ost us three hours
extra," says he, "and a little bit of a flourish is excusable under the
circumstances."

So up for Polperro they bore, half a dozen men from the lugger working
the _Van der Werf_, and old Captain Jacka asleep in her lazarette till
roused out of his dreams by the rattle as they cast anchor half a
cable's length outside the haven. The tide was drawing to flood and the
evening dusking down, and in sails Captain Dick in the _Unity_ as big as
bull's beef, and shouts his news to all the loafers on the quay.

"But come and take a look at her for yourself," says he to Mr. Job, who
had stepped down with his best telescope.

Job put off that evening in something like a flutter of spirits; for to
tell the truth half a dozen of the shareholders had been cutting up
rough over his treatment of Jacka, and here was an answer for them, and
proof that he'd been right in preaching up Dick Hewitt to be worth ten
of the old man.

Alongside he comes in the _Unity's_ boat, steps aboard, and makes a
polite leg to Captain Cornelisz, with any amount of sham sympathy in his
eye.

"Dear, dear," says he, "this is a very unfort'nit business for you,
Cap'n What's-your-name! In time of war I s'pose such things must
happen; but I can't help feelin' sorry for you," says he.

"I was thinkin' to reckon the damage at six hundred pounds," says the
Dutch skipper, meek as you please.

"Hey?" says Mr. Job.

"Well, sir, I likes to be reasonable; but it's a question of missing the
convoy, and under the circumstances--case of illegal detention at the
best--you won't consider six hundred pounds out of the way. Of course,"
says he, "I haven't been allowed to study your lugger's papers, so it
may be flat piracy. But if your skipper had taken the trouble to study
mine--"

"What in thunder is he telling about?" demanded Mr. Job.

"Only this, sir," answered Captain Cornelisz, smiling very sweet, and
pulling out his licence from his side-pocket, he read, "'And the said
vessel has our protection while bearing any flag except the French, and
notwithstanding the documents accompanying the said vessel and cargo may
represent the same to be destined to any neutral or hostile port, or to
whomsoever such property may appear to belong.' The wording you see,
sir, is very particular, and under the circumstances I can't say less
than six hundred pounds; but, of course, if you oblige me to take it to
the courts, there's your papers to be conside