As soon as the sandbank was clear, the men rushed out and placed thelumps of stinking meat along the water's edge. The galleon's captainhad formed up his men on the deck below the mainmast, and now theirmusketeers fired a close-range volley and charged the Lady Edwina's menwith bared steel. They crawled and wriggled like insects on thepolished clay surface, and their bodies and faces were daubed withcoloured clay and painted in fantastic patterns. Oh, Colonel, you are so gallant.
Hetouched his forehead. Then they hurried backand climbed up to where the women waited on the safety of the highbluff above the river. Hal lifted her in his armsand started towards the companionway of the stern. Sir Francis summoned the colonel to the quarterdeck and handed him backhis sword and the letter addressed to the Council of the Dutch EastIndia Company in Amsterdam.
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