Chapter 16

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_ CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

Aleck, in the midst of his excitement in his novel position, had somewhat similar thoughts to those of his rough sailor companion. For what was he doing, he asked himself--resisting the King's men performing a duty--for a duty it was, however objectionable it might be--and helping a man they were trying to impress. Worse still, trying to secure the liberty of a well-known smuggler, one of the leading spirits in as determined a gang as existed on the coast.

It was that appeal for the sake of the wife and children that had turned the scale in Eben's favour, and, as Aleck argued now to himself as they glided steadily over the waters of the outer harbour, what was done was done, and to hang back now would mean capture and no mercy, for he would probably find himself bundled aboard the sloop-of-war and no heed paid to his remonstrances.

"Say, Master Aleck," was suddenly whispered to him, "I hope Eben Megg arn't going to die."

"Die? Oh, Tom, no. I forgot all about his cut head. We must tie it up."

"Tied up it is, sir, wi' my hankychy, but he's got a nasty cut on the head. Ah, it's bad work resisting the law, for lawful it is, I s'pose, to press men."

"Don't talk so loud. Feel Eben's head, and find out whether it has stopped bleeding."

"Did just now, sir, and it about hev. But, I say, Master Aleck, I'm all in a squirm about you."

"About me? Why?"

"You see, we don't know hardly which way to turn, and I expects every minute to be running into one o' the man-o'-war boats."

"Well, if we do we do; but I think we can get right out, and it won't be so dark then."

"I b'lieve there's a fog sattling down, sir, and if there is we shall be ketched as sure as eggs is eggs. I'm sorry for you, my lad, and I s'pose I'm sorry for Eben Megg, though we arn't friends. Bit sorry, too, for myself."

"Oh, they can't hurt you, Tom."

"Can't hurt me, sir? Why, they'll hev me up afore the magistrits, and cut me shorter than I am."

"Nonsense!" said Aleck, with a laugh. "They don't behead people now, and even if they did they wouldn't do it for helping a pressed man to escape."

"Tchah! I don't mean that way, my lad. I mean chop off my pension, and--"

"Pst!"

Unwittingly they had been slowly sailing right for one of the sloop's boats, and their whispers had been heard, for from out of the darkness, and apparently a very little way off, came a hail and an order to stop.

"Shall us stop, sir?" said Tom.

"Stop going that way. Helm down, Tom," whispered Aleck; and the little sail swung over and filled on the other side, the water rippling gently under their bows. Otherwise it was so silent that they could hear whispers away to their right, followed by a softly given order, which was followed by the dip, dip, dip, dip of oars, and they glided so closely by the rowers that Aleck fancied he could see the man-o'-war's boat.

A couple of minutes later they tacked again, and were sailing on, when all at once Aleck whispered, as he leaned over his companion:

"That must be the low line of the fog bank, Tom. Look how black it is!"

"Where, sir?"

"Over where I'm pointing," replied Aleck.

"By jinks!" growled Tom, excitedly, shifting the rudder and throwing the wind out of the sail, which flapped for a bit and then once more filled on the other tack.

"What was it, Tom?"

"What was it, my lad? Why, that warn't no fog bank lying low on the water, but the harbour wall. Why, we should ha' gone smash on it in another jiffy, stove in, and sunk, for there's no getting up the place this side."

"Are you sure it was?"

"Sartain. We're all right, though, now, and it's done us good, for I know where we are, and I think we can get away now unless the boat's headed us once more."

"Keep her away a little more then. Ah! Hark at Eben! He sounds as if he's coming to."

The smuggler was very far from being dead, for he muttered a few words, and then all at once they heard the backs of his hands strike the boat sharply, while to their horror he yelled out the word "Cowards!"

Tom Bodger was active enough, in spite of his misfortune, as he abundantly proved--perhaps never more so than on this occasion--when again, with almost the action of a toad, he leaped right upon the smuggler, driving him back just as he was trying to rise, and covering his face with a broad chest and smothering his next cries.

