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I'm afraid that we thought very little about Bigley's escape from a horrible death, for by nine o'clock the next morning he was over at the Bay, and while we were talking outside, Bob Chowne came trotting up, holding on to the mane of his father's pony, for the doctor had ridden over to see my father.
"Ah, well," said Bob, who was sitting on the big stone swinging his legs to and fro, "I don't believe it, and if I did, what then?" "Why, I thought," said Bigley eagerly, "if we were to put some powder under that stone, and make a train, and strew some wet powder on a piece of rag " "And light it, and make it fizzle, and then run away," cried Bob, mimicking Bigley's speech.
I saw Bigley's eyes flash, and for a moment I thought that he was going to say something harsh, and that we were going to have a quarrel through Bob Chowne's propensity for saying disagreeable things; but just then I happened to turn my head and saw a boat coming round the western corner of the entrance to the Gap. "Why, there's father!" I cried. "Where can he have been!"
"I say, what shall we do?" cried Bob. "We must take off our clothes and swim for it," said Bigley. "No, no," I cried, for the idea was appalling. "Let's stay here." "What, and be swept off?" said Bob. "No; Bigley's right. We must swim for it. No, I see! There's your father's lugger, Big. Let them come and take us off." "They durstn't come in on account of the rocks," said Bigley slowly.
"No, you won't," grumbled Bob viciously, "for I won't have one." "Ahoy! Bigley," I shouted, looking out from under the tilt. "Hooray for school!" "Aha! Look at him look at him!" shouted Bob, whose whole manner changed as soon as he saw Bigley's doleful face. "I say, old Grey, here's a little boy crying because he is going back to school."
"Well, Sep, there is not much difference between a pirate and a smuggler. They are both outlaws, and not very particular about what they do." "Oh, but I hope we shall have no trouble of that sort, for Bigley's sake." "So do I, Sep, but I feel this, that we are not safe, for we have made a dangerous enemy one who can descend upon us at any time, and then get away by sea.
"Bob, let's try again!" He sprang to poor Bigley's other hand, and we dragged and tugged with slow steady strain and sharp snatch, but without any effect; and every now and then, as we pulled, the waves came right up, and drove us against the rock. "It's of no use, boys," said Bigley at last. "I'm fast."
Bob Chowne stood with his forehead all wrinkled up watching me for a few minutes, and then he began to undress slowly; but a wave came and rose right up to our knees as it swept in, telling us plainly enough that before many minutes had passed we should be unable to stand there, and in frantic haste we tore off our garments, and followed Bigley's lead in tying them together in a bundle, in the faint hope of being able to take them in our teeth and carry them ashore.
He had thrown down his load at my first appeal for help, and as he came splashing through the water he looked horribly pale. He saw the position in an instant, and stood by me too much horrified to act; and, as he told me afterwards, his thoughts were just like mine. How long would it take to go to the Gap and bring Bigley's father with a boat? "Can't you get any farther?"
Keep his head out of the water. I'm about beat for a bit." I obeyed him in a dreamy way, getting Bigley's arm over into the boat, while I knelt down and put mine round him, and held him close to the side. "Can you hold on, youngster?" said old Jonas hoarsely. This was to Bob Chowne, who stared at him wildly, and did not speak. "Nice chance for me," growled old Jonas. "There, hold fast, my lads.
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