Gurr continued his search till it was quite dark, and then tramped his
men back to the cove, where the boat-keeper was summoned, and the boat
with her crew, saving Dick, were sent back to the cutter, one of the men
bearing a message from Gurr to say that he was going to stay ashore till
he had found Mr Raystoke, and asking the lieutenant to send the boat
back for him if he did not approve.
It was a very dark row back to the cutter, but her lights shone out
clearly over the smooth sea, forming good beacons for the men to follow
till the boat was run alongside.
"Got them, Mr Gurr?" came from the deck.
"No sir, and Mr Gurr's stopping at one of the fishermen's cottages
ashore to keep on the search."
"Tut, tut!" ejaculated the lieutenant as he turned away and began to
pace the deck.
"Beg'n' pardon, sir, Mr Gurr said--"
"Well, well, well, what did Mr Gurr say? Pity he did not do more and
not say so much."
"Said as his dooty, sir, and would you send the boat for him if you did
not think he'd done right."
"No, sir! His Majesty's boats are wanted for other purposes than
running to and fro to fetch him aboard. Let him stay where he is till
he finds Mr Raystoke and brings him back aboard."
"Dear, dear," muttered the lieutenant as he walked to and fro. "To
think of the boy being missing like this.--Now you, sirs, in with that
boat.--Where can he be? Not the lad to go off on any prank.--There, go
below and get something to eat, my lads.--All comes of being sent into a
miserable little boat like this to hunt smugglers."
"Ahoy!" came from forward.
"What's that?" cried the lieutenant, and an answer came from out of the
blackness ahead.
"What boat's that?" shouted the man on the watch. "Mine," came in a low
growl. "What is it?"
"Want to see the skipper."
There was a little bustle forward, in the midst of which a boat came up
alongside, and the man in it was allowed to come on board.
He was a big, broad-shouldered, heavy fellow, with rough black beard and
dark eyes, which glowered at those around as a lanthorn was held up by
one of the men. "Where's the skipper?" he growled. "Bring the man
aft," cried the lieutenant. "This way."
"All right, mate; I can find my way; I aren't a baby," said the man as
he took three or four strides, lifting up his big fisherman's boots, and
setting them heavily down upon the deck as if they were something
separate from him which he had brought on board.
"Now, my man, brought news of him?" cried the lieutenant eagerly. "Eh?"
And the great fellow seemed to tower over the little commander.
"I say, have you brought news of the boy?"
"What boy?"
"Haven't you come to tell me where he is?"
"Here, what yer talking about?" growled the man. "I aren't come 'bout
no boys."
"Then, pray, why have you come?"
"Send them away," said the man in a hoarse whisper.
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, and the lieutenant was about to
give an order but altered his mind, for he suspected the man's mission,
not an unusual one in those days.
"Come into my cabin, sir," he said imperiously, and as he turned and
strutted off, making the most of his inches, the giant--for such he was
by comparison--stumbled after him, making the deck echo to the sound of
his great boots.
"Now, sir," said the lieutenant haughtily, "what is your business?"
The man leaned forward, and there was a leer on his bearded face seen by
the dull swinging oil-lamp, as, half covering his mouth, he whispered
hoarsely behind his hands--
"Like Hollands gin, master?"
"What do you mean, sir?" cried the lieutenant. "Speak out, for I have
no time to lose."
"Oh, I'll speak plainly enough," growled the man; "on'y do you like it?"
"Do you mean that a foreign vessel is going to land a quantity of
Hollands to-night?"
"Never said nothing o' the sort, Master Orficer. Why, if I was to come
and say a thing like that, and folks ashore knowed on it, there'd be a
haxiden."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Some un would run up agin me atop o' the cliff, and I should go over,
and there'd be an end o' me."
"You mean to say that if it was known that you informed, you would be in
peril of your life?"
"No, I don't mean to say nothing o' the kind, master. I only says to
you that there's going to be a drop to be got in a place I knows, and if
you care to say to a chap like me--never you mind who he is--show me
where this drop of Hollands gin is to be got, and I'll give you--for
him, you know--fifty pounds, it would be done."
"Look here, my lad, if you have got any valuable information to give,
wouldn't it be better for you to speak out plainly?"
"Didn't come twenty mile in my boat and get here in the dark, for you to
teach me how to ketch fish, Master Orficer."
"Twenty miles!" said the lieutenant sharply; "where are you from?"
"Out o' my boat as is made fast 'longside. Is it fifty pound or aren't
it?"
"Fifty pound is a great deal of money, my man. Your information may not
be worth fifty pence. Suppose the boat does not come?"
"Why, o' course, you wouldn't pay."
"Oh, now I understand you. If we take the boat with the spirits I am to
give you fifty pounds?"
"Me? Think I'm goin' to be fool enough to risk gettin' my neck broke
for fifty pound? Nay, not me. You'll give it to me to give to him."
"And where is he?"
"Never you mind, master."
"Oh, well, there then; I'll give you the fifty pounds if I take the
boat. Dutch?"
"P'raps. Shake hands on it."
"Is that necessary?" said the lieutenant, glancing with distaste at the
great outstretched palm.
"Ay, shake hands on it, and you being a gentleman, you'll say, 'pon your
honour."
"Oh, very well. There, upon my honour, we'll pay you if we take the
boat."
"Oh you'll take her, fast enough," said the man with a hoarse chuckle.
"Yah! There's no fight in them. They'll chatter and jabber a bit, and
their skipper'll swear he'll do all sorts o' things, but you stick to
the boat as soon as your lads are on board."
"Trust me for that," said the lieutenant. "Now, then, when is the cargo
to be run?"
"T'night."
"And where?"
"Never you mind wheer. Get up your anchor, and make sail; I'll take the
helm."
