Cutlass and Cudgel Part 18

"Bah! Don't try to chop logic here; go below and get something to eat, while I make up my mind what I shall do."

Archy went into the cabin, not at all satisfied with the result of his run ash.o.r.e, and he did not feel much better after his meal, when he went on deck just in time to find the lieutenant laying down the law to Ram and Jemmy Dadd.

"There," he was saying, "take your cow and go ash.o.r.e. I'm not going to keep you prisoners, but the eye of the law is upon you, and this smuggling will be brought home to you both. Be off!"

"Shan't Jemmy milk the cow again before we go?" said Ram, with a grin, that might have been friendly or mocking.

"No!" thundered the lieutenant. "Here, Mr Gurr, see these smuggling scoundrels off the deck."

This was soon done, the cow being easily got into the boat, and just as it was growing dark Ram stood up to push from the side.

"I say," he cried again, addressing Archy, "is that thing sharp?"

The midshipman did not condescend to answer, but stood gazing thoughtfully over the side, till the boat gradually seemed to die away in the faint mist of the coming night.

"Well, Raystoke, what are you thinking?" said a voice behind him, and he started round.

"I was just thinking of coming to you, sir."

"Eh, what for?"

"It seems to me, sir, that if that cargo was run, and is hidden anywhere near, they'll be moving it to-night."

"Of course. Raystoke, you'll be a great man some day. I shouldn't have thought of that. Well, what do you propose?"

"To go ash.o.r.e, and watch."

"Of course. My dear boy, if you can help me to capture a few of these wretched people, I shall get promoted to a better ship, and you shall come with me. I won't rest till I am post-captain, and as soon as you can pa.s.s, you shall be my lieutenant. There, select your crew and be off at once."

"No, sir; that will not do. They'll be on the watch, and if they see a boat's crew land, they'll do nothing to-night."

"Then what do you propose?"

"Don't laugh at me, sir, and call me stupid; but I've been thinking that if I could be set ash.o.r.e, dressed as one of the boys, I might go about unnoticed. And if they were moving the cargo, I could see where they took it, and then you could land the men."

"Oh, you'll be an admiral before I shall, boy. That's it; but will you do it?"

"If you'll let me, sir."

"Let you? Here, Mr Gurr, help Mr Raystoke, and--stop though; I don't think I can let you go alone, my lad."

"If I don't go alone, sir, it's of no use."

"You are right. Then we'll risk it; but if the smugglers kill you, don't come and blame me. Have the boat ready, Mr Gurr. Here, Raystoke, come down into the cabin at once."

CHAPTER TEN.

Half an hour after, a dirty-looking sailor lad slipped down into the boat, with his worsted cap pulled well down over his eyes, and an uncomfortable feeling about his chest, as he sat back in the stern-sheets by Gurr the master.

"Lay your backs well into it, my lads," said the lieutenant, "and try and land him without being seen."

"Ay, ay, sir!" came from the men, the boat began to surge through the still water, and the boy tried to shift the lion's head which formed the top of his dirk handle.

This he had placed inside the breast of his woollen shirt, ready for use if wanted, but it promised to hurt him more than any enemy, and he wished he had left it on board.

"No talking, lads," said the master, "and don't splash."

The oars had been m.u.f.fled, and they glided along through the faint mist, in a ghostly way, well in the shadow of the cliffs, Gurr keeping up a whispered conversation with the lad by his side.

"It's no use to ask you 'bout where you are going first, sir," whispered the master, "because I suppose it will all be chance. But you'll go up to the farm, eh?"

"Yes, I shall go there."

"And up to that big house?"

Archy was silent.

"Ah, well; it's your plan, and you must do what you think's best, only take care of yourself, and if they're after you, don't make for the sea, that's where they'll think you would go. Make inland for the woods, and hide there."

Archy nodded, and no more was said during the dark journey. They were so close to the huge wall of rocks that it seemed as if they were alive with strange marine creatures, which kept on writhing and whispering together, and making gasping and sucking noises, as the tide heaved and sank among the loose rocks and seaweed, while Archy could not divest himself of the idea that they were watched by people keeping pace with them higher up on the top of the cliff.

"Wonder whether those two have landed the cow by this time?" whispered Gurr, breaking in upon one of Archy's reveries, in which he saw himself following a band of smugglers laden with contraband goods.

"I don't know," he replied. "We must take care they do not see us."

"Not likely on a dark night like this. Won't be so foggy, though, as 'twas last."

Nothing was seen or heard of the late prisoners' boat, and for very good reasons; and at last they found themselves abreast of the opening into the cove, where they lay upon their oars for a time listening.

All was still. Not a sound to be heard on either of the luggers lying at their buoys, and no light was visible at the cottages at the head of the little bay.

"I might venture now," whispered Archy. "Have me rowed close in to the shingle beach on the right, not close ash.o.r.e, but so that I can wade in.

I shall drop over the side where it's about two feet deep. Let them back in and we can try the depth with the boat-hook."

The order was whispered, the boat glided in through the broad opening, was turned quickly, and then the men backed water till told to stop, Archy, who had the boat-hook over the side, suddenly finding it touch the shingly bottom at the depth of about a foot.

"Good-bye," he whispered, and, gliding over the side, he softly waded ash.o.r.e and stood on the beach.

It looked light in front, where the limestone rocks had given place to chalk, but to right, left, and seaward, all was black as night, and stepping cautiously along, the lad approached the cottages, listening attentively, but not hearing a sound save the gurgling of water as it trickled under the stones on its way to the sea.

As he reached the track leading past the cottages he had a narrow escape from falling over a boat that was drawn up on the stones, but he saved himself with a jerk; and, feeling hot with the sudden start, he turned and crouched down, but there was not a sound to indicate that he had been heard, and drawing a long breath he stepped on to reach the hard earth where his feet were not among the water-worn pebbles, and in a few minutes he was on the road he had traversed twice that day, and walking fast toward the farm.

Once or twice he hesitated, for the way lay so low down in the valley, with the hills towering up to such a height on either side, that the night seemed as dark as during the fog of the previous night; but he got along over the ground pretty well in spite of its seeming more hilly and rough, till at the end of about an hour and a half he felt that he must be approaching the farm, and he advanced more cautiously, listening for footsteps and voices from time to time.

There was a good broad green marge to the lane about here, and he stepped on to it, the turf deadening his footsteps.