“She arn’t ready to launch yet, my lad, and she’ll be all the better for waiting till that pitch is well cooled. Besides, in less than an hour the tide’ll be up all round her, and we can shove her off oursens.”
“Oh, yes, of course; and as we have to go in the dark I suppose it doesn’t matter to an hour.”
“That’s what I’ve been a-thinking of, Master Aleck. But, I say, do you know why they wanted to be off?”
“Hungry, I suppose.”
“Nay! Not them. They’re suspicious.”
“What of?”
“Why, didn’t you see how they kep’ one eye on the man-o’-war out yonder?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, what does that mean? They’ve made up their minds as boats’ll come in from the sloop arter dark just to see in a friendly way if they can’t pick up a few likely lads to sarve the King.”
“From the smugglers who are hanging about?” said Aleck, eagerly, as he recalled what had passed between him and Eben Megg that afternoon.