in the face of storms--bethink
you once more--shall there not be a treasure somewhere hidden?"

"What meaneth he?" asked one of the men.

"Why, if ye have lost an old skiff and a few jugs of vinegary wine,"
continued Dick, "forget them, for the trash they are; and do ye rather
buckle to an adventure worth the name, that shall, in twelve hours, make
or mar you for ever. But take me up from where I lie, and let us go
somewhere near at hand and talk across a flagon, for I am sore and
frozen, and my mouth is half among the snow."

"He seeks but to cozen us," said Tom, contemptuously.

"Cozen! cozen!" cried the third man. "I would I could see the man that
could cozen me! He were a cozener indeed! Nay, I was not born
yesterday. I can see a church when it hath a steeple on it; and for my
part, gossip Arblaster, methinks there is some sense in this young man.
Shall we go hear him, indeed? Say, shall we go hear him?"

"I would look gladly on a pottle of strong ale, good Master Pirret,"
returned Arblaster. "How say ye, Tom? But then the wallet is empty."

"I will pay," said the other--"I will pay. I would fain see this matter
out; I do believe, upon my conscience, there is gold in it."

"Nay, if ye get again to drinking, all is lost!" cried Tom.

"Gossip Arblaster, ye suffer your fellow to have too much liberty,"
returned Master Pirret. "Would ye be led by a hired man? Fy, fy!"

"Peace, fellow!" said Arblaster, addressing Tom. "Will ye put your oar
in? Truly a fine pass, when the crew is to correct the skipper!"

"Well, then, go your way," said Tom; "I wash my hands of you."

"Set him, then, upon his feet," said Master Pirret. "I know a privy
place where we may drink and discourse."

"If I am to walk, my friends, ye must set my feet at liberty," said Dick,
when he had been once more planted upright like a post.

"He saith true," laughed Pirret. "Truly, he could not walk accoutred as
he is. Give it a slit--out with your knife and slit it, gossip."

Even Arblaster paused at this proposal; but as his companion continued to
insist, and Dick had the sense to keep the merest wooden indifference of
expression, and only shrugged his shoulders over the delay, the skipper
consented at last, and cut the cords which tied his prisoner's feet and
legs. Not only did this enable Dick to walk; but the whole network of
his bonds being proportionately loosened, he felt the arm behind his back
begin to move more freel