“Ahoy! Who’s there?”
“Father!” cried Bigley excitedly.
“Hush! Who’s there?” said old Jonas as we felt quite stunned with surprise.
“Only Bob Chowne and Sep Duncan, father.”
“No one else?”
“No one.”
“Pull, my lads!” cried old Jonas; and as the boat grated on the beach he leaped ashore.
“I shall not be a quarter of an hour,” he said. “Keep her afloat. Here, Bigley.”
He caught his son’s arm and they went up to the cottage together at a trot, and in less than a quarter of an hour they were back again, and old Jonas clapped me on the shoulder.
“Look here, Duncan,” he said, “I always liked you, my boy, because you and Bigley were such mates.”