"What, do you think I am going to let a strange man pilot my vessel?"
"Yah!" growled the man; "shan't you be there, and if I come any games,
you've got pistols, aren't you? But just as you like."
"Come on deck," said the lieutenant. "But one minute. I have lost a
boy--gone ashore. Have you seen one?"
"Not I; lots o' boys about, soon get another!"
The man went clumping on deck, and stepped over the side into his boat.
"What are you going to do?" said the lieutenant sharply.
"Make her fast astarn."
"Well, you need not have got into her, you could have led her round."
"This here's my way," said the man; and as the order was given to slip
the anchor, with a small buoy left to mark its place, the informer
secured his boat to one of the ringbolts astern, and then drew close in;
and mounted over the bulwark to stand beside the man at the helm.
"What do you propose doing?" said the lieutenant.
"Tellin' o' you what I wants done, and then you tells your lads."
The lieutenant nodded, and in obedience to the suggestion of the man the
stay-sail was hoisted; then up went the mainsail and jib, and the little
cutter careened over to the soft land breeze as soon as she got a little
way out from under the cliffs, which soon became invisible.
"Why, you aren't dowsed your lanthorns," whispered the man. "I'd have
them down, and next time you have time just have down all your canvas,
and get it tanned brown. Going about with lanthorns and white canvas is
showing everybody where you are."
After a time, as they glided on, catching a glimpse of a twinkling light
or two on the shore, the man grew a little more communicative, and began
to whisper bits of information and advice to the lieutenant.
"Tells me," he said, "that she's choke full o' Hollands gin and lace."
"Indeed!" said the lieutenant eagerly.
"Ay, so that chap says. And there's plenty o' time, but after a bit I'd
sarve out pistols and cutlasses to the lads; you won't have to use 'em,
but it'll keep those Dutchies from showing fight."
"That will all be done, my man."
"Going to get out four or five mile, master, and then we can head round,
and get clear o' the long race and the skerries. After that I shall run
in, and we'll creep along under the land. Good deep water for
five-and-twenty miles there close under the cliff."
"Then you are making for Clayblack Bay?"
"Ah, you'll see," said the man surlily. "As long as you get to where
you can overhaul the boat when she comes in, you won't mind where it is,
Mister Orficer. There's no rocks to get on, unless you run ashore, and
'tarn't so dark as you need do that, eh?"
"I can take care of that," said the lieutenant sharply; and the cutter,
now well out in the north-east wind then blowing, leaned over, and
skimmed rapidly towards the dark sea.
The reef that stretched out from a point, and formed the race where the
tide struck against the submerged rocks, and then rushed out at right
angles to the shore, had been passed, and the cutter was steered on
again through the clear dark night, slowly drawing nearer the dark shore
line, till she was well in under the cliffs; with the result that the
speed was considerably checked, but she was able to glide along at a
short distance from the land, and without doubt invisible to any vessel
at sea.
"There," said the great rough fellow, after three hours' sailing; "we're
getting pretty close now. Bay opens just beyond that rock."
"Where I'll lie close in, and wait for her," said the lieutenant.
The man laughed softly.
"Thought I--I mean him--was to get fifty pounds, if you took the boat?"
"Yes."
"Well, you must take her. Know what would happen if you went round that
point into the bay?"
"Know what would happen?"
"I'll tell yer. Soon as you got round into the bay, some o' them ashore
would see yer. Then up would go lights somewhere yonder on the hills,
and the boat would go back."
"Of course. I ought to have known better. Wait here then?"
"Well, I should, if I wanted to take her," said the man coldly. "And I
should have both my boats ready for my men to jump in, and cut her off
as soon as she gets close in to the beach. She'll come on just as the
tide's turning, so as to have no fear of being left aground."
"You seem to know a good deal about it, my lad?" said the little
lieutenant.
"Good job for you," was the reply, as the sails were lowered, and the
cutter lay close in under the cliff waiting. The boats were down, the
men armed, and the guns loaded, ready in case the smuggler vessel should
attempt to escape.
Then followed a long and patient watch, in the most utter silence; for,
in the stillness of such a calm night a voice travels far, and the
lieutenant knew that a strange sound would be sufficient to alarm those
for whom he was waiting, and send the boat away again to sea. He might
overtake her, but would more probably lose her in the darkness, and see
her at daybreak perhaps well within reach of a port where he dare not
follow.
It was darker now, for clouds had come like a veil over the bright
stars, but the night was singularly clear and transparent, as soon after
eight bells the informer crept silently up to where the lieutenant was
trying to make out the approach of the expected vessel.
The little officer started as the man touched his elbow, so silently had
he approached, and on looking down, he dimly made out that the man had
divested himself of his heavy boots.
"Do be quiet, master," whispered the great fellow. "Can't 'ford to lose
fifty pounds for fear o' getting one's feet cold. See anything?"
"No," whispered the lieutenant, after sweeping his glass round.
"Tide serves, and she can't be long now. But two o' your chaps keep
whispering for'ard, and it comes back off the cliff. No, no--don't
shout at 'em. We daren't have a sound."
"No," replied the lieutenant; and he went softly forward toward where a
group of men were leaning over the bulwarks, peering into the darkness
and listening to the tide as it gurgled in and out of the rocks, little
more than a hundred yards away.
"Strict silence, my lads, and the moment you get the word, over into
your boats and lay ready. Are those rowlocks muffled?"
"Ay, ay, sir!" said the boatswain, who was to be in command of one of
the boats.
"No bloodshed, my lads. Knock any man down who resists. Five minutes
after you leave the side here ought to make the smuggler ours. Hush!
Keep your cheering till you've taken the boat."
A low murmur ran round the side of the cutter, and every eye was
strained as the little officer whispered,--
"A crown for the first man who sights her."