"Yes, fore-right it be so, sir," says Rockett.
"And who knows of this at Seatown?"
"Well, there be the Surveyor o' the Customs there. He came down to the shore after these merry gentlemen had gone their way, and we told en all about it. 'Um,' says he, 'the Mayor o' Lyme must know,' and off he goes to Chidcock for his horse; and I came here along the shore. What make you of those vessels, sir?"
"I make no good of them," replied the deputy. "I wager that they're up to mischief."
"Aye, sure," says Rockett. "A ship as flies no flag is like a robber wi' a mask."
"Ah! what's this?" exclaimed the deputy, who was looking through his spy-glass. "Yes, 'tis old Sam Robins in his boat. They hail him from the frigate; he goes alongside. Fool! e has handed up his fish and gone aboard!"
"Blid and 'ouns!" sang Rockett. "Like enough he hath been made a prisoner!"
'Twas true enough; old Robins had been swallowed up, even as Tye and his men were, two hours earlier. Faith! 'twas like the messengers whom Joram sent to Jehu; for whosoever went aboard those ships came not back again. Alas for poor Sam Robins' his sale of fish that morning was to prove the worst he ever made, and cost him dearly in the future.
"I go to seek the Mayor," quoth Dassell, and so passed through the crowd and left us.
With all the happenings of that fateful day I will not weary you. Hour by hour excitement grew, till everyone was on the tiptoe of perplexity and expectation.