Then Aleck grew more horrified than ever, for a tremendous struggle began, the smuggler, evidently under the impression that he was in the hands of the press-gang, fighting hard for his liberty, bending himself up and calling to his companions for help. But his voice sounded dull and stifled, and in spite of his strength Tom's position gave him so great an advantage that he was able to keep him down.

"Mind, mind, Tom," whispered Aleck; "you are smothering him."

"And a precious good thing too, Master Aleck. He'll say thankye when he knows. Why, if I let him have his own way he'd--lie still, will yer?-- want to have the press-gang down upon us. Lookye here, messmet, if you don't lie quiet I'll make Master Aleck come and sit on yer too."

"But I'm afraid, Tom."

"So'm I, my lad. Pretty sort o' onreasonable beggar. Asts us to save him from the King's men, and when we've got him off, kicking up such a fillaloo as this to show 'em where we are. I arn't got patience with him, that I arn't."

The man struggled again so violently that he got his hand on one side, making the boat rock and Tom Bodger grunt in his efforts to keep his prisoner down.

"It's no good, Master Aleck," he whispered, hoarsely; "if I'd got my legs I could twist 'em round him and keep him still; but there's no grip in a pair of wooden pegs. Come and sit on his knees and help keep him quiet. Lash the helm, sir. She'll run easy enough then."

But at this the smuggler suddenly ceased his desperate efforts to get free, and lay perfectly still.

"He's turned over a noo leaf, Master Aleck, and p'raps I shall manage him now. I say, wish I hadn't put them two pieces o' board over the pitch; he's got it just under his back, and it would have helped to hold him still."

"Who's that?" said the smuggler, hoarsely.

"It's me, what there is left on me," growled Tom. "Great ugly rough 'un. Best thing you can do will be smuggle me a noo blue shirt from Jarsey."

"Tom Bodger?"

"Tom Bodger it is."

"Why are you sitting on me? I thought--"

"You thought," growled Tom, scornfully. "What right's a chap like you to think?"

"But I thought the press-gang had got me."

"Well, I was pressing on yer as hard as I could to keep yer from shouting and flying out of the boat. Here's Master Aleck and me getting oursens into no end o' trouble to keep you out o' the press-gang's hands, and you begins shouting to 'em to come and take you."

"I'm very sorry, mate. I s'pose I was off my head a bit--seemed to wake up out of a bad dream about fighting. Yes, that's it; I recollect now. Where's the gang?"

"Cruising about trying to find us."

"It's so dark. Where are we?"

"Somewheers out beyond the pier head, and it's all as black as the inside of a barrel o' pitch. Keep quiet; don't talk so loud."

"No, mate," said the smuggler, petulantly; "but I'm not quite myself. I got a crack on the head from something; I've been bleeding a bit. But, tell me, are we safe?"

"Dunno yet. Hope so."

"Am I lying in Master Aleck's boat?"

"Yes, on yer back," growled Tom. "Are yer comfy? I put in a nice noo bit o' pine board 'sevening for yer to lie on."

"No; of course I'm not comf'table with you sitting on me."

"Course you arn't. Think I am with that great brass buckle o' yourn sticking in the bottom o' my chest?"

"Is Master Aleck there?" said the smuggler, after a short pause.

"Yes, I'm here, Eben, steering."

"Ah, I can see you now, sir."

"No, yer can't," growled Tom, "so none o' your lies. Just because you want to be civil to the young master."

"I tell you I can see him quite plain. Think I've got eyes like a mole?"

"Look out then, and tell us where we are."

"How can I look out with my head down here?"

"Let him get up, Tom," said Aleck.

"Easy, Master Aleck. Let's make sure first as he won't go off his head again."

"I shan't go off my head again now I'm safe, stoopid," cried the smuggler, angrily. "Master Aleck, sir, thankye kindly for helping a poor desprit fellow. I can't say much, but my poor little wife'll say: 'Gord bless yer for this for the sake of our weans.'"

"There, don't talk about it, Eben; only let it be a lesson to you not to go smuggling any more. Do you bear?"

"Yes, sir, I hear; but this hadn't nothing to do with running a cargo or two. We was unlucky enough to be in Rockabie, and someone has sold us to the press-gang. Warn't you, were it, mate?"

