The Golden Galleon: Being a Narrative of the Adventures of Master Gilbert Oglander, and of how, in the Year 1591, he fought under the gallant Sir Richard Grenville in the Great Sea-fight off Flores, on board her Majesty's Ship the RevengeLeighton, Robert
History
The Golden Galleon: Being a Narrative of the Adventures of Master Gilbert Oglander, and of how, in the Year 1591, he fought under the gallant Sir Richard Grenville in the Great Sea-fight off Flores, on board her Majesty's Ship the Revenge
It was not many days afterwards that Lord Champernoun, riding into
Plymouth, halted at the sign of the Pestle and Mortar and informed the
barber-surgeon that his son Timothy was to consider himself engaged as
squire and personal attendant to Master Gilbert. His lordship gave
instructions that Timothy was to go at once to Silas Quiller, the
tailor, to be measured for two suits of the Oglander livery, and that as
soon as the lad was fitted-out he was to repair to the manor and to
begin his duties.
Those duties were very simple, as Timothy early discovered. He was to
act as valet to the young heir of Modbury; to comb his hair in the
mornings, keep his wardrobe in good order, attend him on his journeys,
and do his bidding in all things. At the first Timothy was very humble,
as he deemed it his duty to be; but as the months went on and he
acquired some of the manners of the gentlefolk among whom he was placed,
he became more familiar with his young master, who treated him more as a
companion and a playmate than as a servant. Yet Timothy never
overstepped the limits of his position, but was always respectful and
submissive and loyal.
CHAPTER III.
THE MAN WITH THE SCARRED CHEEK.
On a certain afternoon in December, Gilbert Oglander and Timothy
Trollope were loitering on the heights of Plymouth Hoe on their way into
the town. They were looking out across the Sound, watching the movements
of a ship that was drifting inward with the tide. A breeze from off the
sea swelled the vessel's worn and mended topsails; she moved with a
slow, lazy motion, as if in very weariness. The lads were questioning
what manner of ship she might be and whence she had come.
"'Tis an old Hollander putting in for repairs," ventured Gilbert. "I
warrant me she hath suffered some damage in the storm of yesternight."
Timothy shook his head, and then, after a short pause, he said:
"No, Master Gilbert, she is no foreigner at all, but one of our own
brave English adventurers. Look at the tattered flag waving from the
staff on her after-castle. 'Tis the red cross of St. George. And by the
decayed and grimy look of her, I'd judge that she hath been on some long
and perilous voyage--it may be to far Cathay, or the scorching coasts of
Africa, or it may even be to the Western Indies of which we have heard
so much."
"An that be so," returned Gilbert as he stood gazing with wondering
eyes upon the approaching ship, "methinks there will be some very
strange surprising things for us to see and hear when she droppeth
anchor in the haven yonder. She is deeply laden, look you. 'Tis the bars
of silver in her hold that do weigh her down, or else the heavy chests
of gold and precious stones. Ay, 'tis surely from the Spanish Main that
she hath come; for now as she beareth round I can e'en see the shining
gold-dust clinging to her sides from out her port-holes like flour-drift
from out the windows of Modbury Mill."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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