Briefly I told him what had happened as we lay there rocking on the long Atlantic swell. 'I don't believe ye,' he said when I'd finished.
'Then row in and take a look at the adit,' I said.
He hesitated. I could see he didn't like the idea of hanging about. Dawn would soon be breaking, and then the Arisaig would be in full view from the coastguards' look-out at Cape Cornwall. But he gave the order and the boat's bows turned in towards the cliffs. We had no difficulty in finding the mouth of the adit. Even in the dim light the sea looked a muddy brown, and where the waves beat in against the cliffs an ochre-coloured torrent foamed up from just below the surface.
He ordered the boat to put about then and the seamen pulled out from underneath the cliffs, back towards the Arisaig. 'The girl comes with me,' I said. 'Before all this happened Manack had appointed me his representative in Italy. I'll show you his letters later. If you want any more cargoes, you'd better see that we get there safely.'
He grunted, but said nothing.
Kitty was getting into her clothes. She had towelled herself down with an oilskin jacket wrapped round her. I did the same, and when I was dressed I slipped the pistol into my jacket pocket. The dark outline of the schooner showed in the gloom. In a few minutes we were on board and the boat was in its davits.
Orders were given in a subdued voice. The sails ceased to flap and bulked out as they tightened and filled. Kitty had gone for'ard to the bows. I joined her there. Behind us the light of Pendeen Watch outlined the rugged cliffs at regular intervals. But she never looked back. She stared straight ahead, her hair blowing in the wind.
The bows began to talk as they dipped and rose across the waves. I took her hand. It trembled slightly. 'We'll be married in Rome, shall we?' I said.
'Married?' She looked at me in surprise.
'Of course.'