"Get out!" growled Tom; "is it likely?"

"No. Someone did, but I don't believe it was old Double Dot, Master Aleck."

"And you believe I didn't, now?"

"B'lieve yer? Yes, sir; and I'll never forget this night."

"Look here," growled Tom, "hadn't you and him better be quiet, Master Aleck? You're both talking very fine about saving and gettin' free and never forgettin', and all the time there's boats out arter us and they may be clost up for all I can say. It's about the darkest night I was ever out in."

"Let me get up, mate, and have a look round," said the smuggler.

"Think he's safe, Master Aleck?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Let him get up and try if he can make out where we are."

"But I can't get him down again if he goes off his head, sir, and tries to turn us out of the boat."

The smuggler uttered a low, mocking laugh.

"Bit too strong for yer, eh, Tommy?"

"Ay; but you wouldn't be if I was all here. There; get up then."

Tom's legs rattled on the planks of the boat as he rolled himself off and stood up and listened to the smuggler with a low, deep sigh as he sat up, tried to stand, and sat down again in the bottom of the little craft.

"Bit giddy," he said, apologetically; "things seems to swim round."

He had put his hands up to his head as he spoke. Then suddenly:

"Who tied my head up with a hankychy?"

"I did," growled Tom, surlily, "and just you mind as your missus washes it out and irons it flat for you to give it me agen next time you comes to Rockabie."

"I will, mate," said the smuggler, quietly. "There," he added, after drawing a long, deep breath, "I'm beginning to come right again. Yes, it is a bit dark to-night," he added, after staring about him for a minute or two. Then, uttering a sharp ejaculation, "Here, quick, put your helm hard up, Master Aleck. Quick, my lad; can't you see where you're going?"

"No," said Aleck, obeying the order quickly, with the result that the sail began to flap, while, as it filled again and the boat careened in the opposite direction, there was a dull, hissing, washing sound, followed by a slap and a hollow thud, as if a quantity of water had been thrown into a rift.

"Where are we?" said Aleck, who felt startled.

"Running clear now, sir; but in another moment you'd ha' been right on the East Skerries."

"What!" cried Tom.

"Don't holler, mate," said the smuggler, drily. "Mebbe there's one o' the man-o'-war's boats."

"Running right on the East Skerries! Right you are, messmet. That was the tide going into the Marmaid's Kitchen. Here, I feel as if I'd never been to sea and took bearings in my life, Master Aleck!"

"Yes; what is it?"

"Don't you never trust me again."

"But do you mean to say that you can't see those rocks just abeam, Tom Bodger?"

"Not a rock on 'em, messmet; but I can hear the bladder-wrack washing in and out."

"But you, Master Aleck?"

"I can see it looks a little darker there," replied the lad, "and a little lighter lower down."

"Well, it's amazin', sir. I can see 'em quite plain. I s'pose my eyes must be a little better than yourn through being out so much of a night."

"Smuggling, Eben?" said Aleck, quietly.

The man laughed softly, and, standing up now, holding on by one of the stays, he shaded his eyes and looked about him for some time.

"There's the riding lights of the two King's ships," he said, half aloud, "but I can't see the boats. They'd be giving the rocks about here a wide berth, and you pretty well left 'em behind, Master Aleck. Now, sir, what are you going to do?"

"Run home, of course," said Aleck.

"Round outside the point, sir?"

"Of course."

"You'd save a good two miles by running close to shore and inside the big island and the point."

"But the rocks?"

"You could steer clear of them, sir."

"But you mean run through the narrows--through the channel?"

"Of course, sir."

"Oh, it couldn't be done," said Aleck, excitedly.

"Easy enough at high water, sir; and that's what it'll be in another hour."

"Have you ever done it, Eben?"

"Often, sir, and in a bigger boat than this."

"Could you steer us safe through?"

The smuggler laughed.

"My father taught me to do it, sir, when I was a little boy."

"It would save an hour?"

"Quite, sir."

"What do you say, Tom? Would you go?"

