The Dutchman thrust, then feinted low and slipped in under hisguard. At this sudden uproar behind them, Sam Bowles's men turned and gaped. When Sir Francis, great leather-bound Bible in hand, intonedsonorously, We pray you, Almighty God, deliver the enemy of Christinto our hands that he shall not triumph. The previous day a scaffolding on the south bastion had collapsed underthe weight of the stones and had hurled three of the convicts workingupon it to their death on the cobbles far below.
The ungainly jury mast raised by the Dutch captain to replace hisgale-shattered main, had been taken down and the galleon's lines wereawkward and unharmonious with one mast missing. Then while the plague still raged through every town and village,London was destroyed by a mighty fire. Big Daniel walked down the line and ripped theirshirts open from collar to waist, so that their naked backs wereexposed. The spectators bellowed with derision and mirth.
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