ere found
not only his old friend Tom, but also the uncle, sitting on a bench, with
a woollen night-cap on his head, and a pair of spectacles on his nose,
reading very earnestly in a book, which he afterwards understood was
entitled, The Life and Adventures of Valentine and Orson. The captain no
sooner saw his great pattern enter, than he rose, and received him with
the salutation of, "What cheer, brother?" and before the knight could
answer, added these words: "You see how the land lies--here have Tom and
I been fast ashore these four-and-twenty hours; and this berth we have
got by attempting to tow your galley, brother, from the enemy's harbour.
Adds bobs! if we had this here fellow w---eson for a consort, with all
our tackle in order, brother, we'd soon show 'em the topsail, slip our
cable, and down with their barricadoes. But, howsomever, it don't
signify talking--patience is a good stream-anchor, and will hold, as the
saying is--but, d--n my--as for the matter of my boltsprit.--Harkye,
harkye, brother, d--ned hard to engage with three at a time, one upon my
bow, one upon my quarter, and one right a-head, rubbing and drubbing,
lying athwart hawse, raking fore and aft, battering and grappling, and
lashing and clashing--adds heart, brother; crash went the bolt-sprit--
down came the round-top--up with the deadlights--I saw nothing but the
stars at noon, lost the helm of my seven senses, and down I broached upon
my broadside."

As Mr. Clarke rightly conceived that his uncle would need an interpreter,
he began to explain these hints, by giving a circumstantial detail of his
own and the captain's disaster.

He told Sir Launcelot, that, notwithstanding all his persuasion and
remonstrances, Captain Crowe insisted upon appearing in the character of
a knight errant; and, with that view, had set out from the public-house
on the morning that succeeded his vigil in the church. That upon the
highway they had met with a coach, containing two ladies, one of whom
seemed to be under great agitation; for, as they passed, she struggled
with the other, thrust out her head at the window, and said something
which he could not distinctly hear. That Captain Crowe was struck with
admiration of her unequalled beauty; and he, Tom, no sooner informed him
who she was, than he resolved to set her at liberty, on the supposition
that she was under restraint, and in distress. That he accordingly
unsheathed his cutlass, and, riding after the co