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If the boat is not recovered unhurt, Mr Jonas Uggleston will have a new one, and I must apologise for my carelessness. Now, then, we must walk home."
"He seemed to think he would have to turn out and go, father," I said, looking at him rather wistfully, for it appeared to me as if it would be a great pity if old Uggleston and Bigley did have to turn out, because we were such friends.
"Oui, my young frien," said the French skipper; "and he has been to sweep ze sea to try and find you boys." In half an hour the luggers were close together off the Gap with their sails flapping, and the French skipper jumped into the boat with us, and rowed to the Saucy Lass, on board of which we had long before descried my father and the doctor along with old Jonas Uggleston.
It was slow and awkward work, with Bob hanging on to the side with his eyes fixed, and his face white; but I got her along, and before I had been sculling many minutes, a great brown hand was thrown over on the opposite side to where Bob clung, and Jonas Uggleston said hoarsely: "Lay in your oar, mate, and lean over, and take hold of Bigley here. Get your arm well under him. That's right.
Between his words he kept sending out pannikins of water rapidly to ease the boat, for it was above our ankles as we sat and pulled. "Nice fellows all of you!" grumbled old Jonas. "Why, you all look blue. Fool's trick! Who put it up?" "I I don't know what you mean, Mr Uggleston," I said. "Who proposed to swim off to the lugger? Was it Bigley?"
"Here's the specimen, father," I said; but he did not turn his head, for the doctor was speaking to him. "Did you get the deeds?" he said. "Chowne, you're as good as a witch," cried my father. "Why?" "As I came out of the lawyer's office, who should I see but old Jonas Uggleston coming along the street, and as I went into the hotel I saw him turn in where I had been."
He was here about twelve or one, and he and his men must have been and fetched all the stuff away again, while you and your sailors were miles away in the dark." "Sep," cried my father, as the lieutenant stood staring with wrath, "was Jonas Uggleston back here in the night?" "Yes, father," I replied. "And you did not tell me?"
As soon as Sam had gone off with the pony, my father called Kicksey, our maid, a great, brawny woman of forty, who was quite mistress at our place, my father being, like Doctor Chowne and Jonas Uggleston, a widower. Kicksey came in a great hurry, with her muslin mob-cap flopping and her eyes staring, to know what was the matter. "Light the back kitchen fire," said my father.
"You think Jonas Uggleston knew the boat was coming, and he knows all about that hiding-place, father?" "Is that what you have been thinking, Sep?" "Yes, father." "And so have I, my lad.
"I never detected Mr Uggleston in any act of smuggling," replied my father more coldly, for the officer's hectoring manner offended him, and I felt that if he told what he knew, it would be to someone more in authority. I glanced at old Jonas, and his eyes twinkled with satisfaction. "This is prevarication, sir," cried the lieutenant; "but I am not to be put off like this.
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