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About noon, the cutter was abreast off the Black Gang Chyne: Ramsay had calculated upon retaining possession of the cutter, and taking the whole of the occupants of the cave over to Cherbourg; but this was now impossible.
Her father, before their departure, made her swallow some morsels of sea-biscuit, though each seemed to choke her; and then, wrapped in a thick boat-cloak, she was placed in a small well-built cutter; and as the sea-winds whistled round her, the present cold and the past fatigues lulled her miserable heart into the arms of the charitable Sleep.
Before the revenue cutter sailed away the six officers aboard came ashore one evening, taking dinner with the girls, in company with a number of young men, invited from the neighborhood. Afterward until half-past ten o'clock there was a pleasant dance. All too soon Harriet Burrell and her friends found this vacation trip at an end.
At four in the morning the cutter was despatched with our third lieutenant to find out the bay we were in search of, who returned again at noon with the boat laden with seals and grass; for though the island abounded with better vegetables, yet the boat's crew, in their short stay, had not met with them; and they well knew that even grass would prove a dainty, and, indeed, it was all soon and eagerly devoured.
When about a quarter of a mile from the entrance to the channel, I hove the cutter to, and we hauled the punt alongside, took out one of her oars, and cast "Steve" adrift from his lashings, leaving him to get ashore to his comrades as best he might with one oar. We then filled away once more, and ran down upon the boats, took them all in tow, and stood out through the channel.
"The fellow must know his position well," said Cap, as the cutter flew down towards the ship with a velocity almost equalling that of the gale, "for he is standing boldly to the southward, where he expects to find anchorage or a haven. No man in his senses would run off free in that fashion, that was not driven to scudding, like ourselves, who did not perfectly understand where he was going."
Cutter reports that there are spots on Four where we will get forty-two or three. Hooven, too, brought up some wonderful fine ears for me to look at. The grains were just beginning to show. Some of the ears carried twenty grains. That means nearly forty bushels of wheat to every acre. I call it a bonanza year." "Have you got any mail?" said Presley, rising. "I'm going into town."
"The king be damned," replied the informer, falling back sulkily against the gunwale of the boat. "Give way, men, and pull on board," said Vanslyperken, in equally bad humour. In equally bad humour the men did give way, and in about an hour were on board the cutter.
Hilary looked up at the flapping sails, which hung motionless; then out to windward in search of cats'-paws upon the water; then at his men, who were lounging about the lee side of the cutter; and then back at his companion. "Really, sir," he said at last, "I am quite helpless. You are more experienced than I. What would you advise me to do?"
As she was not suspected, she determined to remain at Portsmouth till the last, and watch the motions of the authorities. The cutter did not arrive till the evening of the second day, and the despatches were not delivered to the admiral till the third morning, when all was bustle and preparation.
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