"Easy! Hold hard!"
And they could just see a dark object ahead on the water.
It couldn't be the rock, for it was too small; and they could hardly
imagine it to be part of the pier, or a boat on the beach.
They shouted; and, in a moment, an answer came, "Ahoy, there!" and they
knew they had come upon a fishing-boat at anchor.
"It's one of the fleet, waiting to get in. We'd better go alongside,
and wait with them," said Freckleton.
So Dick shouted to say they were coming, and they rowed carefully
alongside.
The first sight that met Dick's astonished eyes, as he reached across to
seize the gunwale of the friendly boat, was Tom White, sitting
comfortably smoking in the stern.
"Good day, young gentlemen," said that worthy. "Can't keep away from
us, can't yer?"
"Hullo, Tom! We've lost our way in the mist," said Cresswell. "Where
are we?"
"Reckon you're in the bay, and a swim to the pierhead."
"So near! We made sure we were outside the Sprit. How long have you
been here?"
"Come here when the tide turned, we did," said Tom, "with a boat full,
and no mistake. Say, young gentlemen, you ain't forgot the poor mariner
that lost his boat, have yer? It's cruel hard to lose your living and
have to begin afresh."
"If you mean you want a shilling for piloting us ashore," said
Cresswell, "here you are. Will you take us, or will your mate?"
Dick grew uncomfortable, and, under pretence of wanting to examine some
of the fish on the floor of the lugger, he scrambled up the side, and
got in.
"Come back, Dick; do you hear?" called Cresswell. "We must go back if
one of those fellows will run us in. Will you come, Tom?"
Visions of the bar-parlour of the "Dolphin" hovered before Tom's mind as
he looked down at the speaker and the shilling that lay in his hand.
He was just about to consent, when he felt his arm nudged by Dick, who
was crouching down over the fish at his feet.
"Tom White," said the boy, looking up nervously, "don't go ashore. They
are going to arrest you for pawning that boat that didn't belong to you.
Tell your mate to see us ashore. There's another shilling for you!"
Tom took his pipe out of his mouth and gaped at the boy. Then he slowly
pocketed the shilling. Then he relieved himself of an oath. Then he
called his mate--
"Jerry, see the squires ashore."
With fluttering heart Dick scrambled back into the boat, followed by the
hulking Jerry, who, in a very few minutes, ran them comfortably on to
the beach, and made an end of all their perils for that day.
They reached Templeton just in time for call over; and no one knew, as
they walked into Chapel that evening, through what adventures they had
passed since they left Templeton in the morning.
Early next morning Dick could not resist the temptation of going down to
call on Mr Green.
"Well, did the boats all come in?" he inquired.
"All, bar Tom White's. And they do say it will be long enough before
any one sees him in these parts again. He's got wind somehow. It's
wonderful the way news travels on water--so it is."