We hardly know one end of a musket
from the other."
"No!" said Borroughcliffe, musing; and then advancing with a quick step
toward them, he cried, in a spirited manner: "Attention! right! dress!"
The speaker, and the seaman next him, gazed at the captain in silent
wonder; but the third individual of the party, who had drawn himself a
little aside, as if willing to be unnoticed, or perhaps pondering on his
condition, involuntarily started at this unexpected order, and erecting
himself, threw his head to the right as promptly as if he had been on a
parade-ground.
"Oho! ye are apt scholars, gentlemen, and ye can learn, I see,"
continued Borroughcliffe. "I feel it to be proper that I detain these
men till to-morrow morning, Colonel Howard; and yet I would give them
better quarters than the hard benches of the guard-room."
"Act your pleasure. Captain Borroughcliffe," returned the host, "so you
do but your duty to our royal master. They shall not want for cheer, and
they can have a room over the servants' offices in the south side of the
abbey."
"Three rooms, my colonel, three rooms must be provided, though I give up
my own."
"There are several-small empty apartments there, where blankets might be
taken, and the men placed for safe-keeping, if you deem it necessary;
though, to me, they seem like good, loyal tars, whose greatest glory it
would be to serve their prince, and whose chief pleasure would consist
in getting alongside of a Don or a Monsieur.
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