While they sat under the cherry-tree, however, the wished-for
opportunity occurred.
"What a pity it is," observed Robin, "that they don't cut canals through
the country, and do all the business by water instead of land. They do
it, you know, in Venice."
"There'd be sense and reason in that," replied the sailor in great glee.
"I never could see much use in the land at any time."
"And then we should have all sailors and no soldiers," continued Robin.
"Ah!" said the sailor, "I doubt if the Protector could ever be brought
to see the good of that; he's mortally fond of the army."
"You had some of his own Ironsides here yesterday, you said?"
"Ay, they were after something or other, I'll answer for that; for
though they never go the same road twice, if they can by any means help
it, yet they have been about the place, and round the neighbourhood,
very much lately. I did hear that Noll was after some smuggling, or
devilrie, down a little beyond Gravesend. He never can let a thing alone
when once he gets scent of it."
"Was there any one, any prisoner, or chap of that sort, with them last
night, or yesterday?" Robin ventured to ask.
"No, not that I saw or noticed," said the sailor.
"Yes, there was," replied the landlady, who had been leaning over the
hatch-door, listening to their conversation, and scrutinising the person
of her new guest. "There was a young gentleman, not like a prisoner
either, only I fancied under some restraint; and I brought him a better
stoup of wine than I brought the rest. Poor gentleman! he seemed
downhearted, or like one crossed in love."
"Crossed in a fiddlestick!" said the bluff old landlord: "your woman's
head is ever running on love."
"Then it does not run on you, I am sure," retorted Robin. "Your stick
would get no music out of any fiddle."
"I could make as good music out of a currycomb, as you out of that
cracked thing that sits perched on your hump--like a monkey on the back
of a dromedary."
"Get your currycomb, and we'll make a wager of it," replied Robin,
unslinging his gittern, while some of the old sailors crowded round the
challenger, and voted it a fair challenge.
"Ugh!" grunted forth the bluff landlord, turning away. "When I play, it
shall be against a Christian Englishman, and none of your foreign
jigmaries."