Chapter Thirty Six.
Everything was arranged on board, so that no watcher armed with a glass who scanned the ship should suspect that an expedition was on hand; but as soon as it was dark the men were ordered into two boats, one commanded by Gurr, with whom was Archy, the other by the boatswain, only leaving a very small crew on board with the lieutenant. Then they pushed off, rowing with muffled oars, and keeping right away from the cliffs, so that any watcher there should have no indication of their passing.
The quiet little cove was still a couple of miles away, when Archy suddenly touched the master’s arm as he sat there holding his cutlass.
“Yes; what is it?”
For answer the midshipman leaned forward, and pointed to where, far back and apparently opposite to the cutter, a couple of faint lights could be seen high up and away from the cliff.
“Humph! Lights,” said Gurr; “but they may be up at some cottage. What do you think?”
“I thought they might be signals.”
“Well, my lad, if they be, it’s to bring the smugglers ashore, where we may have the luck to be in waiting for ’em. But before that the skipper may have seen them, and, though he’s short-handed, they could manage to shake out a sail or two, and manage a gun.”