He was in a room over the cellar, he was sure, and the window was wide open. He crept to it, guided by the cold air which came in, and had just reached it when he heard rapid footsteps, and some one panted,--
"Where"s the skipper?"
"Here. What is it?" whispered Shackle, who seemed close to where the midshipman stood.
"Jemmy Dadd--came from the cove. Boat"s crew landed."
"Run down and tell them all to come back," said Shackle hoa.r.s.ely.
"I did, and they"re coming. I met first man."
"Right! Get all back in quick!"
As he finished speaking, Archy could hear the dull, soft steps of laden men returning, and more and more kept coming, and it was soon evident that they were quickly and silently replacing the kegs they had been carrying down hill to where tumbrils were waiting for a load.
The midshipman stood a little way back from the window, seeing nothing, but drinking all this in, and in imagination grasping the whole scene which went on for the next quarter of an hour or so, by which time the last load seemed to have been brought back.
As he listened, he wondered what boat"s crew it could be that had landed, as no arrangement had been made for any help to be sent till he either signalled from the cliff or went down to the cove at twelve the next day, where a boat would be about half a mile out, with two men in her fishing.
He could not understand it; all he could tell for certain was that the smugglers had been alarmed, and that they would not remove the cargo that night, for all at once he heard the sharp snap of a great lock beneath his feet; this was followed by the closing of a door, and directly after there was the shuffling of feet, and Shackle"s voice was heard in a hoa.r.s.e whisper,--
"Got the lanthorn, boy?"
"Yes, father."
"Off you go then--all. Scatter!"
"You won"t try again to-night?"
"Try? No," said the farmer savagely. "Wish I had some of them here!"
There were retiring steps then, and Archy leaned forward towards the window, to utter a faint cry of pain, for his head had come in contact with something, and as he put up his hand he found that the window was protected by thick iron bars.
He stood listening till not a sound could be heard, and then he drew back from the window, thinking about his next course, gazing out into the darkness the while, and wishing he could have stepped out, leaped down, and fled at once.
"Made our plans badly," he thought to himself. "I can"t signal even if I could find my way to the cliff, and I ought to be able to get back here at once to seize all this store, and--"
More unpleasant thoughts came back now about how hard it seemed to have to betray these people.
"Can"t help it," he said to himself. "I am a king"s officer, and I"ve got to do my duty."
Then to keep these thoughts from troubling him, he began to think again about the cutter.
They never expected that he would get valuable information so soon. He had been wonderfully fortunate, but what was to be his next course?
Certainly to get back to the ship as soon as possible, but that was not possible till morning, and he was miles away from the cove.
What should he do? Two hours would be plenty for the work, and as he guessed it was not much past twelve now. How was he to pa.s.s all those weary hours? If he could find some barn or even a haystack he would not have cared, but it seemed to him that he would have to pa.s.s the remainder of the night in walking, and watching so that he did not encounter any of the smuggler gang on his way back and so raise their suspicions.
Better be off at once. Perhaps, after all, he thought as by an inspiration, the lieutenant had altered his plans, and was sending men to look after and protect him.
"Let"s see," said Archy to himself. "I must go out of this door, and keep turning a little to the right till I feel the door at the top of the stairs."
Suppose any one should hear him, take him for a thief, and fire at him?
Suppose that door at the end of the pa.s.sage had been locked by the smugglers?
It seemed so probable, that a nervous feeling attacked the lad. He would be a prisoner, and discovered by the inmates in the morning.
He would soon put that to the proof, he told himself; and he was about to step cautiously back toward the door when another thought sent a shudder through him.
Suppose as soon as he got into the hall, or whatever place it was, he should hear that sigh again and the rustling sound?
He shrank back as he recalled how it had affected him.
"Oh, what a coward I am!" he said softly; and he took a step forward, where very faintly, as if far distant, he heard the rustling sound again. It came nearer and nearer, then there was a low sigh, the door was pushed open, for the rustling came quite plainly now, accompanied by a faint breathing.
The door closed with a soft dull sound as Archy stood as if turned into stone, his hair again feeling as if moved by hands, and he would have spoken, but no words would come.
At last, as he stood there in front of the window, terrified too much to stir, he suddenly heard a faint sound as of catching breath, and a voice said in a hurried, frightened whisper,--
"Who"s there? Is that you, Ram?"
Archy tried to speak but could not. Before he could draw a breath of relief, feeling as he did that this was nothing of which he need feel such fear, the voice said again,--
"You are trying to frighten me. I can see you plainly there by the window. How dare you come in here like this, sir? Go back home with your horrid men."
CHAPTER TWELVE.
"You are making a mistake," said Archy softly.
"Oh!"
There was a cry and a quick rustling toward the door.
"Don"t--don"t cry out; I did not come to frighten you."
"Who are you?"
"I am from the cutter lying off the coast. You saw me and spoke to me to-day when the dog came at me."
There was a low wailing sound which troubled the midshipman, and he said quickly,--
"Can you not believe me? I did not come to frighten you; you frightened me."
"Then, why are you here? How dare you break into our house. Oh, I know! I know!"