"Me, sir? I'd go anywhere as Eben Megg dared to steer."

"But it is so dark," said Aleck, hesitating.

"The breaking water makes it lighter, sir, and the sea brimes to-night out yonder. Look, we're getting to where it flashes, where it breaks!"

"To be sure; it's beginning, too, where the boat cuts the water. Come and take the helm then. But, stop; what about the wind?"

"Westerly, sir, and blowing astern of us all the way through."

"Then we will go, Tom. Why, no man-o'-war boat dare follow us there."

"That they won't, sir," said Tom, decidedly. "I say, messmet, what do you say to a couple o' reefs in the sail?"

"Let her be," said the smuggler, taking his seat by Aleck, who handed him the little tiller. "There, sir, you may say good-bye to the press-gang boats now. I daresay they'll be hanging about on their way to their ship, but we shall hug the rocks in and out all along."

All talking ceased now, and in his new-found confidence in and admiration of the smuggler's knowledge of the intricate ways between the huge rocks that had from time to time become detached from the tremendous cliffs, and stood up forming the stacks and towers frequented by the myriads of sea-birds, the lad sat in silence watching the anchor lights of the men-o'-war, which came into sight and then disappeared again and again. Then, as they approached the wall-like cliffs, it seemed to grow lighter low down where the tide rushed and broke in foam, shedding a pale lambent glow, while deep down beneath them tiny points of light were gliding along as if the whole universe of stars had fallen into the sea and were illumining the dark depths below the boat.

There was a strange fascination, too, in the ride, as without hesitation the smuggler turned the boat's head into channels where the tide rushed like a mill-race close up to towering masses, and round and in and out, threading the smaller skittle-like pieces, whose lower parts had been fretting away beneath the action of the sea till the bottom was not a third of the distance through near the top.

Tom, too, sat very silent for a long time, chewing a piece of pigtail tobacco, evidently feeling perfectly comfortable about the smuggler's knowledge of the coast.

At last, though, he found his tongue:

"I say, messmet, how's that head o' yourn?"

"Very sore, Tommy."

"Ay, it will be. Dessay you lost a lot o' blood."

"I believe I did," said the steersman.

"Well, you're a big, strong fellow, and it'll do you good. But, I say, mind I has that hankychy back!"

"I won't forget, mate," said Eben, quietly. Then to himself, "I shan't forget this night."

"I don't like Eben Megg, and I don't like smugglers in general," Tom Bodger; "but human natur's human natur', even with old King's pensioned men as oughtn't to; but if Eben comes to me with that there hankychy and slips a big wodge of hard Hamsterdam 'bacco and a square bottle o' stuff as hasn't paid dooty into my hands in the dark some night, what am I to do? Say I can't take it? Well, I oughter, but--well, he arn't offered the stuff to me yet."

The other occupants of the boat were thinking deeply during the latter part of the sail. Aleck was wondering what his uncle would say, and Eben Megg thinking of his future, and he was startled from his reverie by Aleck, who suddenly said:

"What about the press-gang, Eben--do you think they will know you again?"

"Hope not, sir; but I'm not very comf'table about it. Someone set 'em on--someone as knows me; and, worse luck, they've got some of our chaps."

"But they haven't caught you."

"Not yet, sir, but there's chaps as don't like me, and if they've been pressed they'll be a-saying to-morrow morning as it arn't fair for them to be took and me to get away. See?"

"Yes; but what difference will that make?" The smuggler laughed aloud.

"Only that they might put the skipper of the man-o'-war cutter up to where he'd find me."

"But you had nothing to do with the cutter's men--that officer was from the sloop?"

"Ay, sir; but they're all working together, and the cutter's skipper has got a black mark against my name."

"Oh!" said Aleck, thoughtfully. "Then I suppose you'll go into hiding?"

"That's right, sir; but I shan't feel safe then. Eh, Tom Bodger?"

"Right, messmet; they'll be ferreting all along the coast arter yer. Tell you what I should do if I was you."

"What?" said the man, eagerly.

"Have a good wash up in the morning, and then jump in a boat and go and board the sloop like a man."

"What!"

