The Argosy — page 73: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

62 The Black Buoy. ‘‘T swam up to it and kept close by. It was like a friend in all this wild desolation of heaving seas. But now came the worst watch of the whole. The lugger must pass within hail of me, but what if my strength gave out? For it was ebbing fast. I had been without food for hours. I had walked many miles, and swimming is a most exacting exercise. Still I was not going to give up at the last pinch, and I had my reward. ‘A little gleam of parting waves, a black mass coming on, towering blacker than the darkness, and I hailed them. ‘ /VAzte Swan, ahoy !’ ‘A voice came from the darkness, ‘ White Swan | itis; who are you P’ ““«T ay-to, and throw a rope over your starboard quarter.’ “The lugger was only about thirty yards distant. I made my last effort and swam to her. A rope was thrown, and they hauled me on board, and I had just time to give my warning before I fell fainting on the deck. “When I came to myself, the last keg of our cargo was being lowered overboard. We were some little distance up the coast and floats were attached to the kegs so that we might be able to find them again. «So eeeldialas was all this done, that it was only some two hours afterwards that we beat cautiously up the channel with the last of the flood, and cast anchor close to the mouth of the gully. All was per- fectly still. We pulled ashore in our boat and stepped on land, when, in a moment, dark figures started up, lights flashed upon us, and we were surrounded by soldiers. “<In the King’s name !’ said the officer, coming forward. ‘It was a picturesque group, illuminated as it was by the flicker- ing light of the torches which some of the soldiers carried. My tall, old grandsire, with his weater-beaten face and grey hair; the boyish, handsome young officer, bright with scarlet and gold, and steel ; the stolid seamen in their blue jerseys and sou’westers ; the soldiers with their bronzed faces and glittering accoutrements ; and, I suppose, myself, disguised in a suit of oilskins and a big sou’wester that covered my rebellious hair. ‘‘ My grandfather said nothing when the young lieutenant ordered the sergeant to board the lugger; and only a twinkle of his keen, grey eye, showed his enjoyment of the scene. The soldiers had to row, and clumsily enough they did it, provoking one of the stolid seamen to a loud laugh, which he instantly suppressed. “The sergeant was back again pretty soon, his face, formerly red, now purple with wrath, ‘““* We've been made fools of, sir!’ he exclaimed, saluting the lieutenant. “‘ Nothing on board except some nets!’ ‘ The lieutenant’s face fell for a moment; then he looked amused at the sergeant’s discomfiture. i «Search them!’ he said. ‘ We'll make it sure!’ Gomicbooks