As I never go in there, it would be best that
you should see to this matter yourself. There are the fastenings of
the shutters in the first place, then the boardings all round. As for
me, I will look round outside. The window of my room looks into the
street, but if you will take me to one of the rooms at the back we
can look at the surroundings of the yard, and may gather some idea
whether the goods can have been passed over into any of the houses
abutting on it, or, as is more likely, into the lane that runs up by
its side."
The Captain led the way into one of the rooms at the back of the
house, and opening the casement, he and Cyril leaned out. The store
occupied fully half the yard, the rest being occupied by anchors,
piles of iron, ballast, etc. There were two or three score of guns of
various sizes piled on each other. A large store of cannon-ball was
ranged in a great pyramid close by. A wall some ten feet high
separated the yard from the lane Cyril had spoken of. On the left,
adjoining the warehouse, was the yard of the next shop, which
belonged to a wool-stapler. Behind were the backs of a number of
small houses crowded in between Tower Street and Leadenhall Street.
"I suppose you do not know who lives in those houses, Captain Dave?"
"No, indeed. The land is not like the sea. Afloat, when one sees a
sail, one wonders what is her nationality, and whither she is bound,
and still more whether she is an honest trader or a rascally pirate;
but here on land, one scarcely gives a thought as to who may dwell in
the houses round.
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