"News?" gasped the fellow, wiping the sweat from his forehead, for ’twas mighty hot. "News? Aye, that I do, sir. Cargoes of it!" "Then let us have it quick," says Dassell. "What is it?" "Why," replied the fellow, pointing to the ships, "you see them vessels, sir?" "See ’em!" says Dassell, with a scornful laugh. "Good Lord, yes! Haven’t we been staring at ’em for at least three hours?" "Well," says the man, "just after daybreak a ten-oared boat put off from yonder frigate and came ashore at Seatown creek." "I know that, Rockett," says the deputy, closing his spy-glass with a snap. "Aye, maybe you do, sir," continued Rockett, "but maybe neither you nor these gentlemen here know what it brought?" "No, that I don’t. What was it?" asked the deputy. "Why, what think you now?" says Rockett, casting a swift glance at the enquiring faces gathered round him. "Well, I’ll tell ’ee. Three fine pretty gentlemen, wi’ swords and pistols, stepped ashore from her, and came along to where some of us was a-spreading out our nets upon the sands, and behind ’em came a seaman carrying a basket filled wi’ bottles of canary and neats’ tongues. Well, up they comes, gave us the top o’ the morning, like the fine gentlemen they were, and then, what think you, friends?--well, if they didn’t ask us to join ’em in the neats’ tongues and canary! Yes, by my soul they did!" "And you didn’t refuse, eh? No, I’ll warrant me you joined them, Rockett," says Dassell, smiling grimly. "Aye, you’m right there, sir, we did," grinned Rockett, smacking his lips; "and it were wondrous good." "I’m sure of that," said Dassell. "And what next?" "Why, then one of ’em asked us if we’d any news to give. And we told him as how ’twas said there was rebellion by the Duke of Argyle up to Scotland. "’And is that all you’ve got for us?’ he asked; and we told en yes. "’Well, then, we’ve got more than that, my man,’ says he. ’For, look you, there’s rebellion in Ireland, and there’s like to be one in England too.’ Says we, we hoped not, being much amazed and troubled at the saying. But at that they only laughed and fell a-talking to each other in some unknown tongue. Just then a waft were hoisted from the frigate yonder, and the finest of the three stepped back aboard the boat and rowed away; while t’ other two asked us the nearest road to Haychurch, and away they sped as though ’twere life and death wi’ ’em." "And is that all, my man?" asked Mr. Dassell. "Yes, fore-right it be so, sir," says Rockett. "And who knows of this at Seatown?" "Well, there be the Surveyor o’ the Customs there. He came down to the shore after these merry gentlemen had gone their way, and we told en all about it. ’Um,’ says he, ’the Mayor o’ Lyme must know,’ and off he goes to Chidcock for his horse; and I came here along the shore. What make you of those vessels, sir?" "I make no good of them," replied the deputy. "I wager that they’re up to mischief."