Mother.—"Oh yes, Smart, you must try your best."
Smart.—"To be sure, Ma'am, if so be you wishes it. But I be thinking there is a power of mischief in her yet."
Mother.—"I think it must all have been frightened out of her by this time. Did you see anything of her when you went in search of the others?"
Smart.—"No, Madam, I went straight away for Miss Zoë and Jenny, the cap'n having given me my orders so to do, let alone me ordering myself that way also. I had to knock over a couple of women-kind, which went agin my conscience: not knowing how people might act towards my poor dear woman, and my two pretty boys, all these years that I have been from them."
Here Smart showed symptoms of a pathetic nature, for which Felix tried to comfort him saying, "I am sure they are doing very well, for Mrs. Smart will have taken in some washing, and Jem is I dare say a gamekeeper by now, and perhaps little Tom too."
From Jenny we further learnt that they had come round the way they did to avoid the pirates. As they passed the upper caverns they heard what Jenny called a great "scremmage," but saw nothing of Hargrave or the captain. Had they been ten minutes sooner round the rock they might have reached us in safety, and without discovery.
The pirates having given full scope to their curiosity regarding us, now separated, and, while some remained as watchers, the others went off to examine the waterfall and caverns, and look, as we supposed, for our two companions.
"Ha, ha," said Smart, as he saw them emerging in and out from beneath the waterfall, "if it had not been for that demented woman you would never have speered that place, I'll go bail. Mighty pretty it is too as well as uncommon convanient."
Oscar.—"Is it not like the waterfall at Cil Hepste in Glamorganshire."
Smart.—"Just such another, Sir, and if I have the luck to see that ere waterfall again, it's a pity if I don't look o' the inside of it."