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           ForthoughIhadpromisedmyselfnottoletmykinsmanoutofsight,Iwasbothsoimpatientforanearerlookofthesea,andsosickenedbytheclosenessoftheroom,thatwhenhetoldmeto“rundown-stairsandplaymyselfawhile,”Iwasfoolenoughtotakehimathisword.

           AwayIwent,therefore,leavingthetwomensittingdowntoabottleandagreatmassofpapers;andcrossingtheroadinfrontoftheinn,walkeddownuponthebeach.Withthewindinthatquarter,onlylittlewavelets,notmuchbiggerthanIhadseenuponalake,beatupontheshore.Buttheweedswerenewtome—somegreen,somebrownandlong,andsomewithlittlebladdersthatcrackledbetweenmyfingers.Evensofarupthefirth,thesmellofthesea-waterwasexceedinglysaltandstirring;theCovenant,besides,wasbeginningtoshakeouthersails,whichhungupontheyardsinclusters;andthespiritofallthatIbeheldputmeinthoughtsoffarvoyagesandforeignplaces.

           Ilooked,too,attheseamenwiththeskiff—bigbrownfellows,someinshirts,somewithjackets,somewithcolouredhandkerchiefsabouttheirthroats,onewithabraceofpistolsstuckintohispockets,twoorthreewithknottybludgeons,andallwiththeircase-knives.Ipassedthetimeofdaywithonethatlookedlessdesperatethanhisfellows,andaskedhimofthesailingofthebrig.Hesaidtheywouldgetunderwayassoonastheebbset,andexpressedhisgladnesstobeoutofaportwheretherewerenotavernsandfiddlers;butallwithsuchhorrifyingoaths,thatImadehastetogetawayfromhim.