“Who’s there wanting me at this hour of the morning?” they at length heard a voice from within exclaim. Roger repeated what he had before said, and at length old Ben came to the door with a candle, which was immediately blown out.
“A ship in danger, young master!” he exclaimed. “I have not heard her guns firing, or other signal of distress, and my ears are pretty sharp, even when I am asleep.”
“We are anxious about the Benbow frigate, as we are afraid that she may have been driven on shore.”
“Her captain knows too well what he is about to allow her to do that,” answered old Ben. “He had not been aboard yesterday evening two minutes before he got under weigh, and must have gained a good offing before the gale came on.”
“I heartily hope that such may be the case,” observed Stephen.
“I am afraid that if he got under weigh he will not be coming back,” said Roger.
“We shall soon know,” observed Ben. “Dawn is just breaking, and it will be daylight ere long.—Come in, young gentlemen, and in the meantime, for you are wet through, I will rouse up young Toby, and we will have a fire lighted to dry your wet duds.”
The lads were glad enough to accept old Ben’s invitation, for though they had strained their eyes to the utmost no sign could they discover of the Benbow frigate, but they fancied that the darkness, which is generally the greatest an hour before dawn, had concealed her from their sight. Toby, who turned out on being called, quickly lighted a fire with the driftwood, of which there was generally an abundant supply on the beach, and they sat before it for some time drying their wet clothes, its bright light preventing them from seeing how rapidly the dawn was advancing. At length Roger starting up exclaimed, “Why, it is nearly broad daylight: we shall be well able to see the ship where she lay at anchor.”
“I doubt if you will see her there or anywhere else,” said old Ben, as he accompanied Roger and Stephen, who eagerly ran out of the cottage.
Though the rain had ceased, the gale was blowing as hard as ever, while the spray which rose from the breakers dashing on the shore beneath their feet filled the air as they reached a point where, by shading their eyes with their hands, they could obtain a view over the whole bay. They eagerly looked out, but nowhere was the Benbow frigate to be seen. Ben’s information was correct.