"And then, says you, 'I want to see the skipper,' you says, and as soon as he comes on deck, 'Here I am, your honour,' you says. 'I warn't going to let your men take me last night as if I were an enemy or a thief; but if the King wants sailors, here I am, and I'll sarve him like a man.'"

"Well done, Tom!" cried Aleck.

"Think so, Master Aleck?" said the smuggler. "Yes, it sounds very nice, I suppose; but it won't do. I'm the wrong sort. Can't alter now."

"You know your own affairs best, Eben," said Aleck, quietly; "but I expect they'll catch you, and then you'll be obliged to serve."

"I expecks so too, Master Aleck, but I mean to have a fight for it first. There we are. P'raps you'd better take the tiller now and run your boat into the gap. You know the way better than I do. You, too, Tom Bodger."

The latter went forward, to stand boat-hook in hand, while, after passing the tiller to the lad, Eben laid hold of the rope and loosened it from the pin, ready to lower down the yard as soon as Aleck passed the word.

The next minute the boat had been run into the narrow jaws of the great chasm, the sail had been lowered, and after they had glided some distance along, helped by the boat-hook deftly wielded by Tom Bodger, the smuggler suddenly sprang out on to a shelf of rock at the side.

"What are you doing?" cried Aleck. "You can't get up there in the dark."

"Can't I, sir? You wait, and I'll hail you from the top before you get up to your mooring-rings."

The smuggler kept his word, a low farewell shout coming from on high, and echoing in whispers right along the gap.

"Good-night or good morning!" he cried, and then he was gone.

"I couldn't have got up there even in daylight, Tom," said Aleck.

"Nor me nayther, sir. Might ha' done it once upon a time, but wooden legs arn't the best kind o' gear for rock-climbing, sir, any more than they are for manning the yards aboard ship; and that's why I was pensioned-off."

"Yes, Tom; but what about you to-night?"

"Me, sir? I'm a-going to kiver mysen up with the sail and snooze away in the bottom of the boat."

"Very well; and I'll bring you something to eat as soon as I get in."

"Thankye, sir; that's about the right sort for me, as I didn't make much of a business over that there bread and cheese; and here we are!"

"Make her fast, Tom," cried Aleck, springing out. "I want to go and explain to uncle. I wonder what he'll say," the lad continued, to himself, as he hurried up the slope. "He can't be so very cross when he knows all."

There was a candle burning in the kitchen window, evidently placed there to light the wanderer on his return up the gloomy depression; and, after glancing up at his uncle's room, to see that all was dark there, the lad made for the kitchen door.

This was opened, and in a voluble whisper the housekeeper began:

"Oh, Master Aleck, I've been in sech a way about you! I made sure you'd been and drownded yourself, and here have I been sitting hours, fully expecting to see your white ghost coming up the dark path from off the sea."

"Don't be disappointed," said Aleck, merrily; "but, tell me," he whispered, "has uncle gone to bed?"

"Hours ago, my dear."

"Was he very angry because I hadn't come back?"

"He didn't say so, Master Aleck."

"But he asked if I'd come home?"

"Nay, he didn't."

"He went down into the boat harbour?"

"That he didn't, Master Aleck."

"Then he went up on the cliff to look out with the glass?"

"Nay; he's been writing his eyes out of his head almost, Master Aleck. Wouldn't come down to his dinner nor yet to his tea, and I had to take him up something on a tray, or else he wouldn't ha' eat a mossle. I shall be glad when he's writ his book."

"Then he didn't know I hadn't come?"

"No, I don't believe he thought about you a bit."

"Hah!" sighed Aleck.

"But what have you been a-doing of, Master Aleck? Not fighting again, have you?"

"You don't see any marks, do you?"

"Nay, I don't see no marks; but whatever did make you so late, Master Aleck?"

"Someone broke a hole in the boat, and we had to mend it, that's all. Now cut me some bread and ham for Tom Bodger down at the boat-shelter; he's nearly starved."

The provender was willingly out and carried down, and soon after Aleck lay dreaming over the adventures of the day. _

Read next: Chapter 17

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