"But it is not safe to leave it by night."
"Yes; I know the way. I have been here many times—I mean among the islands, I will take you to the sailing-boat which brought me to St. Agnes. Come, I will tell you all that needs telling as we go back."
"But Cap'n Jack's gang?"
"Their boat is at St. Mary's."
"How do you know?"
"Enough that I have found out their plans."
After this Eli and I followed him to a little cove where a boat rocked, and ere long we were landed at St. Agnes. Here we found a good-sized sailing-boat, and here, too, I dried my clothes in a fisherman's cottage, wondering all the while at the strange things which had befallen me.
As soon as morning came we started for St. Ives, for thither Naomi's father determined to go, for Naomi's father I believed him to be.
He said that we should thus escape Cap'n Jack's gang, and be almost as near Mullion as if we landed at Penzance. We did not, however, land at St. Ives. The men who owned the boat consented to take us on to Hayle, which was five miles nearer Mullion than St. Ives.
During our sail across I reproached myself greatly for placing Naomi in the care of Tamsin Truscott, for I believed that she had been led to be unfaithful, and had told Israel Barnicoat of her whereabouts. I talked much with Mr. Penryn about these things, over whom a very great change had come. He was no longer violent in language or in deed, rather he seemed subdued and very thoughtful. He spoke very calmly and thoughtfully, and suggested many things which would never have occurred to me. Such was the power of what I had told him that all his fears seemed to have gone, the wild, haunted look had passed away from his eyes, while his actions were those of a refined gentleman.