"
"What do 'you mean?" I asked.
"Why, sir, one of the men yonder be Jonathan Tubbs, Captain Kirkby
his man, and he was just a-telling of us how Mr. Cludde, when he's
in his cups (which is pretty often) tells a bragging yarn as how
there's a mighty pretty girl out in Jamaicy a-waitin' to be spliced
as soon as he comes to port; and she's a cousin of his, with a fine
property; and he'll invite all the officers of his ship to the
wedding and take 'em teal shooting next day, and--"
"That's enough, Joe," I said. "You had better go and tell your
friend Jonathan Tubbs not to repeat things he hears when he's on
duty."
Joe instantly touched his cap, begged my pardon, and walked away. I
must have worn a very sober countenance when I rejoined Mr.
Venables, for he looked at me oddly, and asked if I had had bad
news. I evaded the question, and he did not press me. It was indeed
bad news in this respect; that 'twas clear the Cluddes knew of
Mistress Lucy's whereabouts. Indeed, for all I knew, Sir Richard
himself might have got well of his gout and made the voyage to
secure his ward. It wanted but a few months to her coming of age,
and while I knew that Dick could not wed her during her minority, I
saw that the very shortness of the time left would make the Cluddes
eager to get her under their influence. I had never met Dick since
that duel of ours on Southsea Common, having deliberately avoided
him; but I said to to myself that I would certainly meet him when
we arrived in Jamaica and make it clear to him that he would
interfere with Mistress Lucy at his peril.
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