Old Jeph staggered out after them, and made for the cottage of his friend Coleman. The latter met him near the threshold.
“Why, Jeph, is this you? I’ve bin searchin’ for ye more than an hour, and come to the conclusion ye must ha’ gone home; but why, you’re ill, Jeph!”
“Ay, I’m ill, come, help me home.”
“Nay, not this night, you shall stop with me; the missus’ll give you a cup o’ tea as will do yer old heart good.”
“No, I must go home now,” said Jeph, in a tone so decided that his friend was staggered.
“You can’t walk it, you know, in a stormy night like this.”
“I will walk it,” said Jeph.
“Come, then, if you’re bent on it, you’d better go in your own lugger; it’s here just now, agoin’ to put off in ten minutes or so. Nothin’ ever stops Bluenose, blow high, blow low. W’en he wants to go off to sea, he goes off, right or wrong. But you’ll take a glass o’ grog first.”
Old Jeph would not do this, so he was led down to the beach by Coleman, where they found the boat being launched.
“Good-bye, old man,” said Coleman, helping him over the side.