“I don’t know, sir,” said the old lady, shaking her head sadly. “The sea is very unruly sometimes. Hadn’t you better take my advice, sir, and stop here? The moor’s very big, and surely if you and the young gentleman look well you’ll be able to find plenty of things to fill your bottles, without going abroad.”
“Can’t be done, Mrs Champernowne,” said Uncle Paul smiling. “Dartmoor isn’t the West Coast of Africa, nor yet the Cape of Good Hope, so, much as we have enjoyed being here, we shall have to say good-bye, and live in hopes of coming to see you again some day, for I haven’t half worked out the moor, nor yet a hundredth part.”
“I am very, very, very sorry,” said the old lady again, “but no doubt, sir, you know best. When do you think of going, sir?”
“To-morrow morning, Mrs Champernowne. We can’t let the grass grow under our feet, can we, Rodd?”
“No, uncle,” was the reply; and the next morning the portmanteau was packed, the fishing-rod and naturalist’s nets tied up in a neat bundle, a light spring cart was drawn up at the door, and uncle and nephew were soon on their way to the cross roads to take their chance of finding room upon the Plymouth coach, which came within a few miles of the widow’s cottage.
They were fortunate, as it happened, and that evening they were safely back at Uncle Paul’s home, a pleasant little country house on the high grounds overlooking the glorious harbour dotted with vessels, which included several of the King’s men-of-war, and within easy reach of the docks.
“Ah,” cried Uncle Paul that evening, as he strolled out into his garden, in company with Rodd, who was carrying a telescope that looked like a small cannon; “that was a fine air up on the moor, my boy, but nothing like this. Take a good long deep breath. Can’t you smell the salt and the seaweed? Doesn’t it set you longing to be off?”
“Well—yes, uncle,” replied the boy, smiling and screwing up his face till it was all wrinkled about the eyes; “but I begin to be a bit afraid.”
“Afraid, sir? What of?”
“That I shan’t turn out such a good sailor as I should like to be.”