Part 35 (2/2)
But he had hardly settled down again before he experienced a slight quivering sensation, as if the cliff had suddenly received a blohile directly after there was a deep roar as of stones falling along some vast slope Then oncefar below
”Part of the cliff given way,” thought Aleck, as he called to mind places here and there where uarded the western shores had evidently fallen, and about which he had heard traditionary stories But these falls had taken place in far distant tio farther back than chronicling the event as sorandfather heered tell”
Aleck thought nothe two vessels, till suddenly they see in the way of action A boat was lowered froh to enable him to make out the faces of the officers in the stern-sheets, one of as the e of the boat at Rockabie pier
Aleck watched the boats rowing shoreward and separating after a ti cove, the other rowing in the direction of the gap which led up to the depression in which lay the Den
Feeling that he would like to be at home if the boat entered their private chas the cliff and reached the garden so as to descend to the -place just in ti, the dark rocks round and above, and the little craft floating upon a background of opalescent sea and sky
”They can't have coht Aleck, and after a tie and look down, in ti rowed back to their respective vessels
An hour after they were slowly gliding away in the direction of Rockabie, their exa been of the most perfunctory kind
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
”No, Master Aleck, not gone, as you er, a few days later, as he adzed and planed and hammered away at the kittiwake down in front of the natural boat-house ”They're a-dodging of it, strikes ot enough of that sry for more, and, you mark my words, he'll keep away so as to make the likely ones think they're safe, and then there'll coht when they'll find they arn't”
”Oh, I don't think so, Toolden-hued copper nails ”I don't believe the press-gang will co they won't, and I'll go on thinking they will, and let's see who's right”
”But what makes you suspicious, Torim smile ”I 'member hoe used to pick 'em up aboard the Hajax--'our Jacks,' as the lads used to call her That's just how our old skipper used to work it; and if I were Eben Megg and didn't want to go to sea I should give up s and take to an inland job, where he warn't known, and then he'd be safe
Ha! The about them coppery nails”
”No; but uncle says you're to be careful and not use so many, for they're expensive, and you do seem to like to drive in as many as you can”
”Now, you lookye here, Master Aleck,” said the sailor, solemnly; ”a copper nail may mean a man's life You put in a hiron one and after a bit the sea water eats it all away Soon as the nail's eat away up starts a plank, in goes the water, and before you knohere you are down goes your boat and a man's drowned Copper nail costs a ha'penny, p'raps, and if it's a big 'un, a penny Well, arn't ashall you be before you've done?”
”Finish this week, sir; and then she'll last for years You knoas; soon as I ripped off that patch we found that a lot of her streaks under the pitch was rotten, and there was nothing for it but to cut a lot away and ood job of it, and she'll be like a noo boat when I've done”
”Of course,” said Aleck; ”and uncle said you were to do it thoroughly”
”And thorough it is,” said Tom ”I've took a lot o' tiood Let's see; this 'lar”
”Yes, To; ”and what do you think Ness says?”
”Dunno, Master Aleck,” said the sailor, passing his hand, as if lovingly, over the well-s into the boat ”Wants some beer?”
”Oh, of course,” said Aleck; ”but he said he could have mended the boat up in half the time”