Cutlass and Cudgel Part 13

"Nothing else?"

"No, sir."

"You go and look."

The second man disappeared, but returned directly.

"It's on'y a bit of a hole, sir, and there's nothin' else."

The search was continued and ended, for the ledge was shut in by the mighty wall of rock towering above their heads, and the lieutenant was soon convinced that it was impossible for any one to climb that without tackle from above.

"Come back aboard," he said. "You two stop and guard those prisoners."

The sailors stepped back into the boat and resumed their oars, to row steadily east for about half a mile, past several shallow caves, but they could not see one likely to become a hiding-place for smuggled goods, and the rock rose higher and higher above their heads, precluding all ascent.

The boat was rowed quickly back past where the prisoners sat contentedly enough; save the cow, which kept making the great rock wall echo with her lowings, while three more of her kind now stood on high, gazing down at her plight.

The lieutenant now had himself rowed west for about the same distance, but in this direction they did not pa.s.s a crack in the great rock wall, let alone a cave, and once more the gig was rowed back.

"Get back into your boat," said the little officer sharply.

"Thank ye, sir," cried Ram. "Come along, Jemmy. Find your little barrels?"

"Come aboard, my lads," continued the lieutenant, without replying to the question. "Make fast her painter to the ring-bolt here."

This was done, a fresh order given, and, with the rough boat and cow in tow, the gig began to make slowly for the cutter.

Ram bent his head down in the boat.

"Hist, Jemmy!" he whispered.

"Hallo!"

"Shall we jump over and swim ash.o.r.e?"

"Nay; what's the good?--they'd come arter us, and there's no getting away."

"I say," shouted Ram, "what are you going to do?"

Archy turned to the lieutenant.

"Take no notice. A day or two aboard will make him speak."

"The cow wants turning out to gra.s.s," shouted Ram; but no heed being paid to his words, "Oh, very well," he said, "I don't care. She'll die, and you'll have to pay for her. I wish my father knew."

He need not have troubled himself to wish, for Farmer Shackle was lying down, hidden behind some stones on the top of the cliff, watching what was going on, with his brow rugged. He had heard enough of the conversation, after being attracted to the place by the action of his cows, to know that the kegs had been discovered, and he smiled as he made out that his boy and man were quite staunch, and would not say a word.

"Won't get anything out o' them," he muttered, as he watched the returning boats. "Shall I tell old Graeme? No; that would only scare him. They'll land a party, and come and search; but they won't dare to go to the Hoze, so I'll leave the stuff there and chance it."

Having made up his mind to this, he lay behind the stones watching till he had seen Ram, Jemmy, and the cow on board the cutter and the boats made fast; after which, as he could see that the lieutenant was busy with his gla.s.s, he waited his opportunity, got a cow between him and the sea, and then with raised stick began to drive the cattle from the neighbourhood of the precipice, his action seeming perfectly natural, and raising no suspicion in the officer's breast.

Farmer Shackle was quite right, for it was not long before a boat, well-filled with men, under the command of the midshipman and the master, put off from the cutter, and began to row west to the little cove, through whose narrow entrance a boat could pa.s.s to lie on the surface of a cup-shaped depression, at whose head a limpid stream of water gurgled over the cleanly-washed shingle below the great chalk cliffs.

Shackle saw them go, and, guessing their destination, chuckled; for in their ignorance the search party were going to make a journey of twelve or fourteen miles round each way, when any one accustomed to the place would have made the trip in less than two.

"Well, let 'em go," said Shackle; "but if they do find out, I'd better have my two boats out at sea," and he thought of his luggers lying in the little cup-like cove. "Nay there's no hurry; people won't be too eager to tell 'em whose boats they are, and I might want to get away."

He remained thinking about his son for a few minutes and then his countenance lightened.

"Tchah!" he said; "they won't eat him, and they can't do anything but keep him. They've found three kegs--that's all. Wish I'd been behind the man who forgot 'em! He wouldn't forget that in a hurry."

Farmer Shackle went home, and was saluted by the question--

"Found my Tally?"

"Yes, wife."

"Drowned?"

"No; all right."

That was sufficient for Mrs Shackle, who had some b.u.t.ter to make.

Meanwhile the boat containing Archy Raystoke and Gurr the master, with her crew, was rowed steadily along under the cliffs, the deep water being close up. It was a hot day and hard work, but the men pulled away cheerfully, for a run ash.o.r.e was a change.

The opening into the cove was reached, and the boat run ash.o.r.e, and one man being left as keeper, the little well-armed party of a dozen men were marched off along the narrow road toward the Hoze.

Archy was in the highest of spirits, and meant to search everywhere in the neighbourhood of the ledge, so as to cover himself with glory in the eyes of his superior officer. Old Gurr the master, who had been turned over to the cutter for two reasons, that he was a good officer and a man with a bad temper, found no pleasure in the walk whatever.

Now he grumbled about his corns, and said he never saw such a road; worse than an old sea beach. Then he limped with the pain of an old wound; and lastly, he forgot all about his troubles in the solace he found in a huge quid of tobacco, with whose juice he plentifully besprinkled the leaves of the brambles that were spread on either side.

The men tramped on, exciting the interest of the people of the little villages that were pa.s.sed--cl.u.s.ters of white rough stone houses by the roadside, whose occupants looked innocence itself, but there was hardly one among them who could not have told tales about busy work on dark nights, carrying kegs and bales, or packages of tobacco from the cliff, to some hiding-place in barn or cave.

Old Gurr knew that, and he winked solemnly at the young midshipman.

"Nice chickens, Mr Raystoke," he said.

"Where, Gurr?" cried Archy, who was growing fast, and wanted material to help nature. "Let's get some eggs to take back."

"Eggs!" grumbled the weather-beaten officer; "I didn't mean fowls, I meant people."

"Oh!"

"Eggs, indeed! Their eggs is kegs o' brandy. Right Nantes; Hollands gin. I know them. They're all in the game. Keep on, my lads. Step together like the sogers do. This here road's not the cutter's deck."

The last order was not needed, for the men marched on cheerfully and well, till they had pa.s.sed on the inner side of the high cliff where Ram had displayed his lanthorns, and following the rough road, came at last to the scattered cottages occupied by Shackle's men, and those who had once been servants at the Hoze, before it had sunk down in the world, consequent upon its master's having espoused the wrong side, and its servants were reduced to one old woman.

As they reached the tiny hamlet, a short conference was held between Archy and the master, the latter, in a surly way, giving the lad a few hints as to his proceedings, every suggestion, though, being full of common sense.