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all little； wet； shining ridges。 About a quarter of a mile out lay a
cutter； with her tan sail half down； swinging to the swell。 The
sunlight was making the pink cliffs glow in the most wonderful way；
and shifting in bright patches over the sea like moving shoals of
goldfish。 Pearse perched himself on his dinghy； and looked out under
his hand。 He seemed lost in admiration。
〃If we could only net some of those spangles；〃 he said； 〃an' make
gold of 'em！ No more work then。〃
〃It's a big job I've got on；〃 he said presently； 〃I'll tell you about
it on Wednesday。 I want a journalist。〃
〃But I don't write for the papers；〃 I said； 〃I do other sort of work。
My game is archaeology。〃
〃It doesn't matter；〃 he said； 〃the more imagination the better。 It'd
be a thundering good thing for you。〃
His assurance was amazing； but it was past supper…time； and hunger
getting the better of my curiosity； I bade him good…night。 When I
looked back； he was still there； on the edge of his boat； gazing at
the sea。 A queer sort of bird altogether； but attractive somehow。
Nobody mentioned him that evening； but once old Ford； after staring a
long time at Pasiance； muttered a propos of nothing； 〃Undutiful
children！〃 She was softer than usual； listening quietly to our talk；
and smiling when spoken to。 At bedtime she went up to her grand…
father； without waiting for the usual command； 〃Come and kiss me；
child。〃
Dan did not stay to supper； and he has not been here since。 This
morning I asked Mother Hopgood who Zachary Pearse was。 She's a true
Devonian； if there's anything she hates； it is to be committed to a
definite statement。 She ambled round her answer； and at last told me
that he was 〃son of old Cap'en Jan Pearse to Black Mill。 'Tes an old
family to Dartymouth an' Plymouth；〃 she went on in a communicative
outburst。 〃They du say Francis Drake tuke five o' they Pearses with
'en to fight the Spaniards。 At least that's what I've heard Mr。
Zachary zay； but Ha…apgood can tell yu。〃 Poor Hopgood； the amount of
information she saddles him with in the course of the day！ Having
given me thus to understand that she had run dry； she at once went
on：
〃Cap'en Jan Pearse made a dale of ventures。 He's old nowthey du
say nigh an 'undred。 Ha…apgood can tell yu。〃
〃But the son； Mrs。 Hopgood？〃
Her eyes twinkled with sudden shrewdness： She hugged herself
placidly。
〃An' what would yu take for dinner to…day？ There's duck； or yu might
like 'toad in the hole；' with an apple tart； or then； there'sWell！
we'll see what we can du like。〃 And off she went； without waiting
for my answer。
To…morrow is Wednesday。 I shan't be sorry to get another look at
this fellow Pearse。。。。
III
〃Friday； 29th July。
。。。。。。。Why do you ask me so many questions； and egg me on to write
about these people instead of minding my business？ If you really
want to hear； I'll tell you of Wednesday's doings。
It was a splendid morning； and Dan turned up； to my surprisethough
I might have known that when he says a thing； he does it。 John Ford
came out to shake hands with him； then； remembering why he had come；
breathed loudly； said nothing； and went in again。 Nothing was to be
seen of Pasiance； and we went down to the beach together。
〃I don't like this fellow Pearse； George；〃 Dan said to me on the way；
〃I was fool enough to say I'd go； and so I must； but what's he after？
Not the man to do things without a reason； mind you。
I remarked that we should soon know。
〃I'm not so surequeer beggar； I never look at him without thinking
of a pirate。〃
The cutter lay in the cove as if she had never moved。 There too was
Zachary Pearse seated on the edge of his dinghy。
〃A five…knot breeze；〃 he said； 〃I'll run you down in a couple of
hours。〃 He made no inquiry about Pasiance； but put us into his
cockleshell and pulled for the cutter。 A lantern…Jawed fellow； named
Prawle； with a spiky； prominent beard； long； clean…shaven upper lip；
and tanned complexiona regular hard…weather birdreceived us。
The cutter was beautifully clean； built for a Brixham trawler； she
still had her numberDH 113uneffaced。 We dived into a sort of
cabin； airy； but dark； fitted with two bunks and a small table； on
which stood some bottles of stout； there were lockers； too； and pegs
for clothes。 Prawle； who showed us round； seemed very proud of a
steam contrivance for hoisting sails。 It was some minutes before we
