Volume The Third - Chapter 9

Mainly they all att once about him laid,
And sore beset on every side arownd,
That nigh he breathless grew: yet nought dismaid
He ever to them yielded foot of grownd.

SPENSER

Robin followed Springall into the room he had so recently left, and
stood at the entrance; fixing at the same time his eyes, which, it must
be confessed, were of unrivalled brilliancy and blackness, upon the
Buccaneer, he said-"Captain, I would speak a few words with you in private, after which we
will talk of the danger that surrounds us."

Dalton and Robin withdrew together, and remained alone for more than
twenty minutes, during which Springall and three or four others of the
crew, who had crowded, like crows into a rookery in dread of an
approaching storm, debated upon and formed plans for the safety of their
vessel.

"Were all hands aboard," said Springall, whose youth joyed in perpetual
hope--"were we all aboard, I would undertake to pilot that vessel over
and under or through any one or any number of ships between Sheerness
and Chatham!"

"Through their hulks, do you mean?" inquired Jack Roupall, who had but
just joined the party.

"I don't pretend to speak grammar or book-English, Jack," retorted the
young sailor, "no more than yourself; but all who have ever sailed in
the Fire-fly, as both you and I have done, know her quality, and that
anything can be made of her: I tell you, every beam of her timbers has
life in it--every spar is a spirit!"