As it was growing dusk, Bill had no fear of being seen as he made his
way from the cavern. He felt rather weak, but he had a brave heart, and
pushed on. He had some rough rocks to climb over, and others he managed
to get round, walking through the water where it was not too deep.
Sooner than he expected he reached the bay near which the Turgots'
cottage was situated. To avoid the other cottages and huts he had to
make a wide circuit.
He cautiously crept up towards the back of his friends' dwelling; then,
keeping close to the wall, he looked in through the window of the room
in which the family generally sat.
Jeannette was alone, spinning as usual, but looking somewhat pensive.
Bill tapped at the window, and Jeannette looked up.
"May I come in?" he asked in French.
Jeannette came to the window.
"Who are you?" she inquired.
"What! don't you know me?" said Bill.
"Ah! one of the young Englishmen!" she exclaimed; and she opened the
window.
Bill jumped in.
"I am so happy to see you!" she cried. "Where have you come from? And
your friend Jack, where is he? Have you both escaped from the soldiers?
We thought you were in prison long ago;" and Jeannette put so many
questions that Bill had great difficulty in answering them. He,
however, soon contrived to let her know all that had happened, and then
inquired for her father and mother and brother.
"Mother is in bed, quite ill," she said; "she was so frightened by the
soldiers, expecting to be carried off to prison, that she has not got
over it. My father and Pierre are out fishing. I expect them home
before midnight, but they said that they should be out later than
usual."
"I should like to stop and see them," said Bill; "but in the meantime,
can you give me something to eat? I am nearly starved."
"Of course," cried Jeannette; and she quickly placed some food before
Bill, which he as quickly attacked.
"Well, you are hungry!" she observed, "but eat away. I wish I had known
before how near you were to us, and I would have brought you
provisions."
"Can you bring them to us now?" asked Bill. "If we do not manage to get
off, we shall soon be hungry again."
"Of course I will," she answered; "but it would not be safe for me to
bring them all the way to the cave. I know, however, a place much
nearer this where I could hide them, and you can come and fetch them."
"But how am I to know the place?" asked Bill.
"I will describe it to you," answered Jeannette. "You remarked, as you
came along, a break in the cliff, with a stream running down the bottom.
On the right side of the stream, about ten feet from high-water mark,
there is a small hollow just large enough for one person to creep in. I
took shelter there once when I was a little girl, having been caught in
a storm as I was rambling along the sands so I remember it well."
Bill thought he could find the place, and would look for it as he went
back. Jeannette promised to bring a basket every other day, directly
the morning tide went down, so that Bill would know exactly when to go
and fetch the food. He thanked her very much, and promised to follow
her directions.
He then asked her about a boat, but she could say nothing till her
father and Pierre returned. They might know of one, but as there was
very small chance of her ever being restored to her owner, while the
boys were not likely to have the means of paying for her, she was
doubtful.
"As to that," said Bill, "we shall have plenty of prize-money. I hope
to pay for her over and over again; and I will promise most faithfully
to do so."
Jeannette smiled, for she thought that there was very little probability
of the two young ship-boys ever getting prize-money sufficient to pay
for such a boat as they required, to make a voyage across the Channel.
Bill was anxious to get back to poor Jack, who he remembered was
well-nigh starving. Jeannette would have accompanied him part of the
way, but she had to remain at home to receive Captain Turgot and Pierre.
She had, in the meantime, packed a basket with provisions for Jack and
himself, that they might be independent for a couple of days. He
therefore jumped up, and, begging her to remember him very kindly to the
others, he bade her farewell, and, with the basket on his arm, slipped
out of the house as cautiously as he had entered.
He had noted every object as he came along, so that he had no difficulty
in making his way back. He also easily discovered the small cave
described by Jeannette. It was at a convenient distance from the large
cavern, and, as a path led near it, should Jeannette be perceived, it
might be supposed that she was making her way to the top of the cliff.
Bill did not stop longer than was necessary to examine the place to be
certain of being able to find it again, as he knew that Jack would be
anxiously waiting for him. He hurried on, therefore, and in a short
time reached the beach below the cavern. Climbing up, he called out,
"All right, Jack!" But Jack did not answer. He called again, but still
there was no reply, and he began to feel very anxious.
Had the soldiers been there and carried off his companion? or had Jack
died of starvation?
Jeannette had thoughtfully put a tinder-box, flint and steel, and a
couple of candles into the basket. After feeling his way on for some
distance, he stopped and lighted one of the candles.
The faint light gave the cavern a wild, strange appearance, so that he
could scarcely have known where he was. He looked round on every side,
but could nowhere see Jack; he became more and more alarmed; still he
did not give up all hope of finding him.