The adventure of the night appeared more and more difficult of execution , till suddenly Dick 's countenance lightened . `` Lawless ! '' he cried , `` you that were a shipman , can ye steal me a ship ? '' `` Master Dick , '' replied Lawless , `` if ye would back me , I would agree to steal York Minster . '' Presently after , these two set forth and descended to the harbour . It was a considerable basin , lying among sand hills , and surrounded with patches of down , ancient ruinous lumber , and tumble-down slums of the town . Many decked ships and many open boats either lay there at anchor , or had been drawn up on the beach . A long duration of bad weather had driven them from the high seas into the shelter of the port ; and the great trooping of black clouds , and the cold squalls that followed one another , now with a sprinkling of dry snow , now in a mere swoop of wind , promised no improvement but rather threatened a more serious storm in the immediate future . The seamen , in view of the cold and the wind , had for the most part slunk ashore , and were now roaring and singing in the shoreside taverns . Many of the ships already rode unguarded at their anchors ; and as the day wore on , and the weather offered no appearance of improvement , the number was continually being augmented . It was to these deserted ships , and , above all , to those of them that lay far out , that Lawless directed his attention ; while Dick , seated upon an anchor that was half embedded in the sand , and giving ear , now to the rude , potent , and boding voices of the gale , and now to the hoarse singing of the shipmen in a neighbouring tavern , soon forgot his immediate surroundings and concerns in the agreeable recollection of Lord Foxham 's promise . He was disturbed by a touch upon his shoulder . It was Lawless , pointing to a small ship that lay somewhat by itself , and within but a little of the harbour mouth , where it heaved regularly and smoothly on the entering swell . A pale gleam of winter sunshine fell , at that moment , on the vessel 's deck , relieving her against a bank of scowling cloud ; and in this momentary glitter Dick could see a couple of men hauling the skiff alongside . `` There , sir , '' said Lawless , `` mark ye it well ! There is the ship for to-night . '' Presently the skiff put out from the vessel 's side , and the two men , keeping her head well to the wind , pulled lustily for shore . Lawless turned to a loiterer . `` How call ye her ? '' he asked , pointing to the little vessel .
`` They call her the Good Hope , of Dartmouth , '' replied the XXXXX .
Foxham Lawless Minster execution harbour loiterer night shipmen storm to-night