gate full half a century before the period of our story.
If curiosity was a ruling passion with the two burgesses, love of good liquor was equally strong, and accordingly as they necessarily passed this old hostel, they turned in for their morning's draught.
As they did so, they found it was occupied by two persons belonging to the very vessel which had so much excited their curiosity. One was a slight and effeminate looking youth, of most graceful form, and features of exceeding beauty. His long curled ringlets hung over either shoulder, which, as it was not the fashion of the day, rendered his appearance even more remarkable. His dress, although it bespoke the sea-faring man, was evidently fashioned after his own whim. Perhaps it was more in the style of the Venetian sailor than the English sea-faring man. Such as it was, however, it added much to the graceful beauty of him who wore it; and as it was accompanied by a certain rakish swagger, an assumed easy manner, the appearance of the juvenile stranger altogether considerably astonished the two grave, staid, and simple-minded Cinque Port functionaries, who entered the hostel.
The companion of the youth was a man in no way remarkable, except for his high forehead, intelligent countenance, and well-knit and somewhat athletic form. His costume was that of a sort of amphibious adventurer of the period, half sailor, half soldier—a man equally serviceable either on the deck of his vessel, or in the tented field, and alike trained to the arts and man[oe]uvres of war on the rampart or in the trench, on horseback or on foot. His twisted-hilted and long rapier was carried in a broad buff belt; his gauntlets reached to his elbow; his thick leathern doublet carried the marks of the breast-plate he wore on service, and the wide-topped boots reached his full trunks, like those of a fisherman of the present time.