watch, I think--tell him to warn
me as soon as we raise her accursed topsails."

"What," says I, as we climbed from the lofty poop, "you think she will
dog us still, then?"

"I know it, Martin!" says he gloomily, and so brought me into a
smallish cabin under the top-gallant poop; here were bunks to larboard
and starboard with a table mid-way furnished with calendars, charts, a
cross-staff, an astrolabe, with globes and the like, while against the
walls stood rows of calivers, musquetoons and fusees, set in racks very
orderly. "Aye, shipmate," says he, noting my gaze, "every firelock
aboard is either here or in the arm-chests i' the round-house below,
and our powder is all stored well aft, by reason that I am a cautious
man, d'ye see! Sit ye, Martin! Now as to this black ship--first of
all she fouls us in the river, the which was no accident, Martin,
though just what the motive was I'm yet a-seeking. Second, as she
drifted past us whom should I see aboard her but Abnegation Mings and
pulled trigger a moment too late, but winged another o' the rogues.
Third, when we'd repaired our damage and got us clear of the river what
should we see but this same black ship hove short waiting us, for she
presently stands after us. And so she's dogged us ever since and so dog
us she will to the world's end unless I can bring her to action."

"She's a fighting ship by her looks and heavily armed!" says I.

"So are we, Martin!"

"And our men, Adam?"

"Ah!" says he, pinching his chin, "there it is, Martin, there it is!
Look'ee, shipmate, in all this crew there are no more than twenty men I
can count on, nay, less--ten only can I swear by. See now, here's you
and Merrilees and Godby, here's Farnaby and Toby Hudd the bo'sun,
Treliving the carpenter, and McLean his mate, here's Robins and Perks
and Taffery the armourer--good mariners all. These I can trust,
shipmate, but never another one!"

"And what of the captain, Sir Rupert Dering?"

"That, Martin!" says Penfeather, snapping his fingers. "A very
gentleman-like fool, d'ye see, a bladder of air--like his three
fellows."

"So we have four gentlemen aboard, Adam?"

"Aye--princocks all that do nothing but vie in court to her ladyship!
Now look'ee, Martin, what with one thing or another, and this hell-fire
ship on our heels in especial, there's stir and disaffection among the
crew, a-whispering o' corners that I don't like, and which is apt to
spread unless looked to. Wherefo