Redgauntlet [103]
within me,' he added, looking upwards, and with a passing enthusiasm which I had not before observed and the absence of which perhaps rather belonged to the sect than to his own personal character--'I say, I have that within which assures me, that though the ungodly may rage even like the storm of the ocean, they shall not have freedom to prevail against us.'
Having spoken thus, Mr. Geddes appointed a pony to be saddled for my use; and having taken a basket with some provisions, and a servant to carry back the horses for which there was no accommodation at the fishing station, we set off about nine o'clock at night, and after three-quarters of an hour's riding, arrived at our place of destination.
The station consists, or then consisted, of huts for four or five fishermen, a cooperage and shed, and a better sort of cottage at which the superintendent resided. We gave our horses to the servant, to be carried back to Mount Sharon; my companion expressing himself humanely anxious for their safety--and knocked at the door of the house. At first we only heard a barking of dogs; but these animals became quiet on snuffing beneath the door, and acknowledging the presence of friends. A hoarse voice then demanded, in rather unfriendly accents, who we were, and what we wanted and it was not; until Joshua named himself, and called upon his superintendent to open, that the latter appeared at the door of the hut, attended by three large dogs of the Newfoundland breed. He had a flambeau in his hand, and two large heavy ship-pistols stuck into his belt. He was a stout elderly man, who had been a sailor, as I learned, during the earlier part of his life, and was now much confided in by the Fishing Company, whose concerns he directed under the orders of Mr. Geddes.
'Thou didst not expect me to-night, friend Davies?' said my friend to the old man, who was arranging seats for us by the fire.
'No, Master Geddes,' answered he, 'I did not expect you, nor, to speak the truth, did I wish for you either.'
'These are plain terms: John Davies,' answered Mr.Geddes.
'Aye, aye, sir, I know your worship loves no holiday speeches.'
'Thou dost guess, I suppose, what brings us here so late, John Davies?' said Mr. Geddes.
'I do suppose, sir,' answered the superintendent, 'that it was because those d--d smuggling wreckers on the coast are showing their lights to gather their forces, as they did the night before they broke down the dam-dyke and weirs up the country; but if that same be the case, I wish once more you had stayed away, for your worship carries no fighting tackle aboard, I think; and there will be work for such ere morning, your worship.'
'Worship is due to Heaven only, John Davies,' said Geddes, 'I have often desired thee to desist from using that phrase to me.'
'I won't, then,' said John; 'no offence meant: But how the devil can a man stand picking his words, when he is just going to come to blows?'
'I hope not, John Davies,' said Joshua Geddes. 'Call in the rest of the men, that I may give them their instructions.'
'I may cry till doomsday Master Geddes, ere a soul answers--the cowardly lubbers have all made sail--the cooper, and all the rest of them, so soon as they heard the enemy were at sea. They have all taken to the long-boat, and left the ship among the breakers, except little Phil and myself--they have, by--!'
'Swear not at all, John Davies--thou art an honest man; and I believe, without an oath, that thy comrades love their own bones better than my goods and chattels. And so thou hast no assistance but little Phil against a hundred men or two?'
'Why, there are the dogs, your honour knows, Neptune and Thetis --and the puppy may do something; and then though your worship--I beg pardon--though your honour be no great fighter, this young gentleman may bear a hand.'
'Aye, and I see you are provided with arms,' said Mr. Geddes; 'let me see them.'
'Aye, aye, sir; here be a pair of buffers will bite as well as bark--these will make sure of two rogues at least. It would be a shame to
Having spoken thus, Mr. Geddes appointed a pony to be saddled for my use; and having taken a basket with some provisions, and a servant to carry back the horses for which there was no accommodation at the fishing station, we set off about nine o'clock at night, and after three-quarters of an hour's riding, arrived at our place of destination.
The station consists, or then consisted, of huts for four or five fishermen, a cooperage and shed, and a better sort of cottage at which the superintendent resided. We gave our horses to the servant, to be carried back to Mount Sharon; my companion expressing himself humanely anxious for their safety--and knocked at the door of the house. At first we only heard a barking of dogs; but these animals became quiet on snuffing beneath the door, and acknowledging the presence of friends. A hoarse voice then demanded, in rather unfriendly accents, who we were, and what we wanted and it was not; until Joshua named himself, and called upon his superintendent to open, that the latter appeared at the door of the hut, attended by three large dogs of the Newfoundland breed. He had a flambeau in his hand, and two large heavy ship-pistols stuck into his belt. He was a stout elderly man, who had been a sailor, as I learned, during the earlier part of his life, and was now much confided in by the Fishing Company, whose concerns he directed under the orders of Mr. Geddes.
'Thou didst not expect me to-night, friend Davies?' said my friend to the old man, who was arranging seats for us by the fire.
'No, Master Geddes,' answered he, 'I did not expect you, nor, to speak the truth, did I wish for you either.'
'These are plain terms: John Davies,' answered Mr.Geddes.
'Aye, aye, sir, I know your worship loves no holiday speeches.'
'Thou dost guess, I suppose, what brings us here so late, John Davies?' said Mr. Geddes.
'I do suppose, sir,' answered the superintendent, 'that it was because those d--d smuggling wreckers on the coast are showing their lights to gather their forces, as they did the night before they broke down the dam-dyke and weirs up the country; but if that same be the case, I wish once more you had stayed away, for your worship carries no fighting tackle aboard, I think; and there will be work for such ere morning, your worship.'
'Worship is due to Heaven only, John Davies,' said Geddes, 'I have often desired thee to desist from using that phrase to me.'
'I won't, then,' said John; 'no offence meant: But how the devil can a man stand picking his words, when he is just going to come to blows?'
'I hope not, John Davies,' said Joshua Geddes. 'Call in the rest of the men, that I may give them their instructions.'
'I may cry till doomsday Master Geddes, ere a soul answers--the cowardly lubbers have all made sail--the cooper, and all the rest of them, so soon as they heard the enemy were at sea. They have all taken to the long-boat, and left the ship among the breakers, except little Phil and myself--they have, by--!'
'Swear not at all, John Davies--thou art an honest man; and I believe, without an oath, that thy comrades love their own bones better than my goods and chattels. And so thou hast no assistance but little Phil against a hundred men or two?'
'Why, there are the dogs, your honour knows, Neptune and Thetis --and the puppy may do something; and then though your worship--I beg pardon--though your honour be no great fighter, this young gentleman may bear a hand.'
'Aye, and I see you are provided with arms,' said Mr. Geddes; 'let me see them.'
'Aye, aye, sir; here be a pair of buffers will bite as well as bark--these will make sure of two rogues at least. It would be a shame to