Part 39 (1/2)
”Well done, Master Aleck!” shouted the gardener
”Silence, sir,” said the captain, sternly ”Go on, Aleck”
”I've noto lead people to take and press men by force for sailors Besides, the lieutenant does not need showing--he has been to the es, and taken soood-humouredly; ”and I don't want to be hard on you It is not the thing to ask a gentle for men to press now, but to findCan you help me in that?”
”I'm afraid I can't,” said Aleck, frankly; ”but I will do all I can”
”Thank you; that's right,” said the officer ”Coress after all”
”I'lad of it, sir,” replied the captain; ”but, tell ot seven sturdy fellows to the boats, in spite of a vigorous resistance”
”Seven?” said the captain ”Well, surely thatin the little cluster of cliff cottages! Of course there are their wives and children!”
”Yes,” said the lieutenant, drily; ”we learned to our cost that they had wives, and strapping daughters too”
”Then how can it be possible that your brother officer can be here?
There is no one to keep him a prisoner”
”Well, it doesn't seem likely,” said the officer, in a disappointed tone ”Unless,” he added, ”these viragoes of wo hihtest probability of that,” said the captain ”I'm afraid, sir, that you will find an accident has befallen him”
The lieutenant shook his head, and then turned to Aleck
”You have a boat and a wonderfully retired nook where you keep her!
Where is it--down below here?”
”Your men came to the ht?”
”No, no; a fortnight ago”
”Ah, yes, I remember You o in there?”
”Mine goes in, and out too,” said Aleck; ”and it's nearly as big as yours But what of that?”
”Is it likely thathimself left behind, may have hidden himself there?”
”Not a bit likely,” said Aleck; ”but, let's go and see!”
”By all means,” said the captain; and Aleck led thearden and down to the slope which led into the chasm
”My word, what a place!” said the officer, in his admiration
”Wonderful! And this is your boat-house, eh?” he added, when, followed by his boat's crew, they reached sea level and gazed into the great niche in which the kittias securely moored