foul of his rigging, then I roused him up and brought him along to this
port.'

'Highway robbery and attempt at murder,' said the agent. 'Simpkins, you
are constable, take this man in charge, while I make out his committal.
Stay!' he added, 'the cage is very insecure, and this is no trifling
case. You had better take him up to the castle, my lord will examine him
in the morning, and there is a strong room there; meantime, Mrs. Ally
will perhaps see to his wound, it looks an ugly one.'

The kind hearted landlady readily undertook this latter office, even for
so repulsive a being; his head had indeed received a terrific blow, a
fur cap had somewhat deadened the force or he must have been killed on
the spot; she bound his head up, and in charge of the constable and two
stout laborers he was marched up to the castle. The agent after warning
the mariner to attend in the morning at his examination, going with
them, well pleased, not only to have found the man he sought, but also
to have him in such a situation that he could only choose between doing
his bidding or the gallows. The boy, had never stirred from his sleep
during this scene. The company at the ale house also broke up, and each
wended his way home, where, no doubt, each in his own way, regaled his
family with the marvels of the evening, and the seaman alone remained,
eating his supper as coolly as though nothing had happened, a combat of
life and death seeming to him a thing too common to excite any emotion
in his breast. Had it been daylight it is not likely he would have been
attacked by one man; few that gazed upon his square muscular form, his
brawny chest and strong hard hands, would have liked to cope with him in
personal conflict, though his iron grey beard told that more than fifty
years of storm had rolled over his head. His face had been handsome,
scarred with storm and conflict, it still bore the impress of manly