As they came near they caught sight of a solitary figure down towards where the archway submerged had lain, and Aleck made put that it was a big, well-built man-o’-war’s man.
“Is that one of your fellows, sailor?” said Aleck, with the appellation he had used when they were prisoners together.
“Yes, he came over with me from Rockabie. Capital fellow he is too. Don’t you know him again?”
“No,” said Aleck, shading his eyes. “Yes, I do. How he is changed! Why, Eben Megg, I hardly knew you again without your beard.”
“Glad to see you, Master Aleck,” said the man, warmly. “Mr Wrighton here was good enough to bring me along with him to see the old place. I’m coming to make a long stay, sir, as soon as we’re paid off, and—and—there, I arn’t good at talking—about them things,” continued the man, huskily, “but God bless you and the captain, sir, for all you’ve done for my poor wife and bairns.”
“Oh, nonsense! Don’t talk about it, Eben,” said Aleck, huskily; “but, I say, young man, you nearly made an end of us by not coming back after you’d shut us in. What did you do it for—to kill us?”
“To kill you both, sir? Not me! I on’y wanted to make sure of you for an hour or two till I’d been home and scraped a few things together to take away with me. When I come back the cutter’s lads dropped upon me, and I showed fight till a crack on the head knocked all the say out of me for about a fortnit. When I could speak they told me you’d both been found.”
“Ahoy!” cried the middy, excitedly. “Here comes your rasé chap, old wooden pegs. I’d nearly forgotten him. Does he live here?”
“Oh, yes, he’s our gardener and odd man; been with us ever since Dunning ran away. Capital gardener he makes, sailor—digs a patch and then walks down it, making holes with his wooden legs to drop in the potatoes or cabbage plants, before standing on one leg and covering in the earth with the other. Hallo, Tom, what is it?”
“Sarvant, sir,” said Tom, pulling his forelock, man-o’-war fashion, to the young officer. “Been showing Eben Megg how the cave was busted up, sir, in the storm. I beg pardon, sir; I’ve been scouring and swabbing out the boat ’smorning in case you and the luff-tenant wanted to go for a sail.”