“I did not,” answered the trooper, as he cleaned the blade of his sword with the frayed end of a rope. “I were too busy cracking the heads of them. And when they went over the side they took all the hurted ones wid them.”
There was silence between them for a moment. Ethan was loading his pistols, the ex-dragoon rubbed industriously at his blade, and the seamen hurried about their duties. Then Shamus spoke once more.
“I didn’t see sorra the one of them, Master Ethan; but there is one thing I feel mortal sure of.”
“And what’s that, old Longsword?”
“That brown man was in that craft. He had a crooked kind of a knife and he were poking it at the ribs of me in the darkness. I didn’t see him; but just the same I felt that he was there.”
“I have no doubt,” said Ethan gravely enough, “but what you are right. And perhaps we’ll hear from him again.”
CHAPTER IV
SHOWS HOW THE RANGER SAILED FOR FRANCE
Because of a succession of contrary winds the schooner Island Queen did not enter Portsmouth harbor for almost two weeks after the time she left the Delaware Capes. As they ran up under light sail, the skipper pointed to a sloop-of-war riding at anchor, and with a strange looking flag flying at her peak.
“That’s the ship you are looking for, I think,” he said.
“Yes; she seems like a new vessel,” said Ethan Carlyle, gazing earnestly at the craft. “See, they are only bending her after sails.”