From Powder Monkey to Admiral Part 25

Bill and Jack remained for a few seconds in the dark shade caused by the tall wall of the chateau, listening attentively for any sounds of people moving about. None reached their ears, and only here and there, in the more distant part of the building, were any lights to be seen gleaming from the windows.

"We may run for it now without much chance of being seen," said Bill.

"We must step lightly, though, or we may be heard by some of the sentries. Keep your eye on the star, it's the best guide we have for the harbour. Now for it! let's start."

They set off, treading as lightly as they could on the ground with their bare feet, the soles of which were pretty well hardened. For some distance they had only gra.s.s to run over, and a couple of phantoms could scarcely have produced less sound.

In a short time, however, they reached a fence. It was somewhat rotten, and as they were climbing over it, a part gave way and came down with a crash.

"Quick!" said Bill, as he was helping over Jack, who followed him; "we must run on like the wind; somebody may be coming to find out what's the matter."

They did not stop, as may be supposed, to repair the damage they had caused, but soon reaching a road which led in the direction they wished to take, they scampered on at full speed.

Tall trees grew on either side of the road, which, casting a dark shadow over it, would have effectually concealed them from view, even if anybody had been looking out for them. The darkness, however, also prevented them from seeing any one who might be ahead.

Sometimes indeed they had a difficulty in keeping in the middle of the road.

"I hope we're going in the right direction," said Jack; "I can't see the star, and the road seems to me to have twisted about."

"We must, at all events, go on," answered Bill. "Perhaps we shall catch sight of the star again before long, and we must steer our course accordingly. There's no use stopping still."

They went on and on.

"There it is at last," cried Jack.

The trees which lined the road were much lower, being indeed mere pollards, and allowed them to see the sky overhead.

Presently they heard a dog bark; then another and another. Could the brutes be barking at them?

It was a sign that there were dwellings near, and the inhabitants might be looking out to ascertain what made their dogs bark.

"Never mind," whispered Bill; "the chances are that the dogs are tied up, and if we keep moving the people won't see us."

They pa.s.sed through the village or hamlet.

They were still, they knew, some distance from the harbour.

Here and there only could they see a light twinkling from a window, probably of some sick-chamber. It was pretty evident that most of the people had gone to bed, still some one or other might be up who would give the alarm.

They found themselves verging to the right; it was better, however, than keeping to the left side, which might lead them away from the harbour.

Presently they came to some gra.s.sy downs, and the regular road they had been pursuing turned sharp off to the left.

"We had better keep straight on," said Bill; "we shall be more exposed on the open downs; but then it isn't likely that anybody will be there to see us, so that won't matter."

Jack, as usual, was ready to do whatever Bill proposed. They got quickly over the gra.s.s, which was cropped short by sheep feeding on it, and they could manage to see somewhat better than they had done on the road. Presently Jack, whose eyesight was even keener than Bill's, having been well practised at night from his childhood, caught his companion's arm, exclaiming, "Hold back; it seems to me that we have got to the edge of the downs."

They crept cautiously forward. In another instant they would have leapt down a cliff some hundred feet in height, and been dashed to pieces.

They turned away from it, shuddering at the fearful risk they had run, and kept along on somewhat lower ground, still having the star which had before guided them ahead.

Once more they found themselves approaching buildings, but they were low and scattered; evidently only in the outskirts of the village.

"We must be close to the harbour now," said Jack.

"The greater reason that we should be cautious," observed Bill. "This road, I suspect, leads right down to the part of the harbour we want to reach."

They ran on, their hope of escape increasing.

Suddenly they heard the voice of a man shouting out, "Who goes there?"

Bill seized Jack's arm, and pulled him down in the shadow of a high wall, near which they happened at that moment to find themselves.

Some minutes they waited, scarcely daring to draw breath.

The shout was not repeated.

"We may go on now," whispered Jack; and getting up, they crept forward.

Presently, below them, they caught sight of the harbour, with the stars reflected on its surface.

The most difficult part of their undertaking was now to be performed.

They had to find out exactly where their raft lay.

Bill had not failed to observe the shape of the harbour, and to take note of the various objects on sh.o.r.e, as he and Jack were brought in prisoners by the French boat; but the partial survey he was then able to make did not enable him to settle positively in what direction they ought to proceed to find their raft.

By keeping on as they were then going they believed that they should make the sh.o.r.e of the harbour at no great distance from the mouth. They might then keep along up it until they reached the place where they landed, near which they hoped to find their raft moored.

"I am only afraid that we may meet some guards or patrols, or fishermen coming on sh.o.r.e or going off to their vessels," observed Jack.

"If we do we must try to hide ourselves," answered Bill. "We'll keep along as close as we can under the cliffs, or any walls or houses we are pa.s.sing, so that we may see people before we are seen ourselves."

They acted as Bill suggested, and pushed boldly onwards. Not a sound was heard coming either from the land side or from the harbour. The water was as smooth as gla.s.s.

They were still going forward when Jack seized Bill's arm. "That's the place," he whispered. "I can make out the raft, moored outside a boat at the end of a slip."

Bill, creeping forward, a.s.sured himself that Jack was right, and, as nothing could be gained by waiting a moment, they hurried on, and in a few seconds were on board their raft. Jack plunged his hand into one of the chests, to ascertain that the articles it had contained were still there. They had not been taken away.

He could scarcely refrain from shouting out for joy.

Even the oars had not been removed.

They got another from the boat alongside to supply the place of the one which had been splintered.

"Cut the warps," cried Bill. "We'll paddle on till we find the breeze."

The raft was quickly cast loose, and, getting out the oars, they began to paddle silently down the harbour. They could not avoid making some slight noise, but they hoped that there was no one on the watch to hear it. Very frequently they turned their glances astern to ascertain if they were followed, but they could see nothing moving. There were several vessels lower down the harbour, so they steered a course which would carry them past at some little distance from them.

The raft moved easily over the smooth surface, and they made good way.

There was only one vessel more which they had to pa.s.s before they reached the harbour's mouth. They both earnestly hoped that her crew were fast asleep, and that no watch was kept on deck.

They paddled slowly by, and more than half a cable's length from her, moving their oars as gently as possible, and scarcely daring to breathe.