came on deck again； and there； in the dinghy； being pulled towards
the cutter； sat Pasiance。
〃If I'd known this；〃 stammered Dan； getting red； 〃I wouldn't have
come。〃 She had outwitted us； and there was nothing to be done。
It was a very pleasant sail。 The breeze was light from the south…
east； the sun warm； the air soft。 Presently Pasiance began singing：
〃Columbus is dead and laid in his grave；
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and laid in his grave；
Over his head the apple…trees wave
Oh！ heigh…ho！ the apple…trees wave。。。。
The apples are ripe and ready to fall；
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and ready to fall；
There came an old woman and gathered them all；
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and gathered them all。。。。
The apples are gathered； and laid on the shelf；
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and laid on the shelf；
If you want any more； you must sing for yourself；
Oh！ heigh…ho！ and sing for yourself。〃
Her small； high voice came to us in trills and spurts； as the wind
let it； like the singing of a skylark lost in the sky。 Pearse went
up to her and whispered something。 I caught a glimpse of her face
like a startled wild creature's； shrinking； tossing her hair；
laughing； all in the same breath。 She wouldn't sing again； but
crouched in the bows with her chin on her hands； and the sun
falling on one cheek； round； velvety； red as a peach。。。。
We passed Dartmouth； and half an hour later put into a little wooded
bay。 On a low reddish cliff was a house hedged round by pine…trees。
A bit of broken jetty ran out from the bottom of the cliff。 We
hooked on to this； and landed。 An ancient； fish…like man came
slouching down and took charge of the cutter。 Pearse led us towards
the house； Pasiance following mortally shy all of a sudden。
The house had a dark； overhanging thatch of the rush reeds that grow
in the marshes hereabouts； I remember nothing else remarkable。 It
was neither old； nor new； neither beautiful； nor exactly ugly；
neither clean； nor entirely squalid； it perched there with all its
windows over the sea； turning its back contemptuously on the land。
Seated in a kind of porch； beside an immense telescope； was a very
old man in a panama hat； with a rattan cane。 His pure…white beard
and moustache； and almost black eyebrows； gave a very singular；
piercing look to his little； restless； dark…grey eyes； all over his
mahogany cheeks and neck was a network of fine wrinkles。 He sat
quite upright； in the full sun； hardly blinking。
〃Dad！〃 said Zachary； 〃this is Pasiance Voisey。〃 The old man turned
his eyes on her and muttered； 〃How do you do； ma'am？〃 then took no
further notice。 And Pasiance； who seemed to resent this； soon
slipped away and went wandering about amongst the pines。 An old
woman brought some plates and bottles and laid them casually on a
table； and we sat round the figure of old Captain Pearse without a
word； as if we were all under a spell。
Before lunch there was a little scene between Zachary Pearse and Dan；
as to which of them should summon Pasiance。 It ended in both going；
and coming back without her。 She did not want any lunch； would stay
where she was amongst the pines。
For lunch we had chops； wood…pigeons； mushrooms； and mulberry
preserve； and drank wonderful Madeira out of common wine…glasses。 I
asked the old man where he got it； he gave me a queer look； and
answered with a little bow：
〃Stood me in tu shillin' the bottle； an' the country got nothing out
of it； sir。 In the early Thirties； tu shillin' the bottle； there's
no such wine nowadays and；〃 he added； looking at Zachary； 〃no such
men。〃
Zachary smiled and said： 〃You did nothing so big； dad； as what I'm
after； now！〃
The old man's eyes had a sort of disdain in them。
〃You're going far； then； in the Pied Witch； Zack？〃
〃I am；〃 said Zachary。
〃And where might yu be goin' in that old trampin' smut factory？〃
〃Morocco。〃
〃Heu！〃 said the old man； 〃there's nothing there； I know that coast；
as I know the back o' my hand。〃 He stretched out a hand covered with
veins and hair。
Zachary began suddenly to pour out a flood of words：
〃Below Mogadora fellow therefriend of minetwo years ago now。
Concessionstrade…gunpowdercruisersfeudsmoneychiefsGatling
gunsSultanriflesrebelliongold。〃 He detailed a reckless；
sordid； bold scheme； which； on the pivot of a trading venture； was
intended to spin a whole wheel